Evidence of a sex pheromone released by sapodilla bud borer, Zamagiria dixolophella Dyar (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), females was obtained under field conditions. Delta type traps baited with 2-d-old virgin females captured wild males in a sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) van Royen) plantation. Once the existence of the sex pheromone was demonstrated, the following study was undertaken to describe calling behavior of Z. dixolophella under laboratory conditions. The calling position observed in this moth is similar to that reported for other species of this subfamily. A single period of calling was observed. The calling observed is of the continuous type and was observed only during scotophase. The females initiated calling when 1-d-old. The maximum number of insects calling was observed in 2-3-d-old females between the fourth and eighth h of scotophase. Calling in these females is controlled by a circadian rhythm. The results are discussed in view of the importance of later studies related to the identification of the sex pheromone.

Survival of Diaprepes root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae was assessed in flooded marl soil and a flooded nursery potting medium with green buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus L., Combretaceae) as a food source for the larvae. Root-zone flooding may be a viable control option for flood-tolerant ornamental plants including buttonwood. Significantly more larvae survived after 38 d in non-flooded than in flooded marl soil. Similarly, more larvae survived in non-flooded than in flooded potting medium; no larvae were recovered from flooded potting medium. Larval survival rates were significantly higher in flooded marl soil than in flooded potting medium, but there was no difference in survival between non-flooded marl soil and non-flooded potting medium. Larvae recovered from flooded marl soil had significantly smaller head capsule widths and probably were at least 1 instar younger than larvae recovered from non-flooded marl soil or non-flooded potting medium. In summary, flooding marl soil or potting medium reduced survival, and in marl soil flooding slows the growth of D. abbreviatus larvae.

Neochetina eichhorniae Warner and N. bruchi Hustache, biological control agents of Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms-Laubach, are usually incapable of flight but occasionally develop indirect flight muscles enabling dispersal. This reportedly alternates with oögenesis and is reversible. We examined host quality as a possible explanation for the transitions between these 2 states by allowing populations of the 2 species to develop on plants differing in nutritive quality and then examining the status of their ovaries and flight muscle development. The leaf nitrogen content of the plants increased directly with fertilizer treatment levels but herbivory by the weevils changed the pattern of variation. Neochetina eichhorniae suppressed overall nutritive quality while still enabling tissue nitrogen levels to increase with fertilizer treatments. Neochetina bruchi, however, negated these effects and tissue nitrogen levels failed to correlate with fertilizer treatments. As a result, herbivore intensity (the number of weevils per plant) and the proportion of the populations that responded in one way or the other (either oögenesis or flight muscle development) differed between the 2 species. Very few N. eichhorniae responded in the lowest fertilizer treatment and none produced flight muscles. This increased in the intermediate treatments to about an 80% response with most individuals reproductive. At higher levels, the overall response declined somewhat with an increasing proportion becoming dispersive. Very few N. bruchi developed flight muscles except in the highest fertilizer treatment. The frequency of reproductive N. bruchi varied little across fertilizer treatments, tracking host quality instead. We conclude that transitions from reproduction to dispersal in these 2 species are not in response to low nutritive quality of the plant tissue and require adequate nutrition to occur. Host quality, however, is affected by a multitude of factors, including the intensity of herbivory, which complicates interpretation of nuanced responses.

An artificial larval diet for Anastrepha striata (Schiner) was developed and the changes in the rearing and quality parameters through 6 generations during the adaptation were characterized. In the first experiment we tested diet formulations that had already been developed for the mass-rearing of Anastrepha ludens (Loew), A. obliqua (Macquart), A. serpentina (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) by sowing A. striata eggs (20–40% hatched) in each diet. In those tested diets, the maximum larval recovery percentage was 4.82%. In the second experiment, in the AOII modified diet of A. obliqua, we substituted the protein source, torula yeast by Nutrifly™, torula yeast-casein and hydrolyzed protein. A formulated diet contained 4.83% Nutrifly™, 15% corn cob fractions, 8.0% corn flour, 8.33% sugar, 0.23% sodium benzoate, 0.11% nipagin, 0.13% citric acid, and 63.37% water allowed higher larval survival compared to diets with different protein sources. In the third experiment, we evaluated adaptation of the larvae to Nutrifly diet. Over 6 generations, the larval and pupal weights and pupation percentage decreased from parental to first generation and increased after the third generation, recovering the initial value. Larval recovery and adult emergence increased from parental generation to the next generations; and was maintained during the next 5 generations. Larval recovery only a light decreased in the third generation. The laboratory colonization of A. striata reared on this artificial diet required at least 5 generations for the larvae to adapt to the artificial diet and increase pupal weight and adult emergence.

