Journal of Economic Entomology

Istocheta aldrichi (Diptera: Tachinidae) is a specialist parasitoid of the invasive Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Research and releases for biological control depend on field collecting parasitized hosts and rearing the parasitoid through diapause to obtain I. aldrichi adults. This study investigated how rearing practices before, during and after the seasonal overwintering period affected the proportion of I. aldrichi pupae that emerged as adults, the timing of parasitoid emergence, and their longevity. Increasing cold exposure duration during overwintering increased adult I. aldrichi emergence from puparia and reduced development time after transfer to warm conditions. Adult I. aldrichi emergence from overwintered puparia depended on interactions between overwintering environment (indoors vs. outdoors), spring thermal regime, and the timing of host collection in the previous season. Burying puparia in the soil in late summer/early fall resulted in higher subsequent adult I. aldrichi emergence. Manipulating spring temperatures in controlled environments allowed parasitoid emergence to be staggered over several weeks without reducing emergence success. Emergence under outdoor spring conditions was unreliable. Adult longevity was affected by temperature and diet: cooler conditions extended lifespan, honey-water increased longevity relative to pollen alone or honey-water and pollen together. These results provide a foundation to further improve I. aldrichi rearing techniques for use in experimental research and applied biological control of P. japonica.

The tropical house cricket Gryllodes sigillatus is a major species used in the edible insect farming industry. Despite the rapid expansion of this sector, diagnostic tools for detecting infections in these species remain limited. The lack of validated reference genes compromises the reliability of RT-qPCR-based gene expression analyses, which are essential for the development of molecular tools for disease diagnosis and health monitoring in insect production systems. To address this gap, we evaluated the expression stability of six candidate reference genes (ACTB, EF1, GAPDH, HisH3, RPL5, and 18SrRNA) across four body parts (abdomen, head, legs, and whole body) using a combination of complementary statistical approaches, including geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, the {Delta}Ct method, the R statistical environment, and the integrated RefFinder tool. Candidate genes were identified and annotated using the recently published G. sigillatus genome, through sequence comparisons with closely related insect species using BLAST and reciprocal BLAST analyses, multiple sequence alignments. All procedures complied with MIQE 2.0 guidelines to ensure methodological rigor and transparency. The results showed that ACTB, EF1, RPL5, and 18SrRNA exhibited stable and consistent expression across all analyzed tissues, whereas GAPDH and HisH3 displayed high variability and were generally unsuitable for normalization, except in head tissue where GAPDH remained stable. This study provides the first validated set of reference genes for G. sigillatus, establishing a robust foundation for accurate, reproducible, and comparable gene expression analyses. Furthermore, these findings support the development of RT-qPCR-based diagnostic tools, contributing to improved health monitoring and biosafety in insect production systems.

Insect camera traps are a rapidly developing technology, enabling automated monitoring of insects. However, little has been reported on improving the attractants used for daytime flying insects on such cameras. This study compares the attractiveness of novel, 3D printed, artificial flowers with traditional methods of attracting insects (e.g. pan traps and solid coloured paper squares). We hypothesised that artificial flowers would attract a higher abundance and diversity of insects compared to traditional attractants by more accurately mimicking flowers. Additionally, we examined colour preference and average landing duration on the attractants. Artificial flowers, dry pan traps and paper squares, painted in yellow, white, or blue ultraviolet fluorescent paint, were filmed simultaneously to observe wild insect behavioural responses (landings and approaches). The results indicate overall preference for artificial flowers over the two traditional attractants when considering all insect groups together, and overall colour preferences for blue and yellow. When analysing insect groups separately, hoverflies preferred landing on artificial flowers over the other attractants. Bumblebees preferred approaching artificial flowers, and small insects preferred landing and approaching artificial flowers over the other attractants. Other flies preferred landing on pan traps and paper over artificial flowers. Hoverflies, small insects, wasps, and solitary bees responded more to yellow than the other colours, while bumblebees responded more to blue. Comparisons of landing durations revealed that hoverflies spent longer on the artificial flowers than paper. Other flies spent longer on the pan traps and paper. These results show that artificial flowers could offer an efficient attractant for insect camera traps as they attracted a higher abundance of key pollinating insects (hoverflies and bumblebees), and do not have worse attraction rates for the other insect groups (excluding other flies).

