Effect of Food Availability on the Rate of Zophobas morio (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (F.) Pupation

Zophobas morio (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (F.) larvae are insects that can be found at most pet stores. The larvae are common sources of food for insectivorous pets, but there is a new interest in the potential for these as sources food for humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether the absence of food would affect the time it takes for the larvae to pupate. Larvae were divided into two groups: one with food and one without food. The days it took the larvae to reach the pupal stage were monitored and noted. By the end of the thirty days that were dedicated to this study, only six of the fourteen larvae had pupated. Larvae that either did not pupate or died during the length of the experiment were recorded with a value of zero. Raw data indicated that the group without food pupated nearly twice as fast as the group that did have food. However, the results of a one-tail independent t-test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The t stat value for this test, 0.46, was not greater than the t critical one-tail value, 1.81, indicating that the larvae did not pupate faster in either group and the null hypothesis could not be rejected. The results of this test could have been a due to the small sample size in this experiment as four larvae from one group and two larvae from another group are not a large enough sample to gather accurate data

Evaluation of growth performance of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae in the presence of supplemental organic material

Yellow mealworms, or the larval form of Tenebrio molitor, is a promising new source of alternative animal proteins for the food industry. These larvae can be raised on agricultural by-products and supplemental organic material such as fruits and vegetables. The objective of this experiment is to evaluate the growth rate of yellow mealworms when provided with an ad libitum supplemental diet of different fruits and vegetables in conjunction with a substrate of 50% brewer’s yeast in wheat bran. While no statistically significant correlation between weight gain, larval survival rate, and organic supplemental material was found, it was determined that a higher nutritional composition of organic supplements in regard to carbohydrates resulted in a higher weight gain, and the moisture levels of the organic materials provided contributed to larval deaths during the experiment

Examining Tegmina Polymorphism in Leaf-Masquerading Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Insects employ a wide array of defensive mechanisms to avoid predation in the wild, evolving highly complex strategies for mimicking a wide range of organisms from other predators to surrounding foliage in the environment, all in an attempt to handicap predators’ ability to maintain a clear record of prey images to hunt. Cryptic insect species often evolve further mimicry strategies such as polymorphs and masquerade in order to provide a far more diverse range of forms, with even further variation of form seen through sexual dimorphism. Frequent and complex instances of polymorphism and cryptic masquerade can be found within the Orthopteran subfamily pterochrozinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), often posing taxonomic dilemmas as the hugely diverse and convincing forms are unable to be distinguished from eachother. This subfamily contains the genus Mimetica whose precision and accuracy in mimicking leaf appearance, as well as the wide diversity in shape and high color variation, make it an ideal system for observing of polymorphic variation of leaf forms. This experiment attempted to clarify the species relationships within Mimetica, in addition to developing a deeper understanding of the function and importance of polymorphs in insect populations and ecological phenomena in order to ascertain if the katydid species incisa, crenulata, viridifolia, mortuifolia, tuberata, and simoni within Mimetica display a distinct number of cryptically polymorphic forms versus continuous variation by utilizing digital landmark based geometric morphometric software to analyze the tegmina. Tps analyses provided strong support for the existence of sexually dimorphic forms for all species, and a lack of distinction in form within all incisa specimens, suggesting a more effective polymorph. In contrast, simoni and viridifolia specimens displayed the clearest distinction in form, supporting the possibility of the existence of discrete polymorphs in this genus but requiring further refined morphometric analyses

Common Household Reagents that React with Luminol in a Similar Manner as Hemoglobin that Decrease the Reliability of Luminol

Abstract: This study was conducted to identify common household reagents, such as bleach or rust, that would react with Luminol in a similar manner as hemoglobin, and thus decrease the reliability of Luminol when used at crime scenes. This experiment was conducted in a household, using 10 samples of the household reagents bleach, rust from pennies, laundry detergent, hoisin sauce, lemon juice, and urine. A small sample of blood in addition to each of the 10 samples of the reagents were placed onto a bed sheet, and liquid Luminol was sprayed over them. The luminescence, or lack thereof, of the Luminol in conjunction with each of the household reagents was then ranked on a scale of 1-4 in terms of how similarly it appeared to that of the hemoglobin. The major findings from this study, were that the bleach reacted with Luminol 95% of the time. Rust on pennies reacted with Luminol 70% of the time, whereas hoisin sauce reacted with Luminol only 17.5% of the time. Urine reacted with Luminol minimally and 7.5% of the time, and lemon juice and laundry detergent reacted with Luminol 0% of the time. Bleach and rust (Copper Oxide) were determined to have a high chance of decreasing the reliability of Luminol. Hoisin sauce, urine, lemon juice, and laundry detergents are common household reagents that do not have much bearing on the reliability of Luminol when it is used at crime scenes

A Study on The Effects of Different Chemical based and Natural Pesticides on Gryllodes sigillatus

