nig (1973) and Peterson (1981), i.e. including Sylvicola Harris, Olbiogaster Osten Sacken, Mycetobia Meigen and related genera, are today a small family of nematocerous Neodiptera (see Michelsen 1996a) with ca. 120 species described. However, a rich fossil record suggests that the direct lineage leading to the modern family can be traced back to early Middle Mesozoic (200+ Myr). The family is r...

The phyllosphere supports a tremendous diversity of microbes and other organisms. However, little is known about the colonization and survival of pathogenic and beneficial bacteria alone or together in the phyllosphere across the whole plant life-cycle under herbivory, which hinders our ability to understand the role of phyllosphere bacteria on plant performance. We addressed these questions in...

In Florida, horses have numerous arthropod pests. Most of these pests are considered external parasites as their attack on the horse is principally external, as opposed to internal parasites such as “worms” or nematodes and bots. The common external parasites include filth flies such as non-biting house flies and biting stable flies and occasionally horn flies, the numerous other blood-feeding ...

Biological control or the use of natural enemies is an alternative pest management strategy for dealing with arthropods. However, natural enemies may not always provide adequate control of plant-feeding insects and mites in greenhouses. As a result, research has assessed the concept of using natural enemies in conjunction with pesticides and the potential compatibility when both pest management...

1. Ecological interactions are complex networks, but have typically been studied in a pairwise fashion. Examining how third-party species can modify the outcome of pairwise interactions may allow us to better predict their outcomes in realistic systems. For instance, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can affect plant interactions with other organisms, including belowground herbivores, but the ...