BACKGROUNDThe two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a major agricultural pest with a rapid propensity for developing acaricide resistance. Bifenazate targets mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYTB). While the G126S mutation is frequently associated with resistance, its independent role remains unclear as it often occurs with other substitutions. This study explores the molecular basis of bifenazate resistance in a Russian laboratory strain derived from a St. Petersburg greenhouse population. RESULTSDisruptive selection with increasing bifenazate concentrations generated resistant and susceptible isofemale lines. AlphaFold2 structural modeling of CYTB indicated that G126S causes a steric clash, leading to conformational destabilization, whereas other reported mutations primarily affect the ligand-binding pocket. Oxford Nanopore sequencing revealed a very low initial frequency of the G126S allele (<1%; 226/35,895 reads) in the unselected population. After one year of stepwise selection (0.00005-0.031% a.i.), the mutant allele frequency surged to 90% (7,272/8,056 reads). No other known resistance-associated mutations were found in the analyzed cytb fragment. CONCLUSIONWe report the first identification of the G126S mutation in a Russian T. urticae population and demonstrate its rapid fixation under bifenazate selection. Within this genetic background, G126S alone appears sufficient to confer high-level resistance, emphasizing the population-specific nature of resistance evolution and the critical need for local monitoring.

Local temperatures can shape the ability of introduced species to flourish and disrupt novel environments. The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an invasive beetle that threatens ash trees in North America and Europe. To assess the role of temperature on EAB reproduction, we reared groups of adult beetles at one of four temperatures (12, 15, 18, and 21 {degrees}C) and measured reproductive success (laying fertilized eggs and egg hatching). There was no effect of rearing temperature on EAB female lifespans but no eggs laid at 15 or 18 {degrees}C hatched, suggesting these temperatures disrupt the reproductive process of EAB. Females reared at 21 {degrees}C, however, consistently laid eggs that hatched. We then used these results to assess the likelihood of reproductive success over the previous ten years in eight cities in Canada that host EAB. All locations experienced temperatures of [&ge;] 21 {degrees}C, but the number of hours and the number of days above this critical temperature were highly variable. There were ample opportunities in all locations for EAB to reproduce, but EAB in cooler cities would experience thermal limitations thus slowing the spread of EAB populations.

Istocheta aldrichi (Diptera: Tachinidae), a specialist parasitoid of the invasive Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), was released to eastern North America in the 1920s as part of a classical biological control program. Further releases are being considered in different regions of North America and Europe where P. japonica is establishing. Successful releases of the biocontrol agent depend on identifying efficient techniques for collecting parasitized hosts from the field and rearing the parasitoid through diapause to obtain I. aldrichi adults. In this study, we evaluated how the collection date, the collection method (hand-picking vs. regular traps vs. modified traps) and rearing conditions (food provision and substrate type) of parasitized hosts influence I. aldrichi pupariation and emergence. The proportion of parasitized beetles yielding I. aldrichi puparia decreased considerably as the season progressed. Rearing conditions immediately after collection influenced both puparium yield and quality: withholding food from parasitized P. japonica slightly increased puparium yield but reduced puparium weight, while the effect of food provision on subsequent overwintering survival depended on rearing substrate. Finally, simple modifications to commercial traps (larger, ventilated, containers with added food source and substrate) collected more beetles than regular traps and promoted successful development of the parasitoid to the puparium stage. Our results are used to suggest basic guidelines for collecting and rearing I. aldrichi in experimental research and applied biological control of P. japonica.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have quickly become one of the most farmed animals in the world. However, little is known about how to monitor stress and welfare in these animals. The difficulty of welfare assessment is compounded by the fact that BSFL live in their feed and prefer darkness. This behaviour makes it challenging to observe potential welfare indicators without inducing stress via disturbing the larvae or moving them into the light. However, acoustic devices may be able to pick up signatures of stress in the population even while they are out of sight, allowing for remote monitoring of animals in natural conditions (in the feed and/or in the dark). Acoustic monitoring of this type has been deployed for the detection of insects in stored grains, suggesting this method holds some promise for assessing insect behavioural signatures. In this study, we aimed to identify general, acoustic signatures of stress in BSFL by recording them during exposure to two stressors (light or shaking) or in a low-stress control condition. Our data suggest there are consistent differences in the acoustic recordings of the non-stressed and stressed conditions that may indicate the animals behaviours shift consistently in response to stress. Ultimately, the data suggest acoustic monitoring may hold promise for larval behaviour and/or welfare assessment and should be further explored in response to a variety of stressors across the larval life stage.

