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A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2021) | Viewed by 20789

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shimat V. Joseph

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Guest Editor

Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223, USA
Interests: My research addresses existing, emerging, and invasive pest management issues of turfgrass and ornamentals, along with the principles of applied insect ecology. Research projects aim to enhance our understanding of the biology of the pest and beneficial species to develop and refine monitoring and management strategies. The major thrust is developing management tactics that would reduce the impact on the environment and non-targets. My extension program promotes the adoption of integrated pest management principles driven by lab and field studies.
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Nik G. Wiman

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Guest Editor

Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
Interests: biological control; population biology; orchard ecology; behavior; integrated pest management of orchard crops

Dr. Jhalendra Rijal

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Guest Editor

University of California, Modesto, CA 95358, USA
Interests: insect behavior; ecology; integrated pest management of orchard crops

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagus,

Invasive insects pose serious risks to the production and quality of food, fibers, and horticultural crops around the globe. Growers spend a considerable amount of money combating invasive insects. Researchers are engaged in studying various biological and ecological aspects of invasive insects, such as lifecycle, phenology, dispersal, behavior, and abiotic responses, to develop effective and sustainable management strategies. This Special Issue will report recent, innovative tools and reviews on specific subject areas related to improving management of invasive insects affecting agricultural and ornamental commodities.

Dr. Shimat V. Joseph
Dr. Nik G. Wiman
Dr. Jhalendra Rijal
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Relationship of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) Populations That Invaded Africa and Asia

by Rajendra Acharya, Ashraf Akintayo Akintola, Matabaro Joseph Malekera, Patrick Kamulegeya, Keneth Benedictor Nyakunga, Munyaradzi Kennedy Mutimbu, Yam Kumar Shrestha, Jahan S. M. Hemayet, Trinh Xuan Hoat, Hang Thi Dao, Jeong-Hoon Park, Iksoo Kim, Moon Nam, Sung-Jin Lee, Sang-Mok Kim, Hwal-Su Hwang and Kyeong-Yeoll Lee

Insects 2021, 12(5), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050439 - 12 May 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4980

Abstract

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is an important agricultural pest native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Western Hemisphere, and has invaded Africa and further spread into most countries of Asia within two years. Here, we analyzed the genetic variation of invaded populations by comparing the nucleotide sequences of two genes: the nuclear Z-chromosome linked gene triose phosphate isomerase (Tpi) and the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) of 27 specimens collected in Africa (DR Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe) and Asia (Bangladesh, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam). The results revealed that 25 specimens were from a heterogeneous hybrid (Tpi-corn strain and COI-rice strain; Tpi-C/COI-R) of the corn strain male and rice strain female, but two specimens were from a homogenous corn strain (Tpi-corn strain and COI-corn strain; Tpi-C/COI-C). The further analysis of the fourth exon and the fourth intron sequences of the Tpi gene identified at least four subgroups of the corn strain. These four genetic subgroups were identified in Africa and Asia, suggesting no significant genetic change due to the rapid migration within two years. Our study provides essential information for understanding the genetic diversity of fall armyworm in new habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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18 pages, 2938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Border Habitat Effects on Captures of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Pheromone Traps and Fruit Injury at Harvest in Apple and Peach Orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA

by James Christopher Bergh, William R. Morrison III, Jon W. Stallrich, Brent D. Short, John P. Cullum and Tracy C. Leskey

Insects 2021, 12(5), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050419 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2590