Some Major host species used by the tephritid fruit flies Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), including Acca sellowiana (O. Berg) Burret, Campomanesia xanthocarpa O. Berg, Psidium guajava L., Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl., Citrus reticulata Blanco var. Murcott, C. aurantium L., C. paradisi Macfadyen var. Dalan Dan, and C. paradisi var. Sudashi, were sampled for fruit fly larvae between Feb and Dec 2000 in the northernmost section of the Paranaense forest, in the Province of Misiones, NE Argentina. Both A. fraterculus and C. capitata were obtained from these host plant species, with A. fraterculus accounting for 93% of all tephritid puparia identified. Ten species of larval-pupal parasitoids were recovered from A. fraterculus: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti), D. brasiliensis (Szépligeti), Utetes anastrephae (Viereck), Opius bellus (Gahan), Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Opiinae, Braconidae), Odontosema anastrephae Borgmeier, Lopheucoila anastrephae (Rohwer), Aganaspis pelleranoi (Brèthes) (Eucoilinae, Figitidae), Asobara anastrephae (Muessebeck) (Alyssinae, Braconidae), and Aceratoneuromyia indica (Silvestri) (Tetrastichinae, Eulophidae). All these parasitoids, with the exception of D. longicaudata and A. indica, are native to the Neotropical region. No parasitoids were recovered from C. capitata puparia. Asobara anastrephae and O. anastrephae are newly recorded in Argentina, whereas D. brasiliensis, U. anastrephae, and L. anastrephae are newly reported in Misiones. The eucoiline A. pelleranoi was the most abundant parasitoid species. Acca sellowiana and P. guajava harbored the highest parasitoid abundance and diversity.

Lesser cornstalk borer (LCB), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), is a serious pest of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and many other crops. The effect of mulching as a management method for LCB was examined in 2 field experiments conducted in small plots (1 m²) at 2 different locations (experiments A and B) in Alachua Co., FL. Both experiments were conducted in the summer and repeated in the fall, 2007. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 5 replications at both locations. In experiment A, treatments were bare ground, plots with mulch, and plots with weeds (original weed cover); while in experiment B, treatments were bare ground and mulched plots. The mulch was obtained from a crop of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) planted at another location. Data were collected on bean plant mortality, plant growth parameters (fresh weight, height, and length including roots of surviving plants), and population levels of potential predators. LCB attack was less (P ≤ 0.10) in mulched plots compared with bare ground, considering a number of factors such as location and background of field, season, and amount of precipitation. Greater numbers of surviving plants were found in mulched plots compared with bare ground and weedy plots. In general, fresh weight, height, and total length of bean plants were greater in mulched plots compared with other plots. Treatments did not affect numbers of potential predators of LCB. Evidence suggests that LCB attack is reduced by mulches or weeds around host plants.

Laboratory experiments were designed to identify the host strain paternity of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) mated females. In no-choice tests, corn or rice strain females were placed in cages with males of the opposite strain. After 48 h, females were dissected and spermatophores were removed. Molecular markers in the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene were used to identify host strain identity from the spermatophores and results showed the host strain pattern of the mating males. In choice tests, females of either strain were placed in cages with males of both strains. After 48 or 96 h, spermatophores were dissected and were molecularly analyzed to identify the host strain of the mating males. Corn and rice strain females contained spermatophores from males of both strains, indicating that interstrain mating commonly occurs in the laboratory. The analysis of the spermatophores isolated from mated females provides a convenient means of identifying the strain of the mated male. This technique has the promise of being able to directly measure interstrain mating in wild populations.

