Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) is considered a key pest of maize. However, the artificial diets used for rearing this insect in the laboratory do not contain corn. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biology and to compare the food consumption by S. frugiperda, as well as the food preference of the larvae in the standard diet and the corn-based diet. Three of the following diets were evaluated: a standard diet based on beans (D1), a diet with corn flour as substitute for wheat germ (D2), and a diet replacing beans with green corn (D3). The biological parameters evaluated were period and survival of larvae and pupae; weight of male and female pupae; sex ratio; fecundity; egg incubation period; and adult longevity. The nutritional indices were determined and the biological data obtained were used to determine the parameters of fertility life tables; we also performed a multiple-choice test (feeding test). Larval development of S. frugiperda occurred in all three diets, although without oviposition by females developed from larval fed on D2. There was no difference among the diets in relation to the fertility life table parameters. The diet D2 resulted in better ingestion, digestion, assimilation, and conversion of food, but was associated with a metabolic cost to assimilate the food. Using a multiple-choice test, we observed that the larvae preferred diet D2. Based on our results, the most adequate diets for rearing S. frugiperda in the laboratory are D1 and D3.

The objective of our work was to identify the prey that offers optimum production of the predator, Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas). The cost of predator production was determined for each prey. We test the hypothesis that prey types supporting optimal development do not facilitate cost-effective rearing of P. nigrispinus. Second-instar nymphs of P. nigrispinus were reared in 1000-ml transparent plastic containers and maintained under controlled conditions (temperature, 25 ± 1°C; photophase duration, 12 h; relative humidity, 70 ± 10%), and the following biological aspects were evaluated: nymph viability, length of the nymphal period, and weight of fifth-instar nymphs. The adults were isolated in pairs (one female and one male) in Petri dishes, and the following biological aspects were evaluated: lifespan, adult weight after emergence, number of eggs per female, egg mass in females, number of eggs per egg mass, durations of the pre-oviposition, oviposition, and post-oviposition periods, viability, and length of the embryonic period. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the prey that leads to optimal development of P. nigrispinus is the larvae of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabr.), and the most cost effective prey for rearing P. nigrispinus is the larvae of Musca domestica L.

The insecticidal activity of hexane extracts from the roots and leaves of Aristolochia malmeana was evaluated against Anticarsia gemmatalis larvae by topical application. Extract from the roots was the most active and caused 50% mortality in larvae at 308.4 microg/microL. From this extract, a clerodane diterpene, (-)-kolavenic acid, and three lignans, (-)-kusunokinin, (-)-hinokinin, and (8 S,8' R,9 S)-cubebin, were isolated by chromatography and partition procedures and then evaluated for their insecticidal activities either individually or in pairs. (-)-Kusunokinin showed higher activity against A. gemmatalis (LD10=9.3, LD50=230.1 microg/microL) than the crude extract, and its activity was dose-dependent, whereas the other constituents did not exhibit any significant activity. Together with (-)-kusunokinin and (-)-hinokinin, (-)-copalic acid, (-)-2-oxokolavenic acid, (-)- ent-6-beta-hydroxy-copalic acid, (8 R,8' R,9 R)- and (8 R,8' R,9 S)-cubebins, (-)-fargesin, and (-)-phillygenin were isolated from the hexane extract of the leaves. The compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.

The objectives were to evaluate the efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi against Plutella xylostella (L.) and the compatibility of the most virulent isolates with some of the insecticides registered for use on cabbage crops. Pathogenicity tests used isolates of Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium rileyi, Isaria fumosorosea, Isaria sinclairii, and Lecanicillium muscarium standardized at a concentration of 10(7) conidia/ml. Cabbage leaf discs were immersed in these suspensions, and after evaporation of the excess water, were placed 10 second-instar larvae of P. xylostella, totaling 10 leaf discs per treatment. Mortality was assessed 7 d after treatment, and the isolates that caused mortality>80% were used to estimate LC50 and LT50. The compatibilities of the most virulent isolates and the insecticides were tested from the mixture of these into the culture medium, and after solidifying, the medium was inoculated with an aliquot of the isolated suspension. The following parameters were evaluated: growth of the colony, number and viability of conidia after 7 d. The isolated IBCB01, IBCB18, IBCB66, and IBCB87 of B. bassiana, LCMAP101 of M. rileyi, and ARSEF7973 of I. sinclairii caused mortality between 80 and 100%, with LC50 and LT50 between 2.504 to 6.775×10(4) conidia/ml and 52.22 to 112.13 h, respectively. The active ingredients thiamethoxam and azadirachtin were compatible with the entomopathogenic fungi. The results suggest that the use of these isolates is an important alternative in the pesticidal management of P. xylostella, with the possible exception of the associated use of chemical controls using the active ingredients thiamethoxam or azadirachtin.

