Introduced for agroforestry, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Fabaceae) has become naturalized in several countries worldwide and constitutes an ‘emerging weed’ in South Africa. The seed beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) was inadvertently introduced to many of these countries via contaminated seeds, but was deliberately introduced into South Africa for biological control. Following an isolated report of non-target feeding in the field in southeastern Asia, this study was aimed at re-evaluating aspects of the beetle's biology, in particular the likelihood of non-target attacks on native mimosoid Fabaceae that are closely related to L. leucocephala. A preliminary field assessment of the beetle's susceptibility to native parasitoids was also undertaken. The beetle's life cycle includes several attributes (e.g. rapid reproductive maturation, high rates of oviposition) that favour high population densities in the field. Although adults oviposited on the seeds of all test plant species during no-choice tests, oviposition was significantly higher on L. leucocephala. While several hatching larvae survived to adulthood on L. leucocephala, single adult individuals were reared from the seeds of each of three non-target species. Also, during multichoice tests, the beetles displayed strong oviposition preferences for L. leucocephala. Two hymenopteran parasitoid species were reared from seeds containing larvae which were exposed in the field, but overall levels of parasitism were low. These results confirm that the host range of A. macrophthalmus is largely restricted to the genus Leucaena, that native mimosoid Fabaceae are unlikely to be at risk and that the decision taken in 1999 to release the beetle was justified.

Three species of Ooctonus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) are described from South Africa: O. albiclavus Huber, sp. n., O. capensis Huber, sp. n., and O. infuscatus Huber, sp. n. They represent the first records of Ooctonus from the Afrotropical Region and the first described species of Ooctonus native to the southern hemisphere. The only previously named Ooctonus from Africa (Madagascar), O. sevae Risbec, was transferred recently to Gonatocerus. A lectotype and paralectotypes are designated here for the slide-mounted and two card-mounted syntypes, respectively, of this species. One species in New Zealand, Ooctonus vulgatus Haliday, is an accidental introduction from the northern hemisphere. Online interactive keys to the South African species are available at:  http://www.waspweb.org/Chalcidoidea/Mymaridae/Keys/index.htm

Inventories of invertebrate species are produced by a number of workers for protected areas in South Africa. The value of these inventories for the protected area management process was investigated using a questionnaire to protected area managers, and by examining a sample of published inventories. The questionnaire results indicate that species inventories are sought after, but that they are largely not used in the management process. Invertebrate species inventories have the potential to be useful in several stages of the protected area management process, but making inventories useful requires more than a list of species names. To make inventories more useful they should include estimates of inventory completeness or statistically rigorous estimates of relative species richness, information on spatial distribution of species richness within a protected area, or their design should target threatened and rare species or aim to identify potential indicator species. Protected area managers and scientists producing inventories should collaborate to ensure that the resultant information is most useful.

Delairea odorata Lemaire (Cape ivy) (Asteraceae) has become naturalized and invasive in many countries including the United States of America where biological control is being considered as a long-term solution to managing this invasive vine. Extensive surveys throughout the natural range of D. odorata in South Africa revealed a large arthropod fauna associated with the plant. Amongst the herbivorous insects showing potential as possible biological control candidates was Diota rostrata (Wallengren) (Noctuidae: Arctiinae), a widespread defoliating moth. Although D. rostrata is highly fecund with a short life cycle, laboratory host range tests indicated that the moth had a wide host range that included other Senecio spp. with soft or fleshy leaves. Although all further testing was terminated, the study contributes towards a better understanding of the biology and host preferences of D. rostrata.

