bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of insecticide resistance by immunological estimation of carboxylesterase activity inMyzus persicae(Sulzer) and cross reaction of the antiserum withPhorodon humuli(Schrank) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Devonshire A. L. , Moores G. D. , Ffrench-Constant R. H.
Published: July 2009

An antiserum was prepared against carboxylesterase E4, the enzyme conferring resistance inMyzus persicae(Sulzer) to a wide range of insecticides, and the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction was purified from it by affinity chromotography. Interactions of the antiserum and IgG with aphid homogenates and the purified esterase proteins were studied by immune diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). InM. persicae, the interactions were specific for E4 and its closely-related mutant form, FE4, and except forPhorodon humuli(Schrank), there was no cross-reaction with homogenates of the nine other aphid species examined. These studies confirmed the quantitative changes in E4 protein previously reported and established that the increased esterase activity inP. humulialso arises from the production of more protein, or proteins, homologous to E4. Resistance ofM. persicaecould be characterized by immunoelectrophoresis even after preservation of the insects in 30% ethanol. Although ELISA could also be used to identify resistance, a simpler immunoplate assay was developed based on measuring the esterase activity of E4 retained when the enzyme bound to IgG. This assay discriminates well between the three resistantM. persicaevariants common in the field in the UK, and its simplicity allows the study of large numbers of insects.
Development and larval diapause in the southern African dung beetleOnitis cafferBoheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
Authors: Edwards Penelope B.
Published: July 2009

The development ofOnitis cafferBoheman in cattle dung was studied in the laboratory. The larvae feed on the dung in which the eggs are laid. Egg to adult development at 25°C was completed in 24·7 weeks by a strain from a winter rainfall (WR) area of South Africa and 29·4 weeks by a strain from a summer rainfall (SR) area, and occurred without diapause. Maximum larval dry weight was achieved mid-way through the third larval instar, after which the larva emptied much of its gut to form a protective faecal shell, in which pupation occurred. At 20°C, 20% of WR larvae developed without diapause and the adults emerged after 33·5 weeks, whereas the remaining 80% of adults emerged after 80·1 weeks. In the SR strain, 70% emerged after 37·1 weeks without having entered diapause, while the remaining 30% emerged after 83·8 weeks. Thus, the period of diapause for both strains was 47 weeks and occurred in the third larval instar. At 15°C, 74% of WR larvae had pupated by 153 weeks, with a mean development time of 121·8 weeks. Zero development temperatures were 10·4°C (WR) and 10·1°C (SR), and day-degree requirements for development without diapause at 20°C were 2251 (WR) and 2571 (SR).
Immunological determination of predators of the bush fly, Musca vetustissima Walker (Diptera: Muscidae), in south-western Australia
Authors: Calver M. C. , Matthiessen J. N. , Hall G. P. , Bradley J. S. , Lillywhite J. H.
Published: July 2009

Six hundred and twelve anthropods from 11 families collected in and around cattle dung in south-western Australia were screened using a general antiserum against all developmental stages of Musca vetustissima Walker with gel precipitin and immunoelectroosmophoresis (IEO) tests. Positive results were found in Staphylinidae (65%), Histeridae (64%), Carabidae (12%), Dermaptera (21%) and Lycosidae (27%). The relative proportions of predator species varied in different sites, but three staphylinids (Leptacinus socius (Fauvel), Philonthus longicornis Stephens and P. subcingulatus MacLeay) and one histerid (Saprinus sp.) were widespread and numerous and consistently had a high proportion of positive results. Compared to precipitin tests, IEO was found to extend detection times for a single meal from two to five hours for small staphylinids and from 24 to 36 hours for larger carabids. In subsamples of P. subcingulatus and Saprinus sp. collected on the same day at one site, the relative proportions of positive results using IEO and gel precipitation, respectively, were 74 and 23% for P. subcingulatus and 95 and 53% for Saprinus sp.
Mixing of indoor- and outdoor-resting adults of Anopheles gambiae Giles s.l. and A. funestus Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) in coastal Tanzania
Authors: Lines J. D. , Lyimo E. O. , Curtis C. F.
Published: July 2009

From previous studies in Garki, Nigeria, it was deduced that the population of Anopheles gambiae Giles s.l. there includes a proportion of individuals which consistently rest out of doors and are therefore not vulnerable to insecticide residues inside houses, but may still be able to maintain malaria transmission. A direct test for the existence of such individuals in A. gambiae s.l. and A. funestus Giles in a village in Tanzania was made by catching resting mosquitoes indoors and in outdoor pits, differentially marking them according to their site of capture and releasing them from a single site. Recaptures indoors and in the pits showed no significant association between the sites of capture and recapture among the females of either species, i.e. no evidence for an invariably outdoor-resting type of female. It is concluded that behavioural polymorphism is unlikely to interfere with the successful use of house spraying for malaria control in this area. From data on the proportion of the captures found to be marked and on the parity rate, estimates were calculated of the total mosquito population available for sampling in the village.
Identification of the mealybug Planococcus halli Ezzat & McConnell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) commonly occurring on yams (Dioscorea spp.) in Africa and the West Indies
Authors: Cox Jennifer M. , Wetton Mark N.
Published: July 2009

