The Northern Bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ) has been steadily declining throughout much of its historic range for decades. The Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas and western Oklahoma, historically rich with wild Northern Bobwhites and one of the last remaining quail strongholds, also has a declining population. During August and October in 2011-13, 348 Northern Bobwhites from the Rolling Plains were examined for eyeworms (Oxyspirura petrowi). Of these 348 Northern Bobwhites, 144 (41.4%) were infected with 1,018 total eyeworms. Eyeworm abundance (mean±SE) was 2.9±0.4 (range 0-64), with an intensity (mean±SE) of 7.1±0.6. Eyeworm prevalence was significantly higher in adult Northern Bobwhites (58.7%) than in juveniles (35.4%). Recent research suggests that eyeworms have the potential to cause cellular tissue damage to the eye, but it is unknown how these worms affect host survivability. This study further expands the regional distribution of O. petrowi in Northern Bobwhites in the Rolling Plains ecoregion and assesses the prevalence and abundance of infection across host age, host sex, and year. Further research is warranted on the life history of O. petrowi and assessing the impacts of eyeworms on their definitive host at individual and population levels.

Northern bobwhite (quail) (Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) populations have declined dramatically in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas and Oklahoma (USA). There is rising concern about potential toxicity of neonicotinoids to birds. To investigate this concern, the authors examined crops of 81 northern bobwhite and 17 scaled quail to determine the presence or absence of seeds treated with 3 neonicotinoids (clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam). No treated seeds were found in the 98 crops examined. Liver samples from all 98 quail were collected and analyzed for neonicotinoid residues. Analysis revealed very low concentrations of neonicotinoids within the quail liver samples. The results suggest there is little to no risk of direct toxicity to quail from neonicotinoids. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1511-1515. © 2015 SETAC.

To determine potential intermediate hosts of Oxyspirura petrowi, a common nematode eyeworm of wild gallinaceous birds, various arthropod species including red harvester ants, beetles, wood cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, and desert termites were screened for the presence of O. petrowi using specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) of the eyeworm ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). This is the first study to investigate the intermediate hosts of O. petrowi utilizing molecular techniques. We determined 38% (13/34) of the cockroaches, 27% (3/11) of the crickets, and 23% (68/289) of the grasshoppers which were positive for O. petrowi. Identifying potential intermediate hosts of O. petrowi is essential to better understanding the epizoology of the eyeworm’s transmission mechanics and to controlling infections in wild gallinaceous birds.

West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in North America during 1999, and has since spread throughout the contiguous USA. West Nile virus causes West Nile fever and the more severe West Nile neuroinvasive disease. As part of a WNV vector surveillance program, we collected mosquitoes in Lubbock, Texas, using CO 2-baited encephalitic vector survey (EVS) traps. During 219 wk from 2009 through 2017, EVS traps were operated for 1,748 trap nights, resulting in more than 101,000 mosquitoes captured. Weekly, selected female mosquito specimens were pooled by species and trap site, and screened for WNV using reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction assay. Mosquitoes positive for WNV were detected during 16.9% (37/219) of the weeks. Using this information, we constructed a statistical model to predict the probability of detecting an infection within a mosquito pool as a factor of weather variables. The final model indicated that detection of WNV in mosquitoes was negatively associated with the week of year squared and average wind from 3 wk prior to sampling, and was positively associated with week of year, average visibility, average humidity from 2 wk prior to sampling, and average dew point from 4 wk prior to sampling. The model developed in this study may aid public health and vector control programs in swift and effective decision making relative to city-wide mosquito control efforts by predicting when the chances of mosquitoes having WNV are at their greatest.