The picture-winged fly Euxesta stigmatias Loew (Diptera: Ulidiidae) has been a serious pest of sweet corn in Florida since the 1930s and had been considered the only fly infesting Florida corn. In a sweet corn variety trial to evaluate E. stigmatias resistance in 2007, adult Chaetopsis massyla (Walker) (Diptera: Ulidiidae) was reared from the ears. Choice and no-choice trials were conducted in 2007 and 2008 to determine the pest nature of C. massyla on corn. In no choice tests, C. massyla pairs were caged on uninfested corn ears in green house and field trials. In choice tests, field collected corn ears were held for fly emergence. No choice tests showed that C. massyla could infest and complete development in ears that had no previous damage. Chaetopsis massyla emerged from corn ears with and without prior infestation by other insect species in choice tests. Subsequently, C. massyla were reared from corn ears collected from locations throughout the major sweet corn growing region of southern Florida. Therefore, we present what we believe to be the first report of C. massyla as a primary pest of corn ears in Florida and in the United States of America.

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an important agricultural pest worldwide. The pest is a species complex composed of numerous biotypes, among which biotypes B and Q are the 2 most invasive and widely distributed. Our previous study found that the ratio of the biotype Q has been increasing and displacement of biotypes B by Q has been occurring on cotton and eggplant in Shandong Province of China during the past several years. To determine whether biotype Q has been increasing on other hosts and possible displacement of biotypes has been occurring in the province as a whole, we further surveyed B. tabaci biotypes B and Q on cultivated and wild host species near cotton or eggplant fields in 7 locations of Shandong Province during 2005–2008 with cleavage amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) of the mtCOI (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I) marker. This research showed biotype Q has been increasing on all kinds of host plants and the displacement of biotypes B by Q has been occurring in the province as a whole. The displacement mechanism should be further researched and such knowledge might guide the application of the insecticides or adjustment of the crops to effectively control the pest.

The synchronous firefly Photinus carolinus (Green) of the moist cove hardwood forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracts much public attention during its spectacular month-long mating display known as The Light Show. In previous studies flash synchrony among P. carolinus males has been investigated, but little is known about its natural history and mating behavior. This study provides additional information on the habits, flash signal variation, mating strategies, predation and historical records of P. carolinus. The polyandrous females remate throughout their approximately 3-week adult lifespan, laying successive clutches of eggs. While stationary females generally respond to male courtship signals with a receptive doublet flash signal, they also produce a rhythmic flash while walking, and can revert back to the receptive state. In this protandrous species, the average number of flashes per flash train in male courtship signals increases after females have emerged. I describe pseudo-female male flashes and group chaos flashing associated with mating clusters as well as conditions causing distress flashing in both sexes. With a backdrop of changing habitat and increasing human pressure, observations taken from the past 18 years and over 1000 h spent in the field additionally describe male guarding of a female pupa, mate guarding via prolonged copulation, common predator and phorid infestation challenges for this firefly.

Bacteria carried by wild house flies (Musca domestica L.) collected near the rear entrances and dumpsters of 4 restaurants in north central Florida were identified. Live house flies were collected and individually transferred to blood agar plates for 1 h. After removing the flies, the plates were incubated overnight at 37C. Bacterial colonies that were morphologically distinct were isolated from other colonies by streaking onto new plates. The bacteria were identified by fatty acid analysis and sequence of their 16S rRNA gene. The bacterial isolates included 5 new bacterial records for house flies: Acinetobacter baumanni, Bacillus pumilus, Cronobacter sakazakii, Methylobacterium persicinum, and Staphylococcus sciuri. Other bacteria identified have been associated previously with house flies, including Bacillus cereus, B. thuringiensis, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Staphylococcus xylosus. Most of the organisms recovered from the house fly are serious pathogens, known to produce diseases such as meningitis, food poisoning, diarrhea, abscesses, bloodstream infections, and hemorrhagic colitis. The possible exception is Bacillus thuringiensis, a known pathogen for insects that only occasionally produces allergic reactions in humans. If these organisms are not prevented from entering the food preparation and consumption areas, they could become a serious risk in the transmission of diseases.

