Tick-borne diseases are increasing in North America. Knowledge of which tick species and associated human pathogens are present locally can inform the public and medical community about the acarological risk for tick bites and tick-borne infections. Citizen science (also called community-based monitoring, volunteer monitoring, or participatory science) is emerging as a potential approach to complement traditional tick record data gathering where all aspects of the work is done by researchers or public health professionals. One key question is how citizen science can best be used to generate high-quality data to fill knowledge gaps that are difficult to address using traditional data gathering approaches. Citizen science is particularly useful to generate information on human–tick encounters and may also contribute to geographical tick records to help define species distributions across large areas. Previous citizen science projects have utilized three distinct tick record data gathering methods including submission of: 1) physical tick specimens for identification by professional entomologists, 2) digital images of ticks for identification by professional entomologists, and 3) data where the tick species and life stage were identified by the citizen scientist. We explore the benefits and drawbacks of citizen science, relative to the traditional scientific approach, to generate data on tick records, with special emphasis on data quality for species identification and tick encounter locations. We recognize the value of citizen science to tick research but caution that the generated information must be interpreted cautiously with data quality limitations firmly in mind to avoid misleading conclusions.

Aedes aegypti (L) is an anthropophilic mosquito involved in the transmission of a variety of viral pathogens worldwide including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. This species, native to Africa, is well established in the continental U.S. (CONUS) and occasionally contributes to localized outbreaks of viral diseases. In the last seven decades, mosquito control programs in the CONUS have been focused on vectors of eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and West Nile viruses, as well as nuisance species. Aedes aegypti receives little control focus except during outbreak periods, which has led to a lack of information on appropriate and effective control options targeting Ae. aegypti in the CONUS. As such, in the event of an Ae. aegypti-borne arboviral outbreak in the CONUS, there are limited evidence-based control recommendations or protocols in place. Autochthonous outbreaks of Ae. aegypti-borne pathogens have occurred recently in the CONUS, including dengue outbreaks in 2010 and 2013, a chikungunya outbreak in 2014, and the 2016 outbreak of Zika virus. The increasing frequency of Ae. aegypti-borne outbreaks necessitates increased attention and research on control of this species to prevent and mitigate future outbreaks. This review consolidates and synthesizes the available literature on control of Ae. aegypti, specifically within the CONUS, focusing on data generated through operational applications as well as field and semifield experiments. The purpose of this review is to identify and highlight areas where additional research is needed. The review covers chemical control and insecticide resistance, biological control, source reduction, trapping, and alternative techniques.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an important parasitic and vector-borne disease in Iran and can be transmitted to humans and animals through bites of infected female sand flies. The present study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of Leishmania major in sand flies in Iran. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed in the present study, so that databases, namely PubMed, Web of Sciences, Science Direct, ProQuest, Embase, Cochrane Reviews, and Scopus as well as IranDoc, SID, Elmnet, and Magiran were searched for finding Persian articles. Inclusion criteria of study contained the study in Iran and investigation of L. major parasite in sand flies. The quality of studies was examined by Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for studies that reported prevalence data; and the data were analyzed by Stata 14 software. In total, 42 studies were evaluated, all of which had investigated the infection of Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli (Diptera: Psychodidae). The infection of Phlebotomus caucasicus group was investigated in 13 studies, Phlebotomus ansarii Lewis in four studies, Phlebotomus salehi Mesghali and Rashti in five studies, and the infection of other species of sandflies in seven studies. According to the meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of Ph. papatasi, Ph. caucasicus group, Ph. salehi, and Ph. ansarii were equal to 2.4, 6.2, 1.6, and 9.2%, respectively, with 95% confidence interval. According to reports of different rates of sand fly infection in different regions, all studies should have certain and standard forms and formats to determine the pooled prevalence of sand fly infection.

Precise data regarding feeding habits of necrobiont species are a key element of food web and evolutionary ecology. They can also be used to assess the utility and value of those species for forensic entomology, where obligatory necrophagous species in particular are considered good bioindicators of postmortem or preappearance interval. However, the feeding habits of many species are known only from anecdotal field observations, often reduced to vaguely defined categories—predatory, necrophagous, or omnivorous.To address this issue, we designed a simple, in vitro behavioral experiment allowing the quantification of food preferences. Next, we applied it on Necrophila (Calosilpha) brunnicollis (Kraatz, 1877), which is a common carrion beetle of East Asia with unresolved food preferences.The results suggest that this species is preferentially necrophagous, thus valuable for forensic research. Importantly, however, our experimental design allowed us to reveal that it also readily feeds on larvae of Diptera, although they compose a minor proportion of its diet.This methodology can be applied to other species, and it could provide evidence for future decision making in forensic research.

The minimum postmortem interval (PMI_min) could be evaluated from the developmental stage of forensically important insects colonize a corpse, such as blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Unlike larvae, the developmental stage of which is well established according to their morphology, estimating the age of pupae is proven to be challenging. Recently, several studies reported the regulation of special genes during the development of blow fly pupae. However, gene regulation in Aldrichina grahami during the intrapuparial period remains to be studied. Therefore, we set out to investigate the mRNA levels of heat shock protein 23 (Hsp23), heat shock protein 24 (Hsp24), and 1_16 during the metamorphosis of A. grahami pupae. First, we examined seven candidate reference genes (ribosomal protein 49 (RP49), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA), 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA), beta-tubulin at 56D (β-tubulin), Ribosomal protein L23 (RPL23), glutathione S-transferase (GST1), and Actin. Three widely used algorithms (NormFinder, BestKeeper, and geNorm) were applied to evaluate the mRNA levels of reference gene candidates in puparium at three stable temperatures (15, 22, and 27°C). Next, mRNA expression of Hsp23, Hsp24, and 1_16 during A. grahami metamorphosis was examined. We demonstrated that mRNA expression levels of Hsp23, Hsp24, and 1_16 showed time-specific regulation. In summary, our study identified three gene markers for the intrapuparial period of A. grahami and might provide a potential application in PMI_min estimation.

Hydrotaea spinigera Stein is a necrophagous species, widely distributed in Oriental and Australasian regions. Considering that the postfeeding larvae or puparia of this species can still be found in abundance at the advanced decomposition stage or even the skeleton stage of remains, it can serve as a good supplementary indicator for estimating the minimum postmortem interval (PMI_min). This could also extend the range of PMI_min when the primary colonizers are no longer associated with the corpse or have emerged as adults. This study investigated the development duration, accumulated degree hours, and larval body length changes of H. spinigera at seven constant temperatures ranging from 16 to 34°C, and established three development models for estimating PMI_min, including isomorphen diagram, isomegalen diagram, and thermal summation model. At 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34°C, the development durations of H. spinigera from egg to adult stage were 1,412.6 ± 62.9, 867.4 ± 14.9, 657.1 ± 22.9, 532.3 ± 10.1, 418.8 ± 21.3, 379.8 ± 16.6, and 340.0 ± 20.3 h, respectively. The lower developmental threshold L₀ was estimated as 10.50 ± 0.20°C, and the thermal summation constant K was 7,648.83 ± 146.74 degree hours. Using regression analysis, equations were obtained modeling the change of larval body length with time after hatching at different temperatures. This study provided basic data based on the growth and development of H. spinigera for the estimation of PMI_min in forensic science.

