<div> <p>Understanding the dispersal ability of invasive insects provides useful insights for developing effective management strategies. Historically, methods for marking insects for dispersal studies have been expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, especially for woodboring beetles. In addition, capturing or rearing insects requires human handling, which can alter behavior. Immunomarking is a well-established technique for studying the dispersal of insects, however, it has not been broadly applied to woodborers. This study evaluates the potential for using immunoproteins applied directly to woodborer-infested trees to mark emerging beetles. <a>Specifically, in the first experiment I sprayed varying concentrations of ovalbumin (egg white) solution directly onto logs infested with emerald ash borer (EAB, <i>Agrilus planipennis </i>Fairmaire) (Buprestidae: Agrilini) and ELISA was used to detect the presence of protein on emerged beetles. To test the persistence of the mark, I applied varying concentrations of albumin to freeze-killed beetles, mounted them on pins, and placed them in an exposed location outdoors. Adult EAB self-marked as they emerged from protein-treated trees, with higher protein concentrations persisting for longer on the cuticle when exposed to sun and rain. </a>This technique offers a convenient, inexpensive and durable means of marking woodborers and circumvents the need for human handling, allowing for more natural behavior and more realistic estimates of dispersal. Protein self-marking may find application in studies of woodborer dispersal within natural forest environments.<a></a></p> </div> <br>

Recreational firewood collected from campers in Mississippi State Parks was investigated for factors associated with insect presence and their diversity. Insects were found in 20% of firewood and evidence of past feeding was found in 64.8%. Representatives of 35 families of insects were reared from collected firewood. These included representatives of Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Formicidae, and Rhinotermitidae. The effects of firewood age, moisture content, and source were also examined as effects on insect presence in firewood. At the same time, a survey of campers’ beliefs and attitudes about non-native woodborers was conducted. Exposure to public awareness campaigns had the strongest association on reported sources of firewood and support for regulations on firewood movement. However, no association was found between attitudes and beliefs and camper firewood habits. No association was found between camper responses to survey questions and biological factors from firewood collected from them.

The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is grown throughout the intertropical band in the world, including Brazil, especially in the Northeast. One of the factors limiting production are pests that cause damage at all stages of cultivation. Among these, we highlight the beetles (Rhynchophorus palmarum, Metamasius hemipterus and Homalinotus coriaceus) and whitefly Aleurodicus pseudogesii. Our objectives were to assess the effectiveness of some formulations of pheromone used to control M. hemipterus and R palmarum in coconut producing area, 2) extract and identify the infochemicals involved in intraspecific communication H. coriaceus (floral stalk borer coconut), 3) contribute to studies of well known pest of coconut, as well as the registration of new pests, which by chance, are attacking the coconut. The studies were conducted in the municipality of Neopolis, SE and Research Laboratory of the Natural Resources Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas. The traps containing the pheromone formulations were checked weekly. The identification of the pheromone of H. coriaceus was performed by Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry GC / MS and comparison with external standard. Behavioral tests were performed by olfactometry. The specimens of whiteflies were collected and sent to the Entomology Laboratory of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro for species identification. From the results obtained in the field, the most effective treatments were: AG (pheromone + vehicle) to R. palmarum and treatments ADF (rhynchophorol +2- methyl-4-octanol + attractive food), C (2-methyl-4-heptanol), AFG (+ attractive pheromone feed + vehicle), ACF (pheromone +2- methyl-4- heptanol + food bait) and ACE (rhynchophorol +2- methyl- 4-heptanol +5- nonanol) showed more efficient for M. hemipterus during the rainy season, and BC (4-methyl-5-nonanol +2- methyl-4-heptanol) during the dry season. The analyzes of the extracts of H. coriaceus revealed the presence of four compounds: 1-Methyl-2-(1-methylethenyl) ciclobutanoetanol (grandlure I), (Z) -2 - (3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) ethanol (grandlure II), (E) - ( 3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) acetaldehyde (grandlure III), (Z) - (3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) acetaldehyde (grandlure IV) identified as aggregation pheromone. During this work, we performed the first record of a whitefly species, Aleurodicus pseudogesii Martin, 2008 coconuts in Brazil. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O coqueiro, Cocos nucifera, é cultivado em toda a faixa intertropical do planeta, incluindo o Brasil, principalmente na região Nordeste. Um dos fatores limitantes à produção são as pragas que causam danos em todas as fases do cultivo. Dentre estas, se destacam as coleobrocas (Rhynchophorus palmarum, Homalinotus coriaceus e Metamasius hemipterus) e a mosca-branca Aleurodicus seudogesii. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: avaliar a eficiência de algumas formulações de feromônio utilizados no controle de M. hemipterus e R. palmarum em área produtora de coco; 2) extrair e identificar os infoquímicos envolvidos na comunicação intraespecífica de H. coriaceus (broca-do-pedúnculo-floral-do-coqueiro); 3) contribuir com os estudos das pragas do coqueiro já conhecidas, bem como o registro de novas pragas, que por ventura, estejam atacando o coqueiro. Os trabalhos foram conduzidos no município de Neópolis, SE e Laboratório de Pesquisa em Recursos Naturais do Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia da Universidade Federal de Alagoas. As armadilhas contendo as formulações de feromônio foram vistoriadas semanalmente. A identificação do feromônio de H. coriaceus foi realizada por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a Espectrometria de Massas CG-EM e comparação com padrão externo. Os testes comportamentais foram feitos por olfatometria. Os espécimes de moscas brancas foram coletados e enviados ao Laboratório de Entomologia da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro para identificação da espécie. A partir dos resultados obtidos no campo, os tratamentos mais eficientes foram: AG (rincoforol+veículo) para R. palmarum e os tratamentos ADF (rincoforol+2-metil-4-octanol+ atrativo alimentar), C (2-metil-4-heptanol), AFG (rincoforol+atrativo alimentar+veículo), ACF (rincoforol+2-metil-4-heptanol+atrativo alimentar) e ACE (rincoforol+2-metil-4-heptanol+5-nonanol) mostraram mais eficiente para M. hemipterus durante o período chuvoso, e BC (4-metil-5-nonanol+2-metil-4-heptanol) durante o período seco. As análises dos extratos de H. coriaceus, revelaram a presença de quatro compostos: 1-Metil-2-(1-metiletenil) ciclobutano etanol (grandlure I), (Z)-2-(3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) etanol (grandlure II), (E)-(3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) acetaldeído (grandlure III), (Z)-(3,3-dimetilciclohexilideno) acetaldeído (grandlure IV) identificados como feromônio de agregação. Durante este trabalho, foi realizado o primeiro registro de uma espécie de mosca-branca, Aleurodicus pseudogesii Martin, 2008 em coqueiros no Brasil.