Abstract

The invasive Halyomorpha halys invades crop fields from various bordering habitats, and its feeding on crops has caused significant economic losses. Thus, H. halys is considered a perimeter-driven threat, and research on alternative management tactics against it has focused on intervention at crop edges. Woodlands adjacent to crop fields contain many hosts of H. halys and are therefore considered “riskiest” in terms of pest pressure and crop injury. However, tree fruit orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA, are often bordered on one or more sides by woodlands and other habitats, including other tree fruit blocks, and field crops. Monitoring H. halys using pheromone traps has most often focused on the crop–woodland interface, but the relative effects of woodlands and other habitats bordering orchards on pest pressure and crop injury have not been examined. A two-year study comparing seasonal captures of H. halys and fruit injury among different habitats bordering commercial apple and peach orchards in the Mid-Atlantic revealed that while woodland borders often posed the greatest risk, other border habitats also contributed significantly to captures and injury in numerous instances. The relevance of these findings to refining and optimizing perimeter-based monitoring and management approaches for H. halys is discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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11 pages, 1204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatty Acid Profile as an Indicator of Larval Host for Adult Drosophila suzukii

by Nik G. Wiman, Heather Andrews, Erica Rudolph, Jana Lee and Man-Yeon Choi

Insects 2020, 11(11), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11110752 - 03 Nov 2020

Viewed by 2057

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii is a severe economic invasive pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. Management typically requires killing gravid adult female flies with insecticides to prevent damage resulting from oviposition and larval development. Fruits from cultivated and uncultivated host plants are used by the flies for reproduction at different times of the year, and knowledge of D. suzukii seasonal host plant use and movement patterns could be better exploited to protect vulnerable crops. Rearing and various marking methodologies for tracking movement patterns of D. suzukii across different landscapes have been used to better understand host use and movement of the pest. In this study, we report on potential to determine larval host for adult D. suzukii using their fatty acid profile or signature, and to use larval diet as an internal marker for adult flies in release-recapture experiments. Fatty acids can pass efficiently through trophic levels unmodified, and insects are constrained in the ability to synthesize fatty acids and may acquire them through diet. In many holometabolous insects, lipids acquired in the larval stage carry over to the adult stage. We tested the ability of a machine learning algorithm to discriminate adult D. suzukii reared from susceptible small fruit crops (blueberry, strawberry, blackberry and raspberry) and laboratory diet based on the fatty acid profile of adult flies. We found that fatty acid components in adult flies were significantly different when flies were reared on different hosts, and the machine learning algorithm was highly successful in correctly classifying flies according to their larval host based on fatty acid profile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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19 pages, 3879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Population Dynamics of Drosophila suzukii in Coastal and Mainland Sweet Cherry Orchards of Greece

by Stella A. Papanastasiou, Vasilis G. Rodovitis, Evmorfia P. Bataka, Eleni Verykouki and Nikos T. Papadopoulos

Insects 2020, 11(9), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11090621 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3382

Abstract

Despite the recent invasion and wide spread of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Europe, little is known regarding its population trends in coastal areas of the southern Mediterranean countries. Using adult trapping and fruit sampling, we studied the population dynamics of D. suzukii in coastal and mainland (semi-highland) cherry orchards of Greece, from 2018 to 2020. Adults were captured in traps baited with apple cider vinegar, placed in conventional and unmanaged sweet-cherry orchards, and in neighbouring wild growing hosts. Sampling of sweet-cherry fruit to assess infestation levels was conducted from early and late-ripening cherry cultivars in both areas. Adults were captured throughout the year in the coastal area with two peaks registered in spring and late-autumn. Captures were nearly zero during the hot summer months. Flight activity exhibited only one peak in autumn at the mainland area, and ceased during winter and spring. Captures in wild hosts were lower during the sweet-cherry ripening period than later in the season. Higher sweet-cherry infestation levels were recorded in the coastal than in the mainland area and in unmanaged than in commercial orchards. Both early and late-ripening cultivars were highly susceptible to D. suzukii infestation in the coastal area. Infestation rates were higher in late-ripening cultivars than in early-ripening ones in the mainland area. We conclude that D. suzukii has well adapted to the Mediterranean climate of Greece, and is able to progressively exploit several crops and wild hosts of mainland and coastal areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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16 pages, 1002 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Physiological Host Range for the Parasitoid Ooencyrtus mirus, a Potential Biocontrol Agent of Bagrada hilaris

by Nancy Power, Fatemeh Ganjisaffar and Thomas M. Perring

Insects 2020, 11(7), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11070432 - 10 Jul 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2135

