Several types of trap crops have been recommended for managing the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, including collards (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). However, results have been variable perhaps because populations of P. xylostella develop on these trap crops and spill over to the cash crop. To overcome this problem, we sought to develop ‘‘dead-e...

An experiment was performed to study the effect of feeding by the larvae of Tipula paludosa (Meig.) on the plant biomass of two contrasting plant species and on the soil microbial community, under controlled conditions. Agrostis capillaris (L.) (bentgrass) and Trifolium repens (L.) (white clover), were grown in pots, in monoculture and as mixtures, containing soil from an upland grassland site ...

In Europe 15,000 patients receive larval therapy for wound treatment annually. Over the past few years, clinical studies have demonstrated the success of larvae of Lucilia sericata as debridement agents. This is based on a combination of physical andbiochemical actions. Laboratory investigations have advanced our understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of l...

Rice (Oryza staiva L.) is one of the world's most important crops, providing a stable food for nearly half of the global population (FAO 2004). Almost 90% of the rice is growing and consumed in Asia. The striped stem borer (Chilo suppressalis Walker) is one of the most important rice pests in Asia. Rice stem borers cause damage to the crop at the larval stages. Larvae borer in to the plant stem...

The term 'dead-end trap cropping' has recently been proposed to identify a plant that is highly attractive for oviposition by an insect pest, but on which offspring of the pest cannot survive. The potential of the wild crucifer Barbarea vulgaris R. Br. to allure and serve as a dead-end trap crop for the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (L.), an important pest of cruciferous crops worldwide,...

Here we describe a unique uterine mass in a dog with granulomatous lesions caused by filarial larvae from the family Onchocercidae. An 8-year-old female Maltese was presented to a local animal hospital with anorexia, depression, and vaginal discharge. A markedly distended uterus was observed on lateral abdominal radiographs, leading to a clinical diagnosis of pyometra or uterine mass of an unkn...

Studies of nematode establishment in intestinal niches has been hindered by the lack of a readily manipulated in vitro assay. In this report, experiments are described wherein the larval stage of the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis was shown to invade epithelial cell monolayers in vitro. Larvae penetrated cells and migrated through them, leaving trails of dead cells in their wake. Cells...

Emerald ash borer is an invasive Asian pest of ash species in North America. All North American species of ash tested so far are susceptible to it, but there are no published reports of this insect developing fully in non-ash hosts in the field in North America. I report here evidence that emerald ash borer can attack and complete development in white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus L., a sp...

The ingestion and digestion of two co-existing ephemeropteran larvae, Meridialaris diguillina (Leptophlebiidae) and Baetis sp (Baetidae) were examined and their mouthpart morphologies were compared. M. diguillina bears conspicuous brushinglike maxillae and Baetis sp has toothed, scope-like lacinia-galeae and mandibles. Larvae were fed on periphyton and faeces were collected for examination. The...