Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Dipteran pest'

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Entomology
Brian P. McCornack
Timely enactment of insect pest management and incursion mitigation protocols requires development of time-sensitive monitoring approaches. Numerous passive monitoring methods exist (e.g., insect traps), which offer an efficient solution to monitoring for pests across large geographic regions. However, given the number of different monitoring tools, from specific (e.g., pheromone lures) to general (e.g., sticky cards), there is a need to develop protocols for deploying methods to effectively and efficiently monitor for a multitude of potential pests. The non-random movement of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), toward several visual, chemical, and tactile cues, makes it a suitable study organism to examine new sensor technologies and deployment strategies that can be tailored for monitoring specific pests. Therefore, the objective was to understand Hessian fly behavior toward new sensor technologies (i.e., light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser displays) to develop monitoring and deployment strategies. A series of laboratory experiments and trials were conducted to understand how the Hessian fly reacts to the technologies and how environmental factors may affect the insect’s response. Hessian fly pupae distribution within commercial wheat fields was also analyzed to determine deployment of monitoring strategies. Laboratory experiments demonstrated Hessian fly attraction to green spectrum (502 and 525 nm) light (LEDs), that response increased with light intensity (16 W/m2), and that they responded in the presence of wheat odor and the Hessian fly female sex-pheromone, but, response was reduced under ambient light. These laboratory experiments can be used to build a more targeted approach for Hessian fly monitoring by utilizing the appropriate light wavelength and intensity with pheromone and wheat odor to attract both sexes, and mitigating exposure to ambient light. Together this information suggested that light could be used with natural cues to increase attraction. Therefore, a light source (green laser display) was applied to a wheat microcosm, which resulted in greater oviposition in wheat covered by the laser display. Examination of Hessian fly pupal distribution within commercial wheat fields showed that proportion of wheat within a 1 km buffer of the field affected distribution between fields. This helps to inform deployment of monitoring strategies as it identified fields with a lower proportion of wheat within a 1 km buffer to be at higher risk Hessian fly infestation, and therefore monitoring efforts should be focused on those fields. Together this work demonstrates Hessian fly behavior toward new sensor technologies, how those technologies interact with environmental cues, and how environmental composition affects pupal distribution. Collectively this information will enable cheaper, more accurate and more efficient monitoring of this destructive pest.

Culicoides molestus (Skuse) is the major species of biting midge that plagues human comfort in the estuarine Gold Coast region of southeast Queensland. Local authorities have initiated a search for an effective, non-chemical means of control, that would minimize human-midge interaction. The effectiveness of a program to control an organism, such as a biting midge, is dependent upon knowledge of the biology of the particular organism of interest. This project revolved examines the lifecycle of C. molestus in detail. It addresses questions regarding the location, seasonal distribution, and dispersal of its juvenile stages in the sand of infested beaches, and their response to chemical treatment, the monthly and annual cycles of the adult midge, and the possibilities of achieving laboratory oviposition, as a first step to laboratory colonisation. The distribution of eggs, larvae and pupae of C. molestus was found to be mostly concentrated around, but below, mean tide level. They also occurred well below the mean tide level. Eggs and larvae have been recovered from as deep as 10 cm in the sand. A seasonal study of the juveniles of this species indicated that they were more strongly influenced by tides than seasons. After a routine pest-control larviciding treatment, a beach recolonisation study revealed that beaches become suitable for oviposition approximately two months after treatment. Large larvae invaded the sprayed areas within days of treatment, which suggests the existence of a refuge outside of the reach of the insecticide. Larvae found in clean (egg- and larva-free), isolated sand containers, placed on the study beach, indicated that larvae could swim in or on the water as a way of moving around the beach. Extended bite-rate studies highlighted the existence of four peaks in adult midge biting activity during the course of a year, around the mid seasons. The strongest peaks of activity were found to be in autumn and spring, but the data suggest that the species undergoes four generations in a year. Through a series of trial-and-error experiments, oviposition under laboratory conditions was achieved. Although the time from blood-feeding to egg maturation is not yet well determined, it occurs within an eight day mean survival period. Blood quality appears critical for adult blood-fed midge survival. Midges fed on the blood of a volunteer who was frequently exposed to midge bites do not live long enough to mature its eggs. The partial ovarial development of one unfed adult female, reared in the laboratory, indicates that C. molestus is facultatively anautogenous.

Culicoides molestus (Skuse) is the major species of biting midge that plagues human comfort in the estuarine Gold Coast region of southeast Queensland. Local authorities have initiated a search for an effective, non-chemical means of control, that would minimize human-midge interaction. The effectiveness of a program to control an organism, such as a biting midge, is dependent upon knowledge of the biology of the particular organism of interest. This project revolved examines the lifecycle of C. molestus in detail. It addresses questions regarding the location, seasonal distribution, and dispersal of its juvenile stages in the sand of infested beaches, and their response to chemical treatment, the monthly and annual cycles of the adult midge, and the possibilities of achieving laboratory oviposition, as a first step to laboratory colonisation. The distribution of eggs, larvae and pupae of C. molestus was found to be mostly concentrated around, but below, mean tide level. They also occurred well below the mean tide level. Eggs and larvae have been recovered from as deep as 10 cm in the sand. A seasonal study of the juveniles of this species indicated that they were more strongly influenced by tides than seasons. After a routine pest-control larviciding treatment, a beach recolonisation study revealed that beaches become suitable for oviposition approximately two months after treatment. Large larvae invaded the sprayed areas within days of treatment, which suggests the existence of a refuge outside of the reach of the insecticide. Larvae found in clean (egg- and larva-free), isolated sand containers, placed on the study beach, indicated that larvae could swim in or on the water as a way of moving around the beach. Extended bite-rate studies highlighted the existence of four peaks in adult midge biting activity during the course of a year, around the mid seasons. The strongest peaks of activity were found to be in autumn and spring, but the data suggest that the species undergoes four generations in a year. Through a series of trial-and-error experiments, oviposition under laboratory conditions was achieved. Although the time from blood-feeding to egg maturation is not yet well determined, it occurs within an eight day mean survival period. Blood quality appears critical for adult blood-fed midge survival. Midges fed on the blood of a volunteer who was frequently exposed to midge bites do not live long enough to mature its eggs. The partial ovarial development of one unfed adult female, reared in the laboratory, indicates that C. molestus is facultatively anautogenous.
Thesis (Masters)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
School of Environmental and Applied Science
Full Text

As espécies de moscas-das-frutas da família Tephritidae são consideradas importantes pragas da fruticultura mundial por utilizarem vários frutos de valor comercial como substrato para desenvolvimento do seu estágio de larva. O gênero Anastrepha é endêmico do Continente Americano e compreende cerca de 200 espécies descritas, das quais 99 ocorrem no Brasil. Dentre essas espécies, destaca-se a espécie nominal Anastrepha fraterculus (sensu lato), que compreende um complexo de espécies crípticas, quatro das quais foram reconhecidas, até o momento, A. sp.1, A. sp.2 e A. sp.3 (Brasil) e A. sp.4 encontrada no Equador. O presente trabalho buscou a caracterização da variabilidade do espaçador ITS1 do DNA ribossômico de A. sp.1, A. sp.2 e A. sp.3 em amostras populacionais de diversas localidades do Brasil e a análise desse espaçador em amostras de outras regiões das Américas do Sul, Central e México. O ITS1 mostrou ser um marcador bastante útil para análises filogenéticas entre espécies próximas. Os fragmentos amplificados com os iniciadores 18SF e 5.8SR, construídos neste trabalho, continham cerca de 900 pb, não havendo diferenças significativas entre as amostras. Os fragmentos continham uma seqüência parcial do gene 18S, o ITS1 completo e o início do gene 5.8S. O ITS1 variou de 539 a 584 bases. Todos os exemplares apresentaram uma quantidade muito maior de base AT (entre 77,6 a 88,6%). O índice de similaridade entre as amostras variou de 88% a 99,8%. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas intraespecíficas entre as seqüências de amostras populacionais das entidades brasileiras do complexo. A análise filogenética feita pelo programa POY gerou muitas árvores igualmente parcimoniosas. A árvore de consenso estrito agrupou as amostras em clados distintos. O clado (grupo externo) formado por C. capitata e C. rosa foi colocado em um ramo distinto e no outro clado, todas as amostras de Anastrepha. O clado de A. fraterculus, separou as amostras do México e Guatemala das demais, que formaram outro clado. Dentro deste clado, foram formados dois subgrupos, um com as amostras do Peru e Equador e um com as amostras do Brasil e Argentina. Dentro desses clados houve separação em sub-grupos de amostras de cada região geográfica, sendo observada, com algumas exceções uma relação desses grupos com as divisões biogeográficas da entomofauna da América Latina. Desta forma, a análise do ITS1 corrobora resultados anteriores indicando que há claramente três entidades do complexo fraterculus no Brasil (A. sp.1, A. sp.2 e A. sp.3) e que diferentes morfotipos devem existir nas diferentes regiões da América Latina.
Fruit flies of Tephritidae family are important pest for the worldwide fruitculture because many species use commercial variety of fruits as host for the development of thier larval stage. Anastrepha is endemic of the American Continent and comprises about 200 described species, 90 of which occurs in Brazil. Among these species the most important is the nominal A. fraterculus, that, actually, comprises a complex of cryptic species, the so-called \"fraterculus complex\". Four species of the complex has been characterized, three of which occurs in Brazil (A.sp.1, A.sp.2, A. sp.3) and one in Ecuador (A. sp.4). In the present analyses the ITS1 spacer of the ribosomal genes was characterized by PCR and sequencing, in samples of A. fraterculus s.l. from several populations in Brazil and from different regions of South, Central America and Mexico. Amplyfication was carried out with primers designed in the present analyses, 18SF and 5.8SR, that generate fragments of 900 bp containing a partial sequence of the 18S gene, the complete ITS1 and the initial portion of the 5.8S gene. The length of the fragment did not varied significantly among the samples. The ITS1 size varied from 539 to 584 bp, and contained a very high content of AT, from 77.6 to 88.6 %, among samples. Similarity of the ITS1 sequences was high (from 88% to 99.8%) among the samples, and no signficant intraspecific differences were found in the sequences of samples from different brazilian populations. The POY software produced many parcimonious phylogenetic trees, and the strict consensus tree grouped the samples in distinct clades. First, there was a separation of the clade of Ceratitis species (outgroups) from the clade of Anastrepha. Within this clade A. obliqua was isolated from a large clade containg all the samples of A. fraterculus s.l.. Within A. fraterculus, one clade grouped the samples from Mexico and Guatemala, another clade the samples from Ecuador and Peru and a clade with the samples from Brazil and Argentina. The sample of Colombia was found as independent branch of the tree. In each of these clades there were subgroups of the different samples, and it was observed a relationship of these clades and subgroups to the biogeographic divisions of the entomofauna of Latin America with a few exceptions. The analysis of ITS1 clearly corroborate previous data indicating that there are three biological entities of the fraterculus complex in Brazil. It also indicates that different entities must exist in other regions of Latin America.