Multivariate analysis was used to demonstrate that specimens of Planococcus collected from yams (Dioscorea spp.) in both the West Indies and Africa can be differentiated from the similar P. ficus (Signoret) which occurs on figs, grapevines and pomegranates in the Mediterranean Basin, Pakistan, South Africa and Argentina. The specimens from yams are considered here to be a distinct species, to which the name P. halli Ezzat & McConnell is applied. Examination of material of both species reared on potato tubers at various temperatures showed that the differentiation is not a host-induced effect. Independent canonical variates analysis of the field-collected and reared material each showed clear differentiation of the two groups. However, the coefficients obtained for each character differed markedly between the analysis of the field-collected material and that of the reared material, and thus could not be used to assign individuals to groups. This difference in the values of the coefficients is considered to have been due to the peculiarities of individual populations, as the field-collected material included many genotypes while only three genotypes were represented by the reared material. A key and illustrations are provided for the separation of the two species.
The effect of colour on trap- and screen-orientated responses in Glossina palpalis palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Glossinidae)
Authors: Green C. H.
Published: July 2009

The importance of colour in the attraction of Glossina palpalis palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy) to trapping devices was investigated in the Ivory Coast. Biconical traps were tested with the normally royal blue lower cone replaced with one of 25 differently coloured cloths. Royal blues were consistently the best colours for traps; yellow and orange were the worst, catching less than 1% as many as the best royal blue. Modelling trap data from the spectral reflectivities of the colours used showed that blue wavelengths contributed positively, and ultraviolet and green-yellow-red negatively, to trap performance. The responses to screens were studied using electric nets, deployed to catch flies both circling around and landing on the screen. The overall catch (of circling and landing flies) was greatest for royal blue screens, intermediate for yellow and green ones, and lowest for screens highly reflective of ultraviolet light; the total range of variation between colours was much smaller than was the case with traps. The relationship of catch to spectral reflectivity was similar to that described for trap score. An achromatic series of screens (black, white and greys) all attracted significantly fewer females than did royal blue screens, implying that attraction to blue depends on colour discrimination and not on intensity contrasts alone. For most colours, the majority of flies circled the screen without landing; with materials strongly reflecting ultraviolet, however, a high proportion of flies (especially females) landed.
Solitarization in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
Authors: Gillett Sylvia D.
Published: July 2009

The rate at which gregarious nymphs of Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) lose the tendency to form groups after different periods of isolation was measured. There was a marked loss of social grouping after isolation for 24 h. The fall in level of grouping was highly significantly correlated with the number of days the nymphs had been isolated. Further experiments showed that the extent of loss of grouping behaviour could be significantly modified by the length of time the nymphs spent in crowded conditions before they were isolated, but the density during previous crowding did not have a consistent effect on reduction in grouping. It had been previously considered that S. gregaria nymphs lose very little of their gregarious tendency once it is acquired; this is now shown not to be the case. The behaviour of this species is very responsive to the social environment, whether the locusts are learning to form groups or are losing that tendency.
The location of floral nectar sources by mosquitoes: the long-range responses of Anopheles arabiensis Patton (Diptera: Culicidae) to Achillea millefolium flowers and isolated floral odour
Authors: Healy T. P. , Jepson P. C.
Published: July 2009

A wind-tunnel bioassay system, developed previously for the evaluation of long-range host-location stimuli, was used to investigate the responses of Anopheles arabiensis Patton to floral odours. Mosquitoes were found to respond by flight and landing to Achillea millefolium inflorescences and also to the odour of A. millefolium in the absence of visual stimuli. An air-entrainment technique was used to extract floral odours for biological and chemical testing. Both sexes of Anopheles arabiensis were found to respond to the floral odour extract. The major component of the floral odour was tentatively identified as a cyclic or bicyclic monoterpene.
Phenological development and seasonal distribution of the rutherglen bug,Nnysius vinitorBergroth (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), on various hosts in Victoria, south-eastern Australia
Authors: McDonald Garrick , Smith A. Mark
Published: July 2009

Populations ofNysius vinitorBergroth were studied from 1979 to 1982 in two weed hosts,Arctotheca calendulaandPolygonum aviculare, and eight irrigated sunflower crops in a summer cropping area of northern Victoria, Australia. The spring generation began with the adults colonizing floweringA.calendulaplants in September and concluded with the rapid development of late stage nymphs and an exodus of adults from these plants from mid-November to December. Gradual invasion of sunflowers occurred mostly in late December and reached a peak at flowering, after which nymphs appeared.P. aviculareattracted adults from February and hosted a number of overlapping generations until winter. The weed sustained diminishing numbers of adults through the winter, except in 1982, when a further generation produced an early spring peak. Immigrant populations were regarded as a common source of adults for initiating the spring and summer generations. The rate of development ofN. vinitorin spring was more rapid than that predicted by phenological simulation based on ambient temperatures and laboratory-derived day-degree estimates. This was attributed to increased body temperatures through absorption of solar radiation, and the simulation model was adjusted by increasing daily minimum and maximum temperatures by 1·3 and 5·5°C for young and older instars, respectively. This suggested that older nymphs have lower developmental thresholds or are better able to optimize body temperatures.
Aspects of the biology of Rastrococcus invadens Williams (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), a pest of fruit crops in West Africa, and one of its primary parasitoids, Gyranusoidea tebygi Noyes (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
Authors: Willink E. , Moore D.
Published: July 2009

