Essential oils produced by plants are a rich source of metabolites that can have toxic or behaviour-modifying effects on arthropods. Some essential oils have shown promise in management of the mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae), a parasite of western honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Essential oil and its components from common yarrow, Achillea

The nymphs I, II, III, and adult male and adult female stages of Mulcticola macrocephalus (Kellogg) (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera: Philopteridae), a monoxenous species of chewing louse infesting common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Forster) (Caprimulgiformes: Caprimulgidae), in North America, are described. Line drawings of whole nymphs and adults are presented, as are details of anterior dorsal head plates

Most studies about the European earwig Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) assume that four larval moults occur from hatching to adult. In this note, we use observational and quantitative approaches to reveal the presence of an additional intermediate moult occurring immediately after egg hatching. We then briefly discuss how this finding may open up new possibilities for follow-up

A comprehensive biovigilance programme was undertaken in 2018 to monitor potential insect vectors of viruses of grapevines (Vitis vinifera; Vitaceae) in two vineyards in Québec. Two hundred seventy-four insects were collected using yellow sticky traps and sweeping nets. Collected specimens were first classified into orders, with special attention given to the Hemiptera order, which is the main group

Outside of pest control reports, little attention has been paid to interior ecosystems in high-latitude regions. Opportunistic sampling of live arthropods captured inside the University of Alaska Museum Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America allowed us to describe and analyse one such interior ecosystem. We document a minimum of 77 arthropod species over 18 years. Beetles, spiders, and booklice

Gall wasps in the cynipid genus Diplolepis Geoffroy (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) attack various species of native and introduced roses in Canada. Although gall forms are diverse, gall wasps are parasitised by highly concordant complexes of parasitoids and inquilines. Many species of gall wasps attack the same host plants and develop over the same periods in the season, suggesting that opportunistic parasitoids

The nymphs I, II, III, and adult male and adult female stages of Mulcticola macrocephalus (Kellogg) (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera: Philopteridae), a monoxenous species of chewing louse infesting common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Forster) (Caprimulgiformes: Caprimulgidae), in North America, are described. Line drawings of whole nymphs and adults are presented, as are details of anterior dorsal head plates

Molecular analyses of DNA samples necessitate careful attention to experimental protocols to prevent contamination of samples during the specimen collection and DNA extraction, amplification, and visualisation stages. When these studies involve insects that are collected in the field, standard procedures require samples to be individually sorted and stored in single tubes to prevent cross-contamination

This paper reviews the literature on the identification of 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH) as the antiaggregation pheromone of the Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the development of successful management applications using the pheromone. Previously unpublished data from two studies on novel uses of MCH are included. The successful development

Although the use of nonhost plants intercropped among host crops has been a standard agricultural practice for reducing insect herbivory for millennia, the use of nonhost signals to deter forest pests is much more recent, having been developed over the past several decades. Early exploratory studies with synthetic nonhost volatile semiochemicals led to targeted electrophysiological and trapping experiments

We evaluated the host suitability and related traits of Trichoplusia ni Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chrysodeixis chalcites Esper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is nonnative in North America, for the native parasitoids Campoletis sonorensis Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Copidosoma floridanum Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and the nonnative parasitoid Cotesia vanessae Reinhard

Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm. (Pinaceae), in the southern Rocky Mountains is composed of two distinct phloem monoterpene chemotypes that differ in relative abundances of multiple monoterpenes, particularly α-pinene and Δ3-carene (hereafter, the “α-pinene chemotype” and the “Δ3-carene chemotype”). Here, relative toxicity of these chemotypes is tested on spruce beetle (Dendroctonus

Specimens of the New World genus Leschenaultia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tachinidae) parasitise a wide range of lepidopteran hosts, including economically important pests. The female flies are attracted to volatile compounds released by host plants in response to the herbivory of caterpillars. They deposit microtype eggs on the leaves, which are then ingested by the hosts. We record a new host for

Crop damage caused by fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugipera J.E. Smith (1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), has generated concern among agriculturists globally. In 2019, FAW was first reported in Sri Lanka, where it caused significant losses to corn crops. However, given that the two FAW biotypes – “rice strain” (R-FAW) and “corn strain” (C-FAW) – are morphologically identical, the biotype(s) present

Small carpenter bees (Ceratina calcarata Robertson) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) build their nests in both sunny and shady sites, so maternal decisions about nest sites influence the thermal environment experienced by juveniles throughout development. A previous study demonstrated that when larvae and pupae were raised in the laboratory at room temperature, those from sunny nests developed more slowly than

Exotic ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in the tribe Xyleborini include destructive pests of trees growing in horticultural cropping systems. Three species are especially problematic: Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff), Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky), and Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford). Due to similarities in their host tree interactions, this mini-review focuses on these three