Il moscerino asiatico (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), originario dell'Asia orientale, è uno dei principali parassiti emergenti di colture pregiate in Europa e nelle Americhe. Nel 2008, si è verificata una rapida invasione di questa specie di fitofago dei frutti rossi in Europa e nelle Americhe. Di conseguenza, D. suzukii è attualmente uno degli insetti dannosi più rilevanti di colture pregiate, attaccando i frutti rossi e l'uva da vino, e causando milioni di dollari di danni ogni anno. A differenza delle altre Drosophilae, la SWD è in grado di penetrare la buccia della frutta in maturazione e di deporre le uova al suo interno, dove gli stadi larvali si nutrono, si sviluppano e causano danni. Questo piccolo moscerino della frutta, una specie strettamente imparentata con D. melanogaster e D. simulans, ha sviluppato un sofisticato sistema olfattivo che può rilevare l'odore della frutta e altri odori provenienti da un habitat potenzialmente adatto. Tali composti volatili sono mediatori a lungo raggio del suo comportamento. Lo studio del sistema olfattivo di D. suzukii può contribuire quindi a migliorare la nostra comprensione del comportamento e della fisiologia di questi insetti e ci permetterà di sviluppare soluzioni efficaci di controllo dei parassiti. Le attuali strategie di controllo si basano sull'uso massiccio di insetticidi, che hanno un impatto ecologico negativo e a lungo termine non sono né efficaci né sostenibili. Gli strumenti che l'ecologia chimica fornisce si adattano perfettamente ai programmi di gestione integrata (IPM) di D. suzukii e potrebbero offrire un approccio alternativo e più sostenibile per limitarne la diffusione e i danni. In questa tesi di dottorato, abbiamo usato nelle nostre indagini saggi microbiologici, chimici, elettrofisiologici di laboratorio e studi in campo aperto. L'obiettivo generale di questo studio di dottorato è stato quello di indagare il potenziale di una miscela di vino, aceto di mele e canna da zucchero insieme a composti volatili microbici in una trappola innovativa progettata per migliorare l'azione attrattiva nei confronti di D. suzukii in campo aperto. Approcci sostenibili per limitare la diffusione di D. suzukii e i danni che causa richiedono sempre esche e trappole efficaci. Il nostro obiettivo quindi è stato quello di sviluppare un'esca innovativa ed efficace da implementare in un sistema di trappole selettive per il controllo di SWD come parte dei programmi di gestione integrata dei parassiti (IPM) in campo aperto. Mentre la maggior parte delle ricerche su D. suzukii si è concentrata su composti volatili emessi dalla frutta o dai lieviti presenti sui frutti ospiti, c’erano poche prove su come altri microrganismi che emettono composti volatili possano giocare un ruolo nel comportamento di questo insetto. Inoltre, era poco conosciuto il ruolo di composti volatili batterici nel comportamento di ricerca degli ospiti di SWD e se quindi essi possano essere applicati per migliorare il controllo ed il monitoraggio di questa specie invasiva. Abbiamo usato Droskidrink®, un prodotto commerciale per la cattura di D. suzukii, come esca di base per il miglioramento e ulteriori indagini. Abbiamo dimostrato che l'aggiunta di batteri lattici al Droskidrink® nella prima settimana dopo la fermentazione migliora l'attrattività verso SWD. Abbiamo studiato i composti volatili chiave per SWD, emessi durante il processo di fermentazione del vino e dell'aceto mediato da batteri lattici. Inoltre, abbiamo trovato una relazione tra gli stessi composti volatili in grado di mediare il comportamento di D. suzukii e altri organismi a diversi livelli trofici. In particolare, abbiamo usato prodotti metabolici di Saccharomyces cerevisiae e il noto endoparassitoide di SWD Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (Hymenoptera; Diapriidae). Nella prima parte di questa tesi di dottorato (Capitolo 2), abbiamo studiato l'uso dei batteri come bio-catalizzatori dei processi metabolici che avvengono durante la fermentazione malolattica di una miscela di vino-aceto di mele-canna da zucchero attrattivo per D. suzukii. Abbiamo prima valutato l'attrattività dell'esca alimentare Droskidrink® integrata con diversi ceppi di batteri lattici. Questo esperimento è stato condotto in pieno campo in un vigneto commerciale. Abbiamo usato Droso-Trap® Biobest, e Droskidrink® integrato con Oenococcus oeni, Pediococcus spp e Lactobacillus spp. Inoltre, il rendimento dei ceppi batterici attrattivi è stato studiato in condizioni di laboratorio. Successivamente, abbiamo studiato la risposta elettroantennografica di SWD ai ceppi di O. oeni più attrattivi, integrati con Droskidrink®. I risultati hanno mostrato che dei diversi batteri lattici studiati negli esperimenti di laboratorio e sul campo, tre ceppi di O. oeni erano i più attivi nei confronti di D. suzukii. Nel capitolo 3, abbiamo eseguito l'estrazione dei composti volatili da miscele ottenute con diversi ceppi di O. oeni aggiunti al Droskidrink® per valutare come i composti volatili emessi dai batteri influenzassero la composizione chimica del Droskidrink®. Abbiamo testato l'influenza dei batteri lattici (due ceppi di O. oeni precedentemente selezionati come i ceppi più interessanti nelle prove sul campo) e la successiva fermentazione malolattica nelle miscele vino-aceto-zucchero, per un periodo di tre settimane. Per l'estrazione dei composti volatili, sono state utilizzate due diverse metodologie di estrazione, ovvero la raccolta diretta dallo spazio di testa e il metodo Closed-Loop-Stripping-Analysis (CLSA). La fermentazione è stata impostata in modo tale che i metaboliti sono stati estratti una, due e tre settimane dopo l'inizio della fermentazione malolattica. Per l'identificazione chimica dei composti altamente volatili, abbiamo utilizzato l'analisi diretta dello spazio di testa collegata a un gascromatografo con un rivelatore selettivo di massa. I composti volatili estratti nel solvente sono stati analizzati in un sistema GC-MS standard su due diversi tipi di colonna per aumentare il numero di composti identificati. Inoltre, sono stati utilizzati standard chimici sintetici per la co-iniezione e la conferma chimica. Successivamente, abbiamo studiato la risposta elettroantennografica dei composti volatili raccolti, dissolti in un solvente, su SWD femmina. L'esperimento comportamentale a scelta multipla è stato eseguito in condizioni di laboratorio e per sostenere la nostra ipotesi è stato anche testato in studi in campo aperto con l'uso di un innovativo sistema di cattura. I risultati hanno rivelato che la fermentazione malolattica con specifici ceppi di batteri lattici ha prodotto con una composizione specifica di composti volatili che ha reso la nostra miscela più attrattiva per D. suzukii. I nostri risultati hanno descritto la composizione chimica delle miscele emesse dal Droskidrink® dopo la fermentazione batterica. Questi composti volatili includevano alcuni nuovi composti elettrofisiologicamente attivi per SWD, come l'eugenolo e la triacetina. Inoltre, i risultati hanno mostrato una vasta gamma di composti organici volatili diversi che hanno fortemente influenzato il comportamento di SWD. È interessante notare che l'innovativa trappola progettata utilizzando solo 15 mL di una miscela di vino-aceto-zucchero di canna con un ceppo beta attrattivo di O. oeni ha aumentato di due volte la cattura della trappola quando è stata saggiata rispetto a un diverso attrattivo disponibile in commercio, ovvero Scentry® (miscela brevettata, Scentry Biologicals Inc., Billings, MT, USA). I risultati hanno ulteriormente confermato la teoria comunemente accettata dell'importanza dei composti volatili ubiquitari delle piante nell'attrarre gli insetti fitofagi. Nonostante una maggiore comprensione del ruolo dei semiochimici per manipolare il comportamento di SWD, attualmente le tecniche basate su tali composti in campo aperto non sono ben consolidate per questa specie invasiva. Inoltre, la non selettività nella cattura di D. suzukii diminuisce l'efficacia dei sistemi di trappole sviluppati. Pertanto, nel Capitolo 4, abbiamo mirato a identificare composti specifici che possono repellere altre specie di drosofila e aiutare nella costruzione di sistemi di cattura più selettivi. Usando la gascromatografia-spettrometria di massa GC-MS, una combinazione di gascromatografia-elettroantennografia GC-EAD, e biosaggi in gabbia a scelta multipla con composti volatili sintetici, abbiamo cercato di trovare un composto repellente per le Drosophile catturate usando l'attuale sistema di trappola. Abbiamo condotto la nostra ricerca sulla specie sorella di D. suzukii, Drosophila simulans Sturtevant. Successivamente, è stata selezionata la miscela più promettente di composti putativamente repellenti. I risultati hanno rivelato che diverse miscele di composti erano significativamente non attrattivi a causa della presenza di composti repellenti. Nel complesso, questi risultati indicano che i composti: benzaldeide, eugenolo, etanolo, etile isovalerato, feniletil acetato, isoamil lattato, 1-octen-3-olo, etile caprolete, limonene, p-cimene, acido valerico erano significativamente repellenti. Infine, l'uso di pesticidi tossici per combattere le specie invasive deve essere ridotto. I prodotti chimici non ecologici danneggiano gravemente l'ambiente. Sono stati usati insetticidi dannosi e tossici, non solo per la salute umana ma anche per tutti gli organismi nell'habitat. Le sostanze chimiche tossiche ostacolano i nemici naturali degli insetti nocivi, i parassitoidi e i predatori. La gestione integrata dei parassiti (IPM) mira a bilanciare l'uso di buone pratiche agricole con la pianificazione strategica, il monitoraggio precoce, il controllo biologico e molte pratiche agricole diverse con un uso minimo di composti chimici che hanno dimostrato di essere pericolosi per la biodiversità. Il controllo biologico con l'uso di nemici naturali è una parte importante dell'IPM, in combinazione con altri metodi, ad esempio un buon monitoraggio e la cattura massale. Applicare molte strategie diverse allo stesso tempo potrebbe portare al raggiungimento dell'obiettivo. Proteggere e promuovere gli agenti di biocontrollo naturalmente presenti in un agroecosistema è quindi fondamentale (lotta biologica conservativa) insieme al rilascio razionale di quelli commercialmente disponibili (lotta biologica aumentativa). Comprendere il comportamento dei nemici naturali e la loro scelta degli insetti ospiti è quindi uno dei passi chiave nel miglioramento della lotta biologica. Il comportamento dei nemici naturali è determinato da composti chimici rilasciati nell'ambiente dagli insetti ospiti, dalle piante e dalla fonte di cibo dell'insetto ospite. I composti chimici provenienti dalla pianta ospite sono stati ampiamente studiati. Recentemente, l'attenzione si è concentrata sulle sostanze che sono prodotte durante il metabolismo dei microrganismi. Questi composti chimici sono chiamati composti organici volatili microbici, mVOCs. I mVOCs possono mediare il comportamento degli insetti e portare alla scelta dei siti di accoppiamento, ovodeposizione e alimentazione. Si sa poco su come i mVOCs influenzino il comportamento dei nemici naturali e sulla loro applicazione nell'IPM. Pertanto, nel capitolo 5 abbiamo cercato di studiare uno dei principali endoparassitoidi di D. suzukii, Trichopria drosophilae e il suo comportamento nel contesto della ricerca dell'ospite. In questo capitolo, abbiamo studiato il comportamento di ricerca dell'ospite e l'utilizzo degli stessi segnali volatili nella Drosophila e nel suo parassitoide, emessi da una delle fonti primarie della dieta ricca di proteine della drosofila, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nel complesso, questa tesi di dottorato ha fornito una migliore comprensione dell'interazione mediata da composti volatili tra i microrganismi responsabili della fermentazione di un attrattivo comune per D. suzukii, una miscela di vino-aceto-zucchero di canna. Dagli studi neurofisiologici, microbiologici e chimici, e attraverso studi comportamentali di laboratorio e di campo, abbiamo ottenuto importanti risultati innovativi. Queste conoscenze possono essere sfruttate per sviluppare un nuovo strumento per il monitoraggio di D. suzukii all'inizio del suo movimento nei campi agricoli dalle aree di rifugio invernali, e anche per la cattura massale durante il periodo di massima infestazione in estate. Inoltre, i risultati del nostro studio possono portare all’ottimizzazione dell’attuale gestione integrata di SWD e di conseguenza a pratiche più sostenibili per la gestione di le specie di insetti invasive. Abbiamo utilizzato i semiochimici specifici emessi da microrganismi legati alle piante ospiti dell’insetto per aumentare l'attrazione e come base per la progettazione di trappole innovative.
The spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), native to Eastern Asia, is one of the main emerging pests of valuable crops in Europe and the Americas. In 2008, rapid invasion of this soft fruit pest species occurred across Europe and the Americas. Consequentially, D. suzukii is currently one of the most relevant pest of valued horticultural crops, attacking soft fruit and wine grapes, and causing millions of dollars of damage annually. In contrast with other Drosophilae, SWD is capable of penetrating the skin of ripening fruit and laying eggs inside, where larval instars feed, develop and cause damage. This small fruit fly, a closely-related species of D. melanogaster and D. simulans, has developed a sophisticated olfactory system that can detect fruit odour and other odours coming from a potentially suitable habitat. Volatile cues are long-range mediators of its behaviour. Investigation of the olfactory system of D. suzukii will thus develops our understanding of the behaviour and physiology of these insects and allows us to develop effective pest control solutions. Current control strategies rely on the heavy use of insecticides, which have a negative ecological impact, and in the long run are neither effective nor sustainable. The tools that chemical ecology provides fit perfectly into D. suzukii integrated pest management (IPM) programmes, and could offer an alternative, more sustainable approach to limit its spread and damage. In this PhD thesis, we used microbiological, chemical, electrophysiological and laboratory bioassays and open field studies in our investigations. The overall aim of this PhD study was to investigate the potential of a tailored wine-apple cider-sugar cane mixture together with microbial volatiles in an innovative trap designed to improve the attractiveness of D. suzukii in the open field. Sustainable approaches to limit the spread of D. suzukii and the damage it causes always require effective lures and traps. We, therefore, intended to develop an innovative and effective lure to be implemented in a selective trapping system for controlling SWD as part of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes in open fields. While most research investigating D. suzukii has focused on volatile cues derived from host fruit or yeast, there is little evidence about how other microorganisms emitting volatile compounds could play a role in this fly’s behaviour. Moreover, little is known about how bacterial microbial volatiles affects the behaviour of SWD and whether they can be applied to improve integrated pest management control of this invasive species. We used Droskidrink®, a commercial product for catching D. suzukii, as a basic lure for improvement and further investigations. We demonstrated that adding lactic acid bacteria to Droskidrink® in the first week after fermentation improves attractiveness for SWD. We investigated key odourant cues for SWD, emitted by the wine-vinegar-lactic acid bacteria fermentation process. Furthermore, we found a connection between the same volatile cues capable of mediating the behaviour of Drosophila suzukii and other organisms on different trophic levels. For investigation across different trophic levels, we used Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolic products and the well-known D. suzukii endoparasitoid Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (Hymenoptera; Diapriidae). Volatiles extracted from different sources are used to develop simple attractants with the use of a small number of compounds in a special ratio and concentration. Currently, the most prominent lures contain volatiles isolated from Merlot wine, rice vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, fermented apple juice, the surface of raspberries or crushed berry fruits, including blueberries, cherries and strawberries. Some volatile compounds are isolated from acetic acid bacteria grown in different liquid media, and volatiles from different yeast fermentations. In the first part of the PhD study (Chapter 2), we investigated the use of bacteria as a bio-catalyser of metabolic processes occurring during malolactic fermentation of a wine-apple cider-sugar cane mixture attractive to Drosophila suzukii. We first evaluated the attractiveness of Droskidrink® food bait supplemented with different lactic acid bacteria strains. This experiment was conducted in open field studies in a commercial vineyard. We used Droso-Trap® Biobest, and Droskidrink® supplemented with Oenococcus oeni, Pediococcus spp and Lactobacillus spp. Moreover, the performance of attractive bacterial strains was investigated under laboratory conditions. Next, we studied the electroantennography response of SWD flies to the most attractive O. oeni strains, supplemented with Droskidrink®. The results showed that of the different lactic acid bacteria studied in laboratory and field experiments, three strains of O. oeni were most active to Drosophila suzukii. In Chapter 3, we performed volatile extraction of the mixtures, with different O. oeni strains added to Droskidrink® to assess how the volatile compounds emitted by bacteria affected the chemical composition of Droskidrink®. We tested the influence of lactic acid bacteria (two strains of O oeni previously selected as the most attractive strains in the field trials) and subsequent malolactic fermentation in wine-vinegar-sugarcane mixtures, over a period of three weeks. For volatile extraction, two different extraction methodologies were used, namely Direct Headspace Collection and the Closed-Loop-Stripping-Analysis (CLSA) method. Fermentation was set up in such a way that volatiles were extracted one, two and three weeks after the beginning of malolactic fermentation. For chemical identification of highly volatile compounds, we used direct head-space analysis connected to a Gas-Chromatograph with a Mass Selective Detector. Volatile extracts in the solvent were analysed in a standard GC-MS system on two different types of column to increase the number of identified compounds. Moreover, synthetic chemical standards were used for co-injection and chemical confirmation. Next, we studied the electroantennographical response of the collected volatiles, dissolved in a solvent, on female SWD flies. The behavioural multi-choice experiment was performed under laboratory conditions and to support our hypothesis was also tested in open field studies with the use of an innovative trapping system. The results revealed that malolactic fermentation with specific LAB strains tuned VOC composition in a way that made our tested mixture more attractive to D. suzukii. Our results revealed the chemical composition of various volatiles emitted by Droskidrink® after bacterial fermentation. These volatiles included some newly electrophysiologically-active compounds for SWD, such as eugenol and triacetin. Additionally, the results showed a wide range of diverse volatile organic compounds that strongly mediated the behaviour of SWD. Interestingly, the field innovative trap designed using just 15 mL of a mixture of wine–vinegar-sugar cane with an attractive beta strain of O. oeni increased trap catch two-fold when tested compared to a different commercially available attractant, namely Scentry® (proprietary blend, Scentry Biologicals Inc., Billings, MT, USA). The results further confirmed the commonly accepted theory of the importance of ubiquitous plant volatiles in attracting insects. Despite an increased understanding of the role of volatile emission as insect semiochemicals, and their use to manipulate SWD behaviour, at present semiochemically-based techniques in the open field are not well-established for this invasive species. Furthermore, non-selectivity and spillover in the catching of D. suzukii decreases the effectiveness of the trap systems developed. Therefore, in Chapter 4, we aimed to identify specific compounds that may repel other drosophila species and help in building more selective trapping systems. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS, a combination of gas chromatography-electroantennography GC-EAD, and multi-choice cage bioassays with synthetic volatile compounds, we tried to find a repellent compound for untargeted Drosophilae caught using the current trap system. We conducted our research on the Drosophila suzukii sister species Drosophila simulans Sturtevant. Next, the most promising mixture of putatively repellent compounds was selected. The results revealed several compound mixtures were significantly not attractive because of repellent compound presence. Overall, these results indicate that compounds: benzaldehyde, eugenol, ethanol, ethyl isovalerate, phenylethyl acetate, isoamyl lactate, 1-octen-3-ol, ethyl caprolete, limonene, p-cymene, valeric acid were significantly repellent. Finally, the use of toxic pesticides to fight invasive species must be reduced. Environmentally unfriendly chemicals severely damage the environment. Insecticides that are harmful and toxic, not just for human health but also for all organisms in the habitat, have been used. Toxic chemicals impede naturally occurring enemies of pest insects, parasitoids and parasites. Integrated pest management (IPM) aims to balance the use of good agricultural practices with strategic planning, early monitoring, biological control and many different agricultural practices with minimal use of chemical compounds that have been proven to be dangerous for bio-diversity. Biological control using natural enemies is an important part of IPM, not just one aspect and strategy, as good monitoring and mass trapping could lead to a decline in the numbers of SWD in agricultural fields. Applying many different strategies at the same time could lead to achievement of the goal. Supplying the agro-environment with biological pest control (BPC) by boosting the natural population of parasitoids and predators is significant. In biological control (BC), naturally present beneficial organisms are supported with commercially reared natural enemies. One of the challenges in biological control is to maintain and attract beneficial insects to orchards (agricultural fields). Understanding the behaviour of natural enemies and their choice of host insects is one of the key steps in improvement of BC. The behaviour of natural enemies is determined by chemical cues released in the environment by host insects, plants, and the food source of the host insect. Chemical cues originating from the host plant have been widely studied. Recently, attention has been focused on chemical cues that are produced as products of the microorganism’s metabolism. These chemical cues are called microbial volatile organic compounds, mVOCs. mVOCs can mediate insect behaviour and lead to the choice of the mating, oviposition and feeding sites. Little is known about how mVOCs influence the behaviour of natural enemies, and their application in IPM. Therefore, in Chapter 5 we aimed to investigate one of main Drosophila suzukii endoparasitoids, Trichopria drosophilae and its behaviour in the context of host searching. In this chapter, we investigated host searching behaviour and utilisation of the same volatile cues in Drosophila and its parasitoid, emitted by one of the primary drosophila protein-rich diet sources, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Overall, this PhD study has provided a better understanding of volatile mediated interaction between microorganisms and fermentative effects on a worldwide homemade attractant for Drosophila suzukii, a mixture of wine-vinegar-sugar cane. From fundamental neurophysiological, microbiological and chemical studies, through laboratory insect behavioural studies applied to open field studies, we have obtained important findings. This knowledge, combined with applied studies in the open field, may be exploited to develop a novel tool that detects D. suzukii at the beginning of its movement to agricultural fields from winter shelter areas, and also for mass trapping during the peak infestation period, when farmers have not intervened during the bottleneck period of arrival of SWD in the field. Moreover, the results of our study potentially lead to improved integrated management control of SWD and consequently to more sustainable practices in dealing with invasive insect species. We utilised microbe host-specific semiochemicals for attraction and as a basis for innovative trap design.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)
A espécie de mosca-das-frutas Anastrepha fraterculus é uma das principais pragas da fruticultura brasileira, porém, quando associada à cultura da videira, poucas informações estão disponíveis. Neste trabalho foi avaliado o efeito da infestação artificial em diferentes cultivares e estádios fenológicos, a eficiência de atrativos alimentares para o monitoramento da praga e a flutuação populacional de adultos em diferentes cultivares na região da Serra Gaúcha, RS. No laboratório foi estudado o desenvolvimento pós-embrionário de A. fraterculus em diferentes cultivares. Não ocorre desenvolvimento de A. fraterculus na cultivar ‘Niagara Rosada’. Na cultivar ‘Itália’ a espécie completa o desenvolvimento, mas a cultivar não é considerada um hospedeiro multiplicador da praga devido a baixa viabilidade larval. No que se refere à caracterização de danos, houve queda significativa de bagas nas cultivares ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, ‘Moscato Embrapa’ e ‘Isabel’ quando a infestação ocorreu na fase inicial de desenvolvimento do cacho (fase de grão ervilha). Na cultivar ‘Niagara Rosada’ não houve queda significativa e deformação das bagas e nem viabilidade no desenvolvimento larval. Atrativos alimentares foram testados em vinhedos e a formulação BioAnastrepha, à base de proteína hidrolisada, foi a mais eficaz. A flutuação populacional foi avaliada em áreas das cultivares ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, ‘Moscato Embrapa’, ‘Niagara Rosada’, ‘Itália’ (apenas 2005/06) e ‘Isabel’ (apenas safra 2006/07). Utilizou-se armadilhas McPhail contendo o atrativo BioAnastrepha a 5%. As maiores capturas de A. fraterculus foram observadas na cultivar ‘Moscato Embrapa’, com o pico populacional ocorrendo durante a fase de maturação de bagas.
The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, is a major pest of Brazilian fruit trees. However, little information is available about it in association to grape. In this work it was evaluated the effect of artificial infestation in different cultivars and phenological stages, the efficacy of different food attractants for pest sampling and adult population fluctuation in different cultivars in southern Brazil. A. fraterculus postembryonic development was evaluated in different cultivars. A. fraterculus did not develop in ‘Niagara Rosada’ although it did in the ’Italia’ cultivar. However, this cultivar was not considered a multiplying host due to low larval viability of the pest. In relation to damage, there was significant berry injury in the cultivars ’Cabernet Sauvignon’, ’Moscato Embrapa’, and ’Isabel ’ when the infestation occurred in the initial stage of fruit development. The ‘Niagara Rosada’ berries did not present significant injury and malformation. The fruit fly larvae did not develop in this cultivar. Several food attractants were tested in vineyards and hydrolyzed protein (BioAnastrepha) was the most attractive. The population fluctuation was evaluated in several areas of ’Cabernet Sauvignon’, ’Moscato Embrapa’, ’Niagara Rosada’, ’Italia’ (only in 2005/06) and ’Isabel ’ (only in 2006/07) cultivars. McPhails traps with BioAnastrepha at 5% were used. Most of the flies were caught in ’Moscato Embrapa’ cultivar during berry ripening stage.

