The tiger moth Bertholdia trigona is the only animal in nature known to defend itself by jamming the sonar of its predators - bats. In this study we analyzed the three-dimensional flight paths and echolocation behavior of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) attacking B. trigona in a flight room over seven consecutive nights to determine the acoustic mechanism of the sonar-jamming defense. Three m...

Winter moth, Operophtera brumata, originally from Europe, has invaded eastern Massachusetts causing widespread defoliation and damage to many deciduous tree species and a variety of crop plants in the infested area. We identified O. brumata nucleopolyhedrovirus (OpbuNPV) in winter moth larvae collected from field sites in Massachusetts by using PCR to amplify a 482 bp region of the baculovirus ...

at Day 7. Previously 1 frog with a renal tumor had been studied 7 days post hibernât ion; thus a total of 8 animals were examined. Light microscopio examination of the tumors showed that the amount of cellular debris increased within the lumina of the tumor tubules during this period. Electron microscopic observa tions showed that the lumina were filled with cellular debris as well as incomple...

the beet moth, scrobipalpa ocellatella is recognized as a widespread agricultural pest. cold hardiness strategy of the beet moth larvae was investigated through monitoring seasonal changes at supercooling points and lower lethal temperatures. furthermore, the role of microhabitat in winter survival was studied. the mean scps of the last instar larvae was not significantly different from novembe...

Anti-reflective coatings (ARCs) are used to lower the reflection of light on the surface of a substrate. Here, we demonstrate that the two main drawbacks of moth eye-structured ARCs-i.e., the lack of suitable coating materials and a process for large area, high volume applications-can be largely eliminated, paving the way for cost-efficient and large-scale production of durable moth eye-structu...

Recent attention has focused on the harmful effects of introduced biological control agents on nontarget species. The parasitoid Compsilura concinnata is a notable example of such biological control gone wrong. Introduced in 1906 primarily for control of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, this tachinid fly now attacks more than 180 species of native Lepidoptera in North America. While it did not pre...

Gypsy moth management is divided into three components: eradication, suppression, and transition zone management. All three components require knowledge of the boundaries that delimit these areas. Additional interest is also placed on the relationship between population spread and defoliation to prepare for the gypsy moth advance in new areas and minimize its impact. We developed relationships ...

Several integrated pest management programs rely on the use of mating disruption tactics to control insect pests. Some programs specifically target non-native species, such as the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). We evaluated SPLAT GM, a new sprayable formulation of the gypsy moth sex pheromone disparlure, for its ability to disrupt gypsy moth mating. The study was...

Industry concerns over insect resistance, regulatory action, and the needs of organic processors have renewed interest in nonchemical alternative postharvest treatments to fumigants used for California tree nuts. The development of inexpensive polyvinyl chloride containers capable of holding low pressures has increased the practicality of vacuum treatments for durable commodities such as tree n...