Three species of ambrosia beetles (Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier), Gnathotrichus sulcatus (LeConte), and G. retusus (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)) have been estimated to cause annual losses of $95–$189 million in degrade of logs and lumber on the British Columbia coast, in Canada. A consultant-run semiochemical-based integrated pest management programme was implemented in 1982

Understanding what drives insect movement is crucial to understanding how they might be affected by environmental or human disturbances. Methods that measure movement can be expensive, and few are available that do not rely on some sort of video footage. We developed a relatively inexpensive method that allows the user to see the full path of the individual insects within an arena after a certain amount

Spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), has become a serious pest of soft fruit in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada since its detection in 2009. The study was conducted to determine the distribution of D. suzukii and damage levels in grapes. Apple cider vinegar-baited traps placed in table and wine grape (Vitis vinifera Linnaeus; Vitaceae) vineyards

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), the spotted-wing drosophila, is an invasive pest of fruit crops, which appeared in eastern Canada in 2010. It represents a major threat to lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton; Ericaceae) in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, Québec, Canada, at the northern limits of its distribution. The dynamics, overwintering capacity, population

Spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive pest of many small and soft fruits. We present the first results concerning its oviposition in the canopy of a sweet cherry (Prunus avium Linnaeus; Rosaceae) orchard. We examined the distribution of arthropods emerging from fruits of five cultivars ripening successively over seven weeks, in interior and

The characteristics of the juvenile developmental environment of an individual can have many important consequences for their adult reproductive success as it may shape the development and expression of phenotypes that are relevant to the later operation of sexual selection. Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an economically important invasive pest species that lays its eggs

The insect commensal microbiota consists of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We explored the effect of diet and the persistence of the gut microbiota across generations in Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae). We transferred subsets of a single population of D. suzukii to different fruit-based diets (blueberry (Vaccinium Linnaeus; Ericaceae), raspberry (Rubus Linnaeus; Rosaceae), and

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a cosmopolitan polyphagous pest on unripe soft-skinned fruits. We sought to determine (1) temperature treatments that could be used to kill immature D. suzukii in fruit or packaging and (2) whether development on different fruits led to differences in cold tolerance of immature D. suzukii. We reared animals from egg on a banana-based laboratory

The sterile insect technique is a new approach for the integrated management of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), an invasive pest in North America. We evaluated, under laboratory conditions, the mating capacities and success of male D. suzukii, irradiated at a dose of 120 Gy, with and without competition. We also explored the tendency of females to remate depending if their first

Spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae)) is a pest of tender fruit and berry crops because female flies oviposit in ripening fruit. Frequent insecticide applications are needed for control during fruit ripening, with few noninsecticide options available. The effect of interplanting peppermint (Mentha × piperita Linnaeus (Lamiaceae)) in strawberry (Fragaria ×

This study recorded distribution and size of alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica (Gyllenhal); Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations in Saskatchewan, Canada, from 2001 to 2014. The spread of alfalfa weevil across the province, originally southwest to southeast, was northward and westward during this time. By 2014, only northwestern and west central areas remained relatively alfalfa weevil free. From a minor

Plant proteinase inhibitors are among the promising biopesticides which are induced in plants tissues against the several Lepidoptera pests to inhibit digestive proteases. In this study, protein extracts of two nonhost plant seeds, Amaranthus retroflexus Linnaeus (Amaranthaceae) and Cuminum cyminum Linnaeus (Apiaceae), were examined on Helicoverpaarmigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The results

The genus Synosis Townes, 1959 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Metopiinae) currently comprises 18 described species. A redescription of the genus is presented and three new species are described and illustrated: S. diaguita new species, S. nigra new species, and S. zezei new species. Two previously known species, Synosis rubinus Alvarado and Rodriguez-Berrios, 2013 and S. townesi Alvarado and Rodriguez-Berrios

The growth of the commercial pollination industry raises important concerns regarding honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) health and development. While providing such services, honey bees are often exposed to undiversified pollen sources that may contribute to nutritional deficiencies, notably in protein and amino acids. To understand how honey bees are affected during provision

In animals, the early-life environment influences growth and development, which can have lasting effects on life history and fitness into adulthood. We investigated the patterns of growth, pupal development time, and their covariation in Protopiophila litigata Bonduriansky (Diptera: Piophilidae) larvae of both sexes collected from three discarded moose (Alces alces (Linnaeus) (Artiodactyla: Cervidae))

The conopid fly Stylogaster neglecta Williston (Diptera: Conopidae) is a parasitoid with no known host. We report this species as the first recorded dipteran parasitoid of Oecanthus nigricornis Walker (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) (black-horned tree crickets). We reared field-collected O. nigricornis juveniles over several months in 2017 and found that larval S. neglecta emerged from them during late July