Resumo: A espécie de mosca-das-frutas Anastrepha fraterculus é uma das principais pragas da fruticultura brasileira, porém, quando associada à cultura da videira, poucas informações estão disponíveis. Neste trabalho foi avaliado o efeito da infestação artificial em diferentes cultivares e estádios fenológicos, a eficiência de atrativos alimentares para o monitoramento da praga e a flutuação populacional de adultos em diferentes cultivares na região da Serra Gaúcha, RS. No laboratório foi estudado o desenvolvimento pós-embrionário de A. fraterculus em diferentes cultivares. Não ocorre desenvolvimento de A. fraterculus na cultivar 'Niagara Rosada'. Na cultivar 'Itália' a espécie completa o desenvolvimento, mas a cultivar não é considerada um hospedeiro multiplicador da praga devido a baixa viabilidade larval. No que se refere à caracterização de danos, houve queda significativa de bagas nas cultivares 'Cabernet Sauvignon', 'Moscato Embrapa' e 'Isabel' quando a infestação ocorreu na fase inicial de desenvolvimento do cacho (fase de grão ervilha). Na cultivar 'Niagara Rosada' não houve queda significativa e deformação das bagas e nem viabilidade no desenvolvimento larval. Atrativos alimentares foram testados em vinhedos e a formulação BioAnastrepha, à base de proteína hidrolisada, foi a mais eficaz. A flutuação populacional foi avaliada em áreas das cultivares 'Cabernet Sauvignon', 'Moscato Embrapa', 'Niagara Rosada', 'Itália' (apenas 2005/06) e 'Isabel' (apenas safra 2006/07). Utilizou-se armadilhas McPhail contendo o atrativo BioAnastrepha a 5%. As maiores capturas de A. fraterculus foram observadas na cultivar 'Moscato Embrapa', com o pico populacional ocorrendo durante a fase de maturação de bagas.
Abstract: The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, is a major pest of Brazilian fruit trees. However, little information is available about it in association to grape. In this work it was evaluated the effect of artificial infestation in different cultivars and phenological stages, the efficacy of different food attractants for pest sampling and adult population fluctuation in different cultivars in southern Brazil. A. fraterculus postembryonic development was evaluated in different cultivars. A. fraterculus did not develop in 'Niagara Rosada' although it did in the 'Italia' cultivar. However, this cultivar was not considered a multiplying host due to low larval viability of the pest. In relation to damage, there was significant berry injury in the cultivars 'Cabernet Sauvignon', 'Moscato Embrapa', and 'Isabel ' when the infestation occurred in the initial stage of fruit development. The 'Niagara Rosada' berries did not present significant injury and malformation. The fruit fly larvae did not develop in this cultivar. Several food attractants were tested in vineyards and hydrolyzed protein (BioAnastrepha) was the most attractive. The population fluctuation was evaluated in several areas of 'Cabernet Sauvignon', 'Moscato Embrapa', 'Niagara Rosada', 'Italia' (only in 2005/06) and 'Isabel ' (only in 2006/07) cultivars. McPhails traps with BioAnastrepha at 5% were used. Most of the flies were caught in 'Moscato Embrapa' cultivar during berry ripening stage.
Orientador: Odair Aparecido Fernandes
Coorientador: Marcos Botton
Banca: Sergio Antonio de Bortoli
Banca: Adalton Raga
Mestre

The potential for a quantitatively produced garlic oil for use as an insecticide was investigated. The study assessed the garlic oils efficacy in the laboratory and in the field, as well as its physiological effect on three key enzymes noted for their involvement either in toxicity, or detoxication of exogenous toxins in two Dipteran pests; Delia radicum (L. ) and Musca dornestica (L. ). The garlic oil absorbed onto wood flour pellets (prills) had no significant repellent effect on D. radicum, in choice tests when presented with artificial oviposition sites. Exposure of 24hr old D. radicun, eggs to garlic prills placed on the substrate significantly reduced egg hatch, whilst exposure to vapours of the prills had no significant effect. When used in the field, damage to swede plant roots by D. radicum was reduced in a dose dependent fashion, with the highest application rate (140 kg ha') providing control comparable to that of the 'current best practice' organophosphonis pesticide. In liquid form the garlic oil had a dose dependent effect on the mortality of all life stages (egg, 2''1 instar larvae, and adult) of D. radreum and M. domestica, and corresponding LC5o values were calculated. A 5% concentration had comparable mortality rates to the 'current best practice' organophosphorus pesticide. Field application reduced swede root damage in a concentration dependent fashion with mean root damage scores in the 0.5% and 2% concentration treatment plots significantly lower than those of the control, but not significantly different to those in the organoplhosplhorus pesticide treatments. The liquid had no significant effect on swede root circumference at any concentration, thus not significantly affecting potential crop yield. Exposure of pure extracts of acetylcholinesterase,c arboxylesterasea, nd glutathione S-transferaset o a series of garlic oil concentrations inhibited carboxylesterase activity and glutathione S-transferase activity in a dose dependent fashion; no significant inhibition of acetylcliolinesterase activity was noted. No significant inhibition of the three enzymes studied was noted In vitro or in vivo exposure of larvae and adults of both Dipteran species. Quantitative assessmenot f the glutathione and lactate pools indicated that there was generally a net loss of glutathione with increasing garlic oil concentration and no significant correlation between lactate levels and concentration in the larval and adult life-stages of U. radicum and M. donaestica. It was concluded that the garlic oil studied, both in liquid form and in prill form could be used as an insecticide against the two Dipteran pests studied, although the mode of action is still unclear. Implications for use of the products and the potential mode of action are discussed. IV

Fruit flies (Tephritidae) can enter and establish in new territories due to the movement of fruit from one area to another through trade or tourism, which can negatively impact on fruit production and market access. An invader fruit fly species (Bactrocera invadens) has established on the African continent and has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. This newly described polyphagous fruit fly species is a successful invader species which continues to distribute and establish in new habitats. The introduction and establishment of B. invadens in South Africa may have serious market access consequences with regard to fruit exports due to its absence in the territories of many trading partners. The Musina area was considered as the study area as it is the first entry point from Zimbabwe. The national highway (N1) which runs through the area is a major route from several B. invadens infested countries in the Southern Africa region. A species initiated pest risk assessment was conveyed to determine the risk potential of this pest. The pest risk assessment (PRA) identified several pathways with a high risk to the Musina area, that B. invadens can follow. A detection survey was carried out to determine the status of B. invadens in the Musina area as support to the PRA. The detection survey continued over three years and by the second year B. invadens was detected for the first time in the study area. The detection survey was followed by a delimiting survey and the pest was eradicated in the area. After several months of no detection, it was however detected again in the area. Risk management options were suggested for regulatory control as an outcome of the pest risk assessment. These measures can be utilised by the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa for the commercial importation of host material of B. invadens, control of fruit imported by travellers, informal traders and national control in the event of pest incursions in the area. Corrective actions as well as quarantine actions should be implemented in an integrated approach in the affected areas.
Thesis (Master of Environmental Sciences)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is an invasive pest causing marketable losses on Brassica crops in the Northeastern United States and throughout southern Canada. Heading brassicas, like cauliflower and broccoli, are particularly susceptible because larvae feed concealed inside meristematic tissues of the plant, where head formation occurs. Our work details the development of a sustainable, affordable pest management tactic for swede midge – plant derived repellents. First, it was necessary to establish both a damage and marketability threshold for swede midge, so we developed a technique to manipulate larval density of swede midge on cauliflower, We asked: (1) What is the swede midge damage threshold? (2) How many swede midge larvae can render cauliflower crowns unmarketable? and (3) Does the age of cauliflower at infestation influence the severity of damage? We found that even a single larva causes mild twisting and scarring rendering cauliflower unmarketable 52% of the time, with more larvae causing more severe damage and additional losses, regardless of cauliflower age at infestation. Repellency is an important management approach to consider for swede midge. Since the host range of specialist insects appears constrained by plant phylogeny, we hypothesized that odors from less phylogenetically related plants would be more repellent to swede midge. To test our hypothesis, we performed no-choice and choice biological assays, asking: (1) How do essential oils from different plant species influence midge densities on broccoli? (2) What is the relationship between phylogenetic distance of non-host odors and larval densities on broccoli? Biological assays identified multiple essential oils that reduced larval densities, and phylogenetic analyses showed that less related plants were more effective. In addition to the biological assays, we tested 15 essential oils for their ability to repel gravid females from broccoli tissue in y-tube olfactometer assays. While most of the essential oils reduced the frequency at which females chose host plant meristems, wintergreen, thyme, lemongrass, eucalyptus lemon, garlic, cinnamon, and star anise were most effective. Additionally, we used chemical fingerprints (physical/chemical properties) from PubChem to compare the essential oil volatile compounds and develop an index for their similarity. We found that physicochemical similarity was predictive of repellency. Finally, for repellency to be an effective, long-term strategy, it was important to consider how and whether the repellent response of midges changes over time or previous experience. In our final chapter, we performed electroantennography trials testing how previous experience with garlic or eucalyptus lemon odor for one or 10 s influences the neurophysiological response of swede midge to host (broccoli) or non-host (garlic or eucalyptus lemon) odors. We asked: (1) Does previous experience with garlic or eucalyptus lemon influence the physiological response of swede midge to host or non-host odors? (2) Does the time of previous exposure to non-host odors influence their physiological response to host or non-host odors? Our findings show that swede midge, after 10 s of exposure to either repellent, was more responsive to repellents than host compounds, suggesting that the effectiveness of repellents will not diminish over time.

As invasões biológicas tem alcançado ampla disseminação devido a ações antrópicas em todo o planeta. Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), é uma espécie invasora global que vem promovendo grandes danos às culturas agrícolas. Nativa do Sudeste Asiático, D. suzukii recentemente (ano de 2013) invadiu e se dispersou pela América do Sul. Aqui, utilizamos uma abordagem filogeográfica baseada no fragmento do gene COI para explorar a dinâmica de invasão das populações de D. suzukii no Brasil. Identificamos cinco haplotipos e uma diversidade genética moderada nas populações brasileiras, que estão em expansão demográfica e espacial. A AMOVA indicou uma alta estrutura genética entre as populações, o que é parcialmente explicado pela sua origem morfoclimática e história de invasão. D. suzukii expandiu do sul para o sudeste do Brasil, auxiliado pelo transporte de frutas mediado por humanos de região para região. O compartilhamento de haplótipos entre as regiões brasileiras e outras regiões invadidas do mundo sugere um único evento de invasão de D. suzukii no Brasil, originário de áreas previamente invadidas (como América do Norte e Europa). A rápida dispersão geográfica e a grande variedade de frutas atacadas por D. suzukii requerem implementação imediata de estratégias de controle (legais e fitossanitárias) para gerenciar esta praga no Brasil.
Biological invasions have reached large parts of the globe, due to human actions across the planet. Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a globally invasive species, always associated with enormous and costly damage to agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, D. suzukii recently (i.e. 2013) invaded and is dispersing through South America. Here, we used a phylogeographic approach based on the COI gene fragment to explore the invasion dynamics of D. suzukii populations in Brazil. We identified five haplotypes and moderate genetic diversity in Brazilian populations, which are undergoing demographic and spatial expansion. The AMOVA indicated a high genetic structure among the populations, which is partially explained by their morphoclimatic origin and invasion history. D. suzukii expanded from southern to southeastern Brazil, aided by human-mediated transport of fruits from region to region. The sharing of haplotypes among Brazilian and other invaded regions of the world suggests a single invasion event of D. suzukii in Brazil, originating from previously invaded areas (e.g., North America and Europe). The rapid geographic dispersal and wide variety of fruits attacked by of D. suzukii require immediate implementation of control strategies (legal and phytosanitary) to manage this pest in Brazil.

Bactrocera tryoni, the Queensland fruit fly, is established along the entire Australian east coast. It is a major pest of horticulture and arguably the worst horticultural insect pest in Australia. Adult flies lay eggs into fruit and resultant larvae feed on the flesh of the fruit. The population biology of B. tryoni has been well studied in temperate regions, where it has been established that climatic factors, particularly temperature and rainfall, limit population growth. In contrast, in subtropical and tropical regions, the population dynamics of the fly have been little studied. This thesis investigates the fly's phenology and abundance changes across subtropical and tropical Queensland and asks what factors govern the population cycles of B. tryoni in this state. Winter breeding and abundance of the fly, a component of the seasonal cycle which in south-east Queensland is fundamentally different from that observed in temperate Australia, is also investigated. A historical, extensive multi-year and multi-site trapping data set with from across Queensland was analysed to look at the effects of temperature, rainfall and relative humidity on B. tryoni trap catch. Trap data was further compared with the predicted phenology data generated by a DYMEX® based B. tryoni population phenology model. The phenology model used was based on a previously published model, but was also modified to more explicitly look at the effects of host plant availability and the presence or absence of non-reproductive over-wintering flies. Over-wintering field cage studies and a winter-spring field trapping study, both carried out in Brisbane, supplied additional data on B. tryoni's population abundance and capacity to breed during winter in the subtropics. Results show significant variation of monthly fly abundance for nine sites across Queensland. Abundance changed across sites in non-predictable ways. Annual population phenology within a site was, for some sites, highly consistent from year to year, but inconsistent for other sites. All sites in the subtropics showed some form of population depression during the cooler months, but breeding was continuous, albeit reduced at nearly all sites. Some tropical sites, where the climate is regarded as highly favourable for B. tryoni, still showed dramatic peaks and troughs in annual population abundance. There were relatively few significant correlations observed between weather factors and fly populations for any site. Output from the DYMEX population model suggested that fruit availability is a major driver of population dynamics in the tropical north of the state, while weather is more important in the subtropical south. The population dynamics of B. tryoni at sites along the central Queensland coast, where it is assumed that a mix of both weather and host fruit availability drive local populations, were poorly captured by the population model. Field cage results showed that B. tryoni successfully bred during winter in Brisbane, with pupal emergence starting in mid-winter (1st week of August), peaking in early spring (2nd week of September). Trap catch at orchards in Brisbane increased with increasing temperature and fruit availability, but diminished with decreasing temperature and fruit availability. The results suggest that B. tryoni has an optimal climate for population growth in the tropics, but fruit availability for offspring production limits population growth. In the subtropics however, both climate and fruit availability determine the population size. Winter temperatures are marginal for B. tryoni population growth in the subtropics.