Abstract

The thelytokous egg parasitoid Ooencyrtus mirus Triapitsyn and Power (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was recovered from brassica plant debris in Pakistan in an effort to find a biological control agent of the invasive bug Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in North America. As the first step in determining the overall host range of this parasitoid, adult females were exposed to the eggs of eight alternate pentatomid host species, two non-pentatomid heteropterans, and two lepidopterans, in choice and no-choice tests. Although O. mirus was more successful on B. hilaris than the other species in terms of the number of the eggs laid, the number of emerged progeny, and the developmental time of the progeny, it was able to reproduce on all of the alternate hosts except for one of the lepidopterans, whose eggs appeared too small for this parasitoid. The results show O. mirus to be a generalist parasitoid species with a preference for B. hilaris. The results also indicate that there is a linear relationship between the mean body length of O. mirus females and the mean host egg weight with an adjusted

R^{2}

of 0.90. The implications of this study on the release of O. mirus for the control of B. hilaris are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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10 pages, 1444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ingestion of Novaluron Elicits Transovarial Activity in Stephanitis pyrioides (Hemiptera: Tingidae)

by Shimat V. Joseph

Insects 2020, 11(4), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11040216 - 01 Apr 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2098

Abstract

Azaleas (Rhododendron L. spp.) are widely grown ornamental plants in eastern and western regions of the USA. The azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott) (Hemiptera: Tingidae), is an important insect pest of azaleas. Adults and nymphs of S. pyrioides consume chlorophyll in azalea foliage, and severely affected plants appear bleached. Neonicotinoid insecticides are effective and widely used for S. pyrioides control; however, nursery growers and landscape professionals are concerned about nontarget effects on beneficial insects and demand neonicotinoid-free plants. There is clearly a need to develop reduced-risk control strategies for S. pyrioides. The insect growth regulator (IGR) novaluron elicits transovarial activity when adult S. pyrioides are exposed to it. However, it is not certain whether transovarial effects can be observed when S. pyrioides adults that colonize the abaxial leaf surface ingest novaluron residues deposited on the adaxial leaf surface. Experiments were conducted to assess transovarial activity upon exposure to various application rates of novaluron alone and novaluron with various adjuvants. The numbers of nymphs were significantly lower when the full rate of novaluron was applied on the adaxial surface of leaves compared to the number of nymphs on non-treated leaves. The densities of nymphs were not significantly different between the half and full rates of novaluron treatment. When novaluron with various adjuvants was applied to the adaxial surface of the leaves, the densities of nymphs were significantly lower under the novaluron treatments compared to the non-treated leaves, regardless of the type of adjuvant added. There was no significant difference between treatment with novaluron alone and the treatments of novaluron with adjuvants. These data show that transovarial activity was elicited in adults of S. pyrioides when novaluron was applied on the adaxial leaf surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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Review

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11 pages, 2243 KiB

Open AccessReview

Use of Semiochemicals for the Management of the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle

by Xavier Martini, Marc A. Hughes, Derrick Conover and Jason Smith

Insects 2020, 11(11), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11110796 - 13 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2684

Abstract

This review highlights current advances in the management of the redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus, a primary vector of the pathogenic fungus, Raffaelea lauricola, that causes laurel wilt. Laurel wilt has a detrimental effect on forest ecosystems of southeastern USA, with hundreds of millions of Lauraceae deaths. Currently, preventive measures mostly focus on infected-tree removal to potentially reduce local beetle populations and/or use of preventative fungicide applications in urban trees. Use of semiochemicals may offer an opportunity for the management of X. glabratus. Research on attractants has led to the development of α-copaene lures that are now the accepted standards for X. glabratus sampling. Research conducted on repellents first included methyl salicylate and verbenone and attained significant reduction in the number of X. glabratus captured on redbay and swamp bay trees treated with verbenone. However, the death rate of trees protected with verbenone, while lower compared to untreated trees, is still high. This work underscores the necessity of developing new control methods, including the integration of repellents and attractants into a single push-pull system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Invasive Insect Species Management)

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