Full Issue for TGLE Vol. 57 Nos 3 & 4

Full Issue for TGLE Vol. 57 Nos 3 &

The effect of temperature and vegetative substrate on the short-distance dispersal behavior of an invasive weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to a protected dune thistle

The invasion of a seed-eating weevil, Larinus carlinae (Olivier, 1807) poses a threat to the persistence of native Pitcher\u27s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), a federally-threatened plant in sand dune communities of the western Great Lakes. At Whitefish Dunes (Sturgeon Bay, WI. USA), seed predation by weevils is higher for thistles surrounded by native marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata) than for those located in sandy habitats. In this study, we observed how the local abiotic and biotic environment affects the short-distance dispersal behavior of L. carlinae. Weevils were captured on site and individually released on the sand approximately 0.35 m from target thistle replicates to determine the extent to which weevils used vegetative substrate to reach their host. Weevils spent significantly more time walking or resting on grass substrate than on ground-level sand or debris, and weevils were more likely to reach the host plant directly from grass neighbors. Sand surface temperature negatively affected the proportional time dispersing weevils spent on sand relative to grass and debris. We found evidence for both refuge-mediated and dispersal-mediated effects of grass neighbors on weevil short-distance movement onto host plants. Grass neighbors may provide a refuge from extreme sand temperatures, and the grass matrix may serve as a conduit for L. carlinae movement in unstable sand dune habitats. However, adding cut grass stems to bare sand-surrounded thistles did not affect host preference in a subsequent choice experiment. These results highlight the importance of maintaining bare sand habitat in dune communities to maximize C. pitcheri reproductive success in the face of weevil invasion

Moths of the Douglas Lake Region (Emmet and Cheboygan Counties), Michigan: VIII. Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera)

98 species of Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera) including 46 state records are documented from Emmet and Cheboygan Counties at the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This is the first comprehensive listing of this family from anywhere in the region, probably because positive identification in this family often requires genitalic dissection. This list brings the total number of Lepidopteran species known from the University of Michigan Biological Station area to 1265

The Songs of the Spheres: Lewis, Tolkien and the Overlapping Realms of their Imaginations (2024), edited by Łukasz Neubauer and Guglielmo Spirito

Book review, by G. Connor Salter, of The Songs of the Spheres: Lewis, Tolkien and the Overlapping Realms of their Imaginations (2024), edited by Łukasz Neubauer and Guglielmo Spirit

Host plant resistance of Viburnum taxa for the viburnum leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Thirty-five native and exotic Viburnum taxa were evaluated in a series of no-choice (NC) and multiple-choice (MC) laboratory feeding bioassays, and field defoliation studies for their relative susceptibility, palatability, and preference for viburnum leaf beetle (VLB) (Pyrrhalta viburni Paykull) larvae and adults. Overall, larval field defoliation was consistent with adult field defoliation, and adult VLB field defoliation mirrored the results from the NC laboratory feeding studies. Collectively, there was no significant difference in field defoliation between Asian and North American Viburnum taxa but leaf thickness was a good predictor for both the percent leaf tissue removed in NC laboratory feeding bioassays and field defoliation of Asian Viburnum taxa but not for North American taxa. The amount of leaf tissue removed in the NC laboratory feeding bioassays was related to leaf thickness, but not for larval and adult field defoliation. Field defoliation was not related to the MC laboratory feeding preference bioassays, leaf thickness, lignin content or upper and lower leaf trichome density. Leaf chemical analysis for less to highly susceptible Viburnum taxa revealed the presence of chlorogenic acid (CGA). Viburnum rafinesquianum, V. opulus, V. sargentii, V. sargentii ‘Flavum’, and V. prunifolium were more closely associated chemically and were more highly preferred; exceptions being V. sargentii, and V. sargentii ‘Flavum’ compared with V. bitcshiuense, V. burejaeticum, and V. mongolica which had higher levels of CGA, but were the least susceptible to feeding in both the field defoliation survey, and NC laboratory feeding bioassays. Overall, the amount of leaf tissue removed in the NC and MC laboratory feeding bioassays, and field defoliation was not related to either upper or lower leaf trichome density, but upper and lower trichome density was strongly consistent within individual taxa. Collectively, trichome density, leaf thickness, and CGA levels do not appear to affect the susceptibility of Viburnum taxa for feeding by the VLB. There appears to be a large pool of Asian Viburnum taxa available for future plant breeding programs