Rastrococcus invadens Williams, a serious pest of fruit crops in West Africa was studied under controlled conditions. The different stages of the mealybug are described and data given on development times, adult lifespan, fecundity, sex ratio and mortality rates. Similar data are also given for a primary parasitoid, Gyranusoidea tebygi Noyes. The parasitoid completed almost two generations for each one of the mealybug and had a female-biased sex ratio compared with a male-biased one for R. invadens. The parasitoid did not parasitize other species of mealybugs offered. G. tebygi was considered a suitable candidate for a biological control programme and was introduced into Togo in October 1987.
DDT resistance in Anopheles culicifacies Giles and A. subpictus Grassi (Diptera: Culicidae) from Sri Lanka: a field study on the mechanisms and changes in gene frequency after cessation of DDT spraying
Authors: Herath P. R. J. , Jayawardena K. G. I. , Hemingway J. , Harris J.
Published: July 2009

The frequency of DDT resistance in Anopheles culicifacies Giles in Sri Lanka remained relatively constant from the cessation of DDT use for malaria control in 1975 until 1982. From 1983 to 1986, the frequency of resistance decreased slowly but significantly. In contrast, the resistance gene frequency in A. subpictus Grassi declined between 1980 and 1983, after which the trend was reversed, and there was a significant increase in DDT resistance in 1984–86. This rise in DDT resistance cannot be attributed to positive DDT selection pressure as there has been little or no agricultural use of DDT during this period. It is also unlikely that the rise in resistance is due to pyrethroid selection as the quantity of pyrethroids used on the island is low and there is no evidence of pyrethroid resistance from WHO susceptibility tests. Studies with the synergists FDMC (4-chloro-α-(4-chlorophenyl)-α-(trifluoromethyl)benzenemethanol) and piperonyl butoxide indicated the involvement of DDT-dehydrochlorinase rather than oxidase in the resistance. This was confirmed by metabolism studies, as DDT-resistant adults of both A. culicifacies and A. subpictus showed an increase in the rate of DDE production, which was also correlated with an increase in glutathione transferase activity.
Age-grading methods in adult insects: a review
Authors: Tyndale-Biscoe M.
Published: July 2009

The literature on age-grading techniques of adult insects, published since 1968, is reviewed. The techniques described include those which deal with changes in the reproductive system, as well as somatic changes which take place with age. They also include techniques based on changes induced by wear and tear. Follicular relics found in different orders of insects are described, and their origin, fate and relative usefulness in age-grading studies are discussed. Attention is drawn to the formation of anomalous, or aberrant dilatations, particularly ones formed as a result of follicle resorption. The suitability of the various techniques to the study of different insect species is compared, and the advantages of using more than one type of age-grading method in the study of one species are discussed. Enough detail of each technique is given to permit field workers to choose and apply the technique most suitable for the study of the insect of their choice, and for the degree of accuracy required by them. Lists of species which have been studied by particular age-grading techniques, or combinations of them, are given. Finally, examples are cited of the types of problems entomologists have sought to solve, often successfully, using age-grading methods.
Encarsia bennetti sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from India, associated with the citrus black fly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)
Authors: Hayat Mohammad
Published: July 2009

The aphelinid Encarsia bennetti sp. n. is described from material collected in India and associated with Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, a pest of citrus.
Adaptive significance of brood care of Copris diversus Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
Authors: Tyndale-Biscoe Marina
Published: July 2009

Brood care in Copris diversus Waterh. enhanced survival of progeny. Reallocation of dung from brood balls with no live progeny to brood balls containing live progeny was. a typical behaviour pattern in this species and resulted in fewer, larger brood balls. The advantage of this behaviour is that larger brood balls produced larger progeny, which in turn produced a greater number of offspring.
Distribution of moths of the Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in the Nile Delta interpreted from catches in a pheromone trap network in relation to meteorological factors
Authors: Nasr El-Sayed A. , Tucker M. R. , Campion D. G.
Published: July 2009

Records of daily catches of males of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) at pheromone traps in or near the Nile Delta, Egypt, during 1979 and 1980 were used to investigate both the seasonal variation in catch and the possibility that migration, associated with particular weather systems, may significantly affect moth numbers in a particular area. Although more moths were caught in 1979 than in 1980, in both years there was a similar seasonal variation in catch, with low numbers in January and February followed by an increase to a maximum in June or August. There was no systematic seasonal change in the area of highest catch that would suggest seasonal migrations. On some nights, large increases in catch were associated with weather disturbances, notably windshift lines, suggesting that flying moths are sometimes redistributed by wind systems. Catches at two traps far from the main source area suggest that moths may have flown at least 50 km downwind from sources in the Nile Delta. The pattern of nightly catches at most traps indicated that build-up of local populations is the most important factor affecting the population dynamics of the pest but that some, mainly local, redistribution by wind systems takes place.
Comparative studies on the resistance of materials to species of Coptotermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). I. The susceptibilities of various plastics to C. acinaciformis (Froggatt) from Australia and C. formosanus Shiraki from China
Authors: Watson J. A. L. , Zi-Rong Dai , Barrett R. A.
Published: July 2009