Bactrocera tryoni, the Queensland fruit fly, is established along the entire Australian east coast. It is a major pest of horticulture and arguably the worst horticultural insect pest in Australia. Adult flies lay eggs into fruit and resultant larvae feed on the flesh of the fruit. The population biology of B. tryoni has been well studied in temperate regions, where it has been established that climatic factors, particularly temperature and rainfall, limit population growth. In contrast, in subtropical and tropical regions, the population dynamics of the fly have been little studied. This thesis investigates the fly's phenology and abundance changes across subtropical and tropical Queensland and asks what factors govern the population cycles of B. tryoni in this state. Winter breeding and abundance of the fly, a component of the seasonal cycle which in south-east Queensland is fundamentally different from that observed in temperate Australia, is also investigated. A historical, extensive multi-year and multi-site trapping data set with from across Queensland was analysed to look at the effects of temperature, rainfall and relative humidity on B. tryoni trap catch. Trap data was further compared with the predicted phenology data generated by a DYMEX® based B. tryoni population phenology model. The phenology model used was based on a previously published model, but was also modified to more explicitly look at the effects of host plant availability and the presence or absence of non-reproductive over-wintering flies. Over-wintering field cage studies and a winter-spring field trapping study, both carried out in Brisbane, supplied additional data on B. tryoni's population abundance and capacity to breed during winter in the subtropics. Results show significant variation of monthly fly abundance for nine sites across Queensland. Abundance changed across sites in non-predictable ways. Annual population phenology within a site was, for some sites, highly consistent from year to year, but inconsistent for other sites. All sites in the subtropics showed some form of population depression during the cooler months, but breeding was continuous, albeit reduced at nearly all sites. Some tropical sites, where the climate is regarded as highly favourable for B. tryoni, still showed dramatic peaks and troughs in annual population abundance. There were relatively few significant correlations observed between weather factors and fly populations for any site. Output from the DYMEX population model suggested that fruit availability is a major driver of population dynamics in the tropical north of the state, while weather is more important in the subtropical south. The population dynamics of B. tryoni at sites along the central Queensland coast, where it is assumed that a mix of both weather and host fruit availability drive local populations, were poorly captured by the population model. Field cage results showed that B. tryoni successfully bred during winter in Brisbane, with pupal emergence starting in mid-winter (1st week of August), peaking in early spring (2nd week of September). Trap catch at orchards in Brisbane increased with increasing temperature and fruit availability, but diminished with decreasing temperature and fruit availability. The results suggest that B. tryoni has an optimal climate for population growth in the tropics, but fruit availability for offspring production limits population growth. In the subtropics however, both climate and fruit availability determine the population size. Winter temperatures are marginal for B. tryoni population growth in the subtropics.

The effects of intraspecific and interspecific competition, host plant, and prior host plant experience on fecundity, rate of oviposition and mortality of adults and larval survival of Delia radicum Bouche (Cabbage Maggot (CM)), D. antiqua Meigen (Onion Maggot (OM)), and D. platura Meigen (Seed Corn Maggot (SCM)), were studied on cabbage, onion and bean plants.
An optimum density for maximum fecundity per female was observed when the four experimental densities were compared. This optimum density was higher on host than on non-host plants. CM females were host specific and did not oviposit on non-host plants. Rates of oviposition and mortality over a 30-day period were calculated for each density. The rate of oviposition was slower at higher densities on host plants for CM, OM and SCM. The rate of mortality increased at the highest density for CM (cabbage), OM (bean) and SCM (cabbage), but remained unaffected for OM on onion and cabbage and for SCM on onion and bean, when densities were compared. For OM, a delay in the rate of oviposition and mortality on cabbage (non-host plant) when compared with onion (host plant), suggests that cabbage was not as readily accepted as an oviposition site. Interspecific competition experiments at six density ratio's of SCM:OM indicated increased fecundity, or an increase in the rate of oviposition for OM, at the lower densities when single and mixed species were compared. For SCM no effects on fecundity were recorded, but the rate of oviposition was slower and rate of mortality faster at the lowest density in the presence of OM. Similar studies with SCM and CM showed no such effects of competition.
Host plant exposure of SCM females during the pre-oviposition period resulted in a delay in initial acceptance of subsequent host plants as oviposition sites. This happened only when females were exposed to a secondary host during the pre-oviposition period. Once oviposition began, host discrimination ceased and a switch in oviposition sites to the preferred host did not alter the rate of oviposition. In CM, the rate of larval development increased at density 6 (optimum density). Above this density a decrease in the rate of development and a significant reduction in pupal weight was observed. Time required for fly emergence was not affected by increasing larval densities.

Mosquitoes associated with the saline wetlands of southeastern Australia represent a significant nuisance and are vectors of mosquito-borne arboviruses, most importantly Ross River virus and Barrnah Forest virus. Homebush Bay is located close to the Sydney metropolitan area and has undergone substantial redevelopment through the construction of residential, conservation and recreational facilities. The area contains extensive saline wetlands, comprised of saltmarsh (dominated by Sarcocornia quinqueflora) and mangrove (dominated by Avicennia marina) habitats that had become severely degraded since the late 18005 and provide ideal habitats for the production of unusually large mosquito populations. The diversity of the mosquito fauna, and aspects of the biology/ecology of the major pest species were studied from 1995-2000 to assist the development of environmentally sensitive management strategies. In larval surveys, four species of mosquito were found most commonly in the saline wetlands, Ochlerotatus alternans, Ochlerotatus camptorhynchus, Ochlerotatus vigilax and Culex sitiens. Of these, the most abundant species was 0c. vigilax, and it was regularly collected throughout the wetlands following tidal and rainfall inundation, with larval densities exceeding 100 larvae/dip on some occasions.

The impact of peatland restoration on Diptera assemblages was studied across multiple organizational levels (taxon, size class, trophic group) among abandoned-mined, restored and natural sites of three bogs and the environmental variables affecting those assemblages were determined. More than 22,000 individuals representing 716 species were collected using pan traps, sweeping and Malaise traps. Restored and abandoned sites were similar to each other and both distinct from natural sites as shown by small-size class, acalyptrate and trophic assemblages. However, abandoned sites showed much lower evenness and generally supported lower species richness than restored and natural sites, due to the dominance of one or two saprophagous species. The coverage of bare peat, Sphagnum mosses and ericaceous shrubs explained most of the variance in species composition. Those results suggest that restoration enhanced the recovery of high species diversity, although more than seven years are needed to recover a complete trophic structure or to enable species with low dispersal ability to recolonize to pre-disturbance levels.

Studies were carried out to investigate the development of Tipula oleracea as a pest of winter cereals in north-east Scotland. Oilseed rape was identified as an important contributing factor to the appearance of this species in winter cereals. Laboratory experiments showed that T. oleracea preferred to egg-lay into oilseed rape crops rather than winter cereals. Field surveys established that larvae were present during the winter within the oilseed rape. Further experimentation showed that larvae reared on diets of oilseed rape, out-performed those fed on winter cereals, in terms of growth, successful development, and subsequent fecundity of emerging females. Studies on behaviour showed that adults emerging from within the oilseed rape in June were trapped by the oilseed rape canopy and that 'normal' dispersal was restricted. Flies could, however, move between plant stalks underneath the canopy, suggesting that mating and egg-laying could continue. It was confirmed that T.oleracea, usually had two flight periods in north-east Scotland, in June, and again in August-September. Population studies determined that adult emergence was variable, suggesting a useful survival strategy, should peak emergence coincide with poor conditions for larval survival. Studies on growth established that the life-cycle of T. oleracea was responsive to temperature and field studies showed that two generations could be completed during the summer months within the oilseed rape crop. It was also shown that T. oleracea had a high egg-laying capacity and had no requirement for a larval diapause. The population dynamics of this species are suited to the exploitation of short term habitats, such as those created within one year arable rotations.

Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. Ex Kunth (Bignoniaceae) also known as yellow bells, has a native distribution from Northern Argentina, central America, Mexico and the Southern USA. In many warm climatic regions of the world, T. stans is commonly planted as an ornamental plant because of its yellow flowers, hence the name yellow bells, and pinnate foliage. As a result, this evergreen shrub has wide distribution in the tropical and subtropical parts of the western hemisphere. As is the case in many other parts of the world, T. stans was introduced into South Africa as an ornamental plant, but escaped cultivation and now invades roadsides, urban open spaces, watercourses, rocky sites in subtropical and tropical areas of five South African provinces; Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and neighboring countries. Tecoma stans has the potential of extending its range because its seeds are easily dispersed by wind. The purpose of this work was to carry out pre-release efficacy studies to determine the host specificity and suitability of Pseudonapomyza sp. (Diptera: Agromyzidae), a leaf-mining fly, as a biological control agent of T. stans. Available information suggests that the fly was brought to South Africa (SA) from Argentina in 2005. In that year a worker collected adult root feeding fleabeetles from T. stans and their eggs by collecting soil around the plants in the Argentinian Province of Jujuy, at San Pedro (24°12’592”S, 64°51’328”W). The soil was brought to the SA quarantine laboratory of the Agricultural Research Council, Plant Protection Research Institute (Weeds Division), Pretoria, and placed in a cage containing T. stans plants for flea-beetle larvae to emerge from the eggs. The Pseudonapomyza sp. flies which emerged from that soil were reared to produce a colony of flies used in the study reported here. The feeding behavior of Pseudonapomyza sp. adults is initiated by females which use their ovipositor to puncture holes in the leaf mesophyll and then they feed on the sap oozing from the holes. Since males have no means of puncturing the leaves, they feed from holes made by females. Eggs are laid singly into the tubular leaf punctures. Soon after hatching, the larva feeds on the leaf mesophyll tissue. As the larva feeds within the leaf it creates mines which eventually coalesce to form large blotches. The damaged leaf area reduces the photosynthetic potential of the plant especially when damaged leaves dry and fall off the plants. The potential of Pseudonapomyza sp. as a biocontrol agent is enhanced by the fact that it has a high level of fecundity and a short life cycle. As a result, its populations can build up rapidly to exert a significant impact on T. stans. Host-specificity tests undertaken on 35 plant species in 12 plant families showed that out of the 35 plant species tested, the fly was able to develop on T. stans only. Although Pseudonapomyza sp. adults fed on T. capensis, a South African indigenous ornamental shrub, no larval mines were observed on this plant. This suggests two possibilities; either females of Pseudonapomyza sp. do not oviposit on T. capensis or oviposition takes place but larvae cannot feed and develop on this plant. These studies indicate that this fly is sufficiently host-specific, and can be released against T. stans without posing any threat to either commercial or indigenous plant species grown in South Africa. Experimental designs simulating high populations of Pseudonapomyza sp. showed that the impact of leaf mining fly on T. stans can cause approximately 56 percent aboveground biomass reduction. Other concurrent studies have also showed that low and high density fly infestations can cause 23 percent and 48 percent belowground biomass reductions, respectively. Based on the available information, it appears that Pseudonapomyza sp. may have the potential to reduce the invasive capacity of T. stans in the affected areas. In order to exert more herbivore pressure on T. stans, it is suggested that agents belonging to other feeding guilds, such as root-, stem- and seed-feeding insects, be considered for release to complement the leaf-feeding of Pseudonapomyza sp. An application to release this fly in SA has been submitted to one of the two regulatory authorities.

The Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae), a major pest of horticulture in eastern Australia, is a relatively poor coloniser of new habitat. This thesis examines behavioural properties that might limit the ability of B. tryoni to establish new populations. As the potential for B. tryoni to establish an outbreak population may be most directly limited by mechanisms associated with dispersal and mating behaviour, these two factors were the focus of this research project. The relevance of dispersal and mating behaviour for control of outbreak populations was assessed. Dispersal (i) Dispersal patterns of males and females are not different. Dispersal of post-teneral male B. tryoni from a point within an orchard near Richmond, New South Wales, was monitored following temporally replicated releases. Application of sterile insect technique (SIT) requires knowledge of dispersal from a release point so that effective release rates can be determined. In addition, dispersal following introduction to new habitat can lead to low or negative population growth and an Allee effect. In Spring and Autumn, 2001 – 2003, three different strains of B. tryoni were released: (1) wild flies reared from infested fruit collected in the Sydney Basin; (2) a laboratory-reared strain with a colour mutation (white marks); and (3) sterile flies obtained by gamma-irradiation of a mass-reared strain. Dispersal was monitored using a grid of traps baited with the male attractant, cuelure. During the majority of releases, flies were massmarked using a self-marking technique and fluorescent pigment powder to enable identification of recaptured flies. A preliminary study found that fluorescent pigment marks had no effect on adult survival and marks did not fade significantly in the laboratory over a period of five weeks after eclosion. As cuelure repels inseminated sexually mature female B. tryoni, unbaited, coloured flat sticky traps, and black and yellow sticky sphere traps baited with a food lure (protein autolysate solution) were used to supplement traps baited with cuelure. The effectiveness of these two sticky trap types was assessed, and recaptures used to compare patterns of dispersal from a release point by male and female B. tryoni. Fluorescent yellow (chartreuse), green, and clear unbaited flat sticky traps were relatively ineffective for monitoring dispersal of sterile male and female B. tryoni, recapturing only 0.1% of released sterile flies. Monitoring dispersal with sticky ball traps baited with protein autolysate solution was more successful, with yellow spheres and black spheres recapturing 1.7% and 1.5%, respectively. Trap colour had no effect on recaptures on flat sticky traps or sticky spheres. Equal recapture rates on yellow and black sticky sphere traps suggests that the odour of yeast autolysate solution was more important than colour for attraction of post-teneral flies to traps. Using the results of recaptures on odoriferous black and yellow sticky sphere traps within one week of release, regression equations of male and female recaptures per trap were found to be similar (Figure 4-3). This is the first study to clearly indicate that post-teneral dispersal patterns of male and female B. tryoni released from a point do not differ, enabling the use of existing models to predict density of both sexes of B. tryoni following post-teneral dispersal. (ii) Males disperse further in Spring than in Autumn, but this is not temperature-related. Analysis of replicated recaptures in traps baited with cuelure revealed that dispersal of male B. tryoni in an orchard near Richmond, New South Wales, was higher in Spring than in Autumn (Figure 5-6). As the maximum daily temperature was significantly higher in Spring than in Autumn this result was unexpected, since earlier studies have found that B. tryoni disperse at the onset of cool weather in search of sheltered over-wintering sites. Dispersal of post-teneral B. tryoni may have been affected by habitat suitability; it was found that seasonal trends in dispersal could have been influenced by local habitat variables. Low mean dispersal distances in Autumn may be explained by the presence of fruiting hosts in the orchard, or the availability of resources required by over-wintering flies. There was no significant correlation between temperature and mean dispersal distance, suggesting that higher rates of dispersal cannot be explained by temperature-related increases in activity. Recapture rate per trap was significantly negatively correlated with increasing daily maximum and average temperature. This may have consequences for detection of B. tryoni outbreaks in quarantine areas due to reduced cuelure trap efficiency. (iii) Maturity and source variation affect dispersal and response to cuelure. This research indicated that most male and female B. tryoni do not disperse far from a release point, suggesting that an invading propagule would not spread far in the first generation. However, there is considerable variation in flight capability among individuals. Comparison of wild, laboratory-reared white marks, and gamma-irradiated sterile male B. tryoni indicated that mean dispersal distance and redistribution patterns were not significantly affected by fly origin. Despite no difference in dispersal distance from the release point, recaptures of wild and sterile males per Lynfield trap baited with cuelure were highest within one week after release, whereas recaptures of white marks males per trap increased in the second week. This result may offer evidence to support the hypothesis that sterile male B. tryoni respond to cuelure at an earlier age. Rearing conditions used to produce large quantities of males for sterilisation by gamma-irradiation may select for earlier sexual maturity. Mating Behaviour (i) Density and sex ratio do not affect mating, except at low densities. Demographic stochasticity in the form of sex ratio fluctuations at low population density can lead to an observed Allee effect. The effect of local group density and sex ratio on mating behaviour and male mating success of a laboratory-adapted strain of B. tryoni was examined in laboratory cages. In the laboratory-adapted strain of B. tryoni used in this study, a group of one female and one male was sufficient for a good chance of mating success. The proportion of females mated and male mating success was not significantly affected by density or sex ratio, although variability in male mating success was higher at low density. This could indicate that mating success of B. tryoni can be reduced when local group density is low owing to decreased frequency in encounters between males and females. (ii) Mass-reared males exhibit aberrant mating behaviour, but this does not reduce mating success. Strong artificial selection in mass-rearing facilities may lead to decreased competitiveness of sterile males released in SIT programs as a result of alteration or loss of ecological and behavioural traits required in the field. The effects of domestication and irradiation on the mating behaviour of males of B. tryoni were investigated by caging wild, mass-reared and sterile (mass-reared and gammairradiated) males with wild females. Mating behaviour of mass-reared males was different from that of wild males, but behaviour of wild and sterile males was similar. Mass-reared males were found to engage in mounting of other males much more frequently than wild and sterile males, and began calling significantly earlier before darkness. Male calling did not appear to be associated with female choice of mating partners, although this does not exclude the possibility that calling is a cue used by females to discriminate between mating partners. Conditions used to domesticate and rear large quantities of B. tryoni for SIT may select for an alternative male mating strategy, with mass-reared males calling earlier and exercising less discrimination between potential mating partners. Despite differences in behaviour of wild, mass-reared and sterile males, frequency of successful copulations and mating success were similar. (iii) Pheromone-calling by males was increased in larger aggregations but this did not result in significantly more female visits. Finally, large laboratory cages with artificial leks were used to investigate the importance in B. tryoni of male group size for female visitation at lek sites and initiation of male pheromone-calling. Calling propensity of male B. tryoni was increased by the presence of conspecific males. Females visited the largest lek more frequently than single males, but there was no correlation between lek size and female visitation. Female B. tryoni had a limited capacity to perceive a difference between the number of calling males; female visitation at leks was only weakly associated with male calling, suggesting that lek size and the number of pheromone-calling males may not be the only factor important in locating mates in B. tryoni. The weak, but positive correlation between male calling and female visitation may indicate that passive attraction maintains lek-mating in B. tryoni. Further studies are essential on mating behaviour of B. tryoni, including identification of male mating aggregations in the field, measurement of habitat variables associated with male aggregations, the influence of density on wild B. tryoni mating success, and the role of pheromone-calling, in order to optimise use of SIT for control of this pest.

The Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae), a major pest of horticulture in eastern Australia, is a relatively poor coloniser of new habitat. This thesis examines behavioural properties that might limit the ability of B. tryoni to establish new populations. As the potential for B. tryoni to establish an outbreak population may be most directly limited by mechanisms associated with dispersal and mating behaviour, these two factors were the focus of this research project. The relevance of dispersal and mating behaviour for control of outbreak populations was assessed. Dispersal (i) Dispersal patterns of males and females are not different. Dispersal of post-teneral male B. tryoni from a point within an orchard near Richmond, New South Wales, was monitored following temporally replicated releases. Application of sterile insect technique (SIT) requires knowledge of dispersal from a release point so that effective release rates can be determined. In addition, dispersal following introduction to new habitat can lead to low or negative population growth and an Allee effect. In Spring and Autumn, 2001 � 2003, three different strains of B. tryoni were released: (1) wild flies reared from infested fruit collected in the Sydney Basin; (2) a laboratory-reared strain with a colour mutation (white marks); and (3) sterile flies obtained by gamma-irradiation of a mass-reared strain. Dispersal was monitored using a grid of traps baited with the male attractant, cuelure. During the majority of releases, flies were massmarked using a self-marking technique and fluorescent pigment powder to enable identification of recaptured flies. A preliminary study found that fluorescent pigment marks had no effect on adult survival and marks did not fade significantly in the laboratory over a period of five weeks after eclosion. As cuelure repels inseminated sexually mature female B. tryoni, unbaited, coloured flat sticky traps, and black and yellow sticky sphere traps baited with a food lure (protein autolysate solution) were used to supplement traps baited with cuelure. The effectiveness of these two sticky trap types was assessed, and recaptures used to compare patterns of dispersal from a release point by male and female B. tryoni. Fluorescent yellow (chartreuse), green, and clear unbaited flat sticky traps were relatively ineffective for monitoring dispersal of sterile male and female B. tryoni, recapturing only 0.1% of released sterile flies. Monitoring dispersal with sticky ball traps baited with protein autolysate solution was more successful, with yellow spheres and black spheres recapturing 1.7% and 1.5%, respectively. Trap colour had no effect on recaptures on flat sticky traps or sticky spheres. Equal recapture rates on yellow and black sticky sphere traps suggests that the odour of yeast autolysate solution was more important than colour for attraction of post-teneral flies to traps. Using the results of recaptures on odoriferous black and yellow sticky sphere traps within one week of release, regression equations of male and female recaptures per trap were found to be similar (Figure 4-3). This is the first study to clearly indicate that post-teneral dispersal patterns of male and female B. tryoni released from a point do not differ, enabling the use of existing models to predict density of both sexes of B. tryoni following post-teneral dispersal. (ii) Males disperse further in Spring than in Autumn, but this is not temperature-related. Analysis of replicated recaptures in traps baited with cuelure revealed that dispersal of male B. tryoni in an orchard near Richmond, New South Wales, was higher in Spring than in Autumn (Figure 5-6). As the maximum daily temperature was significantly higher in Spring than in Autumn this result was unexpected, since earlier studies have found that B. tryoni disperse at the onset of cool weather in search of sheltered over-wintering sites. Dispersal of post-teneral B. tryoni may have been affected by habitat suitability; it was found that seasonal trends in dispersal could have been influenced by local habitat variables. Low mean dispersal distances in Autumn may be explained by the presence of fruiting hosts in the orchard, or the availability of resources required by over-wintering flies. There was no significant correlation between temperature and mean dispersal distance, suggesting that higher rates of dispersal cannot be explained by temperature-related increases in activity. Recapture rate per trap was significantly negatively correlated with increasing daily maximum and average temperature. This may have consequences for detection of B. tryoni outbreaks in quarantine areas due to reduced cuelure trap efficiency. (iii) Maturity and source variation affect dispersal and response to cuelure. This research indicated that most male and female B. tryoni do not disperse far from a release point, suggesting that an invading propagule would not spread far in the first generation. However, there is considerable variation in flight capability among individuals. Comparison of wild, laboratory-reared white marks, and gamma-irradiated sterile male B. tryoni indicated that mean dispersal distance and redistribution patterns were not significantly affected by fly origin. Despite no difference in dispersal distance from the release point, recaptures of wild and sterile males per Lynfield trap baited with cuelure were highest within one week after release, whereas recaptures of white marks males per trap increased in the second week. This result may offer evidence to support the hypothesis that sterile male B. tryoni respond to cuelure at an earlier age. Rearing conditions used to produce large quantities of males for sterilisation by gamma-irradiation may select for earlier sexual maturity. Mating Behaviour (i) Density and sex ratio do not affect mating, except at low densities. Demographic stochasticity in the form of sex ratio fluctuations at low population density can lead to an observed Allee effect. The effect of local group density and sex ratio on mating behaviour and male mating success of a laboratory-adapted strain of B. tryoni was examined in laboratory cages. In the laboratory-adapted strain of B. tryoni used in this study, a group of one female and one male was sufficient for a good chance of mating success. The proportion of females mated and male mating success was not significantly affected by density or sex ratio, although variability in male mating success was higher at low density. This could indicate that mating success of B. tryoni can be reduced when local group density is low owing to decreased frequency in encounters between males and females. (ii) Mass-reared males exhibit aberrant mating behaviour, but this does not reduce mating success. Strong artificial selection in mass-rearing facilities may lead to decreased competitiveness of sterile males released in SIT programs as a result of alteration or loss of ecological and behavioural traits required in the field. The effects of domestication and irradiation on the mating behaviour of males of B. tryoni were investigated by caging wild, mass-reared and sterile (mass-reared and gammairradiated) males with wild females. Mating behaviour of mass-reared males was different from that of wild males, but behaviour of wild and sterile males was similar. Mass-reared males were found to engage in mounting of other males much more frequently than wild and sterile males, and began calling significantly earlier before darkness. Male calling did not appear to be associated with female choice of mating partners, although this does not exclude the possibility that calling is a cue used by females to discriminate between mating partners. Conditions used to domesticate and rear large quantities of B. tryoni for SIT may select for an alternative male mating strategy, with mass-reared males calling earlier and exercising less discrimination between potential mating partners. Despite differences in behaviour of wild, mass-reared and sterile males, frequency of successful copulations and mating success were similar. (iii) Pheromone-calling by males was increased in larger aggregations but this did not result in significantly more female visits. Finally, large laboratory cages with artificial leks were used to investigate the importance in B. tryoni of male group size for female visitation at lek sites and initiation of male pheromone-calling. Calling propensity of male B. tryoni was increased by the presence of conspecific males. Females visited the largest lek more frequently than single males, but there was no correlation between lek size and female visitation. Female B. tryoni had a limited capacity to perceive a difference between the number of calling males; female visitation at leks was only weakly associated with male calling, suggesting that lek size and the number of pheromone-calling males may not be the only factor important in locating mates in B. tryoni. The weak, but positive correlation between male calling and female visitation may indicate that passive attraction maintains lek-mating in B. tryoni. Further studies are essential on mating behaviour of B. tryoni, including identification of male mating aggregations in the field, measurement of habitat variables associated with male aggregations, the influence of density on wild B. tryoni mating success, and the role of pheromone-calling, in order to optimise use of SIT for control of this pest.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES
The nut consumption is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Almond baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) Awakens scientific interest for its nutritional composition. The aim of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of consumption of almond baru associated normocaloric prescription on body composition, lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes activity in overweight women. The study included 46 overweight women who were prescribed normocaloric diet and were randomized into a placebo group (PG, n = 22, 800 mg maltodextrin) and intervention group (IG, n = 24, 20 g almonds baru ). Adiposity, blood pressure, serum lipids, biochemical parameters and enzyme activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) measurements were determined at baseline and at study completion. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata software for Windows (version 12.0). Comparisons of means and pre-and post-intervention differences between groups were analyzed by Student's t test. The pre-and post-intervention differences within groups were analyzed by t test for paired samples were significant p <0.05. Body mass decreased in GP and GI, however the reduction in adiposity was observed only in GI. The reduction in waist circumference was 1.7 times higher in GI, compared to GP (p = 0.01). The lipid composition, just got GI reduction (p <0.05) in serum total cholesterol (-12.8 mg / dL), LDL cholesterol (-10.47 mg / dL) and triglycerides (-15.00 mg / dL), and increasing concentrations of HDL (+3.63 mg / dl, p <0.01). The activity of GPx and SOD increased in GI (p <0.05), with differences between groups for GPx (+0.08 versus -0.07 U / mg, p <0.001, respectively). Therefore, consumption of 20 g almonds baru associated with prescription normocaloric reduced adiposity, improved lipid profile and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in overweight women.
O consumo de oleaginosas está associado à redução do risco para doenças cardiovasculares. A amêndoa de baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) desperta interesse científico por sua composição nutricional. O objetivo desse ensaio clínico controlado e randomizado foi avaliar o efeito do consumo da amêndoa de baru associado à prescrição normocalórica sobre a composição corporal, perfil lipídico e atividade de enzimas antioxidantes em mulheres com excesso de peso. Participaram do estudo 46 mulheres com excesso de peso que receberam prescrição de dieta normocalórica e foram randomizadas em grupo placebo (GP, n= 22; 800 mg de maltodextrina) e em grupo intervenção (GI, n= 24; 20 g de amêndoa de baru). Medidas de adiposidade, pressão arterial, lipídios séricos, parâmetros bioquímicos e atividade enzimática das enzimas catalase, glutationa peroxidase (GPx) e superóxido dismutase (SOD) foram determinados no início e ao final do estudo. A análise estatística foi realizada utilizando o software Stata for Windows (versão 12.0). As comparações das médias e diferenças pré e pós-intervenção entre os grupos foram analisadas pelo teste t de Student. As diferenças pré e pós-intervenção intra-grupos foram analisadas pelo test t para amostras pareadas, considerando como significativo p<0,05. A massa corporal reduziu em GP e GI, no entanto a redução da adiposidade foi observada apenas em GI. A redução da circunferência da cintura foi 1,7 vezes maior em GI, quando comparada ao GP (p=0,01). Quanto ao perfil lipídico, apenas GI obteve redução (p<0,05) nas concentrações séricas de colesterol total (-12,8 mg/dL), LDL (-10,47 mg/dL) e triacilgliceróis (-15,00 mg/dL), e aumento nas concentrações de HDL (+3,63 mg/dL, p<0,01). A atividade das enzimas GPx e SOD aumentaram em GI (p<0,05), com diferença entre os grupos para GPx (+0,08 contra -0,07 U/mg, p<0,001, respectivamente). Portanto, o consumo de 20 g de amêndoa de baru associada à prescrição normocalórica reduziu a adiposidade, melhorou o perfil lipídico e aumentou a atividade de enzimas antioxidantes em mulheres com excesso de peso.

The effect of protein in adult and larval diets for Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Muscidae ), a facultative predator of the house fly, Musca domestica L., was examined. A larval diet of coarse wheat bran, vermiculite and dried meat powder was found adequate for rearing O. aenescens larvae. Protein content was important for maximum larval emergence and for F1 adult longevity and fecundity. Adult diet of powdered milk, sugar and dried meat powder was sufficient for maintenance of adult O. aenescens flies. Protein was needed in adult diet for optimal fecundity. Cyromazine was toxic to O. aenescens at high levels (1.0 ppm), but at 0.75 ppm O. aenescens tolerated cyromazine better than a susceptible strain of house flies. At these cyromazine levels, mass release of O. aenescens into poultry houses is possible one to two days after cyromazine has been removed from the chicken feed. The effect of temperature and manure moisture on O. aenescens was studied. At temperatures of 18°C, emergence of Ophyra aenescens was significantly lower than at temperatures of 21 and 27°C. Predation by O. aenescens at 27°C on house fly larvae was significant at ratios of 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1 (house fly to O. aenescens). A constant manure moisture was important in the development of O. aenescens larvae and its ability to prey on house fly larvae. At constant levels of 50, 60, and 70% manure moisture, O. aenescens substantially reduced house fly larval numbers at ratios of 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1.
Master of Science

Glucose was present in substantially greater concentrations in whole body extracts of fourth instar Aedes aegypti L. larvae than was trehalose; in contrast, trehalose was more abundant than glucose in haemolymph extracts. Preliminary studies suggested that infection of Ae. aegypti by the entomopathogenic digenean Plagiorchis elegans Rudolphi alters the carbohydrate metabolism of fourth instar larvae. Within 24 hours of cercarial penetration, total body extracts of infected fourth instar larvae exhibited decreased trehalase activity, increased trehalose-6-phosphatase activity, and an accumulation of trehalose in comparison to uninfected larvae. Concentrations of glucose, glycogen and lipids, and the activity of glycogen phosphorylase a were similar in extracts of infected and control larvae. The predominant fatty acids, in both control and infected larvae, were C 18:0, C 18:1 and C 18:3. There were no significant differences in the types and proportions of fatty acids found in control and infected larvae. Parasitic infection is discussed in terms of impaired trehalose metabolism.

