Ground covers were tested for 3 consecutive yr for their effect on Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), abundance and behavior in a blueberry planting. Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and bare ground were compared within row-middles for their effect on abundance of adult fema...

Vector abundance is an important factor governing disease risk and is often employed when modelling disease transmission. The longevity of the aquatic stages of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) dictates the rate of production of adults and hence the intensity of disease transmission. We examined how temperature influences the survival of larval stages (larvae and pupae) of Anopheles gambiae Gile...

To delay evolution of insect resistance to transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins, nearby "refuges" of host plants not producing Bt toxins are required in many regions. Such refuges are expected to be most effective in slowing resistance when the toxin concentration in Bt crops is high enough to kill all or nearly all insects heterozygous for resistance. However, Bt corn,...

Maternal investment is likely to have direct effects on offspring survival. In oviparous animals whose embryos are exposed to the external environment, maternal provisioning of molecular factors like mRNAs and proteins may help embryos cope with sudden changes in the environment. Here, we sought to modify the maternal mRNA contribution to offspring embryos and test for maternal effects on acute...

the influence of moisture content of mulberry leaf on the growth, development and moisture build up in the body of silkworm was studied by feeding with different maturity leaves to late age of silkworm larvae. significantly higher larval moisture (79.78%), larval weight (65.65 g), pupal moisture (73.81%) was recorded in top tender leaf (high moisture) fed batches and least was recorded in the c...

The aerobic bacterial flora in the gut of turbot larvae and their influence on larval survival was examined. Two turbot experiments were run with six replicates each time. Large variation, from 0% up to 44%, was observed in the survival percentage of turbot larvae. There was no correlation between the number of bacteria present in the gut of turbot larvae and the larval survival rate. During bo...