Publications

evolution of clonality and polyploidy in a weevil system.	the increased interest in asexual organisms calls for in-depth studies of asexual complexes that actively give rise to new clones. we present an extensive molecular study of the otiorhynchus scaber (coleoptera, curculionidae) weevil system. three forms have traditionally been recognized: diploid sexuals, triploid, and tetraploid parthenogens. all forms coexist in a small central area, but only the polyploid parthenogens have colonized marginal areas. analyzing the phylogenetic relationship, base ...	2003	12885970
characterization of a high-affinity binding site for the pea albumin 1b entomotoxin in the weevil sitophilus.	the toxicity of the pea albumin 1b (pa1b), a 37 amino-acid peptide extracted from pea seeds, for cereal weevils (sitophilus oryzae, sitophilus granarius and sitophilus zeamais) was recently discovered. the mechanism of action of this new entomotoxin is still unknown and potentially involves a target protein in the insect tissues. this work describes the characterization of a high-affinity binding site for pa1b in a microsomal fraction of sitophilus spp. extracts. purified pa1b was labeled to a h ...	2003	12755698
compensatory response of cranberry to simulated damage by cranberry weevil (anthonomus musculus say) (coleoptera: curculionidae).	cranberry weevil (anthonomus musculus say), a key pest of cranberry (vaccinium macrocarpon aiton) in massachusetts, deposits eggs in unopened flowers and often severs the flower pedicel from the peduncle. the compensatory response of cranberry to simulated cranberry weevil damage was investigated by severing the pedicel of unopened flowers with scissors. when intensity of damage was varied on the cultivar early black, complete compensation was observed at three of four sites after removal of 33% ...	2003	14994808
sources of semiochemicals mediating host finding in callosobruchus chinensis (coleoptera: bruchidae).	bruchid pests such as callosobruchus chinensis (linnaeus) endanger stored legume seeds throughout the tropical belt. the chemical composition of the headspace volatiles from healthy and fourth instar larvae-infested cowpea seeds were identified, characterized, and compared using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. y-tube olfactometer bioassays were performed to evaluate the effect of these chemicals on the orientation of conspecific adult females. analysis of volatiles released from healthy an ...	2003	12762860
evidence for a male-produced aggregation pheromone in scyphophorus acupunctatus gyllenhal (coleoptera: curculionidae).	olfactory response of male and female scyphophorus acupunctatus gyllenhal (coleoptera: curculionidae) to volatiles released from the same or opposite conspecifics alone, or combined with host plant volatiles, was evaluated in the laboratory and field. we also evaluated the response to synthetic rhynchophorinae pheromones in the laboratory. in laboratory tests, attraction of males and females in y-tube olfactometer to conspecific males was greater than to females and clean air. males and females ...	2003	14503583
pa1b, an insecticidal protein extracted from pea seeds (pisum sativum): 1h-2-d nmr study and molecular modeling.	pa1b (pea albumin 1, subunit b) is a 37-amino acid cysteine-rich plant defense protein isolated from pea seeds (pisum sativum). it induces short-term mortality in several pests, among which the cereal weevils sitophilus sp. (sitophilus oryzae, sitophilus granarius, and sitophilus zeamais) that are a major nuisance for stored cereals, all over the world. as such, pa1b is the first genuine protein phytotoxin specifically toxic to insects, which makes it a promising tool for seed weevil damage cont ...	2003	14556622
host selection behaviour by adults of legume and cereal breeding populations of sitophilus oryzae (coleoptera: curculionidae).		2003	14641985
prolonged diapause of specialist seed-feeders makes predator satiation unstable in masting of quercus crispula.	quercus crispula (= q. mongolica var. grosseserrata) is the predominant tree species in cool temperate, mixed broadleaf/conifer forests in northern japan. we compared 11 years of data on acorn production in a population of q. crispula, with data on seed-insect populations, to try to answer the following questions: (1) does q. crispula show a regular pattern of masting? (2) how long do principal seed predators remain in diapause? (3) how do the seed predators affect the pattern of predator satiat ...	2003	13680352
resource use of insect seed predators during general flowering and seeding events in a bornean dipterocarp rain forest.	insect seed predators of 24 dipterocarp species (including the genera ot dipterocarpus, dryobalanops and shorea) and five species belonging to the moraceae, myrtaceae, celastraceae and sapotaceae were investigated. in a tropical lowland dipterocarp forest in sarawak, malaysia, these trees produces seeds irregularly by intensely during general flowering and seeding events in 1996 and/or 1998. dipterocarp seeds were preyed on by 51 insect species (11 families), which were roughly classified into t ...	2003	14658448
stored-product insects associated with a retail pet store chain in kansas.	the types and numbers of insect species associated with eight kansas retail stores belonging to a pet store chain were surveyed during february to august 2001. insects were monitored at 1-3-wk intervals using food- and pheromone-baited pitfall traps for beetles and pheromone-baited sticky traps for moths. thirty traps of each type were placed within a store. thirty insect species belonging to 20 families in four orders were recorded from the eight stores. the weevils, sitophilus spp.; indianmeal ...	2003	14977139
early-season colonization patterns of the boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) in central texas cotton.	it is commonly believed that colonization of early-season cotton, gossypium hirsutum l., by overwintered boll weevils, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, is concentrated on field margins. however, supporting experimental evidence is not available. in 1999 and 2000, we examined colonization patterns of overwintered boll weevils in central texas cotton on the bases of adult collections by a pneumatic sampler and hand collections of abscised infested squares. samples were taken from sites arranged ...	2003	14994797
evaluation of kill strips on boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) mortality in pheromone traps and impact on weevil escape.	a field study examined the temporal patterns of boll weevil mortality provided by two commercially available kill strips, hercon vaportape ii and plato insecticide strip, and to evaluate the impacts of these devices on weevil escape from traps. both types of kill strips produced similar levels of weevil mortality with the exception of the last two inspection intervals (30 and 46 h after continual exposure to kill strips). at these intervals, the plato strip produced significantly higher mortalit ...	2003	14994800
efficacy of diatomaceous earth to control internal infestations of rice weevil and maize weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae).	densities of 10, 20, and 30 hard red winter wheat kernels, triticum aestivum l., were infested with different life stages of the rice weevil, sitophilus oryzae (l.), mixed with 35 g of wheat treated with 300 ppm of the protect-it (mississauga, ontario, canada) formulation of diatomaceous earth (de), and held at 22, 27, and 32 degrees c. a similar test was conducted by exposing densities of 6, 12, and 18 corn kernels infested with different life stages of the maize weevil, sitophilus zeamais mots ...	2003	14994822