Insects are the principal pests of maize in storage. The maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky), is of prime concern to farmers in the western highlands of Cameroon. Chemical insecticides for its control are costly and not readily available in Cameroon, hence the need for other non-chemical alternatives. Laboratory studies were carried out on the developmental biology of S. zeamais on four commonly cultivated mid-altitude maize varieties: KASAI, ATP, COCA-SR and ACR98TZEMSR-W. These varieties significantly influenced S. zeamais oviposition, development and emerged F₁ progeny and grain weight loss. Duration of weevil development was significantly longer on COCA-SR and ATP than on the two other maize varieties. A significantly lower number of F₁ progeny emerged from COCA-SR and ATP. Mean grain weight loss was lowest in COCA-SR and was correlated with duration of development. The reproductive potential of S. zeamais was significantly different on the four maize varieties, COCA-SR being the least favourable host.

In this study the effectiveness of two synthetic (Bayvarol and Apivar) and two natural acaricides (Apiguard and ApiLife Var) against Varroa destructor were evaluated with use of infested colonies of Apis mellifera intermissa, housed in Langstroth standard hives. Each acaricide was tested in five hives, and one group of five hives was left untreated as the control. All acaricides significantly reduced the levels of varroa mite infestation on adult honeybees and worker brood, but the efficacy was higher for Apiguard (93–97 %) and ApiLife Var (94–98 %) compared to Bayvarol (85–90 %) and Apivar (82–88 %). Overall, the data indicated that essential oils like Apiguard and ApiLife Var can be recommended in the control of V. destructor, while synthetic varroacides like Bayvarol and Apivar should be minimized due to increased mite resistance for these products.

The following sixteen Trichoptera species new to science are described and illustrated: Cheumatopsyche navasi sp. n., C. olahi sp. n., C. barnardi sp. n., Potamyia schlingeri sp. n., Leptonema irwini sp. n. (Hydropsychidae Curtis), Nyctiophylax madagassa sp. n. (Polycentropodidae Ulmer), Chimarra apiconigra sp. n., C. blahniki sp. n., C. gassa sp. n., Wormaldia curvus sp. n., W. leviovatus sp. n., W. trispina sp. n. (Philopotamidae Stephens), Goera madagassa sp. n. (Goeridae Ulmer), Lepidostoma asymmetrica sp. n. (Lepidostomatidae Ulmer), Pisulia lata sp. n. and P. magna sp. n. (Pisuliidae Ross). The families Polycentropodidae and Goeridae are recorded from Madagascar for the first time. With this report, 204 Trichoptera species are now known from the island. A first key to adults of the known families and genera of Madagascan Trichoptera is provided.

In an attempt to screen potential native entomopathogenic fungi for microbial control of cotton/melon aphid, we investigated the effect of temperature on the pathogenicity of some hyphomycete fungi. The virulence of four Beauveria and two Metarhizium isolates on adult Aphis gossypii was evaluated with a direct spraying bioassay at 20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C temperature regimes under laboratory conditions. The result of the bioassay showed that at 25 °C and 30 °C, all the isolates were virulent. Accordingly, cumulative target percentage mortality of Aphis gossypii at 25 °C varied from 73.33–93.33 % mortality and LT₅₀ ranged from 3.83 to 4.98 days while percentage cumulative target mortality and LT₅₀ values at 30 °C ranged from 82.22–100 % and 3.23–4.02 days, respectively. A statistically significant interaction between fungal isolates and temperature indicated that the pathogenic nature of an isolate was dependent on the temperature conditions of the bioassay. The results of the present study suggest that the use of native entomopathogenic fungi as an alternative method to chemical pesticides may hold promise for the management of Aphis gossypii in Ethiopia.

