Two new species of the genus Bruggmanniella, Bruggmanniella actinodaphnes and Bruggmanniella cinnamomi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Asphondyliini: Asphondyliina) are described from Japan. The former species induces stem galls on Actinodaphne lancifolia (Siebold et Zucc.) (Lauraceae) in the Palaearctic Region, and the latter species induces stem galls on Cinnamomum japonicum (Lauraceae) in the Oriental Region. Bruggmanniella, previously known to occur only in the Neotropical and southern Nearctic regions, is recorded for the first time from the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. The number of genera, their components, and morphological features of Asphondyliina are compared between different zoogeographical regions.

Comachara cadburyi Franclemont has been classified as a sarrothripine (Noctuidae), lithosiine (Arctiidae), and afridine (Nolidae). Larval morphology and behavior indicate a close phylogenetic relationship with Polygrammate hebraeicum Hübner, an acronictine noctuid. The egg and larva of Comachara are described and illustrated with line drawings and scanning electron micrographs. Photographs of last instars of both Comachara and Polygrammate are provided. Larval feeding and pupation habits of C. cadburyi are briefly described and compared with those of Polygrammate. Larvae of both Polygrammate and Comachara exhibit a dramatic coloration change in the last instar, transitioning from a green phase to a mottled, steely gray form. As the color change progresses, the larva ceases feeding and enters a wandering phase, during which it seeks out wood in which to pupate. Interpretation of L group setal homologies on the ninth abdominal segment is briefly addressed. Comachara provides a poignant example of the importance of immatures in elucidating phylogeny—adult features of Comachara misled a number of the twentieth century century’s finest lepidopterists.

A male of Tettigonia vitripennis Germar—deposited in the recently rediscovered Germar Hemiptera collection, in the Ivan Franko National University (Ukraine)—is designated as the lectotype and assumed to be erroneously labeled as from Brazil. Homalodisca vitripennis is considered a senior synonym of Tettigonia coagulata syn. nov. and therefore should be used as the scientific name for the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a major vector of the bacterial Pierce’s disease of grapes, phony peach disease, plum leaf scald, and oleander leaf scorch in southern United States and northern Mexico. The previously designated type species of Homalodisca Stål, Cicada triquetra F., was found to be mistaken by Stål for C. triangularis F., which is herein fixed as the new type species of this economically important genus. Propetes triquetra comb. nov., previously known only from an unknown locality in South America, is newly recorded from Brazil (Mato Grosso and Pará states).

Macrolabis americana Dorchin n. sp. is a newly discovered species of inquilinous gall midge found in galls of Dasineura folliculi Felt on two goldenrod species, Solidago rugosa Miller and Solidago gigantea Aiton (Asteraceae) in central Pennsylvania. This is the first record of Macrolabis outside the Palaearctic, where the genus is represented by 58 species. Contrary to what is known of most Macrolabis species, the new species is multivoltine and is found in galls induced by successive generations of D. folliculi. Despite certain biological similarities to Macrolabis solidaginis Fedotova, which is associated with Dasineura galls on goldenrod in Kazakhstan, its relations to its Eurasian congeners are currently unknown. Adults, larvae, galls, and life history of the new species are described.

The apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an important pest of apples (Malus spp.) and model system for sympatric speciation via host shifting for phytophagous insects. The distribution of R. pomonella is well-characterized in the United States and Canada, but it is poorly characterized in Mexico, where it may represent a different, allopatrically isolated taxon. Here, we report results of a nationwide survey aimed at determining the distribution and host range of hawthorn-infesting Rhagoletis in Mexico. Eight of the 13 endemic species of hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) were collected in temperate high-altitude habitats (1,600–2,800 m) across 21 Mexican states. Five of the eight hawthorns were confirmed to be hosts for Mexican R. pomonella. Fly populations were found throughout most of the natural distribution of hawthorn in Mexico. Mean pupal mass for fly populations clustered into two large weight groups associated with hawthorn species exhibiting different fruiting phenologies. Pupae infesting early fruiting hawthorns along the Sierra Madre Oriental were lighter than pupae infesting late-fruiting hawthorns across the Eje Volcánico Trans Mexicano. The differences in pupal weight may reflect host-related environmental effects or be genetically based, the latter implying the possible existence of two phenologically differentiated and geographically distinguishable fly taxa in Mexico. We discuss the significance of our findings for the phylogeography and adaptive radiation of the R. pomonella sibling species group, to which the hawthorn race belongs.