Occurrence of Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in Wild Berries in Forested Areas of Marquette and Keweenaw Counties, Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive fly that targets unripe soft-fruits causing premature ripening, dehiscence, and rotting. While the presence of SWD in agricultural systems is well-documented, much less is known about the host range of SWD in wild areas, especially in more northern latitudes where colder temperatures and short summers are thought to restrict their life-cycles and limit population growth. In 2019 and 2020, we collected wild berries from two counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, with long, cold winters, to determine the prevalence, host range, and seasonal/temporal variation of SWD. We found SWD in five of seven different plant families surveyed but we restricted statistical analyses to three families in which we predominantly collected from and in which SWD larvae were most common: Caprifoliaceae, Ericaceae, and Rosacea. In general, average numbers of SWD per berry were highest for Rosaceae species and this pattern is likely attributed to the thin cell walls and poly-drupelet structure of their fruits that is known to enhance sustained infestation. SWD infestation intensity also generally increased throughout the season for all host families; a pattern most likely due to the ripening of fruits and associated increase in sugar content as the season progresses. Lastly, although we found that SWD abundances, on average, were higher in 2020 than in 2019 and in berries collected from Keweenaw versus Marquette County, these patterns could be due to sampling artefacts (e.g., unequal host sampling) rather than to climate differences between years and/or sites. To better assess future consequences that SWD infestations may have for humans, wildlife, and plant communities in non-agricultural northern temperate ecosystems, we suggest that more data is needed on how temporal and spatial climate variability effects SWD infestation patterns in these systems

Celebrating Tolkien’s Legacy: Essays (2024), by Nancy Bunting, Seamus Hamill-Keays, and Toby Widdicombe

Book review, by Douglas Charles Kane, of Celebrating Tolkien’s Legacy: Essays (2024), by Nancy Bunting, Seamus Hamill-Keays, and Toby Widdicomb

The Feanorian Alphabet Part 2 [and] Eldarin Pronouns (2024), by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Arden R. Smith and Christopher Gilson

Book review, by Andrew Higgins, of The Feanorian Alphabet Part 2 [and] Eldarin Pronouns (2024), by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Arden R. Smith and Christopher Gilso

New Wisconsin State Records for Symmerus (Diptera: Ditomyiidae) and Synneuron (Diptera: Canthyloscelidae)

In Wisconsin, only a single, dubious published record for Ditomyiidae exists. New state records are presented for Symmerus (Symmerus) lautus, Symmerus (Psilosymmerus) vockerothi, and Symmerus (Psilosymmerus) sp., along with a discussion of the putitively incorrect literature record. Canthyloscelidae has not been previously recorded from the state; a single male of Synneuron decipiens is reported. The new records are associated largely with Malaise trap samples from the Kemp Natural Resources Station, Oneidea County, and Hemlock Draw (The Nature Conservancy), in the Baraboo hills of Sauk County. A single specimen of S. (S.) lautus in the research collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is also noted from Bayfield County. The specimens were taken from late June through early August

Rediscovery of Eucerceris zonata (Say, 1823) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), a Species thought to be Extirpated in Canada

Eucerceris zonata (Say) (Hymenoptera: Philanthidae), a weevil wasp species that was thought to be extirpated in Canada is rediscovered in Manitoba and Quebec. Collection records and validated citizen science observations confirm the continued presence of E. zonata in Canada during the last decade and a half. The newly discovered populations inhabit sand areas both in Manitoba and Quebec. Potential threats to the species at these sites are discussed