water-balance characteristics respond to changes in body size in subantarctic weevils.	several environmental factors leading to size-dependent mortality influence insect body size. few investigations have been concerned with the ways in which the mechanisms underlying variation in water-balance characteristics evolve in response to changes in body size that occur independently of water-balance requirements. using an explicitly phylogenetic analysis, we show how body size has changed over time in the ectemnorhinus group of weevils and how water-balance characteristics have evolved ...	2003	14671711
effective biological control of salvinia molesta in the senegal river by means of the weevil cyrtobagous salviniae.	the invasion of salvinia molesta in the lower senegal river delta in mauritania and senegal in 1999 posed a serious threat to the socioeconomic conditions of the local people as well as to wetland biodiversity. eventually, an effective biological control of s. molesta was obtained by means of the weevil cyrtobagous salviniae, which was introduced in the river in senegal and mauritania in may 2000 and in senegal in april 2001. in october 2001, it became apparent that the weevils were doing a magn ...	2003	14703904
field evaluation of plant odor and pheromonal combinations for attracting plum curculios.	the attractiveness of different synthetic host odors and a synthetic aggregation pheromone (grandisoic acid [ga]) to overwintered adult plum curculios (pcs), conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst) (coleoptera: curculionidae), was examined using two types of traps (sticky panels and black pyramids) placed in border areas surrounding an unsprayed section of an apple orchard in massachusetts. in 2001, we evaluated the response of pcs to three synthetic fruit volatiles (benzaldehyde [ben], ethyl isovalerat ...	2003	14969360
a waveguide irradiation chamber for destruction of red palm weevils (rhynchophorus ferrugineus) inside a block sample of a palm tree trunk.	a simple waveguide irradiation chamber at 2.45 ghz. was locally constructed for controlled laboratory experiments to assess the potentiality of using microwave heating for irradiation of weevils (rpw) inside healthy and infected palm tree trunks. the chamber consists of an aluminum rectangular waveguide with one of its broad sides removed for easy insertion of the block samples of the palm tree trunk. a rectangular aluminum plate, with the same dimensions as the removed wall section was made to ...	2003	15007867
proteolytic gut activities in the rice water weevil, lissorhoptrus brevirostris suffrian (coleoptera: curculionidae).	digestive endoprotease activities of the rice water weevil, lissorhoptrus brevirostris suffrian (coleoptera: curculionidae), were characterized based on the ability of gut extracts to hydrolyze specific synthetic substrates, optimal ph, and hydrolysis sensitivity to protease inhibitors. larvae of this species were found to use a complex proteolytic system that includes cathepsin d-, cathepsin b-, trypsin-, and chymotrypsin-like activities. trypsin-like activity was evenly distributed among the a ...	2003	12701111
imported longhorned weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) injury to soybean: physiological response and injury guild-level economic injury levels.	the imported longhorned weevil, calomycterus setarius roelofs, is an occasional pest of soybean, glycine max (l.), and can cause substantial defoliation of seedling soybean when the weevil is present in large numbers. because weevil populations can reach high levels, the potential exists for significant seedling injury, so economic injury levels (eils) are needed for imported longhorned weevil on seedling soybean. because the bean leaf beetle, cerotoma trifurcata (forster), also is present on se ...	2003	14503588
loss of dna recombinational repair enzymes in the initial stages of genome degeneration.	many obligate intracellular pathogens and symbionts undergo genome degeneration during long-term association with eukaryotic hosts; however, very little is known about genome changes that occur in the initial stages of such intracellular associations. by focusing on a clade of bacteria that have recently established symbiotic associations with insect hosts, we have identified events that may contribute to the reduction and degeneration of symbiont genomes. unlike virtually all other bacteria, th ...	2003	12777518
effects of routine late-season field operations on numbers of boll weevils (coleoptera: curculionidae) captured in large-capacity pheromone traps.	flat and cylindrical adhesive boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman (coleoptera: curculionidae), pheromone traps captured significantly more (p < or = 0.05) boll weevils than the hercon (hercon environmental, emigsville, pa) trap during the late cotton-growing season, and larger adhesive areas were associated with higher captures; a flat plywood board collected the most boll weevils because it had the largest surface area. the flat board trap, chosen for measuring large late-season adu ...	2003	12852605
toxicity and repellency of tephrosia candida to larval and adult diaprepes root weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae).	leaves of the tropical legume tephrosia candida dc deterred feeding by adults of the diaprepes root weevil, diaprepes abbreviatus (l.), compared with leaves of citrus macrophylla wester, a common citrus rootstock, or t. vogelii hook. f. when larvae were placed in pots containing plants of the three species for 28 d in a growth chamber, larval survival and weight gain were significantly reduced in pots containing plants of t. candida compared with larvae in pots with c. macrophylla or t. vogelii. ...	2003	12852621
odor-baited trap trees: a new approach to monitoring plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae).	we compared a trap approach with a trap-tree approach to determine the need and timing of insecticide applications against overwintered adult plum curculios, conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst.), in commercial apple orchards in massachusetts in 2002. all traps and trap trees were baited with benzaldehyde (attractive fruit odor) plus grandisoic acid (attractive pheromone). sticky clear plexiglas panel traps placed at orchard borders, designed to intercept adults immigrating from border areas by fligh ...	2003	12852623
abundance of diaprepes abbreviatus (l.) (coleoptera: curculionidae) neonates falling to the soil under tree canopies in florida citrus groves.	the purpose of these experiments was to estimate the number and distribution of diaprepes abbreviatus (l.) neonate larvae dropping from the canopy of infested citrus trees. the number of neonates was monitored in the field using passive funnel traps in two simultaneous experiments and a separate experiment for an additional year. in one experiment, traps were placed from trunk to dripline in the cardinal directions under each of five trees (132 traps total). in a second experiment, eight traps w ...	2003	12852624
effect of ulv malathion use in boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) eradication on resistance in the tarnished plant bug (heteroptera: miridae).	tarnished plant bugs, lygus lineolaris (palisot de beauvois), from regions 1, 2, and 3 of the boll weevil, anthonomous grandis boheman, eradication program in mississippi were collected from wild hosts and tested for malathion resistance during the spring and fall of 2000 and 2001. plant bugs were also tested in region 1 in late-july and october of 1999, just before and after multiple applications of ultra-low-volume (ulv) malathion were used for reproduction-diapause control of boll weevils in ...	2003	12852634
a weevil pollinating the canary islands date palm: between parasitism and mutualism.	palm pollination systems are highly diverse, including by wind and by several different groups of insects. many palm species are associated with more or less specific pollinating weevils that are also floral herbivores. for many such palms, the importance of these "palm flower weevils" as pollinators has not been examined. here we describe a new ex situ method of demonstrating insect pollination when pollinator exclusion is not possible. we show that neoderelomus piriformis beetles carry pollen ...	2003	14564403
