The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), is a pest in many urban areas of the southeastern United States. In the Piedmont region of South Carolina, there is a documented problem with L. humile invading the campsites of state park campgrounds. While some parks have tried to implement proactive control programs, the most widely used tactic is spraying insecticides when L. humile populations become intolerable and visitors complain. For this study, a series of four trials were conducted to evaluate insecticidal spray treatments versus combinations of insecticidal sprays and granular bait. Control areas were set up to evaluate the change in ant foraging numbers over a season without chemical interference. One bait (Niban® Granular Bait) and three insecticidal sprays (Premise® 2, Temprid™ SC, and Tempo® Ultra SC) were evaluated to determine the best option in a park setting. The granular bait did not perform as well as the liquid insecticides. Temprid™ SC and Tempo® Ultra SC both resulted in a decrease in L. humile over the four-week period that was not significantly different. Although both insecticides were comparable in results, we found Tempo® Ultra SC to be the best choice in this study due to its lower cost and lower toxicity to non-target organisms. Assessing different methods of chemical management will enhance future efforts at sustainable control of L. humile in campground environments.

Congo red (a diazo dye) and Tinopal LPW (a stilbene fluorescent brightener) were assayed to determine their effects on the activity of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) and cypovirus (LdCPV) infecting the gypsy moth. In the case of LdMNPV, Congo red reduced the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) by approximately 26-fold, whereas Tinopal LPW reduced the LC₅₀ by approximately 360-fold. In tests using late second-stage larvae treated with LdCPV, LC₅₀s were reduced by approximately 12-fold and approximately 430-fold by Congo red and Tinopal LPW, respectively. Fourth instar larvae were challenged with LdMNPV/water, LdMNPV/Congo red, and LdMNPV/Tinopal LPW and the activities of progeny virus from all treatments were similar.

A five-year field study evaluated 42 sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) accessions, 25 breeding lines, and 40 interspecific crosses for resistance to infestation and damage from larval feeding by naturally occurring populations of the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Accessions PI 175728 and PI 307946 had less than 3% feeding damage per head in all three years they were tested. Some interspecific crosses showed evidence of resistance; PAR 1673-1 had less than 2% seed damage in 2002 and 2003 and less than 3% in 2005. PRA PRA 1142 sustained less than 3% seed damage and STR 1622-1 had less than 2% seed damage in three years of trials. Breeding lines with potential resistance included 01-4068-2, which had the least amount of seed damage per head in 2002 (<1%) and in 2003 averaged only 2% damage. Line 01-4080-1, with less than 1% damage in 2002 and in 2003, was the least damaged entry in these evaluations. Hybrid ‘894’ was included as a standard check; however, it consistently had among the lowest average seed damage from H. electellum feeding. Our investigation showed the potential for developing resistant genotypes for the sunflower moth to reduce seed feeding injury and to prevent yield losses for sunflower producers. The development of germplasm with host plant resistance would provide another tool in an integrated pest management approach for H. electellum. Additional effort is in progress to use the identified lines to introgress resistance genes into cultivated sunflower through conventional breeding facilitated by marker-assisted selection.

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, and the human flea, Pulex irritans, are species of significant human and veterinary health concerns. Genetic analysis of these species may provide insight into the dispersal of these insects and the spread of insecticide resistance. For this study, a total of 58 fleas were collected from Texas and Arkansas from both dwellings and pet animals. A total of 52 fleas collected were identified as C. felis, and 6 were identified as P. irritans. Samples were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing using two markers, a portion of the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA gene and the nuclear rRNA first internal transcribed spacer region. For both species, no genetic variation was observed in either the nuclear or mitochondrial markers. Based on this observed lack of genetic variation, C. felis and P. irritans possibly underwent a genetic bottleneck in the United States.

The widespread planting of transgenic corn containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry endotoxin in its tissues for insect pest control raises the potential for influence on many non-target species including pollen-feeding species of Chrysopidae. This study was conducted to assess fitness parameters associated with longevity, fecundity, and egg viability of adult Chrysoperla plorabunda (Fitch) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) when fed Bt corn pollen. Bt products tested with their respective non-Bt near-isolines were Event 176 (Cry1Ab), MON810 (Cry1Ab), and TC1507 (Cry1F). Females fed pollen from Event 176 lived significantly longer than those fed pollen from its non-Bt near-isoline. Males fed pollen from TC1507 showed a trend for living longer than males fed its non-Bt near-isoline pollen, but there was no difference for females regarding this event. The mean number of eggs produced per female per day was significantly less for those fed MON810 pollen compared with females fed pollen from the non-Bt near-isoline. Total egg production was significantly less for females fed MON810 pollen vs. females fed pollen from its non-Bt near-isoline.