The susceptibilities of 14 plastics formulations (four polyethylenes, one polypropylene, one polyester, two polyamides, one polyurethane and five poly(vinyl chlorides)) to attack by Coptotermes acinaciformis (Frogg.) and C. formosanus Shir. in the laboratory were broadly related to hardness and surface finish. Overall, C. acinaciformis inflicted more damage than C. formosanus, despite lower survival, but some formulations appeared more susceptible to C. formosanus than to C. acinaciformis.
The feeding behaviour ofSimuliumlarvae, and the development, testing and monitoring of the use of larvicides, with special reference to the control ofSimulium damnosumTheobald s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae): a review
Authors: Walsh J. F.
Published: July 2009

The control ofSimuliumhas always relied largely on the use of insecticides against the larvae, and this is the case in the current large-scale Onchocerciasis Control Programme against the vectorS. damnosumTheobald in West Africa. Resistance to temephos has occurred in some vector species, and it is necessary to find alternatives to this preferred larvicide. In order to provide a frame of reference for the development of new larvicides or formulations, the literature relating to larval filter-feeding behaviour is first reviewed in detail. Then the physico-chemical conditions in larval habitats are outlined. The types of formulations and classes of insecticide used inSimuliumcontrol are considered, with particular attention being given to emulsifiable concentrate formulations and the reasons for their effectiveness. Particulate formulations, which have been recommended on environmental grounds, are also discussed. Techniques used in the screening of larvicides are considered, and it is concluded that flow-through systems are necessary; mini-gutter tests conducted using water and fauna from rivers to be treated are to be strongly preferred, followed by stream trials. Knowledge ofBacillus thuringiensisvar.israelensisas aSimuliumlarvicide is reviewed in detail. The environmental impact of control ofSimuliumlarvae, both in the tropics and the temperate zone, is extensively reviewed. Throughout, key features which might lead to improved larvicide formulations and testing procedures, together with serious gaps in our knowledge are emphasized.
Mealybugs of the genusRhizoecus(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on African violets (Saintpauliaspp.), with a description of a new species from Thailand
Authors: Williams D. J.
Published: July 2009

Four species of hypogeic mealybugs are known to infest African violets (Saintpauliaspp.). These areRhizoecus americanus(Hambleton),R. cacticans(Hambleton),R. dianthiGreen andR. saintpauliaesp. n. The last species has some striking characters and is described here from specimens fromS. ionanthain a nursery in Thailand. None of these species is known to occur on plants in their natural habitat, the mountainous areas of Kenya and Tanzania, where the survival of most of the 20 species ofSaintpauliais threatened. Although infestations ofR. dianthion African violets may be severe, the mealybugs only affect these and other potted plants in the extensive horticultural trade. A key is provided to separate the four species.
Development of a synthetic diet for Glossina (Diptera: Glossinidae)
Authors: Kabayo J. P. , Taher M. , Van Der Vloedt A. M.
Published: July 2009

A semi-defined synthetic diet for Glossina spp. was developed and used successfully to rear G. palpalis palpalis (Robineau-Desvoidy) for five generations. The survival, fecundity and offspring size achieved were similar to those obtained when flies are fed on whole blood in vitro. The diet was also tested on G. morsitans morsitans Westwood, G. austeni Newstead and Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), and in all cases was satisfactory. The diet consists of commercially available ingredients and is the first such diet to be developed for obligate haematophagous insects.
Observations on the dispersal and survival of a population of Aedes lineatopennis (Ludlow) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Kenya
Authors: Linthicum K. J. , Bailey C. L. , Davies F. G. , Kairo A.
Published: July 2009

Aedes lineatopennis (Ludlow) is thought to be a vector and maintenance host for Rift Valley fever virus in Kenya and perhaps other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Immature examples are often found in tremendous numbers in restricted, low lying habitats known as dambos. A dambo in Thika District, Central Province, Kenya, was artificially flooded to simulate the conditions occurring when this area naturally floods and induces the hatch of A. lineatopennis eggs. Observations on the dispersion and survival of the emerging adult population were made at a time when no other adult A. lineatopennis populations existed. More than 10% (87 511) of the estimated A. lineatopennis adults that emerged from the flooded dambo were collected during a 45-day period. The overall mean distance travelled by males in the 45 days after emergence was only 0·07 km. Female dispersal was interrupted but generally was with the prevailing wind. The overall mean distance travelled by females in the 44 days after emergence was 0·15 km. Mortality of both males and females was independent of age. The high daily survival rate of males (0·83) was not significantly different from that of the females (0·85).
Studies of elemental composition as a biological marker in insects. IV. The influence of soil type and host-plant on elemental composition of Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Sherlock P. L. , Bowden J. , Digby P. G. N.
Published: July 2009

Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was used to make quantitative determinations of the elemental composition of adults of Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller) that had been reared on one of eight soil-plant combinations or a semi-synthetic diet. Robust-means principal components analysis (RMPCA) of the data for eight elements and all treatments (except for the semi-synthetic diet) separated the means of the groups by soil type, irrespective of host-plant. However, individuals could not be separated until the data were grouped into the two host-plant sub-sets. The main discriminant, Al, was of doubtful validity and was therefore excluded from the data which were reanalysed by RMPCA. This failed to discriminate either group means or individuals until each host-plant sub-set was analysed separately; then, individuals could be differentiated by soil type although not as distinctly as when Al was included in the data. There was, however, a clear separation of the sexes because of a higher content of K and lower content of Ca in females; these two elements, together with S and Cl, were the main discriminants of soil type. It is concluded that larval host-plant is a significant factor in the elemental composition of adults of A. segetum but limiting and confounding in respect of identification of soil type and, therefore, geographical source. This conclusion probably applies also to other similar polyphagous species, but specific differences in biology and behaviour may influence the applicability of the technique to field studies.
Responses of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), to carbon dioxide and host odours. II. Orientation
Authors: Warnes M. L. , Finlayson L. H.
Published: July 2009

Experiments were carried out in a slow speed wind tunnel and in a moving air observation chamber on anemotactic and visual responses of Stomoxys calcitrans (L.). An increase in carbon dioxide concentration elicited an anemotactic response, which was enhanced by odours from expired human breath and odours from a live guineapig. Acetone vapour also elicited an anemotactic response, but acetic acid was repellent. The response to visual targets increased in proportion to the increase in flight activity induced by raising the concentration of carbon dioxide in the airstream. Cattle sebum had an arrestant effect but also elicited further searching activity.
Age distributions and reproductive status of declining and stationary populations of Glossina pallidipes Austen (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Zimbabwe
Authors: Van Sickle J. , Phelps R. J.
Published: July 2009

Age structures and reproductive anomalies of two field populations of Glossina pallidipes Austen in Zimbabwe were compared. One population was treated with insecticide sprayed on odour-baited targets, while the other was left undisturbed. Both populations were sampled with F3 prism-type traps. Capture probabilities were higher for females in early stages of pregnancy than for those in later stages. Per-capita mortality rates were estimated from age distributions which had been corrected for rate of increase. The mortality rate steadily increased over time in the insecticide-treated area but remained roughly constant in the undisturbed area. Estimates of mortality had wide confidence intervals, and the mortality model is critically reviewed. No evidence was seen in the treated population for an increased incidence of abortion or other reproductive anomalies, or for a decrease in insemination rate.
Monitoring frequencies of insecticide resistance in Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in England during 1985–86 by immunoassay
Authors: Ffrenchconstant R. H. , DEVONSHIRE A. L.
Published: July 2009

An immunoassay for the carboxylesterase E4, which confers insecticide resistance in Myzus persicae (Sulzer), was used to monitor the distributions of E4 activity within samples comprising more than 5000 aphids from sites in eastern and southern England. The quantitative precision of this assay is an improvement on the subjective assessment of E4 band intensity on electrophoresis gels previously used. Activity distributions did not always show discrete components corresponding to S, R1, R2 or R3 variants and thus, though convenient, this classification should be used cautiously. Distributions derived by immunoassay of many insects from the field are best compared to those of laboratory-reared standards classified according to E4 quantity (V1-V64). Data from untreated crops are presented in this way and discussed in the light of previous surveys. A large proportion of aphids corresponding to the V8 variant (intermediate between ‘R1’ and ‘R2’ categories) were found, and frequencies of resistance differed on both a local and regional scale. The majority of aphids from treated crops had E4 activities equivalent to, or above, that of V16 (i.e. ‘R2’).
On a new African species of Coccidae
Authors: Macfie J. W. Scott
Published: July 2009

Ovisac formed of thickly felted creamy-white to buff-white secretion ; dorsum highly convex longitudinally and slightly so transversely, with a series of 11 longitudinal and crenulated keels or ridges, of which the lateral ones are very broad and flange-like and arise from points on the body of the female considerably nearer the middle line than any of the others ; sides vertical, with two or three curved or concentric keels similar to those on the dorsum, but there are also small transverse intervening lines which give the sides of the ovisac a distinctly conchoidal appearance ; interior of ovisac smooth. Length, 6·50 to 8·50 mm. ; height, 6 to 7·50 mm. ; width, 6 to 7·25 mm. Old adult female tilted as in Pulvinaria so that the front, which is distinctly produced, is the only portion attached to the food-plant. In some instances the position of the body is almost vertical, and in one example the anal portion projects actually slightly in front of the cephalic margin. Dorsum with a median elongated patch of opaque glassy secretion, the rest nude and dark brown in colour.
On some nondescript Anoplura and Mallophaga
Authors: Cummings Bruce F.
Published: July 2009

This parasite approaches Neumann's Haematopinus (Polyplax) maniculatus, but is immediately recognised by the truncate proboscis, by the “ olecranon process ” of the hind pair of legs, and by the remarkable “ comb ” which terminates the abdomen of the ♀. Perhaps a new genus should be made to receive it.