e incubados a 27 ± 0,5ºC por nove dias, para iniciar a emergência dos adultos, e mais quatro dias à temperatura ambiente. A sobrevivência total do inseto foi substancialmente afetada. Observou-se a atividade patogênica a partir da fase pupal, com o fungo reduzindo (P < 0,05) a sobrevivência, o que também ocorreu na fase de adultos. A fase larval não foi afetada (P >0,05) pelo fungo. A presença de agrotóxicos no solo teve discreta ação na atividade de M. anisopliae; apenas com conídios secos incorporados, os fungicidas clorotalonil e tebuconazole reduziram em 86,2% e 82,5%, respectivamente, a sobrevivência total de C. capitata, enquanto no controle a redução foi de 95,0%. A forma de aplicação dos conídios não influenciou a sobrevivência total do inseto, mas a aplicação da suspensão de conídios na superfície do solo reduziu a sobrevivência nas fases de pupa e adulto. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Controle biológico, controle microbiano, fungo entomopatogênico, mosca-.....das-frutas ABSTRACT -This research intended to investigate if the presence of pesticides in the soil could affect the pathogenicity of Metarhizium anisopliae Metsch. (Sorokin) for Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) and assess the effect of conidia application as suspension or dry conidia. The fungicides chlorothalonyl and tebuconazol, the acaricide abamectin, the insecticide trichlorfon, and the herbicide ametrin were applied at the manufacturer-recommended doses. Soil samples were placed in glass flasks and were given the fungus as conidial suspension or dry. After pesticide application, 20 3 rd -instar larvae were placed in the soil. The flasks were sealed with voile fabric and incubated at 27 ± 0.5 o C for nine days, until adult emergence; incubation continued for four more days at room temperature. The total insect survival was significantly affected and pathogenic activity was detected from the pupa stage on. Pupa survival was reduced (P<0.05); the same occurred during the adult phase. No effect was observed at the larval stage. The pesticides applied to the soil affected the activity of M. anisopliae slightly: only in the dry conidia assay the fungicides chlorothalonyl and tebuconazole reduced (86.2% and 82.5%, respectively) the survival period of C. capitata compared to the control (95.0%). The techniques used for conidia application did not influence the total insect survival rate, but conidial suspension applied on soil surface reduced survival during the pupae and adult phases.

-The oviposition preference and larval performance of females of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were examined. Wild or laboratory-reared females were tested for oviposition preference in relation to papaya fruit in different stages of ripeness, as well as to two different fruits: papaya and apple. The results demonstrated that both laboratory-reared and wild females preferred ripe papaya fruit compared to unripe fruit for oviposition, and that ripe papaya was the best for larval performance. When oviposition preference was tested with different fruits (papaya and apple), both wild and laboratoryreared larvae developed better in papaya. However, only wild females showed a preference for oviposition on papaya as opposed to apple. Laboratory-reared females showed no oviposition preference on fruits that resulted in better larval performance.

-The acute toxicity of pellitorine, an amide isolated from Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae) which is studied as a biopesticide in European corner borer, was evaluated on larvae and newly emerged adults of honeybee Apis mellifera by means of contact and ingestion bioassays. Workers in the larval and adult phase were separated in groups, which received pellitorine in different concentrations. The larvae were maintained in their own original cells, receiving feeding and normal care from the nurses. The adults were confined in wooden cages with screens, receiving artificial diet made up of sugar and water (1:1). The concentrations of 40, 200, 1 000, 5 000 and 25 000 ng a.i./individual were obtained diluting pellitorine in 98% ethanol. LD 10 values of 39.14, 36.16 and 13.79 ng a.i./insect were determined for larvae, for adults by ingestion and adults by contact, respectively. The honeybee larvae were shown to be highly susceptible to the amide pellitorine.Apis mellifera / toxicity / contact / ingestion / pellitorine / biopesticide

The methodology recommended by IOBC/WPRS influenced results regarding the use of different species of parasitoids, and the use of a single parasitoid species in their experiment is questionable.