Globalization has facilitated the spread of emerging pests such as the Varroa destructor mite, resulting in the near global distribution of the pest. In South African and Brazilian honey bees, mite-resistant colonies appeared within a decade; in Europe, mite-resistant colonies are rare, but several of these exhibited high levels of "recapping" behavior. We studied recapping in Varroa-naïve (UK/Australia) and Varroa-resistant (South Africa and Brazil) populations and found very low and very high levels, respectively, with the resistant populations targeting mite-infested cells. Furthermore, 54% of artificially infested A. m. capensis worker cells were removed after 10 days and 83% of the remaining infested cells were recapped. Such targeted recapping of drone cells did not occur. We propose that cell opening is a fundamental trait in mite-resistant populations and that recapping is an accurate proxy for this behavior.

No abstract

Podisus species (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are generalist predators that survive and reproduce in temporary agro-ecosystems. They have large numbers of offspring per generation (Oliveira et al. 2002) and adapt to various temperatures and prey (Torres et al. 1998; Lemos et al. 2003; Vivan et al. 2003). Such predators represent an alternative method of controlling insect pests in integrated management programs (Matos-Neto et al. 2002; Lemos et al. 2005). The predator Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) is one of the most common species of Asopinae in the Neotropics and has been reported in several countries in Central and South America (Matos-Neto et al. 2002; Silva et al. 2009). However, P. nigrispinus preys on insect defoliators and can be exposed to toxic compounds directly and indirectly via its prey (Torres et al. 2003, 2010; Torres & Ruberson 2004). Synthetic insecticides can be harmful to the environment and natural enemies (Silva et al. 2005; Campiche et al. 2006; Rocha et al. 2006), making it necessary to select those which are effective, safe, and selective for pest control. Botanical extracts are a potentially valuable alternative method of controlling insect pests as they have lower persistence and toxicity than synthetic insecticides (Wiesbrook 2004; Isman 2006; Hossain & Poehling 2006). These natural insecticides possess secondary compounds such as terpenoids that protect plants by causing various effects in insects, including behavioral and physiological responses (Tedeschi et al. 2001), but may have adverse effects on natural enemies (Bottrell et al. 1998; Coley et al. 2006). These substances may be more harmful to generalist predators than to pests (

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

RESUMO:Os ácaros tetraniquídeos representam importantes pragas para diversas culturas agrícolas em todo o mundo. Durante a prospecção em mudas de Erytrina velutina no distrito de São Cristovão, Estado de Sergipe, Brasil, a ocorrência destes foi observada em 15% das mudas que foram levadas ao laboratório para a caracterização dos danos. As mudas apresentavam sintomas de redução e encarquilhamento do limbo. Foram coletados 100 indivíduos destas plantas, os quais foram montados em lâminas de microscopia para a identificação taxonômica. Os ácaros foram identificados como pertencentes à espécie Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Acari: Tetranychidae). Este é o primeiro relato em E. velutina, como hospedeira para T. neocaledonicus no Brasil. Palavras-chave: ácaro vermelho, praga florestal, viveiro ABSTRACT: First Brazilian report of Erythrina velutina Willd. as host of Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Acari: Tetranychidae).Spider mites are important pests to several crops worldwide. During prospecting in Erytrina velutina specimens from São Cristovão District, Sergipe State, Brazil, their occurrence was observed in 15% seedlings, which were taken to the laboratory for description of damages. The seedlings presented leaf blade reduction and crumpling symptoms. One hundred mites were collected from these seedlings and mounted on microscope slides for taxonomic identification. The identified mites belonged to the species Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Acari: Tetranychidae). This is the first report of E. velutina as host for T. neocaledonicus in Brazil.

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) function as recognition compounds with the best evidence coming from social insects such as ants and honey bees. The major exocrine gland involved in hydrocarbon storage in ants is the post-pharyngeal gland (PPG) in the head. It is still not clearly understood where CHCs are stored in the honey bee. The aim of this study was to investigate the hydrocarbons and esters found in five major worker honey bee (Apis mellifera) exocrine glands, at three different developmental stages (newly emerged, nurse, and forager) using a high temperature GC analysis. We found the hypopharyngeal gland contained no hydrocarbons nor esters, and the thoracic salivary and mandibular glands only contained trace amounts of n-alkanes. However, the cephalic salivary gland (CSG) contained the greatest number and highest quantity of hydrocarbons relative to the five other glands with many of the hydrocarbons also found in the Dufour’s gland, but at much lower levels. We discovered a series of oleic acid wax esters that lay beyond the detection of standard GC columns. As a bee’s activities changed, as it ages, the types of compounds detected in the CSG also changed. For example, newly emerged bees have predominately C19-C23n-alkanes, alkenes and methyl-branched compounds, whereas the nurses’ CSG had predominately C31:1 and C33:1 alkene isomers, which are replaced by a series of oleic acid wax esters in foragers. These changes in the CSG were mirrored by corresponding changes in the adults’ CHCs profile. This indicates that the CSG may have a parallel function to the PPG found in ants acting as a major storage gland of CHCs. As the CSG duct opens into the buccal cavity the hydrocarbons can be worked into the comb wax and could help explain the role of comb wax in nestmate recognition experiments.

No abstract