Host quality of different aphid species for rearing Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aspectos biológicos de Chrysoperla raimundoi Freitas & Penny (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae)

Os crisopídeos são importantes predadores e são encontrados em diversos agroecossistemas. A temperatura é um dos fatores determinantes para o desenvolvimento dos insetos, sendo que existe um gradiente de variação aceitável para cada espécie. Portanto, objetivou-se com este estudo verificar a influência de diferentes temperaturas sobre o desenvolvimento embrionário e pós-embrionário de C. raimundoi assim como verificar as conseqüências nas diferentes gerações. As fases jovens foram criadas em três ambientes com temperaturas constantes de 19,0, 25,0 e 31,0ºC e em um ambiente externo sem controle dos fatores abióticos. Foram observados a duração do período embrionário, do primeiro, segundo e terceiro ínstares, a duração do período larval, pupal e ovo-adulto, assim como, a sobrevivência em cada estágio, estádio e a porcentagem de emergência. O desenvolvimento embrionário e pós-embrionário diferiu entre as gerações F2 e F4. Quanto à influência de diferentes temperaturas para a geração F2, os indivíduos criados a 31,0ºC demonstraram redução na taxa de desenvolvimento com relação aos outros dois ambientes. Para a geração F4, observou-se que as diferentes temperaturas influenciaram no desenvolvimento, sendo que a 19,0ºC houve prolongamento do mesmo.

Models for the analysis of growth curves for rearing tinamous (Rhynchotus rufescens) in captivity

Growth curves models provide a visual assessment of growth as a function of time, and prediction body weight at a specific age. This study aimed at estimating tinamous growth curve using different models, and at verifying their goodness of fit. A total number 11,639 weight records from 411 birds, being 6,671 from females and 3,095 from males, was analyzed. The highest estimates of a parameter were obtained using Brody (BD), von Bertalanffy (VB), Gompertz (GP,) and Logistic function (LG). Adult females were 5.7% heavier than males. The highest estimates of b parameter were obtained in the LG, GP, BID, and VB models. The estimated k parameter values in decreasing order were obtained in LG, GP, VB, and BID models. The correlation between the parameters a and k showed heavier birds are less precocious than the lighter. The estimates of intercept, linear regression coefficient, quadratic regression coefficient, and differences between quadratic coefficient of functions and estimated ties of quadratic-quadratic-quadratic segmented polynomials (QQQSP) were: 31.1732 +/- 2.41339; 3.07898 +/- 0.13287; 0.02689 +/- 0.00152; -0.05566 +/- 0.00193; 0.02349 +/- 0.00107, and 57 and 145 days, respectively. The estimated predicted mean error values (PME) of VB, GP, BID, LG, and QQQSP models were, respectively, 0.8353; 0.01715; -0.6939; -2.2453; and -0.7544%. The coefficient of determination (RI) and least square error values (MS) showed similar results. In conclusion, the VB and the QQQSP models adequately described tinamous growth. The best model to describe tinamous growth was the Gompertz model, because it presented the highest R-2 values, easiness of convergence, lower PME, and the easiness of parameter biological interpretation.

Passionflower supplementation in diets of Japanese qualis at rearing and laying periods

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desenvolvimento e capacidade de consumo de Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) alimentada com ninfas de mosca-branca criadas em hortaliças

Many arthropods are mentioned with whitefly natural enemies, including the green lacewings. The aim of this study is to analyses the development and the capacity of predation of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) fed with Bemisia tabaci B biotype nymphs, rearing different vegetables (kale, broccoli, eggplant end tomato). The duration, viability end weight in each stage end phase of development of the insect-predator had been evaluated, as well as the predatory capacity of the larvae in the third instar. The larval phase of the predator presented minor duration when these had been fed with nymphs developed the broccoli (12.36 days) and minor duration of the tomato (14.36 days) phase when fed with nymphs developed in kale, broccoli, and eggplant (6.50, 7.20, 7.33 days, respectively). The lower indices of viability been found for the larvae fed with nymphs developed in the tomato (30%), and average weights have. The predatory capacity of the larvae during the third instar was not affected, independently on the plant host where the whitefly nymph fed itself.