Linear, abdomen about four times the length of the head and thorax together. Head very broad, proboscis truncate, its lateral margins diverging to as far as the antennae, behind which the head enlarges at right angles. Post-antennal area rectangular, broad ; the occipital margin a little convex. At each posterior angle a long hair ; on the under surface, at about the level of the antennae, two short bristles, one on each side. Antennae of five segments, the first being thick and stout, the second narrower and the longest, the third short, and the fourth broad with a sharp prominence at the post-axial distal corner. Adjoining the prominence a small circular sense-organ which crosses the joint and occupies part of the base of the terminal segment. The latter is longer than the third or fourth, and has several spines at the end. Thorax broader than the head and broader behind than in front. A large flattened spheroidal spiracle at each lateral margin.
Further notes on African Culicidae
Authors: Edwards F. W.
Published: July 2009

The following notes consist of corrections and additions to my previous papers on African Culicidae. Several errors have become apparent, due either to carelessness or insufficient study of the material available, or insufficiency of the material itself. These are corrected. One or two apparently new species have been received and are now described ; the description of one or two others, owing to the scanty material and doubtful systematic position, is left for a future paper.
A summary of an entomological survey of Kaduna District, Northern Nigeria
Authors: Johnston J. E. L.
Published: July 2009

Kaduna, the future capital of Nigeria, is situated in the Northern Provinces, on the River Kaduna, at an elevation of roughly 2,200 feet. The present Kaduna is a small station (Kaduna Bridge) south of the river, but the capital now in the process of construction is some two or three miles to the north, near the small native town of Doka.

Being instructed to make an Entomological Survey of the district, with especial reference to Glossina and the resulting presence of trypanosomes in cattle, I left Lagos on 30th July 1914, reaching Kaduna Bridge on 1st August.
Remarks on Coccidae from Northern Australia—II
Authors: Green E. E.
Published: July 2009

Further collections from Mr. G. F. Hill, gathered in the neighbourhood of Port Darwin, have produced several interesting new species which are described below.

Aspidiotus destructor, Sign.

On foliage of Pandanus odoratissimus, Darwin, N. T. (Hill, no. 636). These puparia have a rather more brownish tint than is usual in the species.

Aspidiotus fodiens, Mask.

On Melaleuca leucadendron, Koolpinyah, N.T. (Hill, 17, 18), and on Pithecolobium moniliferum, Stapleton, N.T. (Hill, 637). In the older examples from Melaleuca the pygidial lobes are worn and are not of such a regular outline as in the fresher material from Pithecolobium, but the two forms agree in all essential characters.

Aspidiotus orientalis, Newst.

On Ficus orbicularis (Hill, 23), and on “ Milkwood Tree ” (Hill, 24), Darwin, N.T. Also “ on undetermined introduced tree ” (Hill, 639).

Aspidiotus unilobis, Mask.

On Melaleuca leucadendron, Koolpinyah, N.T. (Hill, 18, 19). And on the same plant at Stapleton, N.T. (Hill, 638).

Aspidiotus (Aonidiella) miniatae, sp. nov.

Puparium of female small, circular, moderately convex ; dull ochreous white ; pellicles proportionately large, reddish or reddish-brown. Diameter 0·75 to 1 mm.
Report on the investigation into the bionomics of Glossina morsitans in Northern Rhodesia, 1915
Authors: Lloyd Ll.
Published: July 2009

The following report deals with the investigation into the bionomics of Glossina morsitans being carried out in Northern Rhodesia on behalf of the British South Africa Company.

On my return from leave in July 1914 it was decided to form a base camp close to the railway line. Several areas in the neighbourhood of Broken Hill where fly was reported as being very thick were first examined, but were found from various causes to be unsuitable. A site was finally selected at the source of the Lukanga River, about four miles from the line and near Kashitu station, midway between Broken Hill and Ndola. Building was commenced in August and completed in October, just before the commencement of the rains.

Messrs. Eminson and Dollman, who had been working on the Kafue River at Mwengwa, had just reported the discovery of Mutilla glossinae, Turner, a wasp parasitic on the pupae of G. morsitans and of considerable importance, since the former worker found that about 10 per cent, of the 350 pupae he had collected were destroyed by this insect. This is the first insect parasite of any tsetse to be found in numbers, and it was decided to let the future investigations centralise round it. In order to discover whether it was localised or generally distributed, a tour was made through the fly areas of N.E. Rhodesia during the dry season of last year (1915) for the collection of pupae in various localities. About 4,000 were collected and examined. May and July were spent at Chutika (Hargreaves) in the Luangwa Valley, part of August at Nawalia in the Mpika section of the same valley, and September at Ngoa on the plateau near Mpika. Breeding was found to have commenced in the Luangwa Valley about the middle of April, and by the time the plateau was reached it was at its height. Before dealing with the parasites found, some general questions will be discussed.
Coleoptera associated with Stored Nepal Barley in Peru
Authors: Hinton H. E.
Published: July 2009