The postmortem interval (PMI) estimation, in cases where the body was discovered in an advanced stage of decomposition, is predominantly based on entomological evidence. However, very few forensically important species are sufficiently known in detail to allow a practical application. One of them is the carrion beetle, Necrophila (Calosilpha) brunnicollis (Kraatz, 1877). Its development from egg to adulthood was studied under a range of ecologically relevant constant temperatures to find parameters of thermal summation models. Developmental sexual dimorphism and the presence of developmental rate isomorphy were investigated. Herein we present the lower developmental thresholds and sum of effective temperatures for all developmental stages of N. brunnicollis (egg, first–third larval instar, postfeeding stage, and pupae). We did not find any evidence of developmental sexual dimorphism nor was the presence of developmental rate isomorphy confirmed. Our results present the first thermal summation model of the East Asian carrion beetle that can be used for the PMI estimation.

Several experiments with Anopheles darlingi Root, an important malaria vector in the Amazon region, were carried out in the laboratory, depending on the large-scale production of viable larvae and adults. Certainly, improvements in rearing conditions, including dietary requirements, can strongly affect mosquito production. In order to increase the production of this species in the laboratory, we first supplemented the regular larval diet (TetraMin Tropical Flakes) with different concentrations of vitamins and minerals and recorded several biological variables: survival and larval development time, emergence ratio, and adult longevity under a small-scale rearing condition. Second, we established an experimental design under regular lab-rearing conditions based on the concentration of vitamins and minerals that best contributed to the development of these anophelines, and evaluated the biological parameters already mentioned. Moreover, under regular rearing conditions, we recorded sex ratio, adult size, and longevity of adults fed with supplemented sucrose. The lowest concentration of vitamins (V5) and the average concentration of minerals (M3) increased larval survival and decreased larval development time compared with the control. Under regular rearing conditions, minerals provided higher larval survival and increased the longevity of adults fed with supplemented sucrose. Supplementing the regular larval diet and sucrose solutions with vitamins and minerals increased the production of immatures and the longevity of An. darlingi adults.

Forensic entomology relies on insect development data generated within a laboratory setting in the estimation of minimum postmortem interval (mPMI). The methodologies used to produce these data vary considerably within the field and there is no accepted standard approach to laboratory rearing of forensically relevant species. A wide range of rearing media are used across published studies, including different species of animal and types of tissue (e.g., muscle and liver). Differing methodologies, particularly rearing diet, can introduce considerable variation into the baseline data upon which forensic estimates of the mPMI are calculated. Consequently, research establishing a widely available, standard and/or optimal, rearing medium for blow fly development for forensic application is desirable. This study examined dietary effects on the development of two forensically relevant blow fly species: Calliphora dubia Macquart, 1855, and Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart 1842 (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Larvae of both species were reared on pork liver, pork mince, pork loin, beef liver, beef mince, and guinea pig carcass under two constant temperature regimes (24 ± 1°C and 30 ± 1°C; 70 ± 10% humidity; 12-h/12-h photoperiod) to assess the influence of temperature on developmental response to diet. Fundamental developmental data pertaining to both species are reported. Developmental response to diet was species-specific and influenced by temperature with indication that the optimal temperature for C. dubia development is below 30°C. Pork mince was the most appropriate dietary standard of the rearing media investigated for the formulation of forensic development data for both species investigated.

In North America, until recently, all cases of anuran myiasis were attributed to Lucilia silvarum (Meigen) or Lucilia elongata Shannon. The latter species is exceedingly rare and its life history is unknown, but L. silvarum is common and was thought to be capable of being either parasitic or saprophytic in North America. Until recently, the anuran parasite Lucilia bufonivora Moniez was thought to be strictly Palearctic, but a study in 2014 has determined this species is established throughout southern Canada. In 2019, a study demonstrated, with molecular and morphological evidence, that two adult flies formerly identified as L. silvarum and reared from amphibian myiasis cases from Canada, are actually L. bufonivora. Although the mentioned study detected relatively high genetic distances with European L. bufonivora, the lack of evident morphological differentiation suggest that they are the same species. The current study examined 12 adult males and eleven adult females morphologically from three additional North American studies. Specimens were examined which had been identified as L. silvarum or L. elongata, and they all proved to be L. bufonivora. We now suspect L. silvarum is strictly saprophagous in North America like they are in the Palearctic Region. We also provide evidence that the pattern of myiasis differs between European and North American specimens.

Forensic entomology focuses on the analysis of insect larvae present at crime scenes to help identify unknown cadavers. Carrion-feeding maggots store food in a crop located at the anterior end of the gut. DNA recovered from the crop can be amplified, sequenced, and identified to determine the origin of the food. This information could help investigators to identify a missing victim if maggots are discovered at a crime scene in the absence of a corpse. Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) and Musca domestica (Linnaeus) are primary forensic species. Little or no information on the identification of unknown cadavers using C. albiceps and M. domestica larvae is available, and we aimed to compare the effectiveness of using the crop contents of instars of C. albiceps and M. domestica larvae to identify corpses at different time intervals. Two hundred and forty larvae of both species were reared on rat and/or mouse liver, and DNA from crop contents was extracted after different time intervals from different instar larvae. DNA was amplified using specific primers that match the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mt COI) gene of the food source. Results showed that food provided to larvae affected life span and the ability to be used to identify unknown cadavers. Chrysomya albiceps larvae proved more useful than M. domestica larvae. Moreover, crop contents of third instar larvae of both species fed for 24 h are more useful than contents from other time intervals in identifying unknown tissues. Results are promising and may help investigators to identify unknown/missing victims.

Two species of black widow spider (BWS—Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie and Latrodectus variolus Walckenaer) naturally occur in Canada and are capable of causing deleterious envenomation to humans. No Canadian literature exists on the frequency of envenomations by these species or the use of antivenom in the treatment of those patients. A review of primary Canadian arachnology data was undertaken to identify BWS populations. A retrospective review of the Health Canada Special Access Program records generated epidemiology and the utilization of antivenom for BWS envenomations in Canada.The geographical distribution of BWS species is limited to along the southern Canadian border. From January 2009 to December 2015, there were five BWS envenomations that required treatment with antivenom and all cases occurred in British Columbia. An average patient age of 41 yr ± 21 SD (range 7–59) was observed, along with three of the five patients being female.The average number of vials used for treatment was 2 ± 1 SD (range 1–3). BWS Antivenin was also obtained by facilities in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, but not used in any of these jurisdictions. Further investigation is necessary to determine the annual incidence of BWS envenomations and if treatment with BWS antivenin is required.