Honeybee breeding plans are relatively recent in most countries. In France, diverse small-scale breeding groups are emerging. Beekeepers are highly diverse in their motivations, farm productions and services, practices and management techniques. Yet, little is known about what beekeepers would consider as relevant breeding goals in the design of breeding plans. We therefore conducted an online survey answered by about 250 French beekeepers, mostly professionals, to assess their perceived importance of including 20 pre-defined traits in breeding goals and to identify how beekeeping profiles might influence these priorities. Respondents rated each trait as essential, useful, or useless, and indicated if they wished useful or essential traits to be genetically improved or merely maintained at their current level. Results indicated a strong preference for multi-trait selection, with a median of 13 traits considered useful or essential. Honey yield, disease resistance, swarming tendency, gentleness, and summer feed autonomy, emerged as the main traits of interest with about 90% of beekeepers finding them at least useful. About 40% or more only wished to maintain these traits at their current level rather than to directionally improve them. A major exception to this was disease resistance, that 75% wanted to improve. Bees genetic background influenced the most the importance attributed to breeding goal traits, while other beekeeping profile characteristics only had a marginal effect on breeding goal trait priorities. Some poorly studied traits, such as summer and winter feed autonomy, winter diapause, and longevity, were considered at least useful in a breeding goal by over 70% of beekeepers. Future research is needed to explore possible selection criteria for these traits and estimate the potential for their genetic improvement. ImplicationsOur survey shows that French beekeepers wish to improve or maintain through selective breeding usual colony production and behavioral traits, but also colony resilience, especially disease resistance and feed autonomy. However, trait priorities differ depending on the genetic background of the bees used. This knowledge is essential for designing breeding programs that truly match beekeeper needs and for identifying which traits deserve research attention. In France, beekeepers are increasingly starting breeding efforts to adapt their bees to current conditions, facing growing pressures from climate change, diseases, invasive species, and pesticides. Well-designed breeding programs can support sustainable beekeeping and essential pollination services.

Banana leaf diseases are a significant threat to Cavendish banana production. In the Philippines, the main disease has been diagnosed as Black sigatoka disease caused by Pseudocercospora fijiensis based on symptoms. However, our study showed that the main pathogen in Mindanao island, the largest banana-producing region in the Philippines, belongs to the genus Nigrospora, contradicting previous assumptions. We clarified the phylogenetic positions of 160 Nigrospora isolates based on molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS, {beta}-tubulin, and tef1 sequences, and compared their morphology with known species. Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analysis revealed that Nigrospora isolates comprised N. chinensis, N. lacticolonia, N. cf. singularis, N. sphaerica, N. vesicularifera, and a novel species, N. nigrocolonia. Pathogenicity tests on banana leaves confirmed that these species are pathogenic. Species other than N. sphaerica were for the first time reported as pathogens of banana leaf. The results of the fungicide sensitivity test using 14 fungicides, including pyrimethanil, spiroxamine, and tebuconazole, for the Sigatoka disease showed 100% inhibition of all isolates at 100 ppm of active ingredients. However, low-sensitivity isolates were observed for the remaining 11 fungicides. Our findings indicated the need for a comprehensive review of banana leaf disease prevention strategies.

The pathways of non-target exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are poorly understood, and have yet to be examined in Ontario, Canada. The spillover of ARs into non-target rodents and high-risk landscapes has been investigated numerous times, but usually in agricultural regions as opposed to urban ones. We used snap traps to capture white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) in urban wildland areas of Toronto and Vaughan, Ontario near ongoing rodenticide baiting programs. Our goal was to determine if second-generation anticoagulant (SGAR) baiting practices used by pest management professionals targeting commensal rodents may be causing rodenticide spillover into non-target rodents in urban wildland areas, which could act as a vector of ARs to predators. Only 11 out of 111 mature white-footed mice trapped near ongoing urban rodenticide operations tested positive for an anticoagulant, at five out of seven study sites. Concentrations were between 0.008-0.03 ppm, which may be sublethal for raptors. We did not detect brodifacoum, despite its detection in a recent study on Ontario raptors. Exposed individuals were caught at 0m, 5m, 20m, 40m, 70m and 100m from active rodenticide stations. They did not differ from unexposed individuals in terms of sex, age, body condition, distance to the AR source, capture date or capture site. This indicates that the pest management industrys use of rodenticides in urban and suburban settings is causing some degree of non-target spillover in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, and that SGAR usage should be avoided near naturalized landscapes.

