Infestation of Sybra alternans (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) in a Hawaii Banana Plantation

Sybra alternans Wiedemann (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) was found in a Hawaii banana farm feeding on the dried blossom end of ‘Williams’ banana fruits. The infestation was surveyed and evaluated. This beetle was first reported in the Hawaiian Islands in 1917. The host range of S. alternans has been described by many authors, however, this is the first report of this beetle infesting banana. The potential significance of this finding is discussed, and a broader and periodical inspection for this beetle on banana farms is recommended

Data exploration in phylogenetic inference: scientific, heuristic, or neither

The methods of data exploration have become the centerpiece of phylogenetic inference, but without the scientific importance of those methods having been identified. We examine in some detail the procedures and justifications of Wheeler's sensitivity analysis and relative rate comparison (saturation analysis). In addition, we review methods designed to explore evidential decisiveness, clade stability, transformation series additivity, methodological concordance, sensitivity to prior probabilities (Bayesian analysis), skewness, computer‐intensive tests, long‐branch attraction, model assumptions (likelihood ratio test), sensitivity to amount of data, polymorphism, clade concordance index, character compatibility, partitioned analysis, spectral analysis, relative apparent synapomorphy analysis, and congruence with a “known” phylogeny. In our review, we consider a method to be scientific if it performs empirical tests, i.e., if it applies empirical data that could potentially refute the hypothesis of interest. Methods that do not perform tests, and therefore are not scientific, may nonetheless be heuristic in the scientific enterprise if they point to more weakly or ambiguously corroborated hypotheses, such propositions being more easily refuted than those that have been more severely tested and are more strongly corroborated. Based on common usage, data exploration in phylogenetics is accomplished by any method that performs sensitivity or quality analysis. Sensitivity analysis evaluates the responsiveness of results to variation or errors in parameter values and assumptions. Sensitivity analysis is generally interpreted as providing a measure of support, where conclusions that are insensitive (robust, stable) to perturbations are judged to be accurate, probable, or reliable. As an alternative to that verificationist concept, we define support objectively as the degree to which critical evidence refutes competing hypotheses. As such, degree of support is secondary to the scientific optimality criterion of maximizing explanatory power. Quality analyses purport to distinguish good, reliable, accurate data from bad, misleading, erroneous data, thereby assessing the ability of data to indicate the true phylogeny. Only the quality analysis of character compatibility can be judged scientific—and a weak test at that compared to character congruence. Methods judged to be heuristic include Bremer support, long‐branch extraction, and safe taxonomic reduction, and we underscore the great heuristic potential of a posteriori analysis of patterns of transformations on the total‐evidence cladogram. However, of the more than 20 kinds of data exploration methods evaluated, the vast majority is neither scientific nor heuristic. Given so little demonstrated cognitive worth, we conclude that undue emphasis has been placed on data exploration in phylogenetic inference, and we urge phylogeneticists to consider more carefully the relevance of the methods that they employ. [T]he cult of impressive technicalities or the cult of precision may get the better of us, and interfere with our search for clarity, simplicity, and truth [Popper, 1983, p. 60. Empirical papers chosen for publication are judged to be of interest to a broad systematics audience because they represent exemplary case studies involving some important contemporary issue or issues. These may be unusually thorough explorations of data , applications of new methodology, illustrations of fundamental principles, and/or investigations of interesting evolutionary questions. [Systematic Biology: Instructions for authors, 2002; italics added]Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93511/1/j.1096-0031.2003.tb00311.x.pd

Food Acceptability and Distribution in the Colony of the Bigheaded Ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The distribution of oil, sugar, and protein was studied with dye and radioactive tracers among adult castes and larvae of laboratory colonies of the bigheaded ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius). Larvae received 76.7% of the total recovered radioactive soybean oil in the colony at 6 h, and queens received I % at 24 h. Coconut oil was less acceptable than other oils to worker ants. Sugars were highly acceptable to all members in the colony; no delay was observed by workers in feeding larvae and queens. Glucose was more acceptable than fructose. The protein composite (blended fried chopped meat and cooked chicken egg) was highly acceptable to workers and was fed to larvae and queens within 3 h. Workers distributed 87.5% of the total radioactive defatted egg yolk to larvae and only 2.2% to queens