biological activities of an extract from cleome viscosa l. (capparaceae).	electron micrograph examination of the leaf and stem surfaces of cleome viscosa l (family capparaceae) revealed the presence of secretory glandular trichomes with club-cylinder and cylinder morphologies. in the present study, the leaves and stems of c. viscosa were extracted with hexane and the extract was evaluated for the following biological activities: anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, contact insecticidal and nematicidal. the extract was found to be a potent anti-bacterial agent according to the ...	2003	14564407
spatial responses of two herbivore groups to a geometrid larva on mountain birch.	direct or plant-mediated interactions between herbivores may modify their spatial distribution among and within plants. in this study, we examined the effect of a leaf-chewing geometrid, the autumnal moth (epirrita autumnata), on two different herbivore groups, leaf rolling deporaus betulae weevils and eriocrania spp. leafminers, both feeding on mountain birch (betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii). the exact locations of herbivores within tree canopies were mapped during three successive summers. ...	2003	12647161
ionizing irradiation quarantine treatment against plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae).	plum curculio, conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst), is a quarantine pest of many temperate fruits, such as pomes, malus spp.; stone fruits, prunus spp.; and blueberries, vaccinium spp.; in north america east of the rocky mountains and a small area in utah. there are two strains, a northern univoltine one that undergoes obligate diapause as an adult and a southern multivoltine strain that usually has facultative diapause. current quarantine treatments for shipment to areas that do not have the pest i ...	2003	14650511
transgenic expression of trypsin inhibitor cme from barley in indica and japonica rice, confers resistance to the rice weevil sitophilus oryzae.	indica and japonica rice (oryza sativa l.) plants were transformed by particle bombardment with the itr1 gene encoding the barley trypsin inhibitor bti-cme, under the control of its own promoter that confers endosperm specificity, and the maize ubiquitin promoter. from 38 independent transgenic lines of indica (breeding line ir58) and 15 of the japonica (cv senia) selected, 22 and 11, respectively, expressed the barley inhibitor at detectable levels. the transgene was correctly translated as ind ...	2003	12650522
identification of plant odours activating receptor neurones in the weevil pissodes notatus f. (coleoptera, curculionidae).	plants release complex mixtures of volatiles important in the interaction with insects and other organisms. in the search for compounds that contribute to the perception of odour quality in the weevil pissodes notatus, single olfactory receptor neurones on the antennae were screened for sensitivity to naturally produced plant volatiles by the use of gas chromatography linked to single cell recordings. we here present 60 olfactory neurones responding to 25 of the numerous compounds released by ho ...	2003	12664096
susceptibility of the boll weevil to steinernema riobrave and other entomopathogenic nematodes.	the susceptibility of the boll weevil (bw), anthonomus grandis boheman, to steinernema riobrave and other nematode species in petri dishes, soil (hidalgo sandy clay loam), and cotton bolls and squares was investigated. third instar weevils were susceptible to entomopathogenic nematode (en) species and strains in petri dish bioassays at 30 degrees c. lower lc(50)'s occurred with s. riobrave tx- 355 (2 nematodes per weevil), s. glaseri nc (3), heterorhabditis indicus hom-1 (5), and h. bacteriophor ...	2003	12676555
action of pyrethrum-based formulations against grain weevils.	pyrethrum extract, containing six insecticidal esters, has a long history of successful application in the control of stored products. its low environmental hazard makes it an ideal pesticide for outdoor pre-harvest treatment. however the disadvantage of its low light stability then becomes apparent. this drawback can be overcome by the complexation of pyrethrum extract with gamma-cyclodextrin. primary object of the conducted studies was to investigate the effect of complexation upon the insecti ...	2003	12695024
insect attack and wounding induce traumatic resin duct development and gene expression of (-)-pinene synthase in sitka spruce.	conifers possess inducible terpenoid defense systems. these systems are associated with the formation of traumatic resin ducts (trd) and are underpinned by enhanced gene expression and activity of terpene synthases (tps), enzymes responsible for oleoresin formation. we first determined that sitka spruce (picea sitchensis [bong.] carriere) had the capacity for trd formation by mechanically wounding representative trees. we then proceeded to investigate whether the white pine weevil (pissodes stro ...	2003	12970502
a microfluorometric method for quantifying rna and dna in terrestrial insects.	evidence is accumulating for a mechanistic linkage between body phosphorus content and growth and reproduction of individual organisms, due in part to variation in allocation of resources to ribosomal rna. testing this connection requires reliable methods of quantifying the nucleic acid content of individual organisms. although methods for quantifying nucleic acids are available for a wide array of organisms, adaptation of such methods for study of insects has been neglected. sensitive stains an ...	2003	15841218
polygalacturonase from sitophilus oryzae: possible horizontal transfer of a pectinase gene from fungi to weevils.	endo-polygalacturonase, one of the group of enzymes known collectively as pectinases, is widely distributed in bacteria, plants and fungi. the enzyme has also been found in several weevil species and a few other insects, such as aphids, but not in drosophila melanogaster, anopheles gambiae, or caenorhabditis elegans or, as far as is known, in any more primitive animal species. what, then, is the genetic origin of the polygalacturonases in weevils? since some weevil species harbor symbiotic micro ...	2003	15841240
iridovirus in the root weevil diaprepes abbreviatus.	invertebrate iridescent virus 6 (iiv6) was evaluated for mode of transmission and ability to cause infection in the root weevil, diaprepes abbreviatus (l.). this is the first evidence of iiv6 infection in d. abbreviatus, which caused both patent and sub-lethal covert infections in both larvae and adults. adults and larvae were successfully infected with iiv6 by puncture, injection and per os. transmission of iiv6 was demonstrated between infected and healthy individuals regardless of gender. vir ...	2003	15841225
incidence of endemic entomopathogenic nematodes following application of steinernema riobrave for control of diaprepes abbreviatus.	control of diaprepes abbreviatus by endemic and exotic entomopathogenic nematodes (epn) was monitored during 2000-2001 in two citrus orchards in central florida (bartow and poinciana). caged sentinel insect larvae were buried beneath citrus trees for 7 days at 1 to 2-month intervals from april to october each year. at bartow, the survey occurred in experimental plots that were (i) not treated with commercial epn, (ii) treated twice annually since 1998 with commercially formulated steinernema rio ...	2003	19265992