Life-history traits play an important role in insect population dynamics and ecological processes. The azuki bean beetle Callosobruchus chinensis is a common pest of stored legumes and is also widely used as a model species in ecological and evolutionary research. In this study, we tested whether machine learning models could be used to estimate several traits of C. chinensis, including elytral length, development time and adult lifespan. Experimental data were obtained from laboratory populations. The dataset included biological and environmental variables such as strain, treatment condition, developmental day, sex, temperature, and CO2. Six different machine learning models were tested, including linear regression, random forest, support vector machine (SVM), neural network, gradient boosting and AdaBoost. Model performance was evaluated using cross-validation. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used to measure prediction accuracy. Prediction accuracy differed among traits. Elytral length showed relatively higher predictability than the other traits, while development time was difficult to estimate in most models. Lifespan was easier to predict than the other traits, and the neural network produced one of the highest prediction accuracies among the tested models. Feature importance analysis also showed that factors such as sex and treatment condition contributed to variation in several traits. Machine learning models therefore helped reveal relationships among biological variables and life-history traits in C. chinensis. Combining ecological experiments with machine learning analysis may help improve our understanding of insect traits and may support future studies in insect ecology and pest management.

O_LIAlthough ecological research has long focused on the effects of temperature on population growth, arthropod pests are exposed to a wide variety of environmental factors that affect their performance, such as chemical pesticides targeted against them. Moreover, these environmental factors likely do not act in isolation. Identifying the extent to which abiotic factors interact to affect pest population dynamics can strengthen current and future pest management programs. C_LIO_LIHere, we investigated the extent to which temephos, a common pesticide applied to aquatic environments for mosquito control, influences the thermal performance of juvenile survival and development rate, as well as the intrinsic population growth rate, of the invasive mosquito pest, Aedes aegypti. We implemented a response surface experimental design to measure these traits across seven temperatures and five temephos concentrations and fit temperature- and insecticide-dependent performance curves to assess impacts on the overall performance and the thermal optimum, minimum, and maximum. C_LIO_LITemephos exposure profoundly altered the thermal performance of juvenile survival by reducing survival across all temperatures, shrinking the thermal breadth, and shifting the thermal optimum to warmer temperatures. Through this, temephos also altered the thermal performance of population growth primarily by reducing its thermal breadth. C_LIO_LISynthesis and applications: Our findings demonstrate that interactions between temperature and insecticide exposure can fundamentally reshape pest population dynamics, rather than acting as independent stressors. By quantifying this interaction, we showed that temphos is most effective below the pests thermal optimum, suggesting that larvicides may yield the greatest population suppression in cooler regions or during cooler periods of the year. Incorporating such temperature-dependent efficacy into pest management strategies could improve the timing and spatial targeting of control efforts. More broadly, these results highlight the need to integrate anthropogenic stressors with climatic drivers when predicting pest risk and optimizing management under ongoing environmental change. C_LI

Ultra-low volume (ULV) insecticide spraying with deltamethrin as the active ingredient is widely used in mosquito control programs, yet its effectiveness against target mosquitoes and its ecological side effects remain poorly quantified under field conditions in Central Europe. Here, we experimentally evaluated the short-term impact of ground ULV spraying on both mosquito populations and non-target flying insects in Hungary using a paired before-after-control-impact (BACI) design. Mosquitoes were sampled with BG Sentinel traps, while non-target insects were collected using malaise traps. ULV treatment resulted in a significant reduction in mosquito abundance at treated sites, with an average decline of approximately 45%. Native and invasive mosquito species, including Aedes albopictus and Aedes koreicus, showed similar proportional decreases. However, treatment effectiveness varied substantially among sites and was influenced by initial mosquito abundance and wind conditions. In parallel, malaise trap samples revealed a marked decline in non-target flying insects, with reductions exceeding 40% across multiple taxonomic groups, particularly among small- and medium-sized insects, and also when considering pollinator taxa together. Our results indicate that while ULV spraying can temporarily reduce mosquito abundance, it also imposes considerable short-term impacts on non-target insect communities, highlighting trade-offs between vector control and insect conservation within mosquito management programs.