The beetles dealt with here were collected while I was acting as entomologist to the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to Lake Titicaca in 1937. They were all taken on the floor and walls of a room in which Nepal barley was stored. The room—later cleared of grain and used as a dining room—was in the hacienda Camjata, Capachica Peninsula, Lake Titicaca, alt. 3,850 m. The walls were made of adobe (sun-dried brick) and the roof was thatched withScirpus tatora.
Bats as a Source of Food for Glossina morsitans and G. tachinoides
Authors: Nash T. A. M.
Published: July 2009

Large numbers of the bat, Nycteris hispida, Schreber, have been observed at dusk flying out of the residual forest islands at Gadau. Some have been captured and placed in a large cage containing Glossina morsitans and G. tachinoides. The sleeping bats, hanging head downwards, are perfect complacent hosts; both species of tsetse have been seen to attack and feed on them on many occasions, and to experience no difficulty in becoming fully gorged.
Keys to the Muscidae of the Ethiopian Region: Scatophaginae, Anthomyiinae, Lispinae, Fanniinae
Authors: Van Emden F. I.
Published: July 2009

In the British Museum (Natural History) Ruwenzori Expedition 1934–35 vol. II nos. 3 (1939) and 4 (1940) generic keys to the Muscinae and Coenosiinae and specific keys to Graphomyia, Musca and the Coenosiinae of the Ethiopian region have been published. As there seems no possibility of the Museum issuing any more of these reports in the near future, it has been agreed that suitable extracts from the manuscript of the third part be published in this Journal, so that the keys and some other necessary data shall be available for the use of Entomologists in Africa.
Testing Insecticides on the Argasid Tick, Ornithodorus moubata, Murray
Authors: Robinson G. G.
Published: July 2009

The sprays containing pyrethrum were outstanding in their high toxicity to the tick, and should be used where spraying measures are employed until a substance is discovered of the same order of toxicity.

Of the dusts, pyrethrum powder was again, outstanding in its activity. If it is to be used, tests should be done beforehand to make certain that the sample is a good one.

Other dusts were tested because pyrethrum powder is likely to deteriorate rather rapidly in the field. Certain derivatives of phenol and naphthalene were active as fumigants. Although these substances would evaporate quickly in contact with the general atmosphere, they might have some use as soil-fumigants in the floors of huts. Other derivatives acted purely as contact poisons and yet were just too volatile to be lasting in the general atmosphere. Alpha-naphthylamine and 3-methyl.6-ethyl.phenol are examples. Of these two, the latter is more toxic, and it is possible that the substitution of a higher alcohol for the methyl or ethyl group would decrease the volatility but not the toxicity.
Fumigation as a Method of controlling the Body Louse, Pediculus humanus corporis, De Geer
Authors: David W. A. L.
Published: July 2009

The paper describes small and large scale methods of fumigation which have been worked out for six fumigants. The conditions under which complete control of body lice and their eggs may be obtained are set out, and the relative uses of the two methods and the various fumigants are described. Four of the materials tested, methyl formate, ethyl formate, ethylene dichloride and methyl-allyl chloride are comparatively safe and pleasant to handle, but they sometimes demand rather heavy dosages of fumigant or long exposures, especially at temperatures below 20°C. Chloropicrin and trichloracetonitrile on the other hand have strongly irritating properties, but their toxicity to lice is also much greater. The methods have the advantage that some are very safe and all are simple, demanding no elaborate technique or apparatus.
Some Records of Simuliidae in Abyssinia and British Somaliland
Authors: Van Someren G. R. Cunningham
Published: July 2009

During the campaign in Abyssinia and British Somaliland, the writer was able to collect a few Simuliid flies during the course of mosquito surveys. All the specimens collected were submitted to the late E. G. Gibbins of Uganda, who kindly determined them, and at his suggestion I record the four species found, as it is believed that these constitute the first records of these species from the two territories.
Destruction of Lice in Clothing by hot and cold Air
Authors: Busvine J. R.
Published: July 2009

The most suitable methods of disinfesting clothing and bedding depend upon circumstances, such as the extent and importance of the pest infestation, the numbers to be treated and the facilities available. This paper describes investigations of heat and cold for killing lice which were undertaken with an eye to very different situations,viz., the heat treatment of bedding in London air-raid shelters and the possible use of winter cold in Eastern Europe during post-war relief. Nevertheless, the problems have one thing in common; the inherent difficulty of heat transference through clothing and bedding.
The Utilisation of metabolic Water in Insects
Authors: Fraenkel G. , Blewett M.
Published: July 2009

(1) Three insects,Tribolium confusum, Ephestia kuehniellaandDermestes vulpinus, have been grown at several humidities and the following factors have been determined: length of larval period; water content of food and of the freshly formed pupae; wet and dry weight of pupae and wet and dry weight of food consumed during larval development. The “net utilisation” of the food has been calculated as the ratio of dry weight of food eaten per larva to dry weight of pupa.

(2) At lower humidities more food is eaten to produce a given unit of body weight. The length of the larval period increases and the weight of the pupae decreases.