The development of Saharan agriculture in recent decades by increasing irrigated areas for vegetable production in central Sahara has led to significant outbreaks of locusts. This insect, which is not a deserticola type, has succeeded in developing a series of behavioural, morphological and physiological characteristics to adapt to this environment which has become one of its areas of reproduction and dispersal This work aims at evaluating the morphometric variation of locusts in two different habitats located in the southern Sahara, natural and cultivated environments. The results of biometric analysis on male and female populations, conducted from 1993 to 2004, primarily on the elytra (E), femur (F) and head capsule (C), revealed the existence of differences between locusts from two locations. Population densities were low and did not exceed 500 individuals per hectare, except in April 2004 when a maximum of 10 000 individuals/ha was reached in Adrar. Morphometric ratios (E/F and F/C) of the studied populations oscillate between the solitary and transiens-dissocians phases, except for populations in June 2004 in Tamanrasset and April 1998 in Adrar, which were gregarious. Analyses of variance both with and without population density as a covariate, showed the effect of density on measured traits. Separate analysis of variance of males and females emphasized a marked seasonal effect on the femur and head capsule, especially in Adrar. The male population at this location In the dry season presented shorter femur and smaller head capsule measurements than those present in the wet season at the same location and those of Tamanrasset. This result shows the influence of seasons and weather conditions on morphometric traits. A seasonal dimorphism in size coupled with a contrast of phase status has been highlighted in male populations of Adrar. The relationship between human activities and the change in morphometric traits at the locations studied is discussed. These results are of significance in preventing the proliferation of the desert locust.

The strepsipteran, Halictophagus calcaratus, was described from South Africa by Pasteels in 1958, but no host record/s or females were included. Here we record that H. calcaratus parasitizes the cicadellid, Molopopterus theae Theron 1978, an important pest of the commercially produced shrub, Aspalathus linearis (Fabaceae), from which ‘Rooibos’ tea is produced. We provide a redescription of the male and a description of the female and the male cephalotheca. A checklist of South African Strepsiptera is included.

A remarkable collection of 298 Gambian Asilidae collected by William F. Snow between 1974 and 1977 and housed in the collections of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History is reported upon. Before this study only 19 catalogued species were known from this tiny West African country. Snow's collection has representatives of 55 species and apart from a new genus (Antiscylaticus) and five new species (Hippomachus snowi, Robertomyia snowi, Pegesimallus snowi, Storthyngomerus snowi, Antiscylaticus snowi), described in this paper, there are other species that will probably prove to be new to science. Three previously established Afrotropical genera (Hippomachus, Robertomyia, Scylaticus) are reported for the first time from West Africa. In addition, representatives of eight other genera, known to occur in West Africa, but never before recorded from Senegal or Gambia, are represented in Snow's collection (Ancylorhynchus, Gonioscelis, Habropogon, Leptogaster, Nusa, Oligopogon, Rhabdogaster, Stichopogon).

The oleander mealybug, Paracoccus burnerae (Brain), is a pest of citrus in South Africa. This study was carried out to determine the effect of temperature on development rate of P. burnerae and to investigate whether development rate may explain why P. burnerae is outcompeting the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso), in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. The influence of temperature on life history traits of P. burnerae was determined at 20, 22, 25 and 27 °C and compared with corresponding data for P. citri from other studies. The rate of development increased linearly with an increase in rearing temperature in the embryonic, first instar and pupal stages but reached a climax at 26.13 and 28.6 °C in the second instar of both species, respectively. Planococcus citri exhibited lower developmental thresholds except in the first instar, shorter degree-days and faster developmental rates than P. burnerae. Results of the current study indicate that the dominance of oleander mealybug over the citrus mealybug is linked neither to developmental rates nor sum of effective temperatures.

The nutritive value of various stages of development of Zonocerus variegatus (L.) was evaluated by proximate analysis, mineral analysis and vitamin assay. The moisture content ranged between 65.92 % (adult stage) and 77.14 % (third instar).The highest crude protein content was recorded by the adult stage though was not significantly (P > 0.05) different from first instar stage, but the first instar stage had the highest ash content followed by the fourth instar.The first-third instars recorded the highest mineral contents (Mg² , Zn² , K , Fe² ) while the later instars recorded the least except in phosphorus. Throughout post-embryonic development, the Na /K ratio was less than 1.0. Vitamin assay showed that the proportion of Vitamin A was higher in the adult than the other two vitamins. The vitamin content increased in the insect as it moulted from one stage of development to another. It can thus be concluded that Z. variegatus, especially the earlier instars, is fairly nutritive and can be included in both human diet and farm animal rations.