A description of the nymph of Anacroneuria ofaye Froehlich (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and a apparatus for rearing Neotropical stonefly species

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mating system parameters at hierarchical levels of fruits, individuals and populations in the Brazilian insect-pollinated tropical tree, Tabebuia roseo-alba (Bignoniaceae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Clinical and histopathological aspects of the insect bite hypersensitivity in horses

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

ASSESSING THE SUITABILITY of STERILE INSECT TECHNIQUE APPLIED TO AEDES AEGYPTI

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Taxa de desenvolvimento de Chrysomya albiceps(Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) em dieta artificial acrescida de tecido animal para uso forense

Forensic entomology uses biological and ecological aspects of necrophagous insects to help in criminal investigations to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) or to determine the cause of death. Recent papers demonstrated that the presence of toxins in decomposing tissues may alter the insect developmental rate of insects exploiting such tissues as food. Thus, preliminary tests with artificial diets in laboratory are necessary to create a database to investigate and quantify the modifications that can occur with the collected insects from a criminal scene, avoiding any errors on the PMI estimates. The present study aimed to evaluate the developmental rate of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) reared on: a) artificial diets containing animal tissues: bovine liver (D1), raw muscle (D2), stomach (D3), and chicken heart (D4); b) artificial diet without animal tissue (D5); and c) a control group (C), which had only meat. The efficiency of each substrate was assessed by immature weight gain (mg), larval developmental time, larval and pupal survival, emergence interval and adult size. D1 to D4 diets did not restrict C. albiceps development; however, larvae reared on D1 and D2 diets presented a lower adult emergence rate. D3 and control group showed similarities regarding the efficiency parameters (rate and emergence interval). Thus, the use of diet D3, artificial diet with stomach, is the most recommended.

Diet and trophic groups of an aquatic insect community in a tropical stream

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Insect Venom Peptides

The insects of the order Hymenoptera ( bees, wasps, and ants) are classified in two groups, based on their life history: social and solitary. The venoms of the social Hymenoptera evolved to be used as defensive tools to protect the colonies of these insects from the attacks of predators. Generally they do not cause lethal effects but cause mainly inflammatory and/or immunological reactions in the victims of their stings. However, sometimes it is also possible to observe the occurrence of systemic effects like respiratory and/or kidney failure. Meanwhile, the venoms of solitary Hymenoptera evolved mainly to cause paralysis of the preys in order to permit egg laying on/within the prey's body; thus, some components of these venoms cause permanent/transient paralysis in the preys, while other components seem to act preventing infections of the food and future progenies. The peptide components of venoms from Hymenoptera are spread over the molar mass range of 1400 to 7000 da and together comprise up to 70% of the weight of freeze-dried venoms. Most of these toxins are linear polycationic amphipatic peptides with a high content of alpha-helices in their secondary structures. These peptides generally account for cell lysis, hemolysis, antibiosis, and sometimes promote the delivery of cellular activators/mediators through interaction with the G-protein receptor, and perhaps some of them are even immunogenic components. In addition to these peptides, the Hymenopteran venoms also may contain a few neurotoxins that target Na+ and/or Ca+2 channels or even the nicotinic ACh receptor. This review summarizes current knowledge of the biologically active Hymenoptera venoms.

Thermal requirements for the embryonic development of Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) with potential application in mass-rearing of egg parasitoids

The embryonic development of oothecae of Periplaneta americana was evaluated under four different constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C and also at different exposure times at <5 degrees C. Their suitability as hosts after the treatment for the parasitoids Evania appendigaster and Aprostocetus hagenowii was also assessed. Temperatures of 5, 10, 15, and 35 degrees C adversely affected the development of the cockroaches, and exposure times to <5 degrees C longer than 5 days sufficed to kill all the embryos in the oothecae. The lower thermal threshold for complete development of P. americana was estimated to be 6.8 degrees C, with a required total amount of 900.9 degree-days. Cold-killed oothecae were still fit for the development of parasitoids. Parasitism rates of A hagenowii were higher than those of E appendigaster, although with lower emergence rates. Our results can be useful in aiding mass-rearing of these parasitoids for biological control programmes of A americana, and may help forecast the time of emergence of nymphs of American cockroaches in infested areas. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morpho-physiological analysis of the insect fat body: A review

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of the insecticide pyriproxyfen on the flight muscle differentiation of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)