Coleoptera is one of the largest taxon among animals and exhibits diverse eating habits. When associated with decaying corpses, beetles can be of great value in estimating the postmortem interval. In order to consolidate a useful database for the forensic field, it is necessary to study the entomological fauna associated with the carcasses in different geographical regions since the diversity of insects varies according to the biogeoclimate zone. Thus, this study aimed to assess the influence of environmental and ecological factors on the composition and succession of beetles associated with pig carcasses exposed in southern Brazil. Collections were carried out during the hot/dry and cold/wet seasons. A total of 415 specimens belonging to 18 Coleoptera families were sampled. The highest total abundance (n = 329) and diversity (n = 44 taxa) were recorded in the cold/wet season, corresponding to approximately 80% of the total sampled from the two seasons. Dermestidae (26.7%) was the family most abundantly sampled. Regarding eating habits, in an increasing order of importance were necrophagous (43.3%), predator (31.6%), and omnivorous (0.05%). In the hot/dry season, there was no faunal succession. In the cold/wet season, the succession was more associated with differences in abundance than to the presence or absence of a specific taxon by decomposition stage. Considering all the factors analyzed in the current study, three species of beetles, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Dermestidae), Euspilotus azureus (Sahlberg, 1823) (Histeridae), and Oxelytrum discicolle Brullé, 1840 (Silphidae), could be identified as being of the greatest forensic relevance in this biogeoclimatic zone.

Endemic and tropical human bot infestations are relatively uncommon or unreported in the United States. We report two cases in Connecticut: an unusual furuncular and respiratory myiasis by the rabbit bot Cuterebra buccata (Fab.) (Diptera: Oestridae) in a 74-yr-old male and a case of human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis (L.) (Diptera: Oestridae), myiasis in a 4-yr-old female with a tropical travel history with her family. Identification of C. buccata was based morphologically, in part, on spinal armature and further corroborated by DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial COI gene and comparison to the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank DNA sequence database. The resulting annotated sequence data were deposited into the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank. The unique medical aspects, and limitations and specifics on bot fly larval habits and identification are discussed.

A case of a nasal myiasis in a 3-yr-old Italian girl who was referred to Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome, Italy, is reported. Larvae discharged with the nasal mucus were microscopically identified as Megaselia spp.; DNA barcoding analysis showed that they belonged to the ‘scuttle fly’ species Megaselia rufipes (Meigen). Based on the patient's history, she became infected when she played outside. This is the first report of myiasis in humans due to M. rufipes (Diptera: Phoridae).

Geographical range expansions of blacklegged tick [Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae)] populations over time in the United States have been attributed to a mosaic of factors including 20th century reforestation followed by suburbanization, burgeoning populations of the white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman (Artiodactyla: Cervidae)], and, at the northern edge of I. scapularis' range, climate change. Maine, a high Lyme disease incidence state, has been experiencing warmer and shorter winter seasons, and relatively more so in its northern tier. Maine served as a case study to investigate the interacting impacts of deer and seasonal climatology on the spatial and temporal distribution of I. scapularis. A passive tick surveillance dataset indexed abundance of I. scapularis nymphs for the state, 1990–2013. With Maine's wildlife management districts as the spatial unit, we used a generalized additive model to assess linear and nonlinear relationships between I. scapularis nymph abundance and predictors. Nymph submission rate increased with increasing deer densities up to ∼5 deer/km² (13 deer/mi²), but beyond this threshold did not vary with deer density. This corroborated the idea of a saturating relationship between I. scapularis and deer density. Nymphs also were associated with warmer minimum winter temperatures, earlier degree-day accumulation, and higher relative humidity. However, nymph abundance only increased with warmer winters and degree-day accumulation where deer density exceeded ∼2 deer/km² (∼6/mi²). Anticipated increases in I. scapularis in the northern tier could be partially mitigated through deer herd management.

The taxonomy of Culex pipiens complex of mosquitoes is still debated, but in North America it is generally regarded to include Culex pipiens pipiens, Culex pipiens molestus, and Culex quinquefasciatus (or Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus). Although these mosquitoes have very similar morphometry, they each have unique life strategies specifically adapted to their ecological niche. Differences include the capability for overwintering diapause, bloodmeal preference, mating behaviors, and reliance on blood meals to produce eggs. Here, we used RNA-seq transcriptome analysis to investigate the differential gene expression and nucleotide polymorphisms that may link to the divergent traits specifically between Cx. pipiens pipiens and Cx. pipiens molestus.

Chiggers of the genus Parasecia Loomis parasitize birds, mammals, and reptiles in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. In the present review, we examined 18 species previously included in the genus, 15 of them being retained in the genus Parasecia, one genus is created, Nahuacarus bulbocalcarn. gen. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), and new combinations are proposed for two species: Lorillatum lasiurusn. comb. and Lorillatum orphanan. comb. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae). In addition, Parasecia kansasensis (Loomis) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) is synonymized with Parasecia gurneyi (Ewing) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), Parasecia gilbertoin. sp. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) is described and new locality and host records are added for Parasecia chara (Wharton), Parasecia longicalcar (Brennan and Jones), Parasecia manueli (Brennan and Jones), and Parasecia thalurania (Brennan) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae).

The taxonomically intricate genus Culex Linnaeus includes numerous known vector species of parasites and viruses to humans. The aim of this article is to comprehensively review the Culex species which occur in French Guiana to provide a stronger taxonomic foundation for future studies on this genus in South America. The occurrence of Culex species was investigated in light of current taxonomic knowledge through an extensive examination of voucher specimens deposited in the entomological collections of four French depositories and additional specimens recently collected at various localities in French Guiana. Based on this review, 104 Culex species classified in eight subgenera are confirmed to occur in French Guiana. Compared to the most recent checklist, 18 species are added, and 10 species excluded, resulting in a total number of 242 valid mosquito species known to occur in French Guiana. Three nominal species are synonymized, three others are newly described, and a last one is transferred to another informal infrasubgeneric group. Overall, this review also highlights the limits of the use of only bibliographic data when dealing with taxonomically complex groups of insects.

Given that accurately identifying pathogen vectors is vital for designing efficient mosquito control programs based on the proper surveillance of the epidemiologically important species, it has been suggested the complementary use of independently evolving genes and morphometric traits as a reliable approach for the characterization and delimitation of related species. Hence, we examined the spatial distribution of COI mtDNA and ITS2 rDNA variation from the historical perspective of Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas, 1771) and O. dorsalis (Meigen, 1830), while simultaneously testing the utility of the two markers in integrative species delimitation when combined with phenotypic character analyses of larvae and adults. Despite the striking difference in haplotype diversity (high in COI mtDNA, low in ITS2 rDNA), no evident phylogeographic structure was apparent in the Palearctic O. caspius. The Holarctic O. dorsalis species was subdivided into two highly distinctive COI mtDNA phylogroups which corresponded to the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. Strong support for the independence of the two allopatric evolutionary lineages suggested that geographical barrier and climatic changes during Pleistocene caused vicariance of the ancestral range. COI mtDNA reliably distinguished O. caspius and O. dorsalis, while ITS2 rDNA yet again lacked the proper resolution for solving this problem. An integrative approach based on the larval and adult morphological traits have varying taxonomic applications due to their differential diagnostic values. Thus, by the implementation of an integrative taxonomic approach, we successfully detected species borders between the two epidemiologically relevant species and uncovered the presence of cryptic diversity within O. dorsalis.

