Austral Entomology最新文献

Some thrips (Thysanoptera) species are presumed to injure avocado and macadamia trees and fruit when feeding as nymphs and adults. We investigated the abundance and species richness of thrips and monitored fruit and nut set and damage on four avocado (Fuerte, Hass, Maluma and Pinkerton) and macadamia (695, 814, 816 and A4) cultivars. Different stages of avocado fruit (1–3, 4–6 and 7–9 cm) or macadamia nut development (closed racemes, nut set, nut size 1–1.5 cm and nut size 3–4 cm) were sampled over two seasons in the Levubu region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Thrips development on fruit, nuts and leaf flush was recorded to verify the thrips species causing damage. A total of 15 535 thrips were collected during August–January 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. Six thrips morphotypes were identified across macadamia and avocado orchards: Scirtothrips aurantii Faure (Thripidae), Thrips tenellus Trybom (Thripidae), Haplothrips gowdeyi Franklin (Phlaeothripidae), Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thripidae), Megalurothrips sp. (Thripidae) and Caliothrips sp. (Thripidae). Thrips were less abundant in the 2020/2021 season compared to the 2021/2022 season and in avocados than in macadamias. Pinkerton (2020/2021: 4.9 ± 0.8 and 2021/2022: 13.1 ± 0.2) and Fuerte (2020/2021: 6.9 ± 1.3 and 2021/2022: 7.5 ± 0.1) had the highest damage and fruit set per inflorescence in both seasons. Fruit size 1–3 cm had a mean damage of 3.4 ± 0.8 in 2020/2021 and 4.0 ± 0.7 in 2021/2022, 4–6 cm had 5.3 ± 0.9 and 4.7 ± 0.7 in 2021/2022, and 7–9 cm had 5.2 ± 0.9 in 2020/2021 and 5.0 ± 0.8 in 2021/2022. Macadamia cultivars and developmental stages most affected by thrips were dependent on the season. Our results suggest that damage occurs earlier in fruit or nut development, and Fuerte avocados and Macadamia 695 were the least susceptible to thrips damage. S. aurantii larvae developed from all sampled avocado and macadamia tissues and were able to persist until the adult stage, confirming it as the main damaging thrips species of avocado and macadamia in the Levubu region.

No abstract is available for this article.

Non-crop floral resources in agricultural areas play an important role in supporting crop pollinating taxa and increasing biodiversity. We studied flower-insect interactions to two spring flowering crops and accompanying non-crop flowering resources (introduced/native) in apple and blueberry orchards in southern Tasmania, Australia, to (i) identify the important crop pollinating taxa in this region and (ii) examine if crop and non-crop introduced and native flowering plants within orchards supported different community assemblages of flower-feeding insects. We found a high overall contribution to crop visitation by introduced honeybees (Apis mellifera), which dominated visitation to apple (91% of total visits) and blueberry (76% total visits). A second introduced bee, the earth bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), made up 19% of total visits to blueberry, yet rarely visited flowering apple. Reed bees (Exoneura) were the most frequent native bee visitor to both apple 2.5% and blueberry 4%. Non-crop flowering plants around orchards showed significantly different community assemblages of flower-feeding insects in comparison to flowering crops. These differences were shaped by high association of insects with certain vegetation types, including A. mellifera with flowering apple, B. terrestris with flowering blueberries, native reed bees (Exoneura) with flowering apple and native flowers, soil nesting halictid bees (Lasioglossum) with introduced and native flowers and hoverflies with flowering apple and introduced forbs.

The citrus gall wasp, Bruchophagus fellis, is a significant pest in Australian citrus production. It particularly affects Valencia citrus growers, as the available chemical control options are considered unsuitable due to persistence of residues and associated long withholding periods, or too costly. We investigated the effectiveness of two spinosyn-based foliar products, spinosad and spinetoram, for controlling B. fellis and their impact on beneficial arthropods in citrus orchards. Both chemicals demonstrated efficacy, with over 98% mortality in B. fellis adults within 24 h of direct application in laboratory tests. Residual toxicity assessments showed prolonged efficacy, with spinetoram remaining toxic to B. fellis for up to 21 days and spinosad for up to 14 days post-spray. Spinetoram appears more toxic to B. fellis than spinosad. A field trial confirmed efficacy of both active ingredients in reducing B. fellis infestations, particularly with well-timed applications before peak adult B. fellis emergence. A double-spray application of spinetoram (1 week apart) showed the most effective control, with 66% reduction in gall weights and 84% reduction in the proportion of large galls compared to the untreated control. Four important beneficial arthropods [Aphytis lingnanensis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Mallada signatus (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)] of Australian citrus orchards were selected for the toxicity studies. Spinosad and spinetoram appeared relatively safe to C. montrouzieri and M. signatus but were highly toxic to A. lingnanensis and N. californicus. Based on these findings, spinetoram could be a good foliar application option for Valencia growers to target adult B. fellis.

