In order to determine the transference of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bacillaceae) (Bt) insecticidal protein in the food chain, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect Bt insecticidal protein levels in transgenic Bt cotton (GK12, New variety 33B and SGK321), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fed on the Bt cotton varieties, and two natural enemies of S. exigua, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Microplitis pallidipes Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The results showed that Bt insecticidal protein was found not only in cotton leaves, but also in the body and excrement of S. exigua and the bodies of both C. carnea and M. pallidipes. Bt toxin was detected in S. exigua larvae of all the examined instars (second, third, fourth, and fifth) that fed on transgenic cotton varieties and the Bt toxin level was the highest in the body of the second instar. In addition, the Bt toxin content in the excrement of the second instar was lower than that in the older ones. After the natural enemies C. carnea and M. pallidipes preyed/parasitised the S. exigua larvae that fed on transgenic cotton, Bt toxin was found in both the predator and parasite. This research indicates that Bt protein can be transferred through the food chain and to natural enemies of various predatory habits.

Apple clearwing moth, Synanthedon myopaeformis (Borkhausen) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), is an invasive species in Canada and a destructive pest of commercial apple trees in British Columbia. Adult mass trapping is being developed to help organic apple producers manage this pest. We manipulated and measured spectral reflectance from delta traps, unitraps, and bottle traps used to deploy sex pheromone, phenylacetaldehyde, and grape juice mass-trapping baits and compared catches in baited traps having different reflectance properties. Synanthedon myopaeformis did not discriminate among pheromone-baited delta traps painted yellow, green, or white, from those left clear (group 1), nor among those painted purple, blue, red, or black (group 2). Catches by all treatments in group 1 were significantly greater than all in group 2. Catches in pheromone-baited delta traps were positively correlated with their intensity of green wavelength reflectance (500–550 nm). Fluorescent yellow delta traps reflected more green and ultraviolet (300–400 nm) light than standard yellow or green traps but caught significantly fewer moths when baited with pheromone, implying an antagonistic interaction of green versus ultraviolet-sensitive behaviours. Pheromone-baited all-yellow unitraps caught significantly more moths than equivalent all-green, all-white, or all-red unitraps. Catches in pheromone-baited all-yellow unitraps decreased when any component (lid, funnel, or bucket) was replaced with a green one. Changing the intensity or quality of reflectance from funnels had the greatest impact on unitrap catches (82% reduction). Spectral preferences were modulated by odours eliciting different behaviours (mating versus feeding). When baited with the floral feeding odour phenylacetaldehyde, yellow and green delta traps were among the least attractive, whereas black and blue traps were among the most attractive. When baited with grape juice food baits, black bottle traps caught significantly more moths than any other colour except white, and the former are recommended for maximising mass trapping of females while minimising nontarget impacts of juice baits.

The Ochlerotatus communis (De Geer, 1776) complex consists of four cryptic mosquito species in North America, including: O. communis, Ochlerotatus churchillensis (Ellis and Brust, 1973), Ochlerotatus nevadensis (Chapman and Barr, 1964), and Ochlerotatus tahoensis (Dyar, 1916). Most of the morphological characters used for the identification of these species are quantitative and overlap across species. Here we evaluated the efficacy of DNA barcoding for identification of three members of the communis complex (O. nevadensis is not included in this study) and developed diagnostic restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns for O. communis and O. churchillensis. A phylogeny of 23 Ochlerotatus Lynch Arribálzaga, 1891 species was inferred using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences. All species included in our analysis within the O. communis complex were delineated using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes. However, this complex was recovered as paraphyletic with respect to Ochlerotatus abserratus (Felt and Young, 1904) and Ochlerotatus implicatus (Vockeroth, 1954), indicating the need for increased genetic and taxonomic sampling to infer the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa. The RFLP profile for multiple field specimens of O. communis was distinct from all RFLP patterns for O. churchillensis, and this method can be used as an efficient molecular method for the identification these species.

In 2010–2011, we studied the European oak borer (EOB), Agrilus sulcicollis Lacordaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), in Michigan, United States of America, and made comparisons with the native twolined chestnut borer (TLCB), Agrilus bilineatus (Weber). EOB adult flight began and peaked before TLCB. More EOB females were captured on purple and white compared with yellow and green sticky traps. More TLCB females were captured on purple, followed by yellow, green, and white, respectively. Male EOB and TLCB did not show a significant colour preference. EOB completed development primarily from areas of artificially girdled trees where the phloem had died soon after trees were girdled, while TLCB usually developed in areas of girdled trees that had some live phloem present. Both EOB and TLCB successfully attacked and emerged from girdled Quercus alba Linnaeus, Quercus robur Linnaeus, and Quercus rubra Linnaeus (Fagaceae) trees. No live EOB or TLCB were found in two ungirdled and apparently healthy Q. robur trees that were dissected. EOB attacked and emerged from Q. alba, Q. robur, Q. rubra, and Quercus velutina Lamarck trap logs. Differences in the pronotal groove and terminal processes can be used to distinguish EOB from TLCB larvae. Five species of parasitoids were reared from EOB and four from TLCB.