The small hive beetle Aethina tumida Murray, is an African native that has become an invasive pest of honeybees in North America. The beetle is capable of rapid population growth on pollen, honey, and bee brood. It is also capable of feeding and reproducing on various kinds of fruit, but its ability to sustain population growth on diets other than bee products has remained unknown. We examined this question by observing A. tumida on 2 diets: pollen dough (inoculated with a species of yeast carried by the beetle) and orange. Age-schedules of survival (lx) and fecundity (mx) were constructed for each diet and used to calculate the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r), which was used to calculate other demographic parameters. The results showed potential for population growth on both diets (r > 0), but the potential was less on orange (r = 0.0631) than on inoculated pollen dough (r = 0.1047). The calculated multiplication per generation on pollen dough was nearly double that on orange and the generation time was shorter by more than a third. Survival of A. tumida populations on oranges, or any other alternative diet, in a given environment would depend on the value of r relative to the strength of environmental conditions opposing population increase. The ability to use alternative diets (fruit, possibly fungi, or other food resources) would confer an adaptive advantage upon beetles dispersing over a landscape in which honeybee colonies occur as small, widely scattered patches.

Supplemental material online at  http://www.fcla.edu/FlaEnt/fe932.htm#InfoLink1.

Multiple-choice and no-choice tests were conducted at the Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry Quarantine facility in Gainesville, FL to determine the specificity of the Brazilian leaf-beetle Gratiana graminea Klug, a candidate for biological control of Solanum viarum, tropical soda apple. One hundred fifteen plant species in 32 families were included in the feeding-oviposition multiple-choice tests including the target weed and the 5 major cultivated Solanaceae Capsicum annuum L., Lycopersicon sculentum Mill., Nicotiana tabacum L., Solanum melongena L., and Solanum tuberosum L. Eight to 12 plant species, including always the main target weed, growing in 1-gallon pots were simultaneously exposed to 20 G. graminea adults (10 males and 10 females that most of the time had recently emerged from pupae) in an aluminum cage (60 × 60 × 60 cm). At the beginning of each test the insects were placed at the bottom center of each cage to allow them to orient by themselves to the tested plants. Plant species in each test were replicated 3–4 times (one replication of tested plants in each separate cage). Plants tested were exposed to G. graminea adults from 3–6 weeks. Observation of oviposition and feeding were made during almost all the weekdays. No-choice host specificity tests were conducted with G. graminea adults on potted plants in cages made of clear-plastic cylinders and with G. graminea larvae placed on cluster of leaves of each individual plant tested. Ten G. graminea adults were exposed to 29 plant species individually tested during 3 to 5 weeks, and 10 neonate larvae were exposed to 31 plant species. Plant species in each test were replicated 3–4 times. Results indicated that G. graminea fed and developed only on the target weed. The tests indicated that a host range expansion of G. graminea to any of the major cultivated Solanaceae species is highly unlikely. A petition for field release in Florida was submitted to the Technical Advisory Group for Biological Control Agents of Weeds (TAG) in Sep 2008.

Morphological descriptions of the 4 instars of the ghost-ant Tapinoma melanocephalum Fabricius are presented along with illustrations and comparisons with other species of the same genus. Instars were similar, differing only in body length. The analyzed larvae presented many characteristics in common with other Tapinoma Förster larvae, such as: dolichoderoid body and mandibles, 9 pairs of spiracles, the presence of a terminal boss, and scarce body and head setae, all simple and short. We observed the following differences from other previous descriptions: the presence of a subapical mandibular tooth, setaceous sensilla on the medial anterior surface of the labrum, and fewer sensilla on maxillary and labial palps.

Red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) is a major pest in urban landscapes including residential/commercial lawns, sports fields, golf courses, parks, and highway rights-of-way. Foraging preferences for various turfgrass clippings were investigated under controlled lab conditions. Among bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) cultivars, clippings of ‘Tifway’ and ‘Baby’ were 7 times more preferred than clippings of ‘Tifton 10’ and ‘GN1’. The Texas bluegrass × Kentucky bluegrass hybrid (Poa pratensis L. × P. arachnifera Torr.), TXKY 00-34-2 had 5 times more foraging ants on it than TXKY 01-59-9. Among the zoysiagrasses (Zoysia japonica), ‘El Toro’ was only 2 times more preferred than ‘Crowne’. For St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum Walt. Kuntze), ‘BitterBlue’ was 3.4 times more preferred than ‘Floratam’. On the buffalograss cultivars (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.), there were 2 and 4 times more ants foraging ‘Texoka’ than either ‘Prairie’ or ‘Bison’, respectively. After foraging for 5 h on clippings of the 5 or 6 cultivars in each replicate, the number of ants on each grass was bermudagrass (169.3) > zoysiagrass (137.5) = bluegrass hybrids (136.8) > St. Augustinegrass (127.1) > buffalograss (34.5).