The Australian Agaristinae comprises a small group of predominantly diurnal moths with aposematic larvae and adults that are assumed to be unpalatable to most predators. A critical review of the larval food plants of this subfamily based on published records in the literature, together with unpublished records, is presented. Of the 120 moth–plant species-level records, associations are documented for two-thirds of all species (34 out of 53, or 64%) and almost all genera (19 out of 21, or 90%) of Agaristinae. At the generic level, the overwhelming pattern is a high level of monophagy (12 genera on 1 plant family), followed by oligophagy (4 genera on 2 families); only three genera (Apina, Phalaenoides, Cruria) are polyphagous (>3 plant families). Despite high levels of specialisation, Australian Agaristinae, overall, feed on a set of 19 families of angiosperms in 16 orders and eight higher informal groups, most of which are not closely related. Lack of a well-resolved global phylogeny of Agaristinae precludes analyses of deep evolutionary patterns of host usage, but Vitaceae (Vitales) are the most widely exploited family (used by 12 moth species in 10 genera), followed by Dilleniaceae (Dilleniales) (used by 11 moth species in six genera). Available data indicate no evidence of phylogenetic conservatism in the Australian Agaristinae; rather, there appears to be a pattern of frequent host shifts and repeated colonisations to distantly related plants. The role of secondary plant compounds (e.g. sequestration of alkaloids and other metabolites) in chemical defence of Agaristinae requires further study, especially in the Vitaceae and Dilleniaceae.

The genus Tetramesa Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) comprises over 200 species of herbivorous wasps that feed exclusively on grasses. Recent field surveys in South Africa for grass biological control programs have uncovered a large diversity of potential Tetramesa on African grasses. Here, mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase I [COI]) and nuclear (28S) genetic sequences were used to compare the outputs of seven popular species delimitation methods and to guide the generation of consensus species boundaries for putative Tetramesa taxa and close relatives. Additionally, the nuclear region was used to run a dated analysis that applied a molecular clock rate. Consensus species delimitation results found 35 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in the COI data and 21 MOTUs in the 28S data. Of the 35 COI MOTUs, there were 17 putative Tetramesa taxa (16 novel southern African taxa and 1 described Northern Hemisphere species, Tetramesa romana), 13 of which showed evidence of specialisation to a single host plant. Comparatively, of the twenty-one 28S MOTUs, there were 5 putative Tetramesa taxa (4 novel southern African taxa and 1 T. romana), all of which showed evidence of host specificity. The dated analysis suggested that the genus Tetramesa originated ~67.1 mya. There was evidence of rapid diversification in the Southern Hemisphere clades between 5 and 15 mya, which coincides with grassland expansions and climatic fluctuations in Africa at the time that may have driven host specialisation. The present results provide valuable insights into the diversity and broader scale evolutionary patterns in this Southern Hemisphere microhymenopteran group.

Native bee populations are generally in decline, and although their conservation needs are recognised, habitat requirements for the majority of species remain unknown. Many bee species construct nests underground, including the native Australian bee Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum. However, like most ground-nesting bees, their nesting ecology, particularly their substrate preferences and soil surface requirements, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, this study examined whether L. dotatum prefers nesting in bare sand or amid rock gravel and whether soil treatment influences nest-site selection. Experiments were conducted using 24-L pots of Bassendean sand, placed near active L. dotatum nesting aggregations. Ten pots had a layer of rock gravel, while the remaining 10 were left bare. Within each treatment, half of the pots contained untreated sand, and half contained steam-treated sand to remove potential contaminants. This design tested whether L. dotatum prefers certain soil conditions and surface features when selecting nest sites. Results showed that female L. dotatum preferentially nest in pots with rock gravel over those with bare sand, suggesting that rock cover may create a more favourable environment by moderating temperature, retaining moisture, or providing structural stability for nest entrances. Additionally, females preferred steam-treated sand over untreated sand, possibly indicating that factors associated with untreated soil, such as microbial presence or organic residues, may deter nesting. This study advances our understanding of L. dotatum nesting behaviour and provides a framework for creating pollinator-friendly spaces by identifying key soil and surface features that influence nest-site selection. However, the mechanisms driving their preference for steam-treated sand remain unknown, highlighting the need for further research to distinguish the roles of hygiene, soil properties and potential chemical cues in nest-site selection.