structure and function of the antennal sensilla of the palm weevil rhynchophorus palmarum (coleoptera, curculionidae).	the distribution, fine structure and function of the sensilla present on the antennal club of rhynchophorus palmarum were studied. no sex dimorphism was observed. scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed five types of hair-like structures, four of which were evenly distributed on the antennal club. two types of hair (iv and v) showed wall pores, a characteristic of olfactory sensilla. the antenna numbers 11,190 +/- 3040 type iv and 7360 +/- 1500 type v hairs. using single sensillum r ...	2003	16256688
persistance of the insecticidal activity of five essential oils on the maize weevil sitophilus zeamais (motsch.) (coleoptera: curculionidae).	essential oils of aromatic plants are popularise as protectant with low persistance. the evaluation of this duration of activity was carried out for five aromatic plants: annona senegalensis (annonaceae), eucalyptus citriodora et ecalyptus saligna (myrtaceae), lippia rugosa (verbenaceae) and ocimum gratissimum (lamiaceae). they have significant insecticidal activity on s. zeamais, on the first day of application, this activity decreases after 2 or 4 days. after 8 more than 50% of the efficacy is ...	2004	15759405
direct defense or ecological costs: responses of herbivorous beetles to volatiles released by wild lima bean (phaseolus lunatus).	in response to feeding damage, lima bean releases herbivore-induced plant volatiles (hipv), which are generally assumed to attract carnivorous arthropods as an indirect defense. while many studies have focused on such tritrophic interactions, few have investigated effects of hipv on herbivores. i used natural herbivores of wild lima bean and studied their responses to jasmonic acid-induced plants in an olfactometer and in feeding trials. both cerotoma ruficornis and gynandrobrotica guerreroensis ...	2004	15303330
volatile composition of coffee berries at different stages of ripeness and their possible attraction to the coffee berry borer hypothenemus hampei (coleoptera: curculionidae).	the analysis of volatile emissions of coffee berries in different physiological states of ripeness was performed using dynamic headspace and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis for coffea arabica, var. colombia. the composition of the volatiles emitted by coffee berries is dominated by very high levels of alcohols, mainly ethanol, in all stages of ripeness in comparison with other compounds. overripe coffee berries have high volatile emissions and show a composition dominated mainly by ...	2004	15366842
distribution of alfalfa weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) larvae among postcutting locations.	a field study was conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine survival and spatial patterns of alfalfa weevil, hypera postica (gyllenhal), larvae within and between windrows of swathed alfalfa, medicago sativa l., forage as dry matter concentration increased. after harvest, the percentage of live weevil larvae residing in swathed forage decreased as swath dry matter percentage increased. conversely, larval populations in stubble between windrows increased with increasing swath dry matter. larval pop ...	2004	15384343
boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) survival through the seed cotton cleaning process in the cotton gin.	there is concern that gins located in boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, eradication zones may become points of reintroduction when they process cotton grown in a neighboring infested area. we estimated boll weevil survival through two typical machine sequences used in commercial cotton gins to clean and dry the seed cotton in advance of the gin stand, as well as separately through two incline cylinder cleaners or one or two tower dryers operating at different temperatures. large n ...	2004	15384344
unexpected listronotus bonariensis (coleoptera: curculionidae) mortality in the presence of parasitoids.	field enclosure and laboratory cage experiments designed to measure the impact of the parasitoid microctonus hyperodae loan on the argentine stem weevil, listronotus bonariensis (kuschel) have shown that under high parasitoid pressure, there is significant weevil mortality without obvious parasitism. parasitoid-exposed, but unparasitized portions of caged populations died at rates significantly higher than both the parasitized weevils from the same population and the unexposed controls. unexpect ...	2004	15385060
host plant recognition by the root feeding clover weevil, sitona lepidus (coleoptera: curculionidae).	this study investigated the ability of neonatal larvae of the root-feeding weevil, sitona lepidus gyllenhal, to locate white clover trifolium repens l. (fabaceae) roots growing in soil and to distinguish them from the roots of other species of clover and a co-occurring grass species. choice experiments used a combination of invasive techniques and the novel technique of high resolution x-ray microtomography to non-invasively track larval movement in the soil towards plant roots. burrowing distan ...	2004	15385062
identification and molecular cloning of putative odorant-binding proteins from the american palm weevil, rhynchophorus palmarum l.	we have identified and cloned the cdnas encoding two odorant-binding proteins (obps) from the american palm weevil (apw) rhynchophorus palmarum (coleoptera, curculionidae). degenerate primers were designed from the n-terminal sequences and were used in polymerase chain reaction (pcr) in order to obtain full-length sequences in both males and females. in both sexes, two different cdnas were obtained, encoding 123 and 115 amino acid-deduced sequences. each sequence showed few amino acid difference ...	2004	15303324
c-bands on chromosomes of 32 beetle species (coleoptera: elateridae, cantharidae, oedemeridae, cerambycidae, anthicidae, chrysomelidae, attelabidae and curculionidae).	c-banding patterns of 32 beetle species from the families elateridae, cantharidae, oedemeridae, cerambycidae, anthicidae, chrysomelidae, attelabidae and curculionidae were studied using the c-banding technique. mitotic and meiotic chromosomes were previously described for 14 species. from among 18 species that had never been cytogenetically studied, we determined the diploid and haploid chromosome numbers and the sex determination system for 12 beetles. the karyotype for 6 species is not describ ...	2004	15198705
molecular cloning of a cysteine proteinase cdna from the cotton boll weevil anthonomus grandis (coleoptera: curculionidae).	the cotton boll weevil (anthonomus grandis) causes severe cotton crop losses in north and south america. this report describes the presence of cysteine proteinase activity in the cotton boll weevil. cysteine proteinase inhibitors from different sources were assayed against total a. grandis proteinases but, unexpectedly, no inhibitor tested was particularly effective. in order to screen for active inhibitors against the boll weevil, a cysteine proteinase cdna (agcys1) was isolated from a. grandis ...	2004	15215586
predicting mortality of phosphine-resistant adults of sitophilus oryzae (l) (coleoptera: curculionidae) in relation to changing phosphine concentration.	adults of a phosphine-resistant strain of sitophilus oryzae (l) were exposed to constant phosphine concentrations of 0.0035-0.9mg litre(-1) for periods of between 20 and 168h at 25 degrees c, and the effects of time and concentration on mortality were quantified. adults were also exposed to a series of treatments lasting 48, 72 or 168 h at 25 degrees c, during which the concentration of phosphine was varied. the aim of this study was to determine whether equations from experiments using constant ...	2004	15260295
chronological age-grading of three species of stored-product beetles by using near-infrared spectroscopy.	the accuracy of near-infrared spectroscopy (nirs) for predicting the chronological age of adults of the rice weevil, sitophilus oryzae (l.); the lesser grain borer, rhyzopertha dominica (f.); and the red flour beetle, tribolium castaneum (herbst), three pests of stored grain, was examined. nirs-predicted age correlated well with actual age of these three species. age predictions in s. oryzae by using the nirs method are not dependent upon adult sex or temperatures to which adult weevils are expo ...	2004	15279305