It is often difficult to distinguish morphologically between closely related species of fleas (Siphonaptera). Morphological identification of fleas often requires microscopic examination of internal structures in specimens cleared using caustic solutions. This process degrades DNA and/or inhibits DNA extraction from specimens, which limits molecular-based studies on individual fleas and their microbiomes. Our objective was to distinguish between Oropsylla rupestris (Jordan), Oropsylla tuberculata (Baker), Oropsylla bruneri (Baker), and Oropsylla labis (Jordan & Rothschild) (Ceratophyllidae) using PCR-based single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analyses and DNA sequencing. A 446 bp region of the nuclear 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene was used as the genetic marker. The results obtained for 36 reference specimens (i.e., fleas that were morphologically identified to species) revealed no intraspecific variation in DNA sequence, whereas the DNA sequences of the four species of Oropsylla differed from one another at two to six nucleotide positions. Each flea species also had a unique SSCP banding pattern. SSCP analyses were then used to identify another 84 fleas that had not been identified morphologically. DNA sequencing data confirmed the species identity of fleas subjected to SSCP. This demonstrates that PCR-SSCP combined with DNA sequencing of the 28S rRNA gene is a very effective approach for the delineation of four closely related species of flea.

A parasitic outbreak caused by dermanyssoid mites in a herpetarium of the Metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico is revealed. This outbreak was caused by Hemilaelaps triangulus (Ewing), but a second mite species, Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais), was found in low abundance. The parasitic load is analyzed, and the morphological and molecular diagnostic characters to identify each of the two species involved are given. A barcode analysis is presented, and two more molecular markers are presented and analyzed. Hemilaelaps triangulus is recorded for the first time in Mexico, and this is the first record of massive infestation on captive snakes caused by ixodorhynchid mites, and DNA sequences of ixodorhynchid mites are publicly available for the first time.

The Philopterus Complex includes several lineages of lice that occur on birds. The complex includes the genera Philopterus (Nitzsch, 1818; Psocodea: Philopteridae), Philopteroides (Mey, 2004; Psocodea: Philopteridae), and many other lineages that have sometimes been regarded as separate genera. Only a few studies have investigated the phylogeny of this complex, all of which are based on morphological data. Here we evaluate the utility of nuclear and mitochondrial loci for recovering the phylogeny within this group. We obtained phylogenetic trees from 39 samples of the Philopterus Complex (Psocodea: Philopteridae), using sequences of two nuclear (hyp and TMEDE6) and one mitochondrial (COI) marker. We evaluated trees derived from these genes individually as well as from concatenated sequences. All trees show 20 clearly demarcated taxa (i.e., putative species) divided into five well-supported clades. Percent sequence divergence between putative species (∼5–30%) for the COI gene tended to be much higher than those for the nuclear genes (∼1–15%), as expected. In cases where species are described, the lineages identified based on molecular divergence correspond to morphologically defined species. In some cases, species that are host generalists exhibit additional underlying genetic variation and such cases need to be explored by further future taxonomic revisions of the Philopterus Complex.

Brennanacarus annereauxi (Brennan and Yunker, 1969) was described from Venezuela parasitizing the greater spear-nosed bat. The monotypic genus Brennanacarus Goff, Yunker and Wheeler, 1987 is a replacement name for NasicolaBrennan and Yunker, 1969, which was preoccupied by NasicolaYamaguti, 1968. Here, we redescribe the genus Brennanacarus and the type species B. annereauxi. Also, this is the first record of this species, as well as the second record of any chigger, for Uruguay.

Two new species of Dexosarcophaga Townsend (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) are described, both from the coastal zone of the Brazilian Amazon: Dexosarcophaga salgada sp. nov. and Dexosarcophaga klycyae sp. nov.

Triatoma mexicana is an endemic species of Mexico and is distributed in the states of Hidalgo, Queretaro, Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosi, being naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, which increases its importance in the region. The species description was made in 1848, but there are only a few studies on its morphology, biology, and behavior. The present manuscript shows the presence of morphological and chromatic variations among populations of T. mexicana from the states of Hidalgo (Valle del Mezquital and Meztitlan), Guanajuato and Queretaro. The study employed 136 specimens collected in four locations. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphological characteristics of the head, pronotum, and scutellum; also, we measured the width of the abdomen and the total length in the specimens of each population. The morphometric analysis considered 19 variables in the previous structures. Significant differences were found in the dimensions of the head and pronotum, but not in the scutellum; there is clear discrimination among the four proposed populations. The chromatic patterns observed in the connexivum go from yellow to brown and show some significant differences related to geographical origin. The set of evaluated characters showed a higher degree of difference in the population of Guanajuato, clearly separating from the rest of the populations, indicating the possibility of a divergence process. The characteristics observed in the remaining populations could be adaptive responses to their habitat.

The Piauí State, Brazil, has never had its chigger fauna recorded. In this study, we examined chiggers collected on marsupials, rodents, and lizards from the conservation unit Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (PNSC). Herein we describe four new species, Paraguacarus klompenin. sp., Neoschoengastia ochoain. sp., Quadraseta welbournin. sp., and Susa bauchanin. sp. Furthermore, an additional seven species are reported: Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910), Microtrombicula brachytrichiaBrennan, 1971, Microtrombicula rhipidomysiGoff, Whitaker and Dietz, 1983, Parascoschoengastia aemulata (Brennan and Jones, 1964), Parasecia validaBrennan, 1969, Pseudochoengastia petrolinensis Jacinavicius, Bassini-Silva and Barros-Battesti 2019, and Quadraseta flochi (Brennan and Jones, 1960).This is the first report of chiggers in Piauí State, which includes one of the most biodiverse areas in the Caatinga biome and is of particular importance to conservation.The genera Paraguacarus Goff and Whitaker, 1984 and Susa Audy and Nadcharam, 1960 are reported here for the first time to Brazil.