Traditionally, teaching entomology to undergraduate students has relied upon conventional laboratory-style practical classes—where students are taught how to collect, identify and curate specimens, as well as understand the form and function of key insect groups using unsophisticated but specialised equipment. Entomology educators had to promptly adapt their methods of teaching in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the online delivery of courses that often largely relied on face-to-face teaching. This imposed limitations on what could be effectively taught outside of a lab setting, although in many cases these were mitigated through online technology that introduced opportunities to support entomology students. Here, we assess the learning objectives of a range of current entomology courses taught namely in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, the United States and Europe. We found that practical hands-on skills, such as identification and curation, and understanding of insect morphology and diversity, often taught via lab activities, are common across many courses. Given the perceived tension between current moves to online educational delivery and these common practical learning objectives in entomology, we present a series of four activities that can be taught via online or distance approaches. These exercises can be used to effectively teach key concepts and skills such as identification, form and function and ecological research skills related to insects. We also discuss some challenges and benefits associated with the online delivery of entomology courses, emphasising a number of equity and accessibility benefits that online approaches might deliver.

Flies of the family Tachinidae are parasitoids of a wide range of arthropods, and some tachinid lineages specialised and coevolved with distinct hosts. A few of these tachinids use social Hymenoptera as hosts. However, they are usually attacked by their hosts and present different strategies to avoid their aggressiveness. Here, we describe the first parasitoid fly that enters a wasp nest without being attacked, Brevialata deceptrix Dios & Gudin, gen. et sp. nov., reared from nests of Agelaia vicina (de Saussure, 1854) in Cajuru, São Paulo, Brazil. Additionally, it is the first tachinid fly with reduced wings, presenting a peculiar morphology, with reduced chaetotaxy, stout legs, and tarsi with digitiform extensions. Males of B. deceptrix Dios & Gudin, gen. et sp. nov. are fully described and illustrated, including detailed images of tarsal structures. We present a discussion on B. deceptrix Dios & Gudin, gen. et sp. nov. remarkable morphology, systematic positioning and curious life habits.

School-based citizen science projects facilitate authentic scientific interactions between research and educational institutions while exposing students to scientific processes. Evidence is accruing that citizen science participation and activities can have positive impacts on students' environmental awareness and intentions for pro-environmental behaviour changes. In addition, teachers benefit by expanding their knowledge and acquiring new skills, although the influence of participation on teaching practice requires investigation. Incorporating insects into school-based citizen science projects can challenge widespread human misconceptions about insects and their roles in ecosystems, and foster human–insect connections. Given global concerns of rapid insect declines and the overarching biodiversity crisis, insect focussed school-based citizen science projects can ultimately contribute towards equipping students with knowledge of, and actions to promote, insect conservation. In Australia, approximately 33% of insects are formally described, the remainder exist as ‘dark taxa’ to the detriment of environmental and biodiversity management initiatives. The citizen science project Insect Investigators documented insect biodiversity using Malaise traps operated by 50 regional schools across three Australian states. The project's aims were to increase the number of DNA barcodes of Australian arthropods on public databases while inspiring and educating students about entomology and their local biodiversity. Here we describe outcomes of the project based on student (n = 118) and teacher (n = 22) surveys. We explored whether participation in the project influenced (1) students' intention to engage more in 10 pro-environmental (insect–science–nature) activities and (2) teachers' inclusion of environment-related topics in their teaching practice. We also explored participants' attitudes to insects, conservation, and engagement and motivation for citizen science. We found that students' values for the insect–science–nature activities were positively associated with their intentions to engage more in pro-environmental behaviour after participating in the project. As a result of their involvement, students expressed intentions to further engage in insect–science–nature activities, including activities such as ‘acting to-’ and ‘encouraging others to protect nature’. In addition, teachers reported increased intentions to include insect-related topics in their teaching, which was positively associated with students' own intentions for pro-environmental behaviour change—suggesting ‘positive feedback’ between students' engagement and teachers' intentions. Finally, teacher surveys revealed unexpected benefits of collaboration for regional/remote schools including excitement and involvement of the broader school-community, regional recognition and the sense of contributing to something ‘bigger’.