feeding and oviposition rates in the pine weevil hylobius abietis (coleoptera: curculionidae).	feeding and oviposition in the pine weevil hylobius abietis (linnaeus) were monitored under laboratory conditions in two long-term experiments lasting over an extended breeding season. data were also collected from weevils under semi-natural conditions outdoors. in addition, the effects of crowding and starvation were studied in separate experiments. during the main peak oviposition period, female h. abietis consumed 50% more bark tissue than males. when oviposition ceased, the feeding rate of t ...	2004	15301696
[host transfer of beauveria bassiana population in pine stand ecosystem and impact of its genetic diversity on sustainable control of masson's pine caterpillars].	in an anniversary investigation post inoculative release of beauveria bassiana against masson's pine caterpillars in a masson's pine plantation, 119 strains were isolated from 30 host insects, soil, litter and air. based on an esterase isozyme analysis, all these strains were assigned to 32 esterase types, suggesting abundant genetic diversity. the esterase type 2 was assigned including 18 other strains from 11 different host insects, indicating that the released strain had successfully survived ...	2004	15825448
ecomorphological adaptation of acorn weevils to their oviposition site.	comparisons between closely related species in different habitats provide a window into understanding how biotic factors shape evolutionary pathways. weevils in the genus curculio have radiated extensively across the palearctic, where similar ecomorphs have evolved independently on different hosts. we examined ecological and morphological data for 31 curculio species using multivariate statistics to determine which morphological traits covary and which correlate with the host seed size. a subset ...	2004	15521455
divergence in replicated phylogenies: the evolution of partial post-mating prezygotic isolation in bean weevils.	by tradition, speciation research has been focused on processes leading to either premating or post-zygotic reproductive isolation. the processes which generate isolation after mating but before zygote formation are less well understood. here, we study divergence in characters which contribute to post-mating prezygotic isolation, such as egg production and remating rate. we propose that 'replicated' laboratory phylogenies with known histories can be used to yield insights into the processes of d ...	2004	15525419
influence of cotton fruit stages as food sources on boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) fecundity and oviposition.	boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman (coloeoptera: curculionidae), populations in the lower rio grande valley of texas increase strongly during the squaring stage, and preemptive insecticide sprays at the pinhead square stage were designed to capitalize on that association. laboratory assays showed that cotton plant volatiles, or leaves as a food source, do not elicit egg production in wild weevils. boll weevils fed on large (5.5-8-mm diameter) squares for 7 d resulted in > or = 3.8-f ...	2004	15384345
notes on chromosome numbers and c-banding patterns in karyotypes of some weevils from central europe (coleoptera, curculionoidea: apionidae, nanophyidae, curculionidae).	chromosome numbers and c-banding patterns of sixteen weevil species are presented. the obtained results confirm the existence of two groups of species with either a small or large amount of heterochromatin in the karyotype. the first group comprises twelve species (apionidae: oxystoma cerdo, eutrichapion melancholicum, ceratapion penetrans, ceratapion austriacum, squamapion flavimanum, rhopalapion longirostre; nanophyidae: nanophyes marmoratus; curculionidae: centricnemus (=peritelus) leucogramm ...	2004	15521650
the origin and radiation of macaronesian beetles breeding in euphorbia: the relative importance of multiple data partitions and population sampling.	species-level phylogenies derived from many independent character sources and wide geographical sampling provide a powerful tool in assessing the importance of various factors associated with cladogenesis. in this study, we explore the relative importance of insular isolation and host plant switching in the diversification of a group of bark beetles (curculionidae: scolytinae) feeding and breeding in woody euphor biaspurges. all species in the genus aphanarthrumare each associated with only one ...	2004	15545251
metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi n. sp. (nematoda: allantonematidae), a parasite of the coffee berry borer, hypothenemus hampei (curculionidae: scolytinae).	metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi n. sp. (nematoda: allantonematidae) is described from the coffee berry borer, hypothenemus hampei (ferrari) (curculionidae: scolytinae), in chiapas, mexico. this species differs from other members of the genus by its small size, annulated cuticle, lateral fields with 3 ridges, free-living stages with an excretory pore located between the pharyngeal gland orifices, a distinct stylet with basal swellings in free-living females, a postvulval uterine extension, a thin ...	2004	15562611
the attachment and stylostome of trombidium newelli (acari: trombidiidae), an ectoparasitic mite on adults of alfalfa weevil, hypera postica (coleoptera: curculionidae).	larvae of the mite trombidium newelli welbourn and flessel are ectoparasitic on adult alfalfa weevil, hypera postica (gyllenhall), an insect pest of alfalfa. the mite larvae are found under the elytra, attached to the dorsal surface of weevils' abdomen. t. newelli larvae use their chelicerae to penetrate the pliable and weakly sclerotized areas of the host's integument, and to hold on firmly to the host. the attachment sites associated with larval mites of different degrees of engorgement were e ...	2004	15651529
potential for escape of live boll weevils (coleoptera: curculionidae) into cottonseed, motes, and cleaned lint at the cotton gin.	reintroductions of the boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, into areas of the united states where it has been eradicated or suppressed are very expensive to mitigate. there is concern that a cotton gin in an eradication zone may serve as a site of boll weevil reintroductions when processing cotton harvested in a neighboring infested zone. similarly, there is a question whether weevil-free areas can safely import gin products, such as cottonseed and baled lint, from infested areas wit ...	2004	15666727
evaluation of the potential role of glufosinate-tolerant rice in integrated pest management programs for rice water weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae).	the impact of a herbicide-tolerant rice, oryza sativa l., variety was assessed for its resistance to rice water weevil, lissorhoptrus oryzophilus kuschel (coleoptera: curculionidae), and its place in current integrated pest management (ipm) programs. greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the resistance of a glufosinate-tolerant rice variety and its glufosinate-susceptible parent line bengal to the rice water weevil in the presence and absence of glufosinate applications. the lc50 dos ...	2004	15666748
biology of hylobitelus xiaoi (coleoptera: curculionidae), a new pest of slash pine, pinus elliottii.	the biology of the weevil hylobitelus xiaoi zhang was studied in both field and laboratory in shangyou, jiangxi province, china. this species required 2 yr to complete one generation with overwintering by adults in pupal chambers and larvae in galleries in the bark of host trees. adults emerged from early march to early april and fed on the inner bark of branches of the trees. adults fly little. adults exhibited a diel periodicity, climbing up the trees around sunset and returning to the tree ba ...	2004	15666750