Based on a comprehensive study of museum specimens, eight new species of sucking lice of the genus Hoplopleura Enderlein, 1904 (Psocodea: Phthiraptera: Hoplopleuridae), are described from six genera of Australian Old Endemic rodents: Conilurus Ogilby, 1838 (Rodentia: Muridae), Leggadina Thomas, 1910 (Rodentia: Muridae), Leporillus Thomas, 1906 (Rodentia: Muridae), Mesembriomys Palmer, 1906 (Rodentia: Muridae), Pogonomys Milne-Edwards, 1877 (Rodentia: Muridae), and Xeromys Thomas, 1889 (Rodentia: Muridae). The description of these new species increases the number of sucking louse species from endemic Australian rodents from 13 to 21 and extends the records of sucking lice to all of the 14 genera of endemic rodents in Australia. Our results show that sucking lice are much more diverse among rodents in Australia than previously known. Furthermore, the Australian Hoplopleura species are host specific—each Hoplopleura species, including the eight new species described in the present study, parasitizes only a single host species, except Hoplopleura irritans Kuhn and Ludwig, 1967 (Psocodea: Phthiraptera: Hoplopleuridae) and Hoplopleura melomydisWeaver, 2017 (Psocodea: Phthiraptera: Hoplopleuridae), each of which is found on two host species. An updated dichotomous key for identifying Australian Hoplopleura species is included.

The seasonal fluctuations of flesh fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) assemblages were investigated from March 2015 to February 2016 in five habitat types in the Humid Chaco ecoregion, Chaco Province, Argentina. Three of the habitats were anthropized: an urban area, a cattle farm, and an alfalfa crop; and two were natural: a savanna and a forest. Flesh flies were collected monthly at 25 sampling points, five per habitat. In total, 5,790 male specimens comprising 55 species distributed in 15 genera were collected. The assemblage composition of flesh flies in each habitat and season was analyzed in terms of abundance, species richness, and diversity. In addition, the correlation between these community parameters and climatic factors (precipitation 7 and 14 d before samplings, temperature, and relative humidity) were evaluated in each habitat. The highest abundance and species richness of Sarcophagidae were registered in May (autumn) and June (winter), respectively. The lowest diversity values were observed between August and September (end of winter and early spring) in all habitats. However, flesh flies were present and well represented (in terms of species richness) throughout the year in all habitat types. Fluctuations in the abundance of the most abundant species collected were analyzed. The climatic factors were correlated with diversity and species richness in the urban, cattle farm, and savanna habitats. This study revealed that flesh fly assemblages differed temporally between different types of habitats in accordance with climatic factors and microclimate conditions.

Graphical Abstract

We provide the first evidence of a recent invasion of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus in Hasselquist, 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894), followed by dengue virus, in tropical montane cities in south-eastern Brazil, Mariana, and Ouro Preto, at mid and high altitudes, respectively. Long-term temperature variation, dengue public data, and sampling of immature and adult mosquitoes (ovitraps and mosquitraps) in contrasting habitats were used to explain the distribution of Aedes in what in these two cities. From 1961 to 2014, the annual temperature increased significantly due to increases in winter temperatures. In the 1990s/2000s, the winter temperature was 1.3°C warmer than in the 1960s, when it varied from 21.2 to 18.9°C. After 2007, the winter temperatures increased and ranged from 21.6 to 21.3°C. The first autochthonous dengue cases in Mariana and Ouro Preto were in 2007, followed by few occurrences until in 2012, when the mean numbers increased three-fold, and peak at 2013. The continuous ‘warmer winter’ may have trigged the Aedes invasion. Aedes species benefited from higher winter temperatures, which was an important driver of their invasion of the state of Minas Gerais in the 1980s and, more recently, in the remaining montane urban habitats in this region. In both 2009 and 2011, we found more Aedes in Mariana than Ouro Preto, and more Ae. albopictus in green areas and Ae. aegypti in houses, the expected pattern for well-established populations.

Recent results of high-altitude windborne mosquito migration raised questions about the viability of these mosquitoes despite ample evidence that many insect species, including other dipterans, have been known to migrate regularly over tens or hundreds of kilometers on high-altitude winds and retain their viability. To address these concerns, we subjected wild Anopheles gambiae s.l. Giles mosquitoes to a high-altitude survival assay, followed by oviposition (egg laying) and blood feeding assays. Despite carrying out the survival assay under exceptionally harsh conditions that probably provide the lowest survival potential following high altitude flight, a high proportion of the mosquitoes survived for 6- and even 11-h assay durations at 120- to 250-m altitudes. Minimal differences in egg laying success were noted between mosquitoes exposed to high altitude survival assay and those kept near the ground. Similarly, minimal differences were found in the female's ability to take an additional bloodmeal after oviposition between these groups. We conclude that similar to other high-altitude migrating insects, mosquitoes are able to withstand extended high-altitude flight and subsequently reproduce and transmit pathogens by blood feeding on new hosts.

Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting wild and domestic ruminants transmitted by several species of biting midges Culicoides Latreille. The phenology of these insects were analyzed in relation to potential environmental drivers. Data from 329 sites in Spain were analyzed using Bayesian Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) approaches. The effects of environmental factors on adult female seasonality were contrasted. Obsoletus complex species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were the most prevalent across sites, followed by Culicoides newsteadi Austen (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Activity of female Obsoletus complex species was longest in sites at low elevation, with warmer spring average temperatures and precipitation, as well as in sites with high abundance of cattle. The length of the Culicoides imicola Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) female adult season was also longest in sites at low elevation with higher coverage of broad-leaved vegetation. Long adult seasons of C. newsteadi were found in sites with warmer autumns and higher precipitation, high abundance of sheep. Culicoides pulicaris (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) had longer adult periods in sites with a greater number of accumulated degree days over 10°C during winter. These results demonstrate the eco-climatic and seasonal differences among these four taxa in Spain, which may contribute to determining sites with suitable environmental circumstances for each particular species to inform assessments of the risk of Bluetongue virus outbreaks in this region.

The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), is the most aggressive invasive mosquito species with worldwide distribution. In addition to being a notorious nuisance species, it can pose significant public health concern because of its ability to transmit various viral pathogens. The first adult capture in the West Valley area of San Bernardino County, CA, occurred in September 2015 in Montclair. A strategic surveillance plan was implemented accordingly by the West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District to document the infestation. The Biogent Sentinel (BG-2) trap augmented with BG-Lure and carbon dioxide (CO₂) was deployed as a routine surveillance tool during 2017–2019. Extensive trapping revealed an expanding infestation, when positive trap nights (TN) increased from 14.2% in 2017 to 23.9% in 2018 and 55.6% in 2019. The average counts/TN increased from 0.65 in 2017 and 0.90 in 2018 to 3.83 in 2019. The cities of Montclair, Chino, and Ontario had much higher infestation than other cities in the district with the highest positiveTN of 46.0% in Montclair, and highest average trap count of 3.23/TN in Chino. It was interesting to note that males coincided with females with more profound trend during warmer months of July to October when ratios of males ranged 28.4–35.0%. The BG-2 trap significantly outperformed the CO₂ trap and gravid trap. The establishment of this invasive species in semiarid inland Southern California was further confirmed by concurrent larval collections.