Orientador: Ana Maria Lima de Azeredo-Espin
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
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Resumo: A importância cultural e econômica da produção animal na América Latina tem suas raízes na era colonial. Este continente possui uma das maiores populações de gado do mundo e países como o Brasil, a Argentina e o Uruguai têm um papel importante no cenário mundial como produtores e exportadores de uma grande variedade de produtos pecuários. Doenças parasitárias afetam profundamente a produtividade animal e a venda de animais vivos ou derivados e, conseqüentemente, representam um grande impacto no desenvolvimento do setor agropecuário nos países sul americanos. A mosca da bicheira, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) é um dos principais agentes causadores de miíases traumáticas na região Neotropical. Larvas da mosca da bicheira alimentam-se de tecidos vivos de animais de sangue quente. Esta espécie foi erradicada da América do Norte e parte da América Central através da técnica do inseto estéril (SIT). Na América do Sul, no entanto, esta peste continua causando um grande prejuízo à pecuária e um projeto internacional está em andamento para se avaliar a execução de um programa de controle da mosca da bicheira neste continente. Neste sentido, o principal objetivo deste estudo foi gerar informações sobre padrões de variabilidade, estrutura genética e fluxo gênico de populações sul americanas de C. hominivorax. Estas são importantes informações para o investimento em programas de controle de insetos-praga. Os microssatélites são uma classe especial de marcadores moleculares tipicamente codominantes e multi-alélicos altamente polimórficos e com uma alta heterozigosidade esperada. Estas características fazem com estes marcadores sejam cada vez mais empregados para investigar questões acerca da variabilidade genética, fluxo gênico e sistemas de acasalamento, até mesmo em espécies com baixos níveis de variabilidade em outros marcadores. A principal limitação dos microssatélites é a necessidade de se desenvolver marcadores microssatélites de novo para cada nova espécie a ser estudada, o que pode ser uma tarefa cara e demorada, mas indispensável na maioria dos casos. Para investigar padrões de variabilidade genética e diferenciação populacional na atual distribuição de C. hominivorax, duas abordagens foram empregadas para isolar marcadores microssatélites a partir de bibliotecas genômicas. Inicialmente, 10 locos foram isolados a partir de uma biblioteca enriquecida em repetições (AC)n. A amplificação destes locos em 30 indivíduos de C. hominivorax, revelou uma média de 6,9 alelos por loco, com heterozigosidades esperadas variando de 0,3831 a 0,8022. Na segunda abordagem, sete novos marcadores polimóficos foram desenvolvidos utilizando uma estratégia diferente, na qual uma sonda (AG)n foi usada em vez de (GT)n na etapa de enriquecimento. A média de alelos encontrados nos sete novos locos foi de 7,8 alelos por loco, com heterozigosidades esperadas variando de 0,4220 to 0,9045. Os "primers" desenvolvidos para C. hominivorax foram utilizados com sucesso na amplificação heteróloga em outras espécies da família Calliphoridae, sugerindo que os locos caracterizados poderão ser úteis em estudos nessas espécies após a avaliação do conteúdo de polimorfismo. Estas duas abordagens também motivaram o desenvolvimento de um conjunto de ferramentas de bioinformática para a análise de seqüências contendo microssatélites, o FiRe ("Find Repeats"). Esta iniciativa representa uma importante contribuição para facilitar o isolamento e caracterização destes marcadores. Doze, dos 17 marcadores desenvolvidos, foram selecionados para caracterizar a variabilidade genética e a estrutura populacional de amostras de C. hominivorax da América do Sul. Em uma análise da estrutura espacial e temporal de populações geográficas do Uruguai, desvios significativos do equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg foram observados em todas as subpopulações. Vários pares de locos também apresentaram desequilíbrio de ligação independentemente nas subpopulações. Um baixo, mas significativo, nível de diferenciação foi observado entre as subpopulações, mas não foi detectado isolamento por distância. A análise temporal indicou um aumento na diferenciação populacional global após um ano e foi observada uma diferenciação populacional significativa entre subpopulações da mesma localidade em períodos diferentes. As diferenças observadas entre as populações locais são, provavelmente, um resultado de alterações demográficas em populações da mosca da bicheira. A análise conjunta de 21 populações geográficas da América do Sul (distantes de 15 a 5180 km entre si) revelou uma alta variabilidade genética. Desvios significativos do equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg e desequilíbrio de ligação entre pares de locos foram freqüentes nas amostras analisadas. Foi observada uma diferenciação populacional baixa, mas significativa, indicando uma homogeneidade entre as amostras analisadas. A correlação entre as distâncias genéticas e geográficas das amostras não foi significativa. As evidências encontradas apontam para uma expansão populacional recente da espécie no continente sul americano, mas as observações também podem ser uma evidência de uma dinâmica populacional envolvendo eventos freqüentes de extinção e recolonização, na qual cada subpopulação de C. hominivorax se comportaria como uma metapopulação. Independentemente de qual seja o cenário que melhor descreva a história evolutiva desta espécie, fica evidente o potencial de dispersão e adaptação desta espécie, o que terá profundas implicações em programas de controle da espécie. Estudos futuros poderão fornecer um quadro mais completo sobre a dinâmica das populações da mosca da bicheira, gerando informações fundamentais para a tomada de decisões no que concerne à erradicação desta importante praga da pecuária
Abstract: The cultural and economic importance of animal production in South America dates back to the colonial era. This continent has one of the largest percentages of the world's total cattle population and countries like Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay play a major role as exporters of a variety of livestock products. Diseases affecting livestock can have a significant impact on animal productivity, on trade of live animais, meat and other animal products, which, consequently, affects the overall process of the economic development of South American countries. The New World screw-worm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is an important parasitic insect pest in Neotropical regions. NWS myiasis is caused by the larval stage of the fly infesting tissues of warm-blooded vertebrates. This species has been successfully eradicated from North and most of Central America by the sterile insect technique. In South America, however, this pest continues to affect the development of the livestock sector and an international effort is underway to evaluate the feasibility of eradicating the NWS from endemic areas of Central and South America. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide some insight into the patterns of genetic variation, structure and gene flow of C. hominivorax populations from South America. Those are valuable information required prior to an investment on large-scale efforts aiming at controlling insect pests. Microsatellites stand out as co-dominant markers with a high number of alleles per locus, high polymorphism and high-expected heterozygosities. Due to those features, these markers have been increasingly used to investigate questions regarding population structure, gene flow and mC!ting system even in populations that have low levels of allozyme and mitochondrial variation. The major drawback of microsatellites is that they must often be isolated de novo for each species. In order to investigate patterns of genetic differentiation of C. hominivorax from its current distribution using microsatellite loci, two efforts were made to isolate these markers from enriched genomic libraries. Initially, a set of 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci was isolated from an AC-enriched genomic library. Amplification of the reported loci in 30 screw-worms revealed an average of 6.9 alleles per locus with expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.3831 to 0.8022. In the second effort, seven new pOlymorphic microsatellite markers were developed using a different protocol. An (AG)n probe was used instead of (GT)n in the enrichment step. The number of alleles found in the seven new loci ranged from 3 to 13 per locus, with the expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.4220 to 0.9045. Cross-species amplifications of the 17 microsatellite markers were successful in other Calliphoridae species, suggesting that these loci may be useful in those species after evaluating the extent of polymorphism. These efforts have also motivated the development of a web-based, user-friendly toolkit for microsatellite sequence characterization, the FiRe (Find Repeats). This initiative represents an important contribution to other efforts aimed at isolating and characterizing microsatellite markers. Twelve of the 17 isolated loci were used to characterize genetic variability and population structure across NWS South American populations. In the spatio-temporal analysis of C. hominivorax populations from Uruguay, significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed for ali populations. Linkage disequilibrium was also detected for severa I locus pairs. Low, but significant, levels of subdivision were recorded between populations, but no evidence of isolation by distance was observed. The temporal analysis indicated a population differentiation increase over time and ali pairwise comparisons between temporal subpopulations yielded significant estimates of population differentiation. The observed differences between local populations are probably a result of the occurrence of demographic changes that affected NWS populations. Analysis of populations from 21 geographical sites in South America (distances ranging from 15 to 5180 km) revealed a high genetic variability within NWS populations. Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium were frequent. A strikingly low, but significant, genetic differentiation was observed, indicating a broad-scale genetic homogeneity in the continent. This low differentiation was coupled with a lack of isolation by distance. These results are consistent with the patterns expected from a species that has undergone range expansion. The pattern of genetic variation among populations could also be an evidence of colonization-extinction dynamics, where subpopulations of this species might usefully be viewed as a metapopulation. Whichever scenario best describes the population structure of NWS, it will have deep implications in contrai strategies. Further studies should complement these findings and provide support for decision makers in the planning and implementation of new area-wide contrai programs of this important livestock pest
Doutorado
Genetica Animal e Evolução
Doutor em Genetica e Biologia Molecular

International market access for fresh commodities is regulated by international accepted phytosanitary guidelines, the objectives of which are to reduce the biosecurity risk of plant pest and disease movement. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has identified banana as a potential export crop and to help meet international market access requirements, this thesis provides information for the development of a pest risk analysis (PRA) for PNG banana fruit. The PRA is a three step process which first identifies the pests associated with a particular commodity or pathway, then assesses the risk associated with those pests, and finally identifies risk management options for those pests if required. As the first step of the PRA process, I collated a definitive list on the organisms associated with the banana plant in PNG using formal literature, structured interviews with local experts, grey literature and unpublished file material held in PNG field research stations. I identified 112 organisms (invertebrates, vertebrate, pathogens and weeds) associated with banana in PNG, but only 14 of these were reported as commonly requiring management. For these 14 I present detailed information summaries on their known biology and pest impact. A major finding of the review was that of the 14 identified key pests, some research information occurs for 13. The single exception for which information was found to be lacking was Bactrocera musae (Tryon), the banana fly. The lack of information for this widely reported ‘major pest on PNG bananas’ would hinder the development of a PNG banana fruit PRA. For this reason the remainder of the thesis focused on this organism, particularly with respect to generation of information required by the PRA process. Utilising an existing, but previously unanalysed fruit fly trapping database for PNG, I carried out a Geographic Information System analysis of the distribution and abundance of banana in four major regions of PNG. This information is required for a PRA to determine if banana fruit grown in different parts of the country are at different risks from the fly. Results showed that the fly was widespread in all cropping regions and that temperature and rainfall were not significantly correlated with banana fly abundance. Abundance of the fly was significantly correlated (albeit weakly) with host availability. The same analysis was done with four other PNG pest fruit flies and their responses to the environmental factors differed to banana fly and each other. This implies that subsequent PRA analyses for other PNG fresh commodities will need to investigate the risk of each of these flies independently. To quantify the damage to banana fruit caused by banana fly in PNG, local surveys and one national survey of banana fruit infestation were carried out. Contrary to expectations, infestation was found to be very low, particularly in the widely grown commercial cultivar, Cavendish. Infestation of Cavendish fingers was only 0.41% in a structured, national survey of over 2 700 banana fingers. Follow up laboratory studies showed that fingers of Cavendish, and another commercial variety Lady-finger, are very poor hosts for B. musae, with very low host selection rates by female flies and very poor immature survival. An analysis of a recent (within last decade) incursion of B. musae into the Gazelle Peninsula of East New Britain Province, PNG, provided the final set of B. musae data. Surveys of the fly on the peninsular showed that establishment and spread of the fly in the novel environment was very rapid and thus the fly should be regarded as being of high biosecurity concern, at least in tropical areas. Supporting the earlier impact studies, however, banana fly has not become a significant banana fruit problem on the Gazelle, despite bananas being the primary starch staple of the region. The results of the research chapters are combined in the final Discussion in the form of a B. musae focused PRA for PNG banana fruit. Putting the thesis in a broader context, the Discussion also deals with the apparent discrepancy between high local abundance of banana fly and very low infestation rates. This discussion focuses on host utilisation patterns of specialist herbivores and suggests that local pest abundance, as determined by trapping or monitoring, need not be good surrogate for crop damage, despite this linkage being implicit in a number of international phytosanitary protocols.

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Neste trabalho, reportamos a ocorrência de espécies de moscas-das-frutas (Diptera: Tephritidae) em frutos comercializados no mercado Ver-o-Peso (01° 27'S, 48° 30'W), em Belém, Pará, Brasil. Amostras de frutos potencialmente hospedeiros de moscas-das-frutas foram adquiridas quinzenalmente, de setembro de 2016 a fevereiro de 2017. Foram coletadas 76 amostras (13.855 frutos – 140,4 kg), pertencentes a 16 espécies vegetais de oito famílias botânicas. Foram obtidos 2.386 pupários de moscas-das-frutas, de 52 amostras (11 espécies de 6 famílias botânicas), de onde emergiram cinco espécies de moscas-das-frutas: Anastrepha antunesi Lima, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann) e Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), sendo obtidos 133 exemplares de parasitoides Braconidae: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) e Opius bellus Gahan.
This work reports the occurrence of fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in commercialized fruits in the Ver-o-Peso market (01° 27'S, 48° 30'W), in Belém, Pará, Brazil. Samples of potentially host plants of fruit flies were purchased fortnightly, from September 2016 to February 2017. There were collected 76 samples (13,855 fruits, 140.4 kg) belong in 16 vegetable species from 8 botanical families. There were obtained 2,386 fruit fly puparia in 52 samples (11 species of 6 botanical families), from which emerged 5 fruit fly species: Anastrepha antunesi Lima, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Also, 133 specimens of Braconidae parasitoides were also obtained: Doryctobracon areolatus (Szépligeti) and Opius bellus Gahan.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritoidea) in a mixed orchard at the brazilian Mid-Western: diversity, population dynamics, host relationship and environmental factors. The knowledge about species composition of fruit fly in the Mid-Western Region of Brazil is scarce. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the population dynamics of fruit fly species in a mixed orchard with 21 fruit tree species (22º 13 16 S e 54º 48 20 W) in the campus at Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados-MS. The survey was carried out during two consecutive years of sampling (May 2005 to June 2007). A total of 14 McPhail traps, baited with the Bio Anastrepha® food attractant, were hung up in the branches of 14 fruit tree species. Some 11,775 fruit flies adults were caught belonging to eight genera: Anastrepha Schiner (1868), Ceratitis MacLeay (1868), Hexachaeta Loew (1873), Tomoplagia Coquillett (1910) and Blepharoneura Loew (1873) (Tephritidae); Dasiops Rondani (1856), Lonchaea Fallén (1820) and Neosilba McAlpine (1962) (Lonchaeidae). The result shows that the hosts with higherinfestations by fruit flies in the orchard, were: starfruit (Averrhoa carambola L.) and guava (Psidium guajava L.), with the infestation indexes (larvae/kg) of 101.60 and 41.12, respectively. A. obliqua was the predominant species, in both, traps and fruits
Na região Centro-Oeste do Brasil são escassos os trabalhos de pesquisa sobre a composição de espécies de moscas-das-frutas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dinâmica populacional das espécies de moscas-das-frutas em um pomar no Centro-Oeste brasileiro (Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados - UFGD, Dourados-MS). Em quatorze armadilhas McPhail (iscadas com a atrativo alimentar Bio Anastrepha®) foram capturados 11.775 indivíduos em dois anos de coletas (maio de 2005 a junho de 2007). As espécies identificadas pertencem a oito gêneros: Anastrepha Schiner (1868), Ceratitis MacLeay (1868), Hexachaeta Loew (1873), Tomoplagia Coquillett (1910) e Blepharoneura Loew (1873) (Tephritidae) e Dasiops Rondani (1856), Lonchaea Fallén (1820) e Neosilba McAlpine (1962) (Lonchaeidae). Os resultados obtidos indicam que os hospedeiros mais infestados por moscas-das-frutas no pomar da UFGD, foram: carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) e goiaba (Psidium guajava L.), com índices de infestação (larvas/kg) de 101,60 e 41,12, respectivamente. A. obliqua foi a espécie predominante, tanto nas armadilhas quanto nos frutos

