Test detects resistant green peach aphids in lupins

Confirmation of insecticide resistance in green peach aphid in Western Australia\u27s lupin crops means farmers will have to choose insecticides much more carefully to control this pest. Resistance within an aphid population varies, and when resistant aphids are no longer exposed to insecticides, they may revert back to being susceptible in as little as one generation. Furthermore, when these revertant populations are exposed to the same insecticides in the future, resistance quickly reoccurs. In this article, the authors discuss a test to determine the extent of insecticide resistance in green peach aphid and how to manage it

A taphonomic examination of inhumed and entombed remains in Parma cemeteries, Italy

People of different cultures bury their dead in different ways, based on religious beliefs, historical rituals, or public health requirements. In Italy, cremation is still a limited practice compared to entombment and inhumation. Accordingly with the law, a buried body can be moved to the cemetery ossuary only if skeletonized. Generally, complete skeletonization occurs within 40 years following burial, but sometimes the body may mummify, or it may turn into adipocere. Globally, today burial space is limited with cemeteries facing a growing need for both burials and entombments. The present study considered the thanatological, taphonomical, anthropological, microbiological and geochemical examination of 408 human bodies exhumed from grave pits and stone tombs located in two cemeteries in Parma, Italy. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with the process of the decomposition of such bodies were documented in order to identify which factors promote or reduce the time needed for skeletonization. Overall, the aim of this study was to improve the management of the body turnover in cemeteries, providing recommendations for cemetery management and turnover planning, with the goal of avoiding extra costs that may be attributed to the family and the State. The results of this study show that inhumation in burial grounds and soils with a high percentage of sand and gravel promote decomposition and skeletonization, whereas entombments inside stone tombs and the presence of stone slabs on the ground covering burials, aid in the formation of adipocere, slowing down the decomposition process

Sheep blowflies strike out!

Woolgrowers are constantly concerned that the sheep blowfly may be able to breed in sheep or other animal carcasses. David Cook, Ian Dadour and Ernis Steiner report on an experiment that answers that question once and for all

Barnacle colonization of shoes: Evaluation of a novel approach to estimate the time spent in water of human remains

Estimating the time since death (minimum Post Mortem Interval, minPMI) is a necessary part of a forensic investigation. Besides considering the typical signs of death, minPMI can be estimated using the insects and other arthropods that colonize the remains (forensic entomology). In an aquatic environment, both insects and crustaceans may provide information regarding the time spent in water of the remains (minimum Floating Interval, minFI and minimum Post Mortem Submersion Interval, minPMSI), and this can also assist in determining the minPMI. Barnacles (Crustacea: Cirripedia) are common crustaceans that colonize solid substrates in marine environments and they can be found in association with organic and inorganic remains recovered from the sea. Barnacles colonize both floating and submerged remains and their growth rate is temperature dependent. Despite their potential to be indicative of the minFI and/or minPMSI, only a few case studies have considered it for this purpose, and scant research has been conducted in this field. Assuming that the vast majority of the bodies found in the sea are clothed, this research is focused on the barnacle colonization of two different types of shoes placed in the sea, in order to 1) identify the colonizing species in the chosen environment; 2) identify the settlement preferences of the barnacles associated with the shoes; and 3) determine the factors affecting the growth rate of the barnacles associated with the shoes. In April 2016 64 sport shoes (SS) and 64 patent leather shoes (PLS) were placed in the Boston Harbor (MA-USA) at 8/10 meters below sea level. Four of each shoe type were collected every two weeks for seven months. Individual barnacles from each shoe were sampled and measured to determine species and age. The overall colonization density and settlement preference was statistically analyzed. Results show that a) Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin) (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Sessilia) colonized the vast majority of shoes; b) colonization occurred in less than 30 days and continued throughout the research period; c) a significant difference in colonization densities was found between the SS and PLS, with PLS seeing higher densities; d) barnacles showed preferential colonization of specific sections on both shoe types; e) barnacle growth was found to be significantly affected by water temperature and shoe type but not by the time spent in water; f) time spent in water and shoe type had a highly significant effect on the total number of barnacles per shoe, whereas water temperature did not

