Spatial evaluation of larvae of Culicidae (Diptera) from different breeding sites: application of a geospatial method and implications for vector control

Spatial evaluation of Culicidae (Diptera) larvae from different breeding sites: application of a geospatial method and implications for vector control. This study investigates the spatial distribution of urban Culicidae and informs entomological monitoring of species that use artificial containers as larval habitats. Collections of mosquito larvae were conducted in the São Paulo State municipality of Santa Bárbara d' Oeste between 2004 and 2006 during house-to-house visits. A total of 1,891 samples and nine different species were sampled. Species distribution was assessed using the kriging statistical method by extrapolating municipal administrative divisions. The sampling method followed the norms of the municipal health services of the Ministry of Health and can thus be adopted by public health authorities in disease control and delimitation of risk areas. Moreover, this type of survey and analysis can be employed for entomological surveillance of urban vectors that use artificial containers as larval habitat.

Fauna of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in areas with endemic American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Fauna of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in areas with endemic American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the ecological aspects of the main vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in four monitoring stations situated in the municipalities of Naviraí, Nova Andradina, Novo Horizonte do Sul and Rio Verde de Mato Grosso. For each monitoring station, the captures of sand flies were undertaken each month from July 2008 to June 2010 using CDC and Shannon traps. The CDC traps were installed simultaneously for three consecutive nights in three collection sites: intradomicile, peridomicile and edge of the forest. A Shannon trap was installed from dusk to 10 pm, inside the forest, one night per month. A total of 7,651 sand flies belonging to nine genera and twenty-nine species were captured. Nyssomyia neivai (52.95%), Psathyromyia hermanlenti (10.91%), Psathyromyia runoides (9.16%), Nyssomyia whitmani (7.95%), Psathyromyia aragaoi (4. 89%), Nyssomyia antunesi (3.14%) and Evandromyia bourrouli (2.20%) were the most frequent species. Approximately 65% of the sand flies were collected in the forest environment. The municipalities presented significantly different indexes of species diversity. Naviraí presented the lowest species diversity index, however, it showed the highest abundance. Novo Horizonte do Sul had the highest species diversity index, but the lowest abundance (< 5%). It is noteworthy the occurrence of vector species of Leishmania in the areas studied, especially in Naviraí, where Ny. neivai presented high frequencies which may explain the increased number of ACL cases in this municipality.

Egg parasitoids of Edessa meditabunda (Fabricius) (Pentatomidae) in lettuce crop

Egg parasitoids of Edessa meditabunda (Fabricius) (Pentatomidae) in lettuce crop. This study evaluated the occurrence of parasitoids in eggs of the stink bug, Edessa meditabunda (Fabricius, 1794) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae) found on lettuce crop in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Samples were collected in the vegetable garden "Cheiro Verde", in the municipality of Tangará da Serra, in curly lettuce. A bed of lettuce was selected randomly, where the eggs of E. meditabunda were collected. Five-hundred and seventy eight eggs of E. meditabunda were collected, 86.3% of them parasitized by Telenomus podisi Ashmead, 1893 (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae), Trissolcus urichi Crawford, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) and Neorileya albipes Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae), representing respectively 57.0%, 38.2% and 4.8% of the emerged individuals. This is the first record of these three species parasitizing eggs of E. meditabunda in lettuce.

Insect galls of restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Insect galls of restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study carried out an insect gall inventory in restinga areas of Ilha da Marambaia, in the municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sampling was carried out monthly from April 2010 to March 2011 along the full extension of seven beaches. A total number of 147 gall morphotypes associated with 70 plant species were found, distributed in 33 plant families, and at least 54 genera. Myrtaceae was the botanical family with the highest richness of gall morphotypes and host species, followed by Bignoniaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Sapindaceae, and Malpighiaceae. Most of the gall morphotypes occurred in leaves (78 morphotypes), 38 in stems, 14 in flowers, eight in buds and fruits, and one in adventitious roots. The galling insects belong to the five orders: Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera. Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) was the most common galling taxon (78 morphotypes), represented by 87 species, being 78 gallers, seven inquilines and two predators. In addition to the gallers, parasitoids, inquilines, and predators were also found.

Biological aspects of Leucothyreus ambrosius Blanchard (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Rutelinae)

Biological aspects of Leucothyreus ambrosius Blanchard (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Rutelinae). Coleopterans of the family Melolonthidae comprise a large group of species that feed on different food sources, including plant roots, stems, and leaves, in addition to plant materials at different decomposition stages. Several species are found in the genus Leucothyreus, occurring in different regions of Brazil, including the various biomes in the country. Information on the biology of species of the genus Leucothyreus is scarce, therefore, we conducted studies on the biological aspects of Leucothyreus ambrosius Blanchard, 1850. The period of adult occurrence was determined with a light trap installed between a cropped and pasture area in the municipality of Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Adults collected in the field were used to form insect pairs and the studies were initiated in the entomology laboratory as the adults began ovipositing. Adults were observed flying in the field from October to December. Eggs were obtained as pairs were formed and a colony was established, the embryonic period lasting 14.6 days on average. The larval period in the 1st instar lasted 21.6 days, in the 2nd instar 19.6 days, and in the 3rd instar, 85.6 days. The head capsule width was 1.48 mm in the 1st instar, 2.44 mm in the 2nd, and 3.83 mm in 3rd larval instar. The pupal stage had an average duration of 35.5 days. The egg to adult period lasted 173.3 days. Morphometric information for the larval and adult stages is presented in this study.

Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, 2007

IDED can assist you and your business, municipality, school or hospital to come into compliance with state environmental regulations. We can serve as a liaison between you and the state of Iowa, being a portal to information sources that answer environmental questions and needs.

Occurrence and damages of Danothrips trifasciatus (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) on Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) in Brazil

Occurrence and damages of Danothrips trifasciatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) in Brazil. Danothrips trifasciatus Sakimura, 1975 (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) is recorded for the first time in Brazil, in the municipality of Garça, São Paulo state. Individuals were collected in April 2011 damaging young leaves of guanandi, Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Clusiaceae), forest species of increasing importance in Brazil. Future studies involving aspects on biology and population dynamics of the thrips in this plant species need to be carried out, in order to establish its potential economic importance to guanandi.

Larval development of Physocephala (Diptera, Conopidae) in the bumble bee Bombus morio (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Larval development of Physocephala (Diptera, Conopidae) in the bumble bee Bombus morio (Hymenoptera, Apidae). In the summer of 2012, a high incidence of conopid larvae was observed in a sample of female B. morio collected in remaining fragments of semidecidual forest and Cerrado, in the municipality of Sorocaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The larval development of conopid flies was studied, beginning at the larval instars (LO to L3) and PUP, until the emergence of the imago under laboratory conditions and inside the host. At the first instar, or LO, the microtype larvae measured less than 1 mm in length. During the transition from L1 to L3, the larvae grew in length. At L3, the larvae doubled their length (4 mm) and then started to develop both in length and width, reaching the PUP stage with 10 mm in length and 7 mm in width. The main characteristic that differentiates L3 from the early instars is the larger body size and the beginning of posterior spiracle development. The development from PUP to puparium took less than 24h. The bees died ten days after the fly oviposition, or just before full PUP development. The early development stages (egg-LO to L1) were critical for larva survival. The pupa was visible between the intersegmental sternites and, 32 days after pupation, a female imago of Physocephala sp. emerged from one bee. The puparium and the fly measured approximately 10 mm in length. In a single day of collection, up to 45% of the bumble bees collected were parasitized by conopid flies.

Anopheles goeldii Rozeboom & Gabaldón (Diptera, Culicidae): a species of the Nuneztovari Complex of Anopheles Meigen

Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) goeldiiRozeboom & Gabaldón, 1941, a species of the Nuneztovari Complex, was described based on morphological characteristics of the male, female, larva, pupa, and eggs. The type locality is Boa Vista (= Fordlândia), a district in the vicinity of Rio Tapajós, in the municipality of Aveiro, in the state of Pará, Brazil. Anopheles goeldii is redescribed based on morphological traits of the fourth instar larva, pupa, egg, and male and female. DNA sequences from the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI barcode region) of the mitochondrial genome were utilized for species characterization. Specimens of An. goeldii from the Pará, Amapá, and Amazonas states were employed to redescribe the species and to compare with morphologically similar taxa.

Biological aspects of immature stage of Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes and Coutinho) (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in laboratory conditions

Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes and Coutinho, 1939) has been considered as a complex of cryptic species, and some of the populations of this complex plays an important role in the transmission of Leishmania spp. in Brazil. The present study reports the biological aspects concerning the productivity out of eggs and the development time of the descendants of females obtained in Dourados municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul state. The females were captured with modified electric aspirators, fed in hamsters and further individualized in containers for breeding. At the insectary, temperature and relative humidity were maintained on average of 24.5 °C and 67.3%, respectively. From 944 females 3737 eggs were obtained, 748 (20.0%) evolved to the stage of larvae, and 93 (12.4%) of these reached adult stage. The life cycle lasted 80.6 days and the last larval instar was the longest. The use of a higher protein diet revealed a significant improvement in larval development.

Description of a new species of Psathyromyia Barreto (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from Amazonas state, Brazil

ABSTRACTA new species of phlebotomine sand fly is described and illustrated based on the male and female morphological characters of specimens collected from Tefé and Coari municipalities, Amazonas state. The phlebotomine sand flies were collected with CDC light traps used as aspirators at the base of tree trunks. Both male and female specimens collected in Tefé municipality were first identified as Psathyromyia souzacastroi. After the analysis of the holotype of Pa. souzacastroi deposited in Smithsonian Institute/Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, it was observed that the morphotypes collected in Tefé municipality belong to a distinct species, which characterization is here presented.