House flies, Musca domestica L., are widely recognized for their ability to develop resistance to chemical insecticides so alternative control strategies are desired. The use of entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin to manage house fly populations has shown promising results; however, the success of using this fungus against larval house flies varies widely. The overall objective of this study was to examine factors that may influence efficacy of B. bassiana treatments against larvae. When a high concentration (4 × 10¹¹ conidia/ml) was applied to first- and second-instar larvae in rearing medium, there was a significant reduction in pupation and adult emergence rates. Treating third-instar larvae at the same concentration did not result in a significant reduction of pupation or adult emergence. Temperature (22 versus 32°C) and media composition (diets with- and without propionic acid) did not affect the B. bassiana treatment efficacy against house fly larvae. The narrow time window of vulnerability of larvae and the high doses required to infect them indicate that B. bassiana has little potential as an operational biocontrol agent for house fly larvae.

Control strategies exploiting the innate response of mosquitoes to chemicals are urgently required to complement existing traditional approaches. We therefore examined the behavioral responses of 16 field strains of Aedes aegypti (L.) from two countries, to deltamethrin and permethrin by using an excito-repellency (ER) test system. The result demonstrated that the escape percentage of Ae. aegypti exposed to pyrethroids did not vary significantly between the two countries in both contact and noncontact treatment despite the differing epidemiological patterns. Deltamethrin (contact: 3.57 ± 2.06% to 31.20 ± 10.71%; noncontact: 1.67 ± 1.67% to 17.31 ± 14.85%) elicited relatively lower responses to field mosquitoes when compared with permethrin (contact: 16.15 ± 4.07% to 74.19 ± 4.69%; noncontact: 3.45 ± 2.00% to 41.59 ± 6.98%) in contact and noncontact treatments. Compared with field strains, the mean percentage of escaping laboratory susceptible strain individuals were significantly high after treatments (deltamethrin contact: 72.26 ± 6.95%, noncontact: 61.10 ± 12.31%; permethrin contact: 78.67 ± 9.67%, noncontact: 67.07 ± 7.02%) and the escaped individuals spent significantly shorter time escaping from the contact and noncontact chamber. The results indicated a significant effect of resistance ratio on mean escape percentage, but some strains varied idiosyncratically compared to the increase in insecticide resistance. The results also illustrated that the resistance ratio had a significant effect on the mortality in treatments. However, the mortality in field mosquitoes that prematurely escaped from the treated contact chamber or in mosquitoes that stayed up to the 30-min experimental period showed no significant difference.

Knockdown and residual activity of 10 minimal risk natural products (MRNPs), one experimental formulation of nootkatone, and two bifenthrin labels were evaluated against host-seeking nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say using a novel micro-plot product screening system placed in a landscape setting similar to a wooded residential property. The MRNPs evaluated included Tick Stop, EcoPCO EC-X, Met52 EC, CedarCide PCO Choice, EcoEXEMPT IC², EcoSMART Organic Insecticide, Essentria IC³, privately labeled products 1 and 2 (based on EcoEXEMPT IC² and sold as a professional pest control application), and Tick Killz. Just the nootkatone and 4 of these 10 products tested (EcoPCO EC-X, Met52 EC, EcoEXEMPT IC², and Essentria IC³) had statistically significant (P < 0.05) knockdown effects (killed ticks while active in the arenas) when compared to water-only controls, but only 2 of these, EcoPCO EC-X and nootkatone, displayed significant residual tick-killing activity after weathering naturally in the landscape for 2 wk prior to tick application/testing. Moreover, botanical oil-based products with the same active ingredients provided inconsistent results when tested multiple times across study years.

The juvenile hormone analog S-methoprene is the only synthetic biopesticide that is registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency to control arthropods of economic importance in public health, livestock, pets, urban, and stored products. The high activity, relative target specificity, and benign environmental profile of S-methoprene have been well documented. While the risk of resistance in mosquitoes to S-methoprene is generally low, there is a lack of information regarding cross resistance in S-methoprene-resistant mosquitoes to other pesticides. In this paper, a population of the southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say from southern California acquired low levels of resistance to S-methoprene in the field, where the resistance ratios ranged 7.0- to 8.8-fold as compared with a laboratory reference colony. After 30 generations of laboratory selections by S-methoprene when resistance was elevated to 57.4- to 168.3-fold relative to an unselected population, various levels of cross resistance to other commonly used pesticides were revealed in the selected population. Cross resistance to the microbial mosquito larvicide Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Meyer & Neide) (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) was the most profound, amounting to 77.50- to 220.50-fold. The mechanism and potential management tactics toward cross resistance are discussed to preserve the unique value of this synthetic biopesticide.

Trypanosoma vivax Ziemann is a parasite that affects both wild and domestic ungulates and is transmitted mechanically via tabanids and other blood-sucking insects in the Americas. A total of 621 blood samples from water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae), and 184 ectoparasite samples (Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius) sensu stricto and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini) (Acari: Ixodidae), and Haematopinus tuberculatus (Burmeister) (Phthiraptera: Haematopinidae)) were obtained from 60 farms in the State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. Twelve buffalo blood samples (1.89%) and 11 ectoparasites (6%) were positive for T. vivax based on the cathepsin L-like gene. All sequences were 99% similar to T. vivax from northeastern Brazil (EU753788) in amplified PCR assays on each of the hosts tested.

As Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, Diptera: Culicidae) expands its global distribution and vectors a range of debilitating arboviruses there is an increased need for enhanced mosquito surveillance. Consequently, we developed a Male Aedes Sound Trap (MAST) that requires minimal power and is highly species-specific. Two different versions of the MAST were developed, one that uses synthetic pyrethroid to kill captured mosquitoes (MAST Spray) and another which has an internal divider to create a killing chamber in which a sticky panel can be placed to capture mosquitoes (MAST Sticky). We compared weekly capture rates of male Ae. aegypti and bycatch from the two MAST versions to those from BG-Sentinel (BGS) traps and Sound-producing BG-Gravid AedesTraps (SGATs) throughout Cairns, northern Australia. Weekly mean male Ae. aegypti catches did not significantly differ between trap types. However, the rate of positive weekly detections of male Ae. aegypti was lower for the MAST Sticky than the other three trap types.The MASTs sampled significantly fewer mosquitoes other than male Ae. aegypti, than either the BGS trap or the SGAT. Also, the MASTs and SGATs all caught significantly less non-Culicidae bycatch than the BGS traps. Consequently, we have developed a versatile male Ae. aegypti trap which is potentially of great benefit to Ae. aegypti surveillance programs.