The ecology of the fungus-gardening ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis McCook (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was investigated in a northern Florida longleaf pine, Pinus palustris Mill., forest. This ant is extremely abundant in pine sandhill in the Apalachicola National Forest, in north Florida; a hectare contains on average >1,000 nests, 235,000 T. septentrionalis workers, and 3.5 kg of fungus garden. When colony size and performance were estimated from excavations and the weight of sand in the tumulus, nests were larger and produced the most offspring in open, treeless habitats, whereas the smallest and least productive nests occurred in wooded areas. Our data suggest that the warm soils of open sites stimulate worker activity and colony growth, and cool soils of shaded, wooded sites depress performance. Moreover soils with extremely warm temperatures may have an inhibitory effect because the ants and fungus are susceptible to desiccation and excessive warmth, respectively. This suggests that T. septentrionalis is an indicator ant species of habitat quality in longleaf pine sandhills because its performance seems to be positively related to the natural disturbance regime—frequent fires occurring in the summer. Soil displacement is possibly a major effect that this ant has on the forest ecosystems: colonies may excavate over 1 metric ton of soil each year in a typical hectare of pine forest. The effect of this soil turnover is probably considerable in these nutrient-poor, sandy soils. Experiments are needed to determine the role of this highly abundant ant in longleaf pine forests.

Phragmites australis (Cavanilles) Trinius ex Steudel (Arundineae: Poaceae) is an invasive plant in freshwater and brackish North American wetlands. Inability to control this grass with chemical, mechanical, or physical means resulted in initiation of a biological weed control program. As part of investigations of potential biocontrol agents attacking P. australis in Europe, we compared distribution, life history, and host plant use of four sympatric stem-boring noctuid moths in the field and in common gardens. Archanara geminipuncta (Haworth) is the most widespread and abundant species followed by Archanara dissoluta (Treitschke), Archanara neurica (Hübner), and Arenostola phragmitidis (Hübner). The two early species, Aren. phragmitidis and Arch. neurica, hatch from overwintering eggs ≈2 wk before the later species, and shorter larval development causes adults of early species to emerge 2–4 wk before Arch. geminipuncta and Arch. dissoluta. Early Aren. phragmitidis and Arch. geminipuncta instars are facultatively gregarious, whereas Arch. dissoluta and Arch. neurica always occur as single individuals. Depending on the species, two to four shoot changes are necessary to complete development. All species pupate in P. australis shoots, except for Aren. phragmitidis, which pupates on the ground. Although we found subtle differences in life history and phenology, current data are unable to explain large differences in field abundance of the four noctuid moths. Based on impact, field abundance, and distribution in the native range, Arch. geminipuncta seems the most promising potential biocontrol agent.

Existing taxonomic studies of Reticulitermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from California provide information on only two described species: Reticulitermes hesperus Banks and Reticulitermes tibialis Banks. However, while conducting a genetic evaluation of the genus from North America, we find evidence of species that cannot be identified morphologically with existing information. We also update more current information about other species detected during our investigations, including the positive identification of R. flavipes from California. Therefore, we have conducted a molecular genetics study involving DNA sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 16S gene to determine the extent of genetic variation within Reticulitermes from California. We analyzed 94 samples. Twenty-five nucleotide sites were variable in R. hesperus, and 19 mtDNA haplotypes were observed in the 428-bp mtDNA sequence. Fourteen haplotypes (37%) occurred only once, whereas the most common haplotypes, HE4 and HE9, each occurred in 18% of the samples. Although some haplotypes were found to have a broad geographical range across the state, some were restricted to the southern region, as were all samples identified as R. tibialis. Twelve haplotypes of an undescribed western species, R. n. sp. ‘R. okanaganensis,’ were found, and its distribution throughout the state is discussed. Additionally, genetic evidence of two additional undescribed Reticulitermes species from southern California is presented.

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) marajoara Galvão & Damasceno (Diptera: Culicidae) is a member of the Albitarsis cryptic species complex and is a primary vector of human Plasmodium in parts of Brazil. We report the first record of An. marajoara in the department of Cochabamba and confirm its presence in the department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We also describe a PCR protocol producing a single amplicon (≈340 bp) of a section of the internal transcribed spacer 2 specific for members of the Albitarsis species complex; the polymerase chain reaction protocol did not amplify the DNA of 17 other species in the subgenus Nyssorhynchus. Digestion of the amplicon with the restriction endonuclease BfaI produces two fragments specific to An. marajoara in Bolivia.

Male insects with larger body size tend to mate more often than smaller males. The effects of body size on mating were studied in the ground-nesting solitary bee Colletes perforator L. (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), which usually formed clusters during mating. Clusters consisted of a female and two or more males competing to mate with the female. Mating males did not differ in average size compared with nonmating males. In mating clusters with small females, however, the mating male was smaller on average than a nonmating male. In mating clusters with large females, mating males were larger than nonmating males. Males were observed to mate more than once unlike females, which mated only once. Males observed to copulate more than once were larger on average than those copulating only once.

We conducted laboratory and field studies to test the hypothesis that volatile pheromones mediate mate location in the longhorned beetle Prionus californicus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Cerambyicidae), an important pest of many agricultural and ornamental plants. Males were strongly attracted to live females and to carcasses of freshly killed females in olfactometer bioassays. Males also responded strongly to excised ovipositors of freshly killed females but not to their excised heads, thoraces, or abdomens. In field studies, males were strongly attracted to cages baited with live females. These findings demonstrate that female P. californicus produce a volatile pheromone from the ovipositor that attracts males over a distance, and they provide the first conclusive evidence of a volatile sex pheromone for a species of the primitive cerambycid subfamily Prioninae.