A Review of Biological Control Introductions in Hawaii: 1890 to 1985

Classical biological control has been practiced in Hawaii for almost a hundred years due to the influx of many new immigrant pest species into the Islands. Six hundred seventy-nine species of organisms were purposely introduced and released in Hawaii during 1890 to 1985 for the biological control of insects, weeds, and other pest species; 243 (35.8%) have become established. Two hundred ten (86.4%) of the 243 established species have been recorded to prey on or attack about 200 pest species. Of the 210, 64.6% (157 of 243 species) attack the intended target pests only, while 21.8% (53 of 243 species) attack both target and non-target pest species. The remaining 33 (13.6%) of the 243 established species have been reported to prey on or attack pest, native and/or beneficial species. Of the 33, 8.2% (20 or 243 species) have been reported from native species, 7.0% (17 of 243 species) from beneficial organisms. No purposely introduced species, approved for release in the past 21 years, has been recorded to attack any native or other desirable species

Preliminary Field Tests on the Suitability of Amdro and Distance in Ant Bait Container for Control of the Big-Headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Scientific note.Studies were conducted to (1) select a suitable brand of bait container for use in the control of big-headed ant in an agricultural situations, (2) determine the short-term effects environmental conditions on the potency of Amdro in a suitable bait container, and (3) to compare the effectiveness under field conditions of various spacings of bait containers using Distance and Amdro in sequence. Perimeter Patrol System bait container was selected as the most suitable for field use based on the capacity to contain sufficient amounts of Amdro, lower cost, smaller size, low profile shape, and ease of handling. Potency of Amdro was retained in the Perimeter Patrol System container for a period of twelve weeks. Bait containers spaced at 15.24 m apart in a field plot had the best control compared with 7.62 and 30.48 m spacings

Rodent damage to Hawaiian sugarcane

Rattus norvegicus, R. exulans, and R. rattus cause extensive damage to Hawaiian sugarcane. This paper gives an overview of the problem and briefly summarizes the history of rodent control on Hawaiian sugarcane plantations. Current baiting practices with zinc phosphide may favor the proliferation of R. norvegicus, and more effective control methods are needed for this species. A cooperative research and development program by the Denver Wildlife Research Center and the nonprofit Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association is described

The effects of Mycobacteria vaccae derivative on allergen-specific responses in children with atopic dermatitis

The capacity of microbial products to inhibit allergic inflammation make them logical candidates for novel therapies in allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis. To assess the effects of intradermal Mycobacterium vaccae derivative on allergen-specific immune responses in children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from children aged 5–16 years who received intradermal injections of M. vaccae derivative AVAC™ (n = 26) or placebo (n = 34) three times at 2-weekly intervals, weeks 0, 2 and 4. Cytokine [interleukin (IL)-13, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-10] responses to allergen [house dust mite (HDM)], mitogen [phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)], Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands were assessed. At week 8 (1 month after all injections given) children in the AVAC group showed a significant increase in IL-10 (P = 0·009), T helper type 1 (Th1) IFN-γ (P = 0·017) and Th2 IL-13 (P = 0·004) responses to HDM compared with baseline (week 0). There were no significant changes in any cytokine production in the placebo. HDM-specific IL-10 responses remained significantly higher (P = 0·014) than at baseline in the AVAC group by week 12; however, the HDM-specific IL-13 and IFN-γ responses were no longer significantly different from baseline. IL-13 (r = 0·46, P < 0·001) and IL-10 (r = 0·27, P = 0·044) responses to HDM were correlated with total immunoglobulin E but not with disease severity. There were no effects of AVAC on mitogen, SEB, TLR-2- or TLR-4-mediated responses. This M. vaccae derivative appeared to modulate responses to HDM selectively, suggesting the capacity for in vivo effects on allergen-specific immune responses