Insect galls of a protected remnant of the Atlantic Forest tableland from Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil)

ABSTRACT Insect galls of a protected remnant of the Atlantic Forest tableland from Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil): Galling insects in Rio de Janeiro state are known by their great diversity, despite most of the surveys have been done in restinga. This paper investigated the insect galls from a remnant of Atlantic Forest located in São Francisco de Itabapoana municipality, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The galling insect fauna was surveyed from March, 2013 to April, 2014 at the Estação Ecológica Estadual de Guaxindiba. 143 gall morphotypes were found in 31 plant families, 60 genera and 82 species. Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Sapindaceae were the main host families, being Trichilia, Tontelea and Eugenia the main host genera. Most galls occured on leaves, with globose shape, green and glabrous. Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera were the inducing orders and the associated fauna comprised parasitoids (Hymenoptera), inquilines (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera: Coccoidea), successors (Psocoptera, Collembola and Acari), and predators (Pseudoscorpiones). Three plant genera and nine plant species are recorded for the first time as host of galls in Brazil. All the records are new to the municipality, and the distribution of 15 galling species is extended to the North of the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Sant Julià de Ramis y Puig Rom: dos ejemplos de yacimientos con armamento y equipamiento militar visigodo en el noreste peninsular

We present in this work a couple of weapons and objects related to the military equipment of early VIII century from two sites on Girona's province: the castellum of Sant Julià de Ramis (in the municipality of the same name), and the fort of Puig Rom (in Roses). The comparation of these materials has permitted to recompose a quite complete panoply with various types of knives and daggers, shield-handles, axes, spearheads and javelinheads, tips (regatones), arrowheads, belt-buckles and some buckles and horse harness elements

Análisis de viabilidad técnica-económica del parque eólico Altos de Peralta

RESUMEN La energia eolica se considera una forma indirecta de energia solar. Entre el 1 y 2% de la energia proveniente del sol se convierte en viento, debido al movimiento del aire ocasionado por el desigual calentamiento de la superficie terrestre. La energia cinetica del viento puede transformarse en energia util, tanto mecanica como electrica. La energia eolica, transformada en energia mecanica ha sido historicamente aprovechada, pero su uso para la generacion de energia electrica es mas reciente, en respuesta a la crisis del petroleo y a los impactos ambientales derivados del uso de combustibles. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es hacer un analisis de viabilidad desde un punto de vista tecnico y economico de un parque eolico situado en el municipio de Barasoain (Navarra). Desde el punto de vista tecnico se han estudiado los aspectos constructivos del parque considerando sus diferentes infraestructuras de obra civil y electrica asi como los niveles de recurso eolico. En el ambito economico y financiero se han analizado los aspectos y ratios mas relevantes que definen un proyecto de estas caracteristicas asi como el modelo de financiacion elegida basada en el Project- Finance. Entre las conclusiones mas destacadas de este proyecto cabe destacar la contribucion de la construccion del parque al desarrollo social y economico de la zona donde queda ubicado contribuyendo a la creacion de puestos de trabajo, tanto en la fase de construccion como de explotacion y una perfecta armonia con condicionantes medioambientales de la zona. El analisis tecnico realizado nos indica la viabilidad tecnica del parque tanto desde el punto de vista de recurso eolico como la idoneidad para poder evacuar la energia producida. Por otro lado, los resultados obtenidos cumplen perfectamente con los estandares requeridos por los financiadores de los parques y resultando ser muy atractivos para sus accionistas

A territorial model of commuting in Catalonia, 1986-1996

Commuting consists in the fact that an important fraction of workers in developed countries do not reside close to their workplaces but at long distances from them, so they have to travel to their jobs and then back home daily. Although most workers hold a job in the same municipality where they live or in a neighbouring one, an important fraction of workers face long daily trips to get to their workplace and then back home.Even if we divide Catalonia (Spain) in small aggregations of municipalities, trying to make them as close to local labour markets as possible, we will find out that some of them have a positive commuting balance, attracting many workers from other areas and providing local jobs for almost all their resident workers. On the other side, other zones seem to be mostly residential, so an important fraction of their resident workers hold jobs in different local labour markets. Which variables influence an area¿s role as an attraction pole or a residential zone? In previous papers (Artís et al, 1998a, 2000; Romaní, 1999) we have brought out the main individual variables that influence commuting by analysing a sample of Catalan workers and their commuting decisions. In this paper we perform an analysis of the territorial variables that influence commuting, using data for aggregate commuting flows in Catalonia from the 1991 and 1996 Spanish Population Censuses.These variables influence commuting in two different ways: a zone with a dense, welldeveloped economical structure will have a high density of jobs. Work demand cannot be fulfilled with resident workers, so it spills over local boundaries. On the other side, this economical activity has a series of side-effects like pollution, congestion or high land prices which make these areas less desirable to live in. Workers who can afford it may prefer to live in less populated, less congested zones, where they can find cheaper land, larger homes and a better quality of life. The penalty of this decision is an increased commuting time. Our aim in this paper is to highlight the influence of local economical structure and amenities endowment in the workplace-residence location decision. A place-to-place logit commuting models is estimated for 1991 and 1996 in order to find the economical and amenities variables with higher influence in commuting decisions. From these models, we can outline a first approximation to the evolution of these variables in the 1986-1996 period. Data have been obtained from aggregate flow travel-matrix from the 1986, 1991 and 1996 Spanish Population Censuses