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a pest of most turfgrass species in the United States. Twelve cultivars and genotypes of zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) were evaluated for resistance to both neonate and 4-d-old fall armyworm larvae. Three cultivars, ‘Cavalier’, ‘Emerald’, and ‘Belair’, were the most resistant to feeding by neonate larvae with less than 5% of the larvae survived beyond 4-d of feeding. After 10 d, 10% or less of the confined larvae were alive on these 3 cultivars along with ‘Meyer’, ‘Korean Common’, ‘El Toro’ and DALZ8501. When most of the same genotypes were exposed to 4-d-old larvae that had developed on a susceptible host, ca. 20% of the mortality was eliminated. Survivorship for 7-d-old larvae (after 3 d feeding) was 40% or greater on all genotypes except for Cavalier. Only Cavalier, DALZ8501, and Korean Common exceeded 85% mortality after 13 d of feeding. Meyer produced 97.6% mortality of neonate larvae, but only 46.7% of larvae that had first fed on a susceptible host. The 4-d-old larval that fed on the resistant genotypes usually weighed less than half the weight of those fed on susceptible Palisades and DALZ8516. Also, days-to-pupation and days-to-adult emergence were shortest on the 2 most susceptible genotypes. No fall armyworm larvae were able to survive more than 17 d on Cavalier. Several other cultivars were identified with resistance.

We conducted 2 studies on nectar-feeding by MacNeill's sootywing, Hesperopsis gracielae (MacNeill), a rare skipper, near the lower Colorado River in Cibola Valley, Arizona. In the first study, we examined rates of visitation by adults to Heliotropium curassavicum (Boraginaceae) inflorescences and Sesuvium verrucosum (Aizoaceae) flowers on potted plants. Visitation rates per plant or per inflorescence or flower did not differ between species when species were placed alone or together or when plants were placed in sun or shade. Frequencies of landings on both species were greater on plants in sun than shade, suggesting sooty-wings visually respond to flowers when foraging for nectar. In the second study, we measured masses of sugar in H. curassavicum inflorescences on wild plants after visitation by male or female adults. Inflorescences visited by females contained more sugar, but similar numbers of flowers, than those visited by males. Amounts of sugar remaining in inflorescences visited by females, but not males, decreased as visitation-times increased. Ingestion of nectar was apparent only in females. Both plant species can provide H. gracielae adults with nectar in conserved or created habitat.

Camponotus vittatus Forel is a poorly studied Neotropical ant, which is very common in Brazil. Larval descriptions are useful to systematics, as larval characters aid with genus-level differentiation, and ant larvae lie at the basis of ant social organization. This study presents the first description of the immatures of C. vittatus with the aid of light and scanning electron microscopy. There are three instars based on the frequency distribution of larval head widths. The larvae had some characteristics typical of Camponotus, specifically, a ‘pogonomyrmecoid’ body shape, 10 pairs of spiracles, antennae with 3 sensilla, mature larvae with pronounced labial pseudopalps, and conspicuous ‘chiloscleres’ on the labrum. Unique characteristics found would include the greatest diversity of body hair types recorded in an ant larva and ‘camponotoid’ mandibles with 6 medial denticles over the blade. The number of antennal sensilla proved variable.

