Erroneous records of Aleochara bipustulata from North America: an assessment of the evidence

Aleochara bipustulata (L., 1761) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is a Palearctic species and a natural enemy of the cabbage root maggot, Delia radicum (L., 1758) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). It has been identified as a candidate for introduction to Canada for classical biological control of D. radicum. Recent taxonomic studies assert that A. bipustulata is absent from the Nearctic; however, there are numerous publications reporting the presence of the species in North America. We examined voucher material relating to these publications and additional museum specimens labeled as A. bipustulata. In addition, we reared Aleochara spp. from D. radicum puparia collected in the Canadian prairie provinces. Specimens that, based on external anatomy, could be A. bipustulata were definitively identified using characters of the genitalia. All of the 141 museum specimens labeled A. bipustulata were found to be Aleochara verna Say, 1836. A total of 811 individuals of Aleochara spp. were reared from D. radicum puparia; of these, 690 were Aleochara bilineata Gyllenhal, 1810, 121 were A. verna, and none were A. bipustulata. We have found no evidence that A. bipustulata occurs in North Americ

Development, reproduction and feeding behaviour of Delphastus pusillus, a coccinellid predator of glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DX191571 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Description of a new species of Dacus from Sri Lanka, and new country distribution records (Diptera, Tephritidae, Dacinae)

A fruit fly survey in the Sinharaja and Knuckles National Parks in Sri Lanka (2016), using traps baited with the male lures methyl eugenol, cue-lure, and zingerone, yielded 21 species of Dacini fruit flies. Of these, three species, viz. Bactrocera amarambalensis Drew, B. dongnaiae Drew & Romig, and B. rubigina (Wang & Zhao), are new country occurrence records, and Dacus (Mellesis) ancoralis Leblanc & Doorenweerd, sp. n. is described as a new species. The Sri Lankan Dacini fruit fly fauna is now comprised of 39 species