insecticidal effect of three diatomaceous earth formulations against adults of sitophilus oryzae (coleoptera: curculionidae) and tribolium confusum (coleoptera: tenebrionidae) on oat, rye, and triticale.	bioassays were conducted in the laboratory to assess the effect of the diatomaceous earth (de) formulations insecto, silicosec, and pyrisec, on stored oat, rye, and triticale, against adults of the rice weevil, sitophilus oryzae (l.), and the confused flour beetle, tribolium confusum jacquelin du val. the des were tested at three dose rates, 0.75, 1, and 1.5 g of de/kg of grain. adults of the two aforementioned species were exposed to all combinations of grain-formulation-dose rate, at 26 degree ...	2004	15666778
agricultural applications of dielectric spectroscopy.	a brief account of interest in dielectric properties of agricultural materials is presented, and some examples of dielectric spectroscopy applied to agricultural problems are discussed. included are wide frequency range (250 hz to 12 ghz) permittivity, or dielectric properties, measurements on adult rice weevils and hard red winter wheat, for the purpose of assessing selective dielectric heating of the insects, and broadband (200 mhz to 20 ghz) permittivity measurements on tissues of fresh fruit ...	2004	15719907
phenology and infestation patterns of plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae) on four highbush blueberry cultivars.	the plum curculio, conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst), is a well known pest in apple and peach orchards, but it also is capable of having an economic impact in highbush blueberries. host phenology and plum curculio oviposition patterns were determined on four highbush blueberry cultivars differing in fruit maturation period. numbers of oviposition scars were higher on early- ('weymouth') and mid-season ('duke' and 'bluecrop') blueberries than on late-season 'elliott' in 2001, 2002, and 2003. in 200 ...	2004	15666742
species composition of leaf beetle assemblages in the canopies of apple and pear orchards in hungary and great britain (coleoptera: chrysomelidae).	the species richness and species composition of coleoptera assemblages were investigated in the canopies of apple and pear orchards in hungary and in the apple orchards in great britain. the investigations were carried out in hungary (nagykovácsi: 3 plots, kecskemét: 5 plots, sárospatak: 4 plots) between 1990-94, and in great britain in kent (east malling, marden and robertsbridge) in 2001 and 2002. former investigations in hungary revealed that the diversity of coleoptera assemblages in the can ...	2004	15759432
arthropod diversity in peas with normal or reduced waxy bloom.	crop traits can alter economically important interactions between plants, pests, and biological control agents. for example, a reduced waxy bloom on the surface of pea plants alters interactions between pea aphids and their natural enemies. in this study, we assess whether the effect of wax reduction extends beyond the 2 or 3 arthropod species closely associated with the plants and into the structure of the broader arthropod community of over 200 taxa at our site. we sampled arthropods on lines ...	2004	15861234
allozyme markers to help define the south american origins of microctonus hyperodae (hymenoptera: braconidae) established in new zealand for biological control of argentine stem weevil.	the thelytokous parasitoid, microctonus hyperodae loan, was collected from eight south american locations and introduced to new zealand in 1991 for biological control of argentine stem weevil, listronotus bonariensis (kuschel) (coleoptera: curculionidae). parasitoids from each population were released in equal numbers at each new zealand site to give them the same opportunities to establish. population markers have been sought to identify the south american geographic populations that have becom ...	2004	15191624
effects of burial and soil condition on postharvest mortality of boll weevils (coleoptera: curculionidae) in fallen cotton fruit.	effects of soil condition and burial on boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, mortality in fallen cotton, gossypium hirsutum l., fruit were assessed in this study. during hot weather immediately after summer harvest operations in the lower rio grande valley of texas, burial of infested fruit in conventionally tilled field plots permitted significantly greater survival of weevils than in no-tillage plots. burial of infested squares protected developing weevils from heat and desiccation ...	2004	15154462
deterrent effects of four neem-based formulations on gravid female boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) feeding and oviposition on cotton squares.	three commercial neem-based insecticides, agroneem, ecozin, and neemix, and a neem seed extract formulation, bitters, containing 1,036, 16,506, 471, and 223 microg/ml azadirachtin, respectively, were assessed for feeding and oviposition deterrence against gravid female boll weevils, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, in the laboratory. in choice assays, excised cotton squares dipped in the separate formulations were first physically contacted by the weevils' tarsi or antennae fewer times than n ...	2004	15154463
comparison of a sprayable pheromone formulation and two hand-applied pheromone dispensers foruse in the integrated control of oriental fruit moth (lepidoptera: tortricidae).	the efficacy of integrated programs using a sprayable pheromone formulation or one of two hand-applied pheromone dispensers, and a conventional oriental fruit moth, grapholita molesta (busck) (lepidoptera: tortricidae) control program, was compared using 4-5-ha blocks of peach orchard at three niagara peninsula farms during 2000-2002. in the integrated programs, chlorpyrifos and mating disruption with 3m sprayable pheromone, isomate ofm rosso, or rak 5 hand-applied dispensers were used to contro ...	2004	15154471
3 using odor-baited trap trees as sentinels to monitor plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae) in apple orchards.	in commercial orchards in massachusetts in 2003, we conducted experiments aimed at developing guidelines for use of perimeter-row trap trees baited with grandisoic acid plus benzaldehyde as sentinels in a practical approach to determining need and timing of insecticide applications against overwintered plum curculios, conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst). evaluations were based on percentages of sampled fruit injured by plum curculio. trap trees baited with grandisoic acid released at approximately 1 ...	2004	15154475
insecticidal components from field pea extracts: soyasaponins and lysolecithins.	extracts from field peas (pisum sativum l.) have previously been shown to have a utility to control insect pests. to identify potentially new bioinsecticides in field crops, we describe the fractionation of impure extracts (c8 extracts) derived from protein-rich fractions of commercial pea flour. the activity of separated fractions was determined by a flour disk antifeedant bioassay with the rice weevil [sitophilus oryzae (l.)], an insect pest of stored products. bioassay-guided fractionation sh ...	2004	15675793
maturation feeding and reproductive development in adult pine weevil, hylobius abietis (coleoptera: curculionidae).	maturation feeding on conifer bark by newly emerged hylobius abietis(linnaeus) is essential for reproductive development. when feeding occurs on young conifer transplants, this weevil causes significant economic damage. between emergence and oviposition however, weevils feed on bark from different sources but of unknown nutritional 'quality'. the factors influencing the rate of feeding by males and females and female reproductive development were determined in laboratory bioassays using two cont ...	2004	14972053
