The finding of three immature nymphs of Prosopistoma Latreille, 1833 (Ephemeroptera, Prosopistomatidae) in an upstream site of Baishih River represents the first record of this rarely collected genus in Taiwan. These nymphs were discovered through extensive monthly sampling at the riffle habitats from 13 undisturbed sites over two years (Dec 2008-Nov 2010). The coloration pattern of the collect...

The current study compared the susceptibility of larval stages of Amblyomma cajennense (F.), Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) to infection by a Brazilian strain of Rickettsia rickettsii. Guinea pigs experimentally infected by R. rickettsii were simultaneously infested by larvae of the three tick species. Recovered engorged larvae were allowed to molt to ny...

The conifer needle scale, Nuculaspis abietis (Schrank) emerged as an important pest of conifers in the Kelardasht region of Mazandaran province, Iran, in the late 1990’s. This pest feeds on conifer needles and twigs causing needle drop and branch desiccation. Its discovery in Kelardasht in Mazandaran Province necessitated a local quarantine of conifers in the genera Picea, Abies, and Pinus. We ...

Conventional pesticides have suffered two main drawbacks: (a) broad spectrum of action and (b) selection of target species resistant to the different active ingredients. Thus compounds that are less harmful to the environment and to human health, more specific and that do not induce resistance need to be developed. One alternative are insect growth regulators, such as fluazuron. The present stu...

Various animals produce inviable eggs or egg-like structures called trophic eggs, which are presumed to be an extended maternal investment for the offspring. However, there is little knowledge about the ecological or physiological constraints associated with their evolutionary origin. Trophic eggs of the seminivorous subsocial burrower bug (Canthophorus niveimarginatus) have some unique charact...

The effects of injection of [His(7)]-corazonin and juvenile hormone (JH) III on the body color in L. migratoria were investigated using albino and normal (pigmented) nymphs. Most albino nymphs turned green in the fourth instar if injected with JH III during the last 2 days of the previous instar. When albino third instar nymphs injected with 10 pmol of [His(7)]-corazonin on different days were ...

The behavioral plasticity of locusts is a striking trait presented during the reversible phase transition between solitary and gregarious individuals. However, the results of serotonin as a neurotransmitter from the migratory locust Locusta migratoria in phase transition showed an alternative profile compared to the results from the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. In this study, we investi...

It is shown experimentally that the option between developmental diapause and non-diapause development in nymphs of Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821 (Middle Atlantic population) is determined by photoperiodic conditions according to a two-step photoperiodic reaction of short-day long-day type. Diapause arrest of development is induced by an impact of either long day upon unfed nymphs, or short day u...