ABSTRACT- Several species of aphids cause severe damage to citrus in the north of Iran. Predatory insects play an important role in biological control of the pests in citrus orchards. In this study, potential predatory insects of citrus aphids, Aphis spiraecola, A. gossypii and Toxoptera aurantii, were identified and their seasonal population dynamics...

Several hypotheses are available to predict change in genetic diversity when approaching peripheral populations. We used the eastern spadefoot toad in Israel as a model system to examine these hypotheses using population genetics analyses and network theory. Our results contradicted most of the predictions from the 'abundant centre' model, that edge populations should have lower density and low...

T H E ultimobranchial body of Hyla arborea L., Rana ridibunda Pall., Pelobates syriacus Boettger, and Bufo viridis Laur., the common anurans of Israel, is a paired organ, situated on both sides of the aditus laryngis. Its development runs parallel to the fluctuating activity of the thyroid (Boschwitz, 1960). (a) In the premetamorphic period of relative thyroid dormancy, the ultimobranchial body...

Two fruit fly baits, Nu-Lure/malathion and GF-120 (Spinosad) were evaluated in the laboratory for non-target impacts on beneficial insects. Nu-Lure/malathion proved attractive and toxic to adults and larvae of the coccinellid species, Curinus coeruleus Mulsant, Cycloneda sanguinea L. and Harmonia axyridis Pallas, a lacewing species, Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister. The coccinellids Olla v-nig...

In a laboratory study, we tested the feeding preferences of three coccinellid predators of hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, an introduced pest of hemlock in the eastern United States. The species tested were Sasajiscymnus tsugae Sasaji & McClure (formerly Pseudoscymnus tsugae) from Japan, Scymnus ningshanensis Yu & Yao from China, and Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), a generalist speci...