Intensive agricultural practices directly affect farmland bird and non-target insect populations by modifying their habitats, but may also act indirectly by altering their interactions. Notably, the breeding success of insectivorous birds has been shown to suffer from reduced prey availability. Yet little is known about how agriculture influences host-parasite relationships in wild birds. How agricultural intensity affects parasites, and whether this alleviates or exacerbates the trophic stress imposed on birds therefore remains to be determined. We estimated the number of obligate hematophagous Protocalliphora blowfly larva (Diptera: Calliphoridae) that parasitized nestlings in 2,560 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) broods along a 10,200-km{superscript 2} gradient of agricultural intensity between 2004 and 2019 in Quebec, Canada. We first modeled two key variables along the causal paths expected to affect Protocalliphora prevalence and load (abundance) within infested broods: nestling hatching date and nestling host availability. Hatching phenology varied by several days with early-spring meteorological conditions and parental age, as for nestling availability (nestling-days), which also decreased along the agriculture intensity gradient as pastures and hay fields were replaced by large-scale, cereal row crops. Nestling availability peaked under low precipitation rates when temperatures reached 18 to 25 {degrees}C. Prevalence and load of blowfly larvae directly increased with nestling availability as well as with the temperature and precipitation that occurred during the larval development and pupation stages. Controlling for nestling availability, Protocalliphora prevalence and load peaked in forested landscapes interspersed by pastures and hay fields and reached their lowest in landscapes dominated by corn and soybean monocultures with minimal tree cover. Agricultural intensity thus reduced infestation likelihood and severity both directly and indirectly, by limiting nestling host availability. This finding is notable given the documented negative effects of agricultural intensity on fledgling number and body condition in farmland birds, even after controlling for insect prey reduction. If agricultural intensity indeed reduces the parasitic pressure exerted by bird blowflies and its consequences for fledgling condition and recruitment, this suggests that other agricultural impacts (e.g., toxicological effects from pesticides) may play a larger role than previously recognized in the severe declines of farmland bird populations observed across the Holarctic. Open research statementThe data supporting this study are not yet publicly available, as they require final harmonization, documentation and anonymization prior to archiving. Upon acceptance of the manuscript, all underlying data and associated code will be permanently deposited in the Zenodo repository and made fully accessible with a DOI.

Bird blowflies, Protocalliphora spp. (Diptera: Calliphoridae), are prevalent ectoparasites of altricial bird nestlings across the Holarctic region. Yet, their spatial and temporal dynamics of infestations, species composition, and interactions with parasitoids remain poorly understood. We present a 16-year (2004-2019) multisite study of bird blowfly infestations based on 2673 tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot) (Passeriformes: Hirundinidae), nests collected across a 10 200-km{superscript 2} gradient of agricultural intensity in Quebec, Canada. Nest infestation prevalence and parasitic load varied markedly across space and time but showed synchronous recurrence at approximately 75% of sites, suggesting the influence of regional and local processes. Yearly rates of parasitoidism of bird blowfly puparia by Nasonia spp. wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were high but variable (48-90%), likely contributing to the temporal fluctuations in bird blowfly prevalence and load. Substantial interannual shifts in the relative abundance of Protocalliphora species (P. bennetti, P. metallica, and P. sialia) emphasised the importance of species-level identification in bird blowfly ecological studies. Large overlap in puparia size among species challenged the utility of traditional diagnostic traits for species identification. Finally, dormancy or mortality of Nasonia spp. occurred in 3-16% of Protocalliphora spp. puparia, depending on year. These findings highlight the importance of long-term, multitrophic, and spatially explicit monitoring to unravel the drivers of host-parasite-parasitoid dynamics.

We present here a normal table for post-embryonic development in the California newt (Taricha torosa), part of a genus of newts frequently studied for their toxicity and role within a predator-prey relationship. We generated the table by observing larvae collected as eggs in the wild and hatched and reared in the lab through metamorphosis. Building upon an established table consisting of 40 embryonic stages of development, our table consists of 13 stages based on discrete anatomical changes, primarily in limb development, and concludes at Stages 12-13 when the larvae undergo metamorphosis. We also describe more gradual phenotypic changes and their correlation to discrete stages in the developmental timeline. Finally, we illustrate the variability of the timing for reaching these stages in a controlled lab environment, demonstrating that time from hatching is not a reliable metric for standardizing results for diverse studies involving developing larvae. This staging table and accompanying observations will facilitate cross-study integration of research with larval T. torosa.