The prevalence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases is dramatically increasing across the United States. While the rapid rise in Lyme disease is clear, the causes of it are not. Modeling Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), the primary Lyme disease vector in the eastern United States, presents an opportunity to disentangle the drivers of increasing Lyme disease, including climate, land cover, and host populations. We improved upon a recently developed compartment model of ordinary differential equations that simulates I. scapularis growth, abundance, and infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) by adding land cover effects on host populations, refining the representation of growth stages, and evaluating output against observed data. We then applied this model to analyze the sensitivity of simulated I. scapularis dynamics across temperature and land cover in the northeastern United States. Specifically, we ran an ensemble of 232 simulations with temperature from Hanover, New Hampshire and Storrs, Connecticut, and land cover from Hanover and Cardigan in New Hampshire, and Windsor and Danielson in Connecticut. Consistent with observations, simulations of I. scapularis abundance are sensitive to temperature, with the warmer Storrs climate significantly increasing the number of questing I. scapularis at all growth stages. While there is some variation in modeled populations of I. scapularis infected with B. burgdorferi among land cover distributions, our analysis of I. scapularis response to land cover is limited by a lack of observations describing host populations, the proportion of hosts competent to serve as B. burgdorferi reservoirs, and I. scapularis abundance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the ecology of the common arboviral mosquito vectors in Mombasa, Kilifi and Malindi urban areas of coastal Kenya. Mosquito larvae were collected using standard dippers and pipettes. Egg survivorship in dry soil was evaluated by collecting soil samples from dry potential larval developmental sites, re-hydrating them for hatching and rearing of the eventual larvae to adults. Adult mosquitoes were collected with CDC light traps and BG-Sentinel traps. All blood-fed females were tested for bloodmeal origin. Mosquitoes were screened for arboviruses using RT-qPCR. Overall, the predominant species were Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) 72.4% (n = 2,364) and Aedes aegypti (L.), 25.7%, (n = 838). A total of 415 larval developmental sites were identified indoors (n = 317) and outdoors (n = 98). The most productive larval developmental sites, both indoors and outdoors, were assorted small containers, water tanks, drainages, drums, and jerricans. Overall, 62% (n = 18) of the soil samples collected were positive for larvae which were used as a proxy to measure the presence of eggs.The mosquitoes fed on humans (29.8%) and chickens (3.7%). Of 259 mosquitoes tested for viral infection, 11.6% were positive for Flavivirus only.The most productive larval developmental sites for arboviral vectors indoors were small containers, water tanks, jerricans, and drums whereas small containers, water tanks, drainage channels, buckets, tires, and water troughs were the productive larval developmental sites outdoors.

This cross-sectional study explores the different conditions related to the infestation of ticks in households and the potential risks for rickettsial transmission in Urabá, Colombia. The main outcome of interest was villagers' perception of tick infestation. The data were analyzed using a clog-log mixed regression model. Ticks were collected from infested humans to diagnose infection by spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR). In addition, a thematic analysis of qualitative data from key informants concerning knowledge about ticks was conducted. The prevalence of infestation of ticks in households was estimated at 60.99% (95% CI: 51.58–93.51). The multivariate model suggested that households with palm leaf roofs (PR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.19–2.95), canines (PR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.21–2.46), rats (PR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.45–3.08), and with the presence of opossums in areas surrounding the households (PR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.05–2.10) had a higher prevalence of tick infestation. Two samples of the tick species Amblyomma patinoi were found infected with Rickettsia amblyommatis and Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi. A thematic analysis provided the names that local community members give to ticks, areas where ticks are common, and the individuals at risk of infestation.The presence of domestic, synanthropic, and wild animals suggests a high risk of the dissemination of ticks inside dwellings and close to them in these rural areas.

Culicoides Latreille biting midges are small hematophagous flies that feed on a variety of vertebrate animals. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), a farmed species in the United States, can occur at high densities on farms. This elevated density of available hosts may result in greater abundance of midges and greater potential for disease transmission on farms than natural ecosystems. This research aimed to determine whether Culicoides abundance varied between a game preserve in Gadsden County, Florida, a site bordering the preserve (‘adjacent'), a site 3.5 km away (‘moderate'), and a site 13 km away (‘distant'). CDC light traps were set one night per week at the preserve, adjacent site, and moderate site in 2016 and at all four sites in 2017. Total abundance was greatest at the preserve and second greatest at the adjacent site both years. Average abundance of female Culicoides stellifer (Coquillett) was an order of magnitude greater on the preserve (x¯ = 24.59 in 2016, 17.95 in 2017) than at any other site (x¯ ≤ 1.68 in 2016, x¯; ≤ 1.03 in 2017), whereas the greatest average abundance of Culicoides venustus Hoffman was found at the adjacent site (x¯ = 5.15 in 2016, x¯ = 1.92 in 2017). Distance from the preserve significantly affected overall average abundance for both species (P < 0.001), although pairwise significance varied. Species diversity was lowest on the preserve and highest at the moderate site both years. These data suggest that high densities of animals may increase transmission potential on high fence preserves and in adjacent areas by contributing to high densities of vector species.

Malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and the Zika and West Nile Viruses are major vector-borne diseases of humans transmitted by mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of the world's population is at risk of contacting these diseases. Insecticides are critical for mosquito control and disease prevention, and insect insecticide resistance is on the increase; new alternatives with potentially different modes of action from current chemistry are needed. During laboratory screening of industrial minerals for insecticide activity against Anopheles gambiae (Giles) (Diptera: Culicidae) we discovered a novel mechanical insecticide derived from volcanic rock (MI_VR) with potential use as a residual spray. In modified WHO cone tests, the time to 50% mortality was 5 h under high-humidity conditions. MI_VR treated surfaces demonstrated no mosquito repellency. In field studies where the mechanical insecticide was applied to wood using standard spray equipment and then placed under stilt homes in New Orleans, LA, the residual activity was >80% after 9 wk against Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae), Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) (with similar efficacy to a positive chemical insecticide control). In scanning electron microcopy studies, the MI_VR was transferred as particles mostly to the legs of the mosquito. This wettable powder made from volcanic rock is a mechanical insecticide representing a potential new mode of action different from current chemistry for mosquito control and is in commercial development under the trade name Imergard^™WP as an indoor and outdoor residual spray.