Crickets, although not known to be direct vectors for transmitting diseases, they are considered to be a nuisance species and can affect an individual's health indirectly.The cricket Gryllodes sigillatus, also commonly known as the tropical house cricket or as the decorated cricket, is in the order of Orthoptera and family Gryllidae. Much like the cockroach and the common house fly, Gryllodes sigillatus can be found in homes and as a result, can cause problems such as fabric damage, fabric staining, food contamination, and create incessant chirping. Gryllodes sigillatus was chosen as our experimental subject species because of its common distribution around the Southern part of the US border. Our experimental study provides information on the efficiency and effects of different chemically and natural based pesticides can have on the species Gryllodes sigillatus. Specimens were observed over a set time interval in three separate trials, followed by a discussion of the benefits of using natural pesticides instead of chemically based pesticides was made based on our data

Larval Competition Between Aedes and Culex sp. (Diptera: Culicidae) found in Texas on Artificial Diets

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are notorious vectors of diseases that pose serious threats to human health, making them highly relevant topics of study within many research laboratories. Studies to further understand mosquito biology and ecology are vital to develop more cohesive epidemiological models and effective methods of vector control, making the need for a fuller understanding of interspecies larval competition and its effect on mosquito fitness particularly important. In this experiment, the ability of resource procurement of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae was tested against interspecies competition in a laboratory setting in an attempt to determine which species would show an increased fecundity specifically in a lab setting. Eggs of each species were reared till adulthood and their numbers of emergence were recorded in order to observe the effects of interspecies competition in the larval stage on fitness. Results collected concerning larval mortality showed no obvious advantage for either species, showing similar rates of survival despite competition for food resources. These results suggest that the two species are relatively equally matched at the larval stage, but further refined experiments and analysis are required to ascertain the full effects of competition between these species

Comparative Repellency of Common Essentials Oils and Commercially Available Repellents Against the German Cockroach (Blattella germanica)

Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), the German cockroach, has been known to be attracted to various bacteria-laden surfaces such as feces and garbage, as well as food. The tendency for these cockroaches to transfer bacteria onto the food humans eat present a method of entry for bacteria into the human system, and therefore contribute to overall mechanical disease transmission. B. germanica does not only contribute to disease transmission, but also to a large amount of asthmatic reactions in humans. These negative effects, combined with this species tendency to live inside human dwellings, heightens the need for an effective repellent against them. Since repellents require application within homes, it is essential that it is non-toxic and safe. A current option other than manufactured repellents may be the use of essential oils. In this study, a combination of various commercially-available insect repellents as well as essential oils were assessed in terms of repellency against B. germanica. This assessment was completed through the observation of the amount of time necessary for a B. germanica cockroach to cross over a substance-treated filter paper when attracted by white bread. It was found that, while certain commercially-available repellents proved more effective than some essential oils, essential oils still demonstrated significant repellency and were more repellent than DEET, a commercial repellent with known adverse effects. This provides implications for further development of safer and potentially less expensive repellents, particular in future usage in Integrated Vector Management programs

A Comparison of Different Sugar Baits for the Capture of Diptera in Texas

Identifying the most effective baits to attract Diptera flies is critical for surveillance and control activities. Four different baits consisting of sugar-water, molasses and water, a vinegar-syrup mixture, and a mango mosquito lure were used inside funnel kill traps and placed in various locations in the city of College Station, Tx and left out for five days at a time. Lucilia sericata (Meigen) was the most prevalent species collected, but others included Musca domestica (Linnaeus) and Drosophila melanogaster (Morgan). The molasses bait was the most effective trap, with sugar-water in a close second. The syrup-vinegar mixture did not effectively attract anything. Key Words: Diptera, Lucilia sericata, fly traps, funnel trap

Forensics Meet the Imagination of the Blind: Getting Positive Media Attention on "Can the Blind Solve the Crime?" Is there substantial evidence in imagination?

Close your eyes and try to remember where you placed your keys. Did you hear that? Sto. I believe the sound is coming from the opposite direction. In the imagination world these sensory techniques are crucial. But can they be used to help solve crimes

Comparing Natural Insect Repellents Effectiveness in Preventing the House Cricket, Acheta domestica from Consuming Crops from Gardens

Acheta domestica poses a problem to agriculture and indoor living, as they feed on crops and fabrics. Preventing an infestation begins with preventing this pest from entering susceptible areas in the first place, therefore an effective repellent is necessary. Using a naturally occurring plant ensures little to no harm to the ecology around a garden, farm, or home, unlike using large, scheduled doses of pesticides. The experiment was performed within a cardboard enclosure, wherein a  food and water source were surrounded by a ring of natural repellent, which was composed of either chili powder, minced garlic, or nicotine powder. Of the three repellents, chili powder performed the best with 67% success, discouraging the cricket from approaching the food and water. Because Acheta domestica is not the only species of cricket that troubles crop production, additional experiments need to be performed to find a natural repellent that works effectively across multiple species on a larger scale