Dispositifs d'habitations et nouveaux modes de vie : une analyse comparative du concours l'Art de vivre en ville, Montréal 1991

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Les espaces domestiques à l’ère du cyberspace

Cet article est un extrait d’un travail de thèse sur les espaces domestiques contemporains nord‑américains. Il s’insère dans les débats qui traitent des limites entre les notions de privé et de public et cherche à proposer de nouvelles pistes de lectures des rapports qui structurent les espaces de l’habité à l’ère du cyberspace. Il est en effet difficile aujourd’hui de discerner les frontières entre ces deux domaines.Les objets nomades, les médias, les nouvelles technologies et les réseaux investissent l’espace, modifient notre rapport à ce dernier, mais aussi au temps et à la sociabilité.This excerpt from a dissertation on contemporary domestic spaces in North America engages in current debate concerning today’s relations between the public and private realms; it seeks to propose new interpretations on the relations as they define dwelling-spaces in the cyberspace era

Insect succession pattern on decomposing swine carcasses in Tasmania: A summer study

Insect succession has been studied around the world using the predictable and mostly sequential arrival pattern of different insect species that are attracted to a decomposing carcass. In cases of suspicious death of humans and animals, carrion insects may be used to assist in crime scene reconstruction. The present research represents the first study in forensic entomology to be undertaken in Tasmania, investigating insect succession patterns on decomposing pig carcasses and providing a preliminary database of forensically important insects. Six pig carcasses were placed in two contrasting locations (rural and urban) in northern Tasmania. Insect successional waves were recorded over a 40-day study during the austral summer season. Results showed that decomposition rates and insect assemblages varied between each location. Eleven insect taxa, representing nine families, were identified in association with the decomposition of the pig carcasses at both localities. Blowflies present on the pig carcasses throughout the decomposition process were Calliphora stygia Malloch (Diptera: Calliphoridae) at both sites and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) at the urban site only. These preliminary results will provide useful information in any future casework involving human remains and associated insect material in Tasmania

Stable flies on the Swan Coastal Plain

Grower associations are developing best management practices to minimise stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) breeding in horticulture and turf production. Three types of insect controls are discussed

Western flower thrips

Western flower thrips (Franklinislla occidentalis Pergands) is a serious pest of floral and vegetable crops. From its original habitat in western USA it has now spread throughout North America, Mexico, New Zealand and Europe. David Cook, Ian Dadour, Ernis Steiner and Brett Scourse outline its biology and the control options available

Chasing Flies: The use of wingbeat frequency as a communication cue in Calyptrate Flies (Diptera: Calyptratae)

The incidental sound produced by the oscillation of insect wings during flight provides an opportunity for species identification. Calyptrate flies include some of the fastest and most agile flying insects, capable of rapid changes in direction and the fast pursuit of conspecifics. This flight pattern makes the continuous and close recording of their wingbeat frequency difficult and limited to confined specimens. Advances in sound editor and analysis software, however, have made it possible to isolate low amplitude sounds using noise reduction and pitch detection algorithms. To explore differences in wingbeat frequency between genera and sex, 40 specimens of three-day old Sarcophaga crassipalpis, Lucilia sericata, Calliphora dubia, and Musca vetustissima were individually recorded in free flight in a temperature-controlled room. Results showed significant differences in wingbeat frequency between the four species and intersexual differences for each species. Discriminant analysis classifying the three carrion flies resulted in 77.5% classified correctly overall, with the correct classification of 82.5% of S. crassipalpis, 60% of C. dubia, and 90% of L. sericata, when both mean wingbeat frequency and sex were included. Intersexual differences were further demonstrated by male flies showing significantly higher variability than females in three of the species. These observed intergeneric and intersexual differences in wingbeat frequency start the discussion on the use of the metric as a communication signal by this taxon. The success of the methodology demonstrated differences at the genus level and encourages the recording of additional species and the use of wingbeat frequency as an identification tool for these flies