endosymbiont phylogenesis in the dryophthoridae weevils: evidence for bacterial replacement.	intracellular symbiosis is widespread in the insect world where it plays an important role in evolution and adaptation. the weevil family dryophthoridae (curculionoidea) is of particular interest in intracellular symbiosis evolution with regard to the great economical and ecological features of these invasive insects, and the potential for comparative studies across a wide range of host plants and environments. here, we have analyzed the intracellular symbiotic bacteria of 19 dryophthoridae spec ...	2004	14739242
monitoring plum curculio, conotrachelus nenuphar (coleoptera: curculionidae), populations in apple and peach orchards in the mid-atlantic.	we evaluated responses of plum curculio, conotrachelus nenuphar (herbst), to four trap types in commercial and unsprayed apple and peach orchards. trap types included black pyramid and clear plexiglas panel traps deployed outside the orchard 2 m from the border row, and branch-mimicking cylinder and trunk-mounted screen traps attached to trees in the border row. bait treatments evaluated in conjunction with each trap type included the synthetic fruit volatile benzaldehyde, the aggregation pherom ...	2004	14998130
boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) survival through cotton gin trash fans.	there is concern that cotton gins may serve as loci for reintroduction of boll weevils, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, to eradicated or suppressed zones when processing weevil-infested cotton from neighboring zones. previous work has shown that virtually all weevils entering the gin in the seed cotton will be removed before they reach the gin stand. those not killed by the seed cotton cleaning machinery will be shunted alive into the trash fraction, which passes through a centrifugal trash ...	2004	15568350
phylogenetic characterization of wolbachia symbionts infecting cimex lectularius l. and oeciacus vicarius horvath (hemiptera: cimicidae).	wolbachia symbionts are obligate intracellular bacteria that cause host reproductive alterations in many arthropods and filarial nematodes. we identified wolbachia symbionts in the cliff swallow bug (oeciacus vicarious horvath) and the human bed bug (cimex lectularius l.) (hemiptera: cimicidae) by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) amplification and sequencing using wolbachia-specific 16s rdna and ftsz primers. phylogenetic analyses using bayesian, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony algorith ...	2004	15605657
insect-induced conifer defense. white pine weevil and methyl jasmonate induce traumatic resinosis, de novo formed volatile emissions, and accumulation of terpenoid synthase and putative octadecanoid pathway transcripts in sitka spruce.	stem-boring insects and methyl jasmonate (meja) are thought to induce similar complex chemical and anatomical defenses in conifers. to compare insect- and meja-induced terpenoid responses, we analyzed traumatic oleoresin mixtures, emissions of terpenoid volatiles, and expression of terpenoid synthase (tps) genes in sitka spruce (picea sitchensis) following attack by white pine weevils (pissodes strobi) or application of meja. both insects and meja caused traumatic resin accumulation in stems, wi ...	2004	15618433
temporal dynamics of otiorhynchus schlaeflini (coleoptera: curculionidae) adults and damage assessment on two wine grape cultivars.	the nocturnal temporal dynamics of adults of otiorhynchus schlaeflini stierlin on wine grape vitis vinifelra l. 'rhoditis' and 'mavroudi' were studied in the western peloponnese during spring 1993 and 1994. the maximum number of adults was recorded approximately 3 h after sunset. emergence began on 13 march 1993 and 19 march 1994; the population peaked on 24 and 16 april in each year, respectively. low numbers of adults were found during daytime observations in may. the length and the number of ...	2004	15002401
effects of insecticides and defoliants applied alone and in combination for control of overwintering boll weevil (anthonomus grandis; coleoptera: curculionidae)--laboratory and field studies.	in laboratory, greenhouse and field tests, we determined the effects of combining full rates of the defoliants tribufos and thidiazuron and the herbicide thifensulfuron-methyl with half rates of the insecticides lambda-cyhalothrin or azinphos-methyl, and the combination of tribufos and thidiazuron, both in half rates, on mortality of the boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman and on the quality of defoliation. tribufos, 0.47 kg ha(-1) and tribufos, 0.235 kg ha(-1) + thidiazuron, 0.125 k ...	2004	15382499
cheating is not always punished: killer female plants and pollination by deceit in the dwarf palm chamaerops humilis.	because the interests of mutualists are not perfectly aligned, conflicts between partners often arise, rendering mutualism unstable by allowing the evolution of cheating. the dwarf palm chamaerops humilis is engaged in a nursery pollination mutualism with a specific weevil derelomus chamaeropsis. in exchange for pollen dispersal, dwarf palms provide pollinators with food, shelter and egg-laying sites, but pollinators can develop only within male inflorescences. here we show that weevils lay eggs ...	2004	15271086
potential for transport of boll weevils (coleoptera: curculionidae) to the cotton gin within cotton modules.	there is concern that cotton gins located in boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, eradication zones serving customers in adjacent infested zones may serve as a site for boll weevil reintroductions if weevils are transported alive inside cotton modules. we surveyed fields in three distinct areas of texas and found that weevils can be present in large numbers in cotton fields that have been defoliated and desiccated in preparation for harvest, both as free adults and as immatures insid ...	2004	15279274
effect of exposure period on degree of dominance of phosphine resistance in adults of rhyzopertha dominica (coleoptera: bostrychidae) and sitophilus oryzae (coleoptera: curculionidae).	degree of dominance of phosphine resistance was investigated in adults of rhyzopertha dominica f and sitophilus oryzae l. efficacy of the grain fumigant phosphine depends on both concentration and exposure period, which raises the possibility that dominance levels vary with exposure period. new and published data were used to test this possibility in adults of r dominica and s oryzae fumigated for periods of up to 144 h. the concentrations required for control of homozygous resistant and suscept ...	2004	15307675
reproductive development of northern and southern strains of plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae).	laboratory-reared southern and field-collected northern strains of plum curculio, conotrachelles nenuphar (herbst), were sampled to examine the relationship between degree-day (dd) accumulation and female reproductive development, as measured by mating status, oocyte size, and number of oocytes. the overall goal was to generate an objective degree-day model for predicting damage potential that could be applied to various host commodities rather than relying on separate biofix models for each cro ...	2004	14998124
the phylogeny of acorn weevils (genus curculio) from mitochondrial and nuclear dna sequences: the problem of incomplete data.	we considered the contribution of two mitochondrial and two nuclear data sets for the phylogenetic reconstruction of 22 species of seed beetles in the genus curculio (coleoptera: cuculionidae). a phylogenetic tree from representatives found on various hosts was inferred from a combined data set of mitochondrial dna cytochrome oxidase subunit i, mitochondrial cytochrome b, nuclear elongation factor 1alpha, and nuclear phosphoglycerate mutase, used for the first time as a molecular marker. separat ...	2004	15223041