This protocol generates gregarious and solitarious density-dependent phenotypes in multiple Schistocerca species under controlled environmental conditions. It describes cage setup, feeding, animal handling, and sterile dissection workflows to isolate nervous, chemosensory, gut, fat body, and female reproductive tissues from nymphs and adults. It emphasizes rapid tissue stabilization and RNase-control practices for downstream single-tissue DNA and RNA analyses. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=136 SRC="FIGDIR/small/705994v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (43K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@119ec2forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@e115b7org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@158ad1dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@cd54d7_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

Cochliomyia hominivorax, New world Screwworm (NWS), has become a reemerging veterinary concern in the United States due to the recent northward expansion of fly detections as far as northern Mexico. Rapid, accurate and validated detection pipelines need to be developed in the case of an incursion into the United States. Confirmatory cases are evaluated by morphological identification with no paired test to verify identifications. With the frequency of submissions of non-ideal samples, particularly from fly traps, a molecular tool would be necessary for species identification. In this manuscript, we develop and assess a pipeline including three real-time PCR assays targeting the ribosomal RNA and five sets of Sanger primers targeting the mitochondrial genome that would be used as a paired tool with morphological identification. Two of the assessed real-time PCR assays are highly specific, sensitive and repeatable requiring <1 copy per reaction for detection. Four of the five Sanger primer sets were assessed, optimized and results evaluated for potential use in preliminary geographic analysis of specimens. This workflow will expedite screening of samples, provide a method to verify results using different tools and help understand genetic variations within the mitochondria for NWS outbreaks.

The rapid expansion of oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia has caused extensive deforestation and landscape fragmentation. Riparian buffers (vegetated strips along the edges of rivers) have been shown to enhance biodiversity, water quality, and erosion control. However, plantation managers have raised concerns that these buffers may harbour pests such as nettle caterpillars, bagworms, and rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros). These pests damage the palms and facilitate the spread Ganoderma boninense (a fungal pathogen). Using causal inference modelling we examined how riparian buffer characteristics (width and habitat quality), oil palm age, and surrounding landscape features influence pest and disease incidence in oil palms adjacent to riparian areas in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We surveyed 47,500 palms for pest and disease damage and used mark-release-recapture techniques to track O. rhinoceros movements in oil palms adjacent to riparian buffers. Most O. rhinoceros activity (66.30%) occurred within the plantations, and only 6.10% occurred within riparian buffers, with limited movement between habitats. Oil palm age was a dominant driver of pest attacks: young palms were more susceptible to lepidopteran caterpillars and O. rhinoceros, whereas G. boninense was more prevalent in mature palms. Neither the surrounding forest cover nor the quality of the riparian buffer affected the incidence of pest attacks. Riparian buffer width increased O. rhinoceros attacks, reduced G. boninense infection, and had no effect on lepidopteran caterpillars, highlighting that surrounding forest cover and riparian buffers do not drive pest attacks in oil palm plantations. Instead, management of oil palms within the buffers s is likely to be more important in managing pests; increases in invasive oil palms within the buffers increased the incidence of caterpillar damage, and higher numbers of remnant old oil palms increased O. rhinoceros attacks in adjacent oil palms. Overall, riparian buffers were found to contribute little to pest spillover, suggesting that their biodiversity and connectivity benefits outweigh minor pest risks, especially if invasive young and remnant old oil palms within the buffers are effectively managed and native vegetation restored.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare a novel surveillance methodology to detect Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus against oral fluid methodology in swine herds. Materials and methodsTwo pilot studies were conducted using two separate, high-risk commercial nurseries in central Nebraska, comparing two different surveillance sampling approaches (DARO Systems vs. oral fluid (OF)) in the detection of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV). Each nursery contained eight rooms with an average site inventory of 12,500 pigs. Weekly testing conducted in three of the eight rooms using DARO Systems and OF methodology to identify PRRSV until there was a positive sample, then daily testing of all rooms was conducted. Reverse Transcription-Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction was used for identification of positive PRRSV. ResultsSurveillance testing using novel methodology DARO Systems identified PRRSV in nurseries on average 3.91 days earlier than OF. ImplicationsDARO Systems allows for a more robust whole-herd sampling technique to rapidly and accurately detect PRRSV 3.91 days earlier than gold standard approaches. Additionally, DARO Systems allows for an unbiased, whole-herd sampling approach. This method enables producers to implement earlier disease mitigation strategies.