1 In Benin cashew plantations, yields and nut quality are lost mainly as a result of insect pests. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda as a biocontrol agent against Beninese cashew pests. 2 In a 2-year study, nut yield and quality were compared among: (i) trees with weaver ants O. longinoda; (ii) trees where weaver ants we…
Brown citrus aphid Toxoptera citricida Kirkadly is considered as an important pest of citrus because it vectors citrus tristeza closterovirus. Aphids secrete a fluid from their cornicles as a defensive mechanism against natural enemies. Earlier studies on cornicle secretions of aphids focus only on triglycerides and fatty acids. In the present study, three different methods are used to investig…
1. The woodlouse genus Halophiloscia Verhoeff, 1908 includes littoral halophilous species distributed along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic coasts of Europe and northern Africa. The species Halophiloscia couchii has been introduced to theAmericas, Hawaii and Australia. The Canary Islands harbour four species, two of which are included in catalogues of endangered species. …
Many pest management scientists believe that pesticide resistance is one of the principal problems facing crop production, human health, and animal protection. In our database developed at Michigan State University, we have more than 7747 cases of resistance with more than 331 insecticide compounds involved. From the estimated 10,000 arthropod pests, 553 species are reported with resistanc…
An illustrated key to aid in separating adult females of the 64 species of Culicoides reported from the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia, and some important livestock pest species not present in these regions is presented. The key uses characters visible under a stereomicroscope and does not attempt to distinguish those species that are separable only on characters visi…
1 Habitat management, with the aim of conserving pollinators in agro-ecosystems, requires the selection of the most suitable floral species in terms of their attractiveness to pollinators and a simplicity of agronomic management. 2 A randomized block design including 12 herbaceous plants was used to study their attractiveness to pollinators (insect visitation), their attractiveness efficienc…
The efficient aquisition of nutrients from leaves by insect herbivores increases their nutrient assimilation rates and overall fitness. Caterpillars of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) have high protein assimilation efficiencies (PAE) from the immature leaves of trees such as red oak (Quercus rubra) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (71–81%) but significantly lower PAE from their mature le…
1. This study examined biological characteristics of sexual and asexual strains of the parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera:Braconidae). 2. Strains were reared in different instar hosts (the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli) under identical environmental conditions (21 ∘C, 65–75% RH, and LD 16:8 h). 3. Results showed that the second instar of the aphid is the …