isolation and toxicity of bacillus thuringiensis from potato-growing areas in bolivia.	bacillus thuringiensis was isolated from 116 samples collected in high altitude potato-growing areas in bolivia. in these regions, main potato pests are the potato tuberworm phthorimaea operculella, and the andean weevils premnotrypes latithorax and rhigopsidius tucumanus. b. thuringiensis was found in 60% of the samples. the main percentage of samples with b. thuringiensis was found in larvae of r. tucumanus (78%). bioassays were performed with 112 isolates. none resulted toxic to either larvae ...	2005	15707864
larval competition in weevils revena rubiginosa (coleoptera: curculionidae) preying on seeds of the palm syagrus romanzoffiana (arecaceae).	inter- and intraspecific local resource competition may lead to the selection of specific adaptive individual characteristics to overcome interference competition. a highly selective scenario is predictable for interference competition among seed preying weevil larvae that live in and feed upon a single host seed. this scenario is found in syagrus romanzoffiana palm seeds which are predated by revena rubiginosa (curculionidae) larvae. although multiple infestation of one seed by weevil larvae ca ...	2005	15871001
the effect of environmentally induced changes in the bark of young conifers on feeding behaviour and reproductive development of adult hylobius abietis (coleoptera: curculionidae).	young plants of sitka spruce, scots and corsican pine were subject to high and low light, and high and low nitrogen treatments in a polyhouse experiment. the effect of treatments on resin duct size and nitrogen concentration in stem bark was determined together with feeding by hylobius abietis linnaeus on the stems of 'intact' plants and on 'detached' stems cut from the plant. resin duct size was largest on corsican pine and smallest on sitka spruce and inherent variation in duct size between th ...	2005	15877864
ipsenol and ipsdienol attract monochamus titillator (coleoptera: cerambycidae) and associated large pine woodborers in southeastern united states.	we determined the responses of the southern pine sawyer, monochamus titillator (f.) (coleoptera: cerambycidae), to the pheromones (ipsenol, ipsdienol, and lanierone) used by pine engraver beetles (coleoptera: scolytidae) in the southeastern united states. (+/-)-ipsenol, (+/-)-ipsdienol, or a combination increased catches of m. titillator in florida, louisiana, georgia, and north carolina. catches of acanthocinus obsoletus (olivier) (cerambycidae) were increased by (+/-)-ipsenol and (+/-)-ipsdien ...	2005	16539130
jh iii production, titers and degradation in relation to reproduction in male and female anthonomus grandis.	juvenile hormone (jh) is necessary for the production of vitellogenin (vg) in the boll weevil, anthonomus grandis. occurrence of vg in this species is typically restricted to reproductively competent females, and is not detected in untreated males. however, the jh analog, methoprene stimulates vg production in intact males and in the isolated abdomens of both male and female boll weevils (where in each case no vg is detected without treatment), suggesting that males are competent to produce vg b ...	2005	15890186
the pesticide malathion reduces survival and growth in developing zebrafish.	malathion is an organophosphorous pesticide widely used to control mosquitoes in urban areas and pests, such as boll weevils, in agricultural areas. zebrafish, danio rerio, are model organisms for developmental toxicology research because they are readily available, produce large numbers of clear embryos, and are sensitive to environmental changes. the nonlethal effects of malathion on developing zebrafish embryos, however, previously have not been analyzed quantitatively. we exposed zebrafish e ...	2005	16050592
seasonal dynamics of entomopathogenic nematodes of the genera steinernema and heterorhabditis as a response to abiotic factors and abundance of insect hosts.	the seasonal dynamics of entomopathogenic nematodes (epns) of the genus steinernema and heterorhabditis were studied during one season in meadow and oak wood habitats, in the vicinity of ceské budejovice, czech republic. the influences of soil temperature, moisture, and abundance of suitable hosts on epn dynamics were investigated. the host range of these nematodes, in both habitats was also observed. a total of four epn species were found in both habitats. steinernema affine was the dominant sp ...	2005	15893761
does lignin modification affect feeding preference or growth performance of insect herbivores in transgenic silver birch (betula pendula roth)?	transgenic silver birch (betula pendula roth) lines were produced in order to modify lignin biosynthesis. these lines carry comt (caffeate/5-hydroxyferulate o-methyltransferase) gene from populus tremuloides driven by constitutive promoter 35s camv (cauliflower mosaic virus) or ubb1 (ubiquitin promoter from sunflower). the decreased syringyl/guaiacyl (s/g) ratio was found in stem and leaf lignin of 35s camv-ptcomt transgenic silver birch lines when compared to non-transformed control or ubb1-ptc ...	2005	15971066
olfactory responses of banana weevil predators to volatiles from banana pseudostem tissue and synthetic pheromone.	as a response to attack by herbivores, plants can emit a variety of volatile substances that attract natural enemies of these insect pests. predators of the banana weevil, cosmopolites sordidus (germar) (coleoptera: curculionidae) such as dactylosternum abdominale (coleoptera: hydrophilidae) and pheidole megacephala (hymenoptera: formicidae), are normally found in association with weevil-infested rotten pseudostems and harvested stumps. we investigated whether these predators are attracted to su ...	2005	16222791
rapid screening of invertebrate predators for multiple prey dna targets.	dna-based techniques are providing valuable new approaches to tracking predator-prey interactions. the gut contents of invertebrate predators can be analysed using species-specific primers to amplify prey dna to confirm trophic links. the problem is that each predator needs to be analysed with primers for the tens of potential prey available at a field site, even though the mean number of species detected in each gut may be as few as one or two. conducting all these pcrs (polymerase chain reacti ...	2005	15723673
innate and changed responses to plant odours in moths and weevils.		2005	15738166
high through-put characterization of insect morphocryptic entities by a non-invasive method using direct-pcr of fecal dna.	the development of non-invasive molecular techniques is currently increasing, particularly in the fields of behavioural ecology and conservation genetics of mammals. surprisingly, genetic studies of arthropods and particularly the insects have not benefited yet from the contributions that non-invasive methods have made. here, we outline a strategy for identifying phytophagous insect genetic entities based on direct-pcr of fecal dna combined with double strand conformation polymorphism (dscp) typ ...	2005	15961176
relationships of different cotton square sizes to boll weevil (coleoptera: curculionidae) feeding and oviposition in field conditions.	feeding and oviposition preferences of the boll weevil, anthonomus grandis grandis boheman, for four different cotton square size classes in field conditions of the lower rio grande valley of texas were studied during 2002 and 2003. percentages of large (5.5-8-mm-diameter) squares used for oviposition and feeding were greater than pinhead or match-head squares. the preference for large squares as food and associated accelerated fecundity explain the substantial boll weevil population buildups th ...	2005	16334326