(3) More food is eaten at low humidities, because part of the food is utilised as water. As a consequence of this, the larva grows more slowly and its final size is smaller. It is shown forDermestesat 30 per cent. andEphestiaat 1 per cent. R.H. that less than 32·9 and 7·6 per cent. of the water in the pupae can be derived from water ingested with the food.
Mercury as a Control for Stored Grain Pests
Authors: Wright D. W.
Published: July 2009

The Indian custom of placing metallic mercury with the grain in the storage container to prevent infestation by insects has been investigated. It is found to have a sound scientific basis as the presence of mercury prevents the reproduction of certain of these pests.

Experiments showed that the vapour of mercury was fully effective in preventing reproduction of the grain weevil (Calandra granaria), the saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis), the lesser grain borer (Rhizopertha dominica), and the Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella).

Zinc and tin amalgams and calomel were less effective than metallic mercury.

The efficiency of a given weight of mercury is increased by subdivision, a process which increases its total surface area.
The Mechanism of Action of a Contact Insecticide
Authors: Roy D. N. , Ghosh S. M.
Published: July 2009

In order to determine the method of entry of a contact insecticide such as pyrethrum into the body of an insect, studies were undertaken which showed that:—

(a) The rapid penetration of the insecticide into the body cannot be effected through the cuticle.

(b) When a mosquito has been sprayed with a mixture of pyrethrum extract and oleic acid, the deposition of fat globules around the tracheal trunks is a characteristic feature; this suggests that rapid diffusion of the insecticide takes place through the tracheal wall.

(c) Experiments on flies with their spiracles closed indicate that the absorption of pyrethrum, either in the liquid and powdered states, was very slow. This fact indicates that normally pyrethrum enters the body through the spiracle.
Notes on some animal parasites in British Guiana
Authors: Bodkin G. E. , Cleare L. D.
Published: July 2009

British Guiana lies between the latitudes 0·41′ N. (source of the Essequebo River) and 8° 33′ 22″ N. (Punta Playa), has a depth from north to south of about 500 miles, a seaboard of about 270 miles trending in a south-easterly direction, and occupies in the north-east of South America an area approximately equal in extent to Great Britain. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Surinam or Dutch Guiana, on the south and south-west by Brazil, and on the west by Venezuela.

The Colony may be divided broadly into three belts. The northern one consists of a low-lying flat and swampy belt of marine alluvium—the coastal region. This rises gradually from the seaboard and extends inland for a distance varying from 5 to 49 miles. It is succeeded by a broader and slightly elevated tract of country of sandy and clayey soils. This belt is generally undulating, and is traversed in places by sand-dunes rising from 50 to 180 ft. above sea-level. The more elevated portion of the Colony lies to the southward of the above-mentioned regions. It rises gradually to the south-west, between the river valleys, which are in many parts swampy, and contains three principal mountain ranges, several irregularly distributed smaller ranges, and in the southern and eastern parts numerous isolated hills and mountains. The eastern portion is almost entirely forest-clad, but on the south-western side there is an extensive area of flat grass-clad savannah land elevated about 300 feet above sea-level.
Notes on Coccid-infesting Chalcidoidea—II
Authors: Waterston James
Published: July 2009

In the following descriptions I have dealt mainly with part of a small but valuable collection of Coccid Chalcids, sent by Mr. W. H. Patterson from Aburi, Gold Coast. The excellent condition in which the insects were received may be due to some extent to the fact they were bred specimens, but it also owes something, I think, to the method of packing employed. Into each tube (1¾in. × ½ in. ) a little melted naphthalene had been run with a piece of moderately thick paper on the top ; above this again the Chalcids were loosely enclosed in screws, or (in the case of minute Eulophids and Aphelinines) in small triangles of tissue paper, and the tube coated and sealed with paraffin wax.
Notes on a froghopper attacking sugar-cane at Marienburg Estate, Surinam
Authors: Williams C. B.
Published: July 2009

On the 19th June 1916, I visited for a few hours Marienburg Estate, Surinam, as froghoppers had been previously reported as occurring in sufficient numbers to cause injury.

The wet season was just commencing, the first heavy rains of the season having fallen the previous day and it rained heavily during part of my visit.

The froghopper (Tomaspis tristis, F.) was found commonly on two parts of the Estate which Mr. Sheddon, the Manager, pointed out as being most heavily infested last year. It was not in sufficient numbers to be doing any damage at present, but as the wet season is only beginning it will probably increase rapidly during the next few months.
Toxic bait for the control of Anoplolepis longipes (Jerdon) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Seychelles. III. Selection of toxicants
Authors: Haines I. H. , Haines J. B.
Published: July 2009

Attempts were made to find alternative, less persistent, toxicants to aldrin for use in baits against Anoplolepis longipes (Jerd.) in the Seychelles. More than twenty toxicants were tested (some in more than one formulation) for effectiveness as poisons and for repellency to ants at the concentrations used in baits. None was as effective as aldrin, but certain formulations of pirimiphos-ethyl, pirimiphos-methyl and mecarbam were promising because they gave good kill of ants in the laboratory and were of relatively low repellency and therefore acceptable in bait formulations.