O complexo de espécies crípticas de Anastrepha fraterculus compreende oito morfotipos dos quais três ocorrem no Brasil. Anastrepha sp.1 aff. fraterculus é o morfotipo Brasil-1 e é uma espécie de ampla distribuição no planalto sudeste/sul do Brasil e no norte da Argentina. O comportamento reprodutivo dessa espécie é complexo, envolvendo uma série de movimentos desempenhados pelos machos para atrair as fêmeas para acasalamento, e ocorre, preferencialmente, nas primeiras horas do dia. Dois genes, period e fruitless, entre outros, são conhecidos por participar do controle do comportamento reprodutivo de vários organismos, incluindo algumas espécies de moscas-das-frutas. O presente trabalho buscou informações sobre a atuação desses genes no comportamento reprodutivo de A. sp.1, utilizando o silenciamento transitório desses genes pela metodologia de RNA interferente. Foram, primeiramente, desenhados iniciadores específicos para amplificar fragmentos do DNA genômico desses genes, sendo demonstrado que apresentaram uma similaridade entre 97 a 99% com os genes equivalentes de outras espécies de Anastrepha. A seguir, após padronização e adaptação de protocolos, foram sintetizados os RNA de dupla-fita (dsRNA) dos dois genes, que foram, então, utilizados nos experimentos de silenciamento. Análises, para verificação se os genes foram realmente silenciados foram feitas a partir a injeção dos dsRNAfru e/ou dsRNAper no abdomên de machos sexualmente maduros, tendo sido demonstrado que os genes estavam silenciados ao máximo, sete a oito dias após a injeção. Interferências no comportamento de machos sexualmente maduros, com um ou outro gene silenciado, foram avaliados por testes relacionados com dois parâmetros do comportamento reprodutivo: alterações nas atividades gerais (qualquer tipo de movimentação dos insetos) dos machos durante o ciclo circadiano (dia/noite) e mais especificamente, a atividade relacionada ao comportamento reprodutivo. Ao injetar dsRNAfru em machos adultos de A. sp.1 foi observado que não houve alteração significativa nas suas atividades gerais. Porém, foi observado que houve uma diminuição significativa no número de machos que realizavam atividades reprodutivas, sugerindo que o silenciamento de fruitless no macho adulto altera o funcionamento normal do comportamento sexual masculino. Em contrapartida, ao injetar dsRNAper em machos adultos de A. sp.1 não foi observada alteração significativa tanto nas suas atividades reprodutivas quanto nas atividades gerais. O silenciamento dos genes aparentemente não afeta a produção de espermatozóides. Apesar de controverso, esses dados corroboram com o que foi observado em D. melanogaster, em que o mutante nulo per04 não apresenta alteração significativa nos seus comportamentos em relação aos machos selavagens em um regime cíclico Dia/Noite. Dessa forma, análises adicionais serão necessárias com o objetivo de elucidar as implicações desses dois genes no comportamento locomotor e reprodutivo de Anastrepha sp.1 aff. fraterculus.
The complex of cryptic species Anastrepha fraterculus comprises eight morphotypes three of which occur in Brazil. Anastrepha sp.1 aff. fraterculus correspond to the morphotype Brazil-1 and is a species of wide distribution in the southeast/south plateau of Brazil and in north of Argentina. The reproductive behavior of this species is complex, involving a series of movements performed by males to attract females for mating, and occurs in the early hours of the day. Two genes, period and fruitless, among others, are known to participate in the control of reproductive behavior of various organisms, including some species of fruit flies. The present work aimed to get information about the presumable role of these genes in the reproductive behavior of A. sp.1, using transient silencing of these genes by interfering RNA methodology. Specific primers were first designed to amplify fragments of the genomic DNA of these genes, showing they have a similarity between 97 to 99% with the equivalent genes of other Anastrepha species. After standardization and adaptation of protocols, the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of the two genes were synthesized, and used in the silencing experiments. Tests to verify that the genes were actually silenced, were made after injection of the dsRNAfru and/or dsRNAper into the abdomens of sexually mature males. These tests showed that the genes were silenced to the maximum, seven to eight days after the injection. Interferences in the behavior of sexually mature males with one or other silenced gene were evaluated by tests related to two parameters of reproductive behavior: changes in the general activities (any type of movement of insects) of males during the circadian cycle (day/night) and more specifically, activity related to reproductive behavior. Injection of dsRNAfru in adult males of A. sp.1 showed that they did not cause significant alterations in general activities, but it was observed that they cause a significant decrease in the number of males that performed reproductive activities, suggesting that silencing of fruitless. alters the normal functioning of male sexual behavior. In contrast, when injecting dsRNAper. in adult males of A. sp.1, no significant alteration was observed neither in their reproductive activities nor in their general activities. Moreover, silencing of the genes seems not to affect the production of spermatozoa. Although controversial, the data are in line with observations in D. melanogaster, in which the null mutant per04 did not present significant alterations in behaviors relatives to the control males in a Day/Night cyclic regime. Thus, additional analyzes will be needed to elucidate the participation of the two genes in the coordination of behaviors in Anastrepha sp.1 aff fraterculus.

Orientadores: Benedito Carlos Benedetti, Adalton Raga, Perla Gómez Di Marco
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola
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Resumo: A goiaba é um fruto com boas características organolépticas e nutricionais, além de ter boa aceitação tanto para o consumo "in natura" como industrial. É, porém, bastante perecível após a colheita, daí decorrendo perdas significativas. Além disso, acaba destinada quase totalmente ao mercado interno, em virtude das barreiras fitossanitárias impostas por países importadores diante de problemas como a infestação por moscas-das-frutas. É exatamente no estudo dessa praga que se situa o objeto do presente trabalho, cuja realização obedeceu aos seguintes propósitos: 1) avaliar a eficiência dos métodos de controle de radiação "UVC"e "água quente", bem como a aplicação combinada de ambos, para o fim de promover a desinfestação de ovos de Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) em goiabas 'Kumagai'; 2) avaliar a qualidade físico-química de goiabas 'Kumagai' submetidas aos tratamentos quarentenários. No que se refere ao método "água quente", o equipamento banho-maria Dubnoff existente em laboratório forneceu uma variação de temperatura de 0,5 ºC, sendo que as médias dos tempos de exposição, verificados em termopares inseridos a 5 mm, para as temperaturas avaliadas de 42,0 a 50,0 ºC (± 0,5) com intervalos de 1,0 ºC, foram menores que as médias dos tempos de exposição daqueles termopares inseridos no centro das goiabas para as mesmas temperaturas avaliadas. Em função desse aumento no tempo de imersão em altas temperaturas, foram observadas a presença de escaldaduras na casca das goiabas tratadas a 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). Por sua vez, no que tange ao método por "UV-C", as lâmpadas utilizadas no equipamento de radiação possuíam comprimentos de onda predominantes de 254 nm (adequados, portanto, para o estudo de radiação UV-C) e a tela de aço (diâmetro da malha hexagonal: 6,0x 7,0 cm) foi o material escolhido para compor a prateleira central, distante 8 cm da fonte luminosa. Aplicados os métodos em questão, o que se observou nos testes "in vitro" foi que ampliação do tempo de imersão no tratamento hidrotérmico e a exposição a intensidades crescentes de radiação UV-C no tratamento por radiação conduziram a um aumento na mortalidade ovos de C. capitata; já quanto aos testes "in vivo", a conclusão, em relação ao método "água quente", foi a de que tratamentos a temperaturas de 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 (± 0,5) ºC, com tempos de imersão de 0; 46; 36; 26; 16 e 12 minutos, respectivamente, são eficientes para a mortalidade de ovos de C. capitata (não tendo sido verificadas escaldaduras nas cascas das frutas às temperaturas avaliadas) e, em relação ao método "UV-C", verificou-se que a intensidade de 16,0 kJm-2 foi capaz de inativar 100% de ovos de C. capitata. Nos tratamentos combinados, foi observado efeito aditivo na mortalidade de ovos de C. capitata, sendo mais intensos nas combinações de 0,54 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,80 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,54 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC e 0,80 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC. Por fim, quanto à qualidade pós-colheita, a das goiabas submetidas aos tratamentos e armazenadas a 8,0 ± 0,2 ºC durante o período de armazenamento de 10 dias mostrou-se superior à das goiabas que tiveram aplicados os mesmos tratamentos e foram armazenadas a 22,0 ± 0,2 ºC
Abstract: Guava is a fruit that has good organoleptic and nutritional haracteristics, besides having a good acceptance as for consumption "in natura" as industrial. It is, however, a lot perishable after the harvest, and because of that there are countless losses to the producers. Besides it, the fruit is practically consumed in the internal market, because of the sanitary obstacles imposed by importing countries before matters as infestation by fruit flies. It is exactly in the study of this plague that is the object of this work whose achievement has obeyed the following steps: 1) evaluating the efficiency of hot water imersion, UV-C radiation methods, and the application in both, with the intention of promoting the not infestation of eggs of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephrittidae) in "Kumagai" guavas; 2) evaluating the physics-chemistry quality submitted to quarantine treatments. Mentioning to the method hot water, the double boiler Duboff equipment existing in the laboratory gives us a variation of temperature of 0,5 ºC, as for the average of times of expositions verified in pairs at 5 mm, for temperatures of 42,0 the 50,0 ºC (± 0,5) with intervals of 1,0 ºC was lower than the ones of the times in exposition in the center of guavas to the same temperatures. Due to this increase of the time of immersion in high temperatures, it was noticed the presence of burns on the treated guavas peel to 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 and 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). By its shift, according to the UV-C method, the light bulbs used in the radiation equipment had 254 nm waves (proper to the study of radiation UV-C) and the steel screen (hexagonal mesh: 6,0 x 7,0 cm) was the chosen material to compose the central shelf, far 8 cm from the illuminated fountain. The used methods, what was noticed in the tests "in vitro" was that the amplification of the time of the immersion (in the hydrothermical) and the exposition to the increasing intensity of radiation UV-C (in the treatment by radiation) led to an increase in the mortality of eggs of C. capitata; according to the tests "in vivo" the conclusion in relation to the method hot water was that treatments to the temperatures 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). With times of immersion of 46; 36; 26; 16 and 12 minutes, respectively, are efficient to the mortality of the eggs of C. capitata (not having being verified burns on the fruits peel to the evaluated temperatures) and, in relation to the method UV-C, it was noticed that the intensity of 16.0 kJm-2 was able to activate 100% of eggs of C. capitata. In the combined treatments, it was observed the adding effect in the mortality of eggs of C. capitata, being more intense in the combinations 0,54 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,80 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,54 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC e 0,80 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC. Finally according to the quality after the harvest, the guavas that were submitted to the treatment and stored to 8,0 ± 0,2 ºC during a period of 10 days were superior to the guavas that had the same treatments and were stored to 22,0 ± 0,2 ºC
Doutorado
Tecnologia Pós-Colheita
Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Este estudio constituye una importante fuente de información sobre el potencial de los sírfidos depredadores (Diptera: Syrphidae, Syrphinae) como agentes biológicos para el control de plagas en cultivos agrícolas en Venezuela. Las larvas de los Syrphidae presentan una morfología muy variada y poseen una gran diversidad de modos de vida. La mayor parte de los representantes de la subfamilia Syrphinae, son depredadores de una amplia gama de hemípteros de cuerpo blando aunque también pueden alimentarse de otros artrópodos. Las principales presas de los sírfidos depredadores son los áfidos o pulgones (Aphididae), escamas (Coccoidea), aleuródidos (Aleyrodidae) y trips (Thripidae). Para la realización de la presente Tesis doctoral se realizó un muestreo en los principales cultivos del estado Lara y se revisó la colección del Museo de Entomología José M. Osorio (MJMO = UCOB, según el Biodiversity Collections Index) de la Universidad Centroccidental "Lisandro Alvarado". También se revisaron ejemplares de la colección del Museo del Instituto de Zoología Agrícola (MIZA) de la Universidad Central de Venezuela. Entre los resultados de la tesis, se presenta una base de datos con los sírfidos depredadores estudiados con un total de 2571 ejemplares agrupados en 11 géneros y 59 especies. Del total de especies estudiadas, al menos se identificaron 15 nuevos taxa para la ciencia. Adicionalmente, se realizó un inventario de las presas y plantas asociadas a cada especie de Syrphidae depredador. Se reportaron nuevas especies de presas y plantas asociadas que aumentan de manera significativa el conocimiento de estas relaciones conocidas hasta la fecha en Venezuela. Como ejemplo, para A. exotica, se indican 6 nuevas presas y 23 plantas hospedantes; para P. clavatus se registran 7 nuevas plantas hospedantes. Por último, destacar 26 nuevos registros de presas relacionadas con el género Ocyptamus sobre 33 especies de plantas asociadas, presentando la mayor diversidad de presas de todos los sírfidos estudiados. En función de los resultados obtenidos en el muestreo se procedió al estudio del potencial biológico de Allograpta exotica, Pseudodoros clavatus y Ocyptamus dimidiatus, utilizando como presa al áfido de las leguminosas, Aphis craccivora en condiciones de laboratorio. Los parámetros biológicos de la especie (A. exotica) fueron estudiados en detalle. Las curvas de respuesta funcional de A. exotica se ajustaron mejor y mostraron el valor más alto de R2 para el modelo Polinomial indicando una fuerte correlación entre el aumento de áfidos depredados por A. exotica y las diferentes densidades ofrecidas de A. craccivora. El coeficiente de determinación para el modelo de Holling sugiere que A. exotica responde al Tipo de curva II. De manera complementaria a los estudios anteriores, se procedió al análisis de la morfología preimaginal de los géneros Allograpta, Pseudodoros y Ocyptamus. Además, se estudió la morfología preimaginal de Eosalpingogaster umbra Mengual y Thompson, Salpingogaster nigra Schiner, Leucopodella sp. nov. y xanthandrus bucephalus (wiedemann) aportando las primeras informaciones conocidas sobre su morfología preimaginal y las implicaciones sistemáticas derivadas. Se describen por vez primera el pupario, la larva madura (L-3) y la quetotaxia de O. dimidiatus y O. gastrostactus. También se describen los puparios de Ocyptamus funebris, O. norina, O. phaeopterus O. stenogaster, Ocyptamus lividus, O. tristani y Ocyptamus sp.nov aff. attenuatus. Por último se incluye una clave de identificación diagnóstica de las especies de Ocyptamus cuya morfología preimaginal ha sido analizada en esta memoria.
Consejo de Desarrollo Científico, Humanístico y Tecnológico de la Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (CDCHT-UCLA), financiamiento al proyecto de Tesis Doctoral 003-DAG-2007.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is well-known as a destructive pest of fruit worldwide. Various control methods have been used against this insect. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is used as an important and successful technological method for controlling or eradicating this pest in many countries. A key factor to successfully apply SIT is dependent on the availability of efficient and economical rearing methods. Artificial insect diets with low cost bulking agents have been of interest to many researchers. The present study investigated the use of locally available maize meal as a bulking agent in such diets. Maize meal is used for human consumption (in South Africa) and contains small amounts of protein. This makes the reduction of imported torula yeast as an ingredient of the diet and source of protein possible, thereby reducing the cost of the diet. The larval development of the Medfly reared on artificial diets was studied in small and large-scale tests. The effect of the diets on larval production was evaluated using pupal recovery, pupal weight, flight ability, sex ratio, fecundity and egg fertility. The results of the small-scale tests showed that the diet containing maize meal could be used to produce Medfly more economically than the standard Krige diet used by the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Research Institute at Stellenbosch. However, in large-scale tests the ingredients quantities of the diets used were not the same as those of small scale-tests. The cost of the modified larval diet was not reduced in large-scale tests. This was ascribed to the number of eggs used in the tests to produce one million of fruit flies. The maize meal with reduced number of eggs require more diet to produce one million flies therefore, making it more expensive and less viable. When similar amounts of eggs were used, the diet appears to be a suitable alternative as the result obtained was almost similar to those of the Krige diet.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Mediterreens vrugtevlieg ("Medfly"), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is wêreldwyd 'n skadelike plaag. Die steriele insek tegniek (SIT) het in baie lande 'n belangrike en suksesvolle manier geword om die plaag te beheer en uit te roei. Die belangrikste voorvereiste vir die suksesvolle toepassing van SIT is die beskikbaarheid van doeltreffende en ekonomiese teelmetodes. Meeste navorsers is geïntereseerd in kunsmatige diëte met 'n goedkoop vulstof. Hierdie studie is ontwerp om die gebruik van plaaslik beskikbare mieliemeel as vulstof te ondersoek. In Suid-Afrika word dit vir menslike gebruik aangewend en bevat klein hoeveelhede proteïene wat 'n vermindering van die ingevoerde torula gis moontlik kan maak, en sodoende die koste van die dieët kan verminder. Die ontwikkeling van Medfly larwes op kunsmatige diëte is bestudeer In kleinskaalse en grootskaalse eksperimente. Die invloed van die diëte op larwale produksie is evalueer deur gebruik te maak van van papie-ontwikkeling, papie-gewig, vliegvermoë, geslagsverhouding, volwasse voortplantingsvermoë en eiervrugbaarheid. Die resultate van die kleinskaalse toetse het aangetoon dat die mieliemeel dieët gebruik kan word om Medfly meer ekonomies as met die standaard Krige dieët, wat in die ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij navorsings instituut by Stellenbosch gebruik word, te teel. By die grootskaalse toetse was die koste nie laer nie. Dit word toegeskryf aan die aantal eiers wat gebruik is om 'n miljoen vlieë te produseer. Die mieliemeel dieët met 'n verminderde aantal eiers benodig meer dieët om 'n miljoen vlieë te produseer, wat dit duurder en minder lewensvatbaar maak. Wanneer soortgelyke hoeveelhede eiers gebruik was, het dit geblyk dat die dieët 'n opsie is, want die resultaat was soortgelyk aan dié van die Krige dieët.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Brazil is one of the largest fruit producers in the world, however part of its production is not exported due to phytosanitary barriers imposed by importing countries. The incidence of frugivorous flies in orchards cause depreciation in fruits and serious damage to the producer, an alternative for the control of these pests, are parasitoids. The objective of this study was know to frugivorous flies and their parasitoids, associated with mango fruits in two maturity stages and the fruit of ripe guava. Mango fruits were harvested at physiological maturity stage and mature on the plant, and fruit ripe guava in the states of Rio Grande do Norte (Polo Açu-Mossoró) and Ceará. After harvest, the fruits were taken to the of laboratory of applied entomology of UFERSA, where they were weighed and placed in plastic containers containing vermiculite and closed with voile fabric. After 10 to 15 days vermiculite was sieved and pupae obtained counted and placed in Petri dishes until the emergence of adults. Also were placed traps types of McPhail and Jackson, containing hydrolyzed corn protein 5% and Trimedilure, respectively, in four orchards with products intended to export. Weekly (McPhail) and fortnightly (Jackson), the traps were monitored and insects captured sent to the laboratory. We collected 400 mango fruits and 1.331 guava fruits. The mango fruits in physiological maturity stage were not infested by any insect, since the ripe fruit on the plant were infested by C. capitata (34.4%) and Z. indianus (65.6%), the guava fruits were obtained only pupae of Z. indianus. Besides the flies were found collected figitídeos parasitoids of Z. indianus. Only, C. capitata was captured in traps and contacted that non infestation of the fruits in physiological maturity stage, for this tefritídeo is not associated with its population density in the orchard, but the inherent fruit factors
O Brasil é um dos maiores produtores de frutas do mundo, no entanto a incidência de dípteros frugívoros nos pomares causa sérios prejuízos a produção, devido ao fato de suas larvas alimentarem-se dos frutos tornando-os impróprios para o consumo in natura, além de algumas espécies, como as moscas-das-frutas, limitarem a exportação da produção. O controle desses dípteros é realizado basicamente utilizando produtos químicos, porém devido as exigências do mercado consumidor, métodos alternativos de controle estão sendo cada vez mais utilizados, como por exemplo, os parasitoides. Este trabalho teve como objetivos: a) Conhecer os dípteros frugívoros associados a frutos de manga e qual estádio de maturação (maturação fisiológica ou maduro na planta) é mais suscetível a infestação pelos dípteros frugívoros, em pomares comerciais localizados no Polo Açu-Mossoró (RN) e b) relatar a ocorrência de figitídeos parasitoides de drosofilídeos em frutos maduros de manga e goiaba, nos estados do Rio Grande do Norte e Ceará, respectivamente. Os frutos coletados eram encaminhados ao laboratório de Entomologia Aplicada da UFERSA, onde eram pesados, acondicionados em recipientes plásticos contendo vermiculita e fechados com tecido voile. Decorridos 10 a 15 dias a vermiculita era peneirada e os pupários obtidos contados e colocados em placas de Petri até a emergência dos adultos. Os frutos de manga no estádio de maturação fisiológica não estavam infestados por diptero, já os frutos de manga maduros estavam infestados por C. capitata (34,4%) e Z. indianus (65,6%). Verificou-se também que a não infestação de C. capitata nos frutos de manga no estádio de maturação fisiológica está relacionado com as características dos frutos e não a densidade populacional da praga no campo. Associados aos frutos maduros de manga e goiaba foram encontrados exemplares de Dicerataspis grenadensis e Leptopilina boulardi, respectivamente, e este é o primeiro relato de D. grenadensis no estado do Rio Grande do Norte e de L. boulardi no Ceará