Multiple interactions occurring within aphidophagous guilds determine their final predation outcomes, i.e., antagonistic, additive, or synergistic. Based on these predatory outcomes, the suitability of guilds in suppressing aphid pests is determined. The present study assesses the efficacy of 11 guilds, formed from both larval and adult stages of four locally abundant aphidophagous coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), while exploiting the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The observed antagonistic effects within these guilds are resultants of enhanced predator–predator interactions due to the size and diversity of guild predators. Smaller ladybird predators maintained their usual body mass, probably by increasing their conversion efficiencies to compensate for their reduced prey consumption. However, larger ladybirds reported loss in their body mass, owing to their higher energy needs. The overall guild conversion efficiencies and growth rates were reduced. Among the experimental guilds, the observed prey mortalities were relatively higher in two-predator guilds, and within these two-predator combinations, the higher prey mortalities were recorded in those guilds where Coccinella septempunctata was one of the predators.

The Nearctic leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) was accidentally introduced in Europe, where it became the vector of the ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis’ phytoplasma causing the ‘Flavescence dorée’ disease of grapevine plants. A time-varying distributed delay model, simulating the successive occurrences of egg hatching, nymph presence, and adult emergence, is extended here to represent multi-generation infestation patterns of grapevine plants inhabited by eggs, nymphs, and adults. The model extension includes intrinsic mortality, mortality caused by plant dormancy, and low temperatures, development of diapausing and post-diapausing eggs, fecundity rates, and adult longevity. Field observations and published data were used to estimate parameters. The model was validated with five years canopy infestation data from five vineyards not subjected to insecticide treatments and found to have satisfactory explicative and predictive qualities. The model output is most sensitive to a 10% variation in the upper threshold and in the shape parameters of the survivorship function and least sensitive to a 10% variation in the shape parameters of the development function and the survivorship level. Recommendations are made to take into account other factors than temperature and plant phenology and include a wider geographical area in further model development.

Knowledge of the effects of variables that can influence trapping results should help to optimise efforts in exotic species detection and other surveys. Two vertical trap placements (understorey, canopy) were tested to determine influence of these two heights on captures of Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Cerambycidae (Coleoptera), and Siricidae (Hymenoptera) using semiochemical-baited multiple-funnel traps. Traps were baited with α-pinene, ethanol, ipsdienol, and ipsenol. A total of 8463 insects from 65 species and one genus were captured during the study. Average species richness, species diversity, abundance, number of unique species, and expected diversity were higher in understorey compared with canopy traps. Jaccard (0.94 ± 0.05) and Sørensen abundance (0.97 ± 0.03) similarity indices suggested highly similar communities sampled at the two trap heights. Dendroctonus valens LeConte, Dryocoetes autographus Ratzeburg, Hylastes opacus Erichson, Orthotomicus caelatus (Eichhoff), Gnathotrichus materiarius (Fitch), Asemum striatum (Linnaeus), Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say), Rhagium inquisitor (Linnaeus), and Xylotrechus sagitattus sagitattus (Germar) were more abundant in understorey traps. In contrast, Ips pini (Say), Pityogenes hopkinsi Swaine, Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier), Acmaeops proteus (Kirby), and Astylopsis sexgutatta (Say) were more abundant in canopy traps. The common practice of trapping in the understorey may be optimal for sampling arboreal insects as part of survey efforts. However, additional species may be found by trapping at other vertical placements.

The beetle-hunting wasp, Cerceris fumipennis Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), native to eastern North America, provisions its subterranean nest almost exclusively with adult metallic wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), including the destructive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, EAB). This wasp provides a unique opportunity to survey indigenous and nonindigenous buprestid diversity. We discuss the accessibility, sustainability, and productivity of C. fumipennis with respect to its application as a buprestid surveying and monitoring tool.

The wing beat frequencies (WBF) and flight durations of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer (Diptera: Muscidae), were evaluated at 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 days post-eclosion. For flight tests, flies were tethered magnetically using magnetic primer paint. WBF were measured stroboscopically. The average WBF for one-day-old flies was significantly lower compared with the average WBF of all other age groups for both female and male face flies. Based on our results, male and female face flies require more than 24 hours post eclosion to reach a WBF of over 167 beats per second and continuously fly for more than 10 minutes. Age was a significant factor towards WBF. The present study is the first to report laboratory descriptions of face fly flight capabilities. The benefits of the magnetic paint tether (MagPaT) method are discussed.

Introductions of some forest invasive alien species result in important economic, environmental, and ecological impacts. One approach used by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to improve the detection of these species is to collect logs from trees in declining health at high risk sites of introduction and to incubate them to obtain insects, if present. Trichoferus campestris (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) adults emerged, and live larvae were extracted, from one of two logs taken from a dying Norway maple, Acer platanoides Linnaeus (Sapindaceae), in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. In its native range, eastern Asia, this beetle is polyphagous, however, in North America there is no host record despite numerous interceptions of larvae in wood packaging material and captures of adults at various post-entry sites. An examination of the feeding damage caused by T. campestris in that maple suggests this insect is not a primary pest of trees in Ontario.