Analysis of food webs is important for defining functional components of ecosystems, but dietary data are often difficult to obtain and coarsely characterised. We compared three methods of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum); Salmoniformes: Salmonidae) and prickly sculpin (Cottus asper Richardson; Scorpaeniformes: Cottidae) gut content analysis: traditional morphological taxonomy of prey items

Many biological processes are partitioned among organs and tissues, necessitating tissue-specific or organ-specific analysis (particularly for comparative -omics studies). Standardised techniques for tissue identification and dissection are therefore imperative for comparing among studies. Here we describe dissection protocols for isolating six key tissues/organs from larvae of the Asian longhorned

Parthenium hysterophorus Linnaeus (Asteraceae) is a toxic weed found abundantly in major agroecosystems of the world. The weed is inhabited by both phytophagous Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera), used as biocontrol agents, and the predaceous Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). The present investigation was designed to assess the feeding attributes and larval development of Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera:

The identity, richness, and abundance of true flies (Diptera) from the nests of three cavity-nesting raptors (Aves) were investigated in northern Nova Scotia, Canada. After fledging, flies were extracted from the nest material using Berlese funnels within an emergence chamber. Thirty-one species/morphospecies from 14 families were collected, including eight new records for Nova Scotia and two new records

On 14 November 2018, a symposium Managing bark and ambrosia beetles with semiochemicals was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the Joint Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, the Entomological Society of Canada, and the Entomological Society of British Columbia. The focus was on the application of behavioural chemicals for management of bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera:

Insects in the subfamily Ischnorhininae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cercopidae), known as spittlebugs or froghoppers, are mainly distributed in the Neotropical region. A few genera include pest species of economic relevance, including Prosapia Fennah, 1949. Two new species from Mexico and Costa Rica are now described for this genus, and a key to species is proposed for the P. inferens (Walker, 1858)

This paper describes a tri-trophic analysis of the ecological dynamics of a crop, an insect pest, and a natural enemy of the insect pest. Worldwide wheat (Triticum Linnaeus) (Poaceae) production in 2018–2019 was estimated at over 700 million metric tons in 2018–2019. Wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a serious insect pest of wheat, is widely distributed in many parts

Carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a pest of carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus Hoffmann; Apiaceae) throughout eastern Canada. Carrot weevil emergence and oviposition were monitored in commercial carrot fields in Nova Scotia. Cumulative degree days were calculated using a base temperature of 7 °C (DD7), and models were developed to predict cumulative emergence

The apple leaf midge, Dasineura mali (Kieffer) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), an invasive alien pest established for many years in Nova Scotia, Canada, has invaded Ontario and British Columbia, Canada apple (Malus domestica Borkhausen; Rosaceae) orchards, damaging growing tips of trees. Molecular analysis indicated that Nova Scotia populations are genetically different from Ontario and British Columbia

Operational sex ratio and paternal age are known to independently affect mating behaviour and reproductive performance. We conducted experiments to assess the effects of operational sex ratio and paternal age on mating, reproduction, and total development duration of Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Three male-biased sex ratios, no (1:1), modest (1:2), and extreme (1:5)

A new genus and new species of Nymphidae (Neuroptera) is described from the Ypresian Okanagan Highlands locality of Falkland, British Columbia, Canada: Epinesydrion falklandensisnew genus, new species. This is only the fourth known Cenozoic adult specimen, and all others are less complete. It is the second specimen from the Okanagan Highlands. Currently Nymphidae has two recognised subfamilies. All

Populations of native North American parasitoids attacking Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) species have recently been considered as part of an augmentative biological control programme in an attempt to manage emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, a destructive wood-boring beetle discovered in North America in 2002. We evaluate trapping methods to detect and monitor populations

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a pest that causes severe damage to various fruits, generating economic losses. We evaluated its potential geographic distribution under current and future climatic conditions using an ecological niche modelling approach, based on the largest available database on occurrence records for this species. Additionally, we identified areas of risk

Native to southeast Asia, the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura); Diptera: Drosophilidae) has become a major pest of small fruits in the Americas and Europe. Field studies were conducted over a two-year period (2015–2016) in cultivated highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus; Ericaceae) fields and adjacent non-crop habitats containing wild blueberries in New Jersey (United

Continued range expansion of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is exposing new species of soft fruits and berries to potential infestation. Our understanding of cues that drive host-finding and selection in this highly polyphagous pest insect is still incomplete. Fruit firmness influences host choice behaviour by limiting suitability for oviposition and larval development. Other

Porapak Q-captured volatiles from both sexes of Trypodendron betulae Swaine (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) excised from newly attacked logs of paper birch, Betula papyrifera Marshall (Betulaceae), as well as volatiles from unattacked birch logs, were analysed by coupled gas chromatographic electroantennographic detection analysis. Active compounds were identified by gas chromatographic mass