Orientadores: Woodruff Whitman Benson, Jose Roberto Trigo
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
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Resumo: Este trabalho discute alguns aspectos da ecologia da formiga lava-pés Solenopsis invicta e seus parasitóides, as moscas do gênero Pseudacteon (familia Phoridae), e da taxonomia de S. invicta e S. saevissima, ambas nativas da América do Sul. A alometria de colônias de S. invicta no sudeste do Brasil foi estudada através de medições das dimensões do ninho acima do solo, seguidas por escavação e medida da profundidade, biomassa e número de operárias da colônia, assim como da largura média da cabeça das operárias. Análise de regressão dos dados para 28 colônias forneceu novas relações alométricas que podem ser usadas para estimar o volume do ninho (acima e abaixo da superfície do solo), a biomassa de formigas, e o número de operárias a partir do volume do ninho acima do solo. A biomassa de formigas por unidade de volume do ninho, o número de operarias por unidade de volume do ninho, o peso médio por operária, e a largura média da cabeça das operárias foram essencialmente independentes do tamanho da colônia. Em contraste, estas quatro quantidades aumentam com o tamanho da colônia entre colônias de S. invicta na América do Norte. O ciclo sazonal e abundância de moscas parasitóides do gênero Pseudacteon na vizinhança de colônias de S. invicta no sudeste do Brasil foi observado ao longo de um período de 3 anos em li áreas de gramíneas nos arredores de Campinas. O número médio N de forídeos atraídos para um ninho de formigas lava-pés ao longo de um período padrão de observação (15 min) foi usado como uma medida da abundância de forídeos. As dimensões do ninho e algumas variáveis meteorológicas foram também registradas em cada ninho de formigas lava-pés. Pseudacteon tricuspis foi a espécie mais comum (70.4%), seguido por P. curvatus (23.8%), P. obtusus (1.9%) e P.litoralis (3.9%). As características mais notáveis das flutuações sazonais da abundância de Pseudacteon são picos abruptos com duração aproximada de um mês (valores máximos de N entre 4 e 10 forídeos/ninho), que ocorreram em abril e junho de alguns anos; para comparação, valores típicos de N estavam entre 0.2 e 2 forídeos/ninho. As populações de forídeos parecem ser destruídas por incêndios e inundações, mas recuperam-se em uma escala de tempo da ordem de meses. Nenhuma correlação significativa foi encontrada entre a abundância de Pseudacteon e variáveis meteoro lógicas, densidade, ou volume de ninhos de S. invicta, sugerindo que a abundância de Pseudacteon não está diretamente ligada a abundância de S. invicta. Flutuações quase idênticas em abundância de Pseudacteon foram observadas ao longo de um período de 6 meses em duas áreas de estudo separadas por cerca de 3 km, o que pode ser causado por dispersão de forídeos e conseqüente uniformização de densidades sobre áreas de vários quilômetros quadrados. Os números de forídeos atraídos pelos vários ninhos de S. invicta incluídos neste estudo seguiram uma distribuição de Poisson em baixas abundâncias de Pseudacteon (N < 0,5 forídeos/ninho); a distribuição tornava-se mais e mais contagiosa com o aumento da abundância de Pseudacteon (até o máximo observado, de N = 10 forídeoslninho). Esta observação sugere que a atratividade de um ninho de formigas lava-pés aos parasitóides aumenta com o número de forídeos que foram previamente atraídos para o ninho. Critérios quantitativos eficientes foram desenvolvidos para distinguir entre S. invicta e S. saevissima, que são morfológicamente muito similares e cujas distribuições geográficas na América do Sul se sobrepõe significativamente. Estes critérios resultaram da análise de 68 amostras de formigas lava-pés de 9 localidades espalhadas pelo estado de São Paulo (sudeste do Brasil) através de cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massa. 22 hidrocarbonetos cuticulares e 18 alcalóides piperidínicos foram identificados nas amostras estudadas, e suas abundâncias relativas foram analisadas utilizando análises de componentes principais e de funções discriminantes. Estas análises mostraram uma separacão nítida entre as duas espécies em um plano com certas coordenadas (P,Q), que são funções das abundâncias relativas dos hidrocarbonetos cuticulares. As amostras provenientes de uma das localidades (São José do Rio Preto) têm uma composição de hidrocarbonetos que é claramente diferente de todas as outras amostras consideradas neste estudo, mas também apresentam algumas caracteristicas em comum com cada uma das duas espécies. Uma possibilidade é que esta população constitua um hibrido de S. invicta e S. saevissima. As duas espécies também exibem uma separação razoavelmente nítida em um plano com coordenadas (R$), que são funções das abundâncias relativas de alcalóides piperidínicos. Os resultados das identificações de espécies baseados nestes critérios de separação quimica concordam com os resultados baseados em um critério morfológico, a presença ou ausência do dente clipeal mediano. A população "anômala" de São José do Rio Preto é morfologicamente classificada como S. invicta
Abstract: This work discusses some aspects of the ecology of the fire ant species Solenopsis invicta and its phorid parasitoid flies ofthe genus Pseudacteon, and ofthe taxonomy of S. invicta and S. saevissima, both of which are native to South America. The allometry of S. invicta colonies in southeast Brazil was studied by measurement of mound (aboveground) dimensions, followed by excavation and measurement of the colony depth, biomass, number of workers, and mean worker head width. Regression anaIysis of data for 28 colonies yielded new allometric relationships which can be used to estimate nest volume (above and below ground), ant biomass, and number ofworkers ITom mound (aboveground) volume. Ant biomass per unit nest volume, number of workers per unit nest volume, mean worker weight, and mean worker head width were nearly independent of colony size. In contrast, these four quantities increase with colony size among S. invicta colonies in North America. The seasonal cycle of abundance of Pseudacteon phorid flies in the vicinity of S. invicta colonies in southeast Brazil was observed over a 3-year period in 11 grass-covered areas in the outskirts of Campinas. The average number N of phorids attracted to a fire ant nest over a standard observation period (15 min) was used as a measure of phorid abundance. Mound dimensions and meteorological variables were also recorded at each fIre ant nest. Pseudacteon tricuspis was the most common species (84.2%), followed by P. curvatus (12.6%), P. obtusus (2.7%) e P. litoralis (0.5%). The most remarkabIe featores of the seasonal fluctuations of Pseudacteon abundance are sharp month-Iong peaks (peak N values between 4 and 10 phorids/nest) which occurred in Abril and June of some years; for comparison, at other times N was typically between 0.2 and 2 phorids/nest. Phorid populations seem to be destroyed by rifes and floods, but recover on a time scale of months. No significant correlation was found between Pseudacteon abundance and meteorological variables, density, or volume of S. invicta nests, suggesting that Pseudacteon abundance is not determined by, and does not determine, the abundance of S. invicta. Almost identical fluctuations in Pseudacteon abundance were observed over a 6-month period in two study areas separated by about 3 km, which may be due to phorid dispersaI and consequent density uniformization over areas of several square kilorneters. The nurnbers of phorids attracted by the various S. invicta nests inc1uded in this study followed a Poisson distribution at 10w Pseudacteon abundances (N < 0.5 phorids/nest), becoming more and more contagious at high Pseudacteon abundances (up to N= 10 phorids/nest). This observation suggests that the attractiveness oftire ant nests to phorid parasitoids increase with the nurnbeer ofphorids which have been previously attracted to the nest. Efficient quantitative criteria were developed for distinguishing between S. invicta and S. saevissima, which are morphologically very similar and whose geographical ranges in South Arnerica significantly overlap. These criteria resulted from the analysis of 68 tire ant samples from 9 localities across São Paulo state (southeast Brazil) via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 22 cuticular hydrocarbons and 18 piperidine alkaloids were identified in the studied samples, and their relative abundances were analyzed using principal component and discrirninant function analyses. These analyses showed a sharp separation between the two species in a plane with certain coordinates (P,Q), which are functions of the relative abundances of cuticular hydrocarbons. The fire ant samples from one of the localities (São José do Rio Preto) had a hydrocarbon composition which was markedly different from ali other samples considered in this study, but had some features in common with each ofthe two species. One possibility is that this population constitutes a hybrid of S. invicta and S. saevissima. The two species also show a reasonably sharp separation in a plane with coordinates (R,S), which are functions of the relative abundances of piperidine alkaloids. The species identification results based on these chernical separation criteria agree with those based on a morphological criterion, the presence or absence of the median clypeal tooth. The "anomalous" population from São José do Rio Preto is rnorphologically c1assified as S. invicta
Doutorado
Ecologia
Doutor em Ecologia

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Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa Agrícola (FUNDAG)
Dentre os insetos pragas mais freqüentes e limitantes à produção de frutas, incluem-se a mosca-do-mediterrâneo, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), e o gorgulho-da-goiaba, Conotrachelus psidii (Marshal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). As larvas desses insetos se alimentam da polpa das frutas, sendo que no final dessa fase, os insetos descem para o solo onde se enterram e atravessam a fase de pupa. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a virulência de 7 nematóides dos gêneros Steinernema e Heterorhabditis contra a mosca-do-mediterrâneo, e o potencial de Heterorhabditis indica Poinar, Karunakar & David 1992 no controle desse inseto e do gorgulho-da-goiaba. Foram realizados cinco experimentos, sendo um experimento em laboratório, três em casa de vegetação e um em campo. De acordo com os resultados, a mosca-do-mediterrâneo é suscetível aos nematóides quando exposta no estágio de pré-pupa e fase de pupa com 1 dia de desenvolvimento; O nematóide H. indica IBCB n5 mostrou-se como o mais virulento contra C. capitata. No teste de campo procurando avaliar H. indica IBCB n5 contra C. capitata e contra C. psidii, todos os tratamentos diferenciaram significativamente da testemunha. O nematóide apresentou-se bem mais eficiente contra a mosca-do¬mediterrâneo, com mortalidade do inseto de 66% e 93% para as dosagens de 1 e 10 JI/cm², respectivamente, do que contra o gorgulho-da-goiaba, com mortalidade de 33% e 50%, respectivamente, tendo todos esses tratamentos diferidos significativamente da testemunha
The fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, and the guava weevil, Conotrachelus psidii, are among the most frequent and injurious pest of fruit crops. The insects larva feed on the fruit pulp and, at the end of this phase, the insects reach the soil where they spent their pupa phase. This research aimed to evaluate the virulence of 7 strains of entomopathogenic nematodes against the fruit fly in laboratory and green house conditions, and the efficiency of Heterorhabditis indica IBCB n5 against this insect and the guava weevil on field conditions. Five trials were done, being one trial done in laboratory, 3 in green house, and one at field condition. According to the results, the fruit fly is susceptible to the nematodes when exposed at the phases of pre-pupa and one day aged pupa. H. indica IBCB n5 was the most virulent nematode against C. capitata. At the field trial aiming to evaluate the efficiency of H. indica IBCB n5 against C. capitata and C. psidii, all the treatments with the nematode differed significantly from the control. H. indica IBCB n5 showed being much more virulent to the fruit fly, with insect mortality ranging from 66% to 93% at the dosages from 1 to 10 IJ/cm2, respective than to the guava weevil, with mortality ranging from 33 to 50%, respectively

Orientador: Antonio Batista Filho
Banca: Silvia Renata Siciliano Wilcken
Banca: Luis Garrigós Leite
Resumo: Dentre os insetos pragas mais freqüentes e limitantes à produção de frutas, incluem-se a mosca-do-mediterrâneo, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), e o gorgulho-da-goiaba, Conotrachelus psidii (Marshal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). As larvas desses insetos se alimentam da polpa das frutas, sendo que no final dessa fase, os insetos descem para o solo onde se enterram e atravessam a fase de pupa. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a virulência de 7 nematóides dos gêneros Steinernema e Heterorhabditis contra a mosca-do-mediterrâneo, e o potencial de Heterorhabditis indica Poinar, Karunakar & David 1992 no controle desