The present study was carried out to establish the properties of Acalypha alnifolia leaf extract and microbial insecticide, Metarizhium anisopliae on larvicidal and pupicidal activity against the lymphatic filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus. The methanol extract of A. alnifolia leaf showed larvicidal and pupicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; with, the highest larval and pupal mortality...

The possession of an efficient communication system and an ability to distinguish between young stages are essential attributes that enable eusocial insects to live in complex integrated societies. Although ants communicate primarily via chemicals, it is increasingly clear that acoustical signals also convey important information, including status, between adults in many species. However, all i...

In this study, effect of increasing temperature on life cycle, mortality, and behavior the mosquito species, Aedes aegypti was evaluated. Heat shock applied at 32°C, 37°C 42°C for 20 minutes, 1 hour 2 hours each to egg, 2nd instar, 3rd instar pupal stage separately changes in cycle pattern recorded a routine basis. The control 27°C which reared. When heat-shock eggs, developmental period found ...

Partial life histories for 17 Hesperiinae incertae sedis that feed on grasses or bamboos (Poaceae) are described and illustrated. The genera dealt with are: Astictopterus (from Evans' (1937) Astictopterus group), Prosopalpus, Kedestes (from Evans' (1937) Ampittia group), Ceratrichia, Pardaleodes, Ankola (From Evans' (1937) Ceratrichia and Acleros groups), Perrotia (part), Chondrolepis, and Monz...

Aging of bovine dung for 3-5 years under refrigeration resulted in smaller sizes of horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), pupae. Growth of horn fly larvae in mixtures of aged and fresh dung resulted in production of larvae and pupae stunted in proportion to the relative amount of aged dung. Reduction of size of pupae produced in aged dung was because of nutrient limitation, which was partially re...

1. Generalist natural enemies are usually not considered as being capable of causing population cycles in forest insects, but they may influence the population dynamics of their prey in the low density cycle phase when specialist enemies are largely absent. 2. In the present field study, the total response of the generalist invertebrate predator community to experimentally established pupal den...

This paper reports the first occurrence of the parasitoid Spalangia endius collected in pupae of Zaprionus indianus using traps with fruit bait. The experiment was carried out at the University of Lavras in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from November to December, 2001. A total of 4 Spalangia endius specimens were obtained from 105 Zaprionus indianus pupae. The overall prevalence of parasitism w...

Recent honey bee colony losses, particularly during the winter, have been shown to be associated with the presence of both ectoparasitic mites and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV). Whilst the role of Varroa destructor mites as a viral vector is well established, the role of Tropilaelaps mercedesae mites in viral transmission has not been fully investigated. In this study, we tested the effects that V....

This study was conducted to determine sex differentiation of laboratory reared Elm nymphalid (Nymphalis polychloros Linnaeus, 1758) by examining the morphological structure of pupal stage. Laboratory colony of elm nymphalid, reared on pear leaves, was used to set up experiments. It was performed with 5 replications having 8 pupae for each replication. Dorsal, ventral and lateral parts of extern...

Diapause is an important escape mechanism from seasonal stress in many insects. A certain minimum amount of time in diapause is generally needed in order for it to terminate. The mechanisms of time-keeping in diapause are poorly understood, but it can be hypothesized that a well-developed neural system is required. However, because neural tissue is metabolically costly to maintain, there might ...