Fruits from 6 exotic, cultivated fruit species were collected in the Tafí and Calchaquí valleys between Jan 2000 and Jan 2002 to determine the occurrence of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and the corresponding fruit infestation levels. The valleys are situated in the western semiarid highlands of Tucumán province (NW Argentina) and the altitude ranges from 1,800 to 2,014 m above sea level. The fruit species surveyed were Cydonia oblonga Miller, Malus domestica Borkh., Prunus armeniaca L., P. domestica L., P. persica (L.) Batsch, and Pyrus communis L. (Rosaceae). Out of a total of 2,129 puparia recovered from infested fruit, 2,112 (98.8%) were C. capitata and only 27 (1.2%) A. fraterculus. Ceratitis capitata was recovered from all fruit species and it was the dominant species. Anastrepha fraterculus was only recovered from C. oblonga, P. persica and P. domestica. All Prunus species and P. communis were the host plants that were infested most by C. capitata. The infestation data of C. oblonga, P. communis and M. domestica demonstrated that these 3 fruit species were acceptable host plants for C. capitata in Tucumán. This study provides the first record of both C. capitata and A. fraterculus infesting fruit species in semiarid highland valleys in Tucumán, and it also expands the altitudinal range of distribution of these two tephritid species to 2,014 m within the Tucumán province.

Temperature-based development models have been used in pest management for many years to predict emergence and other life history events of insect pests. Blueberry gall midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson), is an early-season pest of rabbiteye blueberries, Vaccinium virgatum Aiton, in Florida. The ability to predict emergence of adults at the beginning of the season would improve monitoring and control activities. Blueberry gall midge larvae were collected from an organic blueberry farm in Gainesville, FL from Jan through Mar in 2008 and 2009. Late third instars were reared to adults in either 5-mL vials or 947-mL cups with soil substrate. The duration of the pupal stage was determined under 6 constant temperatures: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C. More midges survived to adult emergence in the 5-mL vials than the large cups. The developmental threshold was estimated with linear and nonlinear regression models. Both models fit the data well, but the nonlinear model was limited due to the few data points at the extreme high and low temperatures. Based upon the linear model and data from the 5-mL vials, the developmental threshold for pupation was estimated as 9.8°C and the thermal constant as 134 degree-days. These experiments provide useful information on the biology of blueberry gall midge, but estimates of the thermal requirements for the other life stages will be needed before it will be possible to forecast blueberry gall midge infestations.

The stink bug, Oebalus insularis (Stal), was first observed in Florida rice fields in 2007. An extensive survey was conducted during 2008 and 2009 to determine the relative abundance and population biology of O. insularis in Florida rice fields. It occurred in 100% of all fields sampled and constituted 20% of all stink bugs collected. Data from this study show that O. insularis, a well known rice pest in Caribbean islands, Central America, and South America, is now widespread in Florida rice fields. This is the first report of this species being found in commercial rice fields in the United States.

The Royal Palm, Roystonia regia (Kunth) O. F. Cook, is a quintessential tree in South Florida landscapes and has relatively few pests. However, it can be severely damaged by non-predictable population flare-ups of the Royal Palm Bug (RPB), Xylastodoris luteolus Barber. Damage appears as frizzled new growth that reduces aesthetics and may affect photosynthetic ability. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of soil-applied neonicotinoid systemic insecticides. All 3 active ingredients tested, Merit 2F (imidacloprid), Safari 2 G and Safari 20 SG (dinotefuran) and Arena 50 WDG (clothianidin) provided excellent RPB control 30 and 75 d after treatment. ELISA analysis of palm foliage showed dinotefuran translocated fastest, followed by imidacloprid and then clothianidin. Soil application of insecticides is preferred in urban landscapes over foliar treatments due to elimination of drift and reduction in environmental concerns. To protect the appearance of the popular Royal Palm, it is advantageous to apply a systemic neonicotinoid at the first symptom of an infestation.

A new genus, Neopectinimura Park, of the subfamily Lecithocerinae (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Lecithoceridae) is described, based on the type species, Neopectinimura beckeri Park & Byun, sp. nov, from Papua New Guinea. Four additional new species for the new genus, N. calligina Park & Byun, N. madangensis Park & Byun, N. setiola Park & Byun and N. morobeensis Park & Byun are described. The genus is separable from its allied genus Pectinimura Park by the short and rounded forewing, with R5 absent, the unique character of antennae with long hairs, and often with an extremely long third segment of the labial palpus. A key to the 5 species of the genus is given. Illustrations of adults, wing venations, and the male genitalia are provided.