Graphical Abstract

Culicoides biting midges are small hematophagous flies, some species of which transmit pathogens to livestock and humans. In the Brazilian Amazon Basin, Culicoides diversity has remained largely unexamined. Jamari National Forest (JNF) is a conservation area in Rondônia State where research and environmental education are conducted in conjunction with the protection of natural resources, and the recovery of degraded areas.The present study augments our knowledge of Culicoides diversity in JNF. The survey collected 640 individuals from 41 species; 632 individuals were collected by HP light trap and 8 were collected by the BG Sentinel trap. Twelve species are first-time records for Rondônia: Culicoides acotylus Lutz, Culicoides albuquerquei Wirth & Blanton, Culicoides baniwa Felippe-Bauer, Culicoides bricenoi Ortiz, Culicoides brownei Spinelli, Culicoides carsiomelas Wirth & Blanton, Culicoides debilipalpis Lutz, Culicoides forattinii Ortiz, Culicoides ginesi Ortiz, Culicoides profundus Santarém, Felippe-Bauer & Trindade, Culicoides pseudoreticulatus Santarém, Felippe-Bauer & Castellón, and Culicoides spurius Santarém, Felippe-Bauer & Trindade. The most abundant species were Culicoides glabrior Macfie, Culicoides pseudodiabolicus Fox, Culicoides debilipalpis, Culicoides quasiparaensis Clastrier, and Culicoides brownei Spinelli. The present study updates the Culicoides species count in Rondônia to 55, and highlights the importance of JNF as a hotbed for biting midge diversity.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, with the implementation of nationwide ‘Four-Pest Elimination’ campaigns (bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), were listed as one of the targeted pests), bed bug infestations were gradually eliminated in most provinces in China. However, during the last two decades, reports of bed bug infestations in the Pearl River Delta of China have shown an upward trend. Up to now, the bed bug species occurring in this area was much less frequently reported. In this study, we used both morphological and molecular methods to accurately identify the species of bed bugs collected from the cities of Guangzhou and Foshan, China. Results indicated that no significant difference was observed in the mean pronotum width-to-length ratio of Guangzhou (2.6) and Foshan (2.4) specimens; however, both were significantly lower than that of a laboratory strain C. lectularius (3.1). The genetic distances of our specimens with C. hemipterus and C. lectularius were 0–0.2% and 22.2–22.6%, respectively. On the basis of the morphological characteristics and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, it can be affirmed that bed bugs collected from Guangzhou and Foshan were C. hemipterus.

Research on the functions of insect chemoreceptors have primarily focused on antennae (olfactory receptors) and mouthparts (gustatory receptors). However, chemoreceptive sensilla are also present on other appendages, such as the leg tarsi and the anterior wing margin, and their specific roles in chemoreception and mosquito behavior remain largely unknown. In this study, electrophysiological analyses in an electroantennogram recording format were performed on Aedes aegypti (L., Diptera: Culicidae) antennae, mouthparts, tarsi, and wings during exposure to a variety of insect repellent and attractant compounds. The results provide evidence that the tarsi and wings can sense chemicals in a gaseous form, and that the odors produce differing responses on different appendages. The most consistent and strongest response occurred when exposed to triethylamine (TEA). Antennae and mouthparts showed nearly identical responses pattern to all tested compounds, and their rank orders of effectiveness were similar to those of fore- and mid-leg tarsi. Hindleg tarsi only responded to TEA, indicating that the hind legs are not as chemoreceptive. Wings responded to a range of odorants, but with a different rank order and voltage amplitude. Insights gleaned into the function of these appendages in insect chemoreception are discussed.

A 2-yr sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) seasonality study was performed in Attica Region, Greece, from June 2017 until November 2018, aiming also to detect the presence of Leishmania infection in the collected sand flies. In total, 701 sand flies were collected from urban areas within the Attica Region using BG-Sentinel traps, set weekly in eight fixed sites. Five species were identified morphologically and molecularly, namely Phlebotomus tobbi (Adler and Theodor), which was most the most commonly collected species, followed by P. Neglectus (Tonnoir), P. papatasi (Scopoli), P. simici (Theodor), and Sergentomyia minuta (Rondani). During both survey years sand fly populations peaked in late August to early September. Fifty-nine monospecific pools were examined for Leishmania detection by analyzing the ITS1 nuclear region using both RFLPs and sequencing, seven of which were found positive. Leishmania DNA was identified as L. infantum in six pools (five P. papatasi and one P. tobbi), whereas in one P. papatasi pool Leishmania DNA was identified as L. tropica.This is the first time that L. tropica has been detected in naturally infected sand flies from the Attica Region as well as in central Greece, while previously it has only been detected in sand flies collected from Central Macedonia (Northern Greece).

Morphology of cimicid eggs are scarce, and this is the first record for the genus Ornithocoris Pinto, 1927 (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This genus comprises two species: Ornithocoris toledoi Pinto, 1927 (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) and Ornithocoris pallidus (Usinger, 1959). The eggs of O. pallidus are ellipsoid, and an evident ‘lateral flattening’, which may give clear asymmetry from the longitudinal axis. The exochorion of the body of the egg and operculum of O. pallidus present spherical or polygonal structures in relief, and pseudomicropyles on the border of the operculum, both differing from Cimex lectularius. The internal face of the operculum is smooth and the border also presented three layers. It was not possible to observe micropyles in the egg of O. pallidus. Bed bugs have a great psychological impact on people, and some people can develop a more or less severe allergic reaction against the bite. Successful control of bed bugs needs serious organization. Studies on egg morphology will add more information to assist in taxonomy studies of O. pallidus and can serve as a basis for control studies because eggs are resistant to insecticides.

Multiple species of ticks, including Ixodes scapularis (Say, Ixodida:Ixodidae), Amblyomma americanum (L., Ixodida:Ixodidae), and Dermacentor variabilis (Say, Ixodida:Ixodidae), occur in high and increasing abundance in both the northeast and southeast United States. North Carolina is at the nexus of spread of these species, with high occurrence and abundance of I. scapularis to the north and A. americanum to the south. Despite this, there are few records of these species in the Piedmont of North Carolina, including the greater Charlotte metropolitan area. Here, we update the known occurrence and abundance of these species in the North Carolina Piedmont. We surveyed for ticks using cloth drags, CO₂ traps, and leaf litter samples at a total of 79 sites within five locations: Mecklenburg County, South Mountains State Park, Stone Mountain State Park, Duke Forest, and Morrow Mountain State Park, all in North Carolina, during the late spring, summer, and fall seasons of 2019. From these surveys, we had only 20 tick captures, illuminating the surprisingly low abundance of ticks in this region of North Carolina. Our results indicate the possibility of underlying habitat and host factors limiting tick distribution and abundance in the North Carolina Piedmont.

Recent studies report extensive reductions in the abundance of the North American rock pool mosquito, Aedes atropalpus (Diptera: Culicidae), following the invasion of Ae. japonicus japonicus in the United States. Although developmental temperature is recognized as an important component of the invasion biology of Ae. j. japonicus, its impacts on the population growth and fitness of Ae. atropalpus remain largely undefined. In this study we reared Ae. atropalpus larvae at three temperature ranges reflecting ecologically important temperatures in natural rock pools: a low temperature range (mean: 19°C) where Ae. j. japonicus is common and Ae. atropalpus is often rare, a middle temperature range (mean: 25°C) where both species are naturally found in similar relative abundances, and a higher temperature range (mean: 31°C) where Ae. atropalpus is the dominant species. We measured survival, development time, wing length, and fecundity to calculate a finite population growth rate at each temperature. Our results indicate that Ae. atropalpus population growth suffers in colder rock pools, which informs the perceived displacement of the species in temperate habitats. The population growth rate was highest in the middle temperature range, but not significantly higher than in the highest temperature range used in this study. The developmental success of Ae. atropalpus at the intermediate temperature range suggests that competition with Ae. j. japonicus in rock pools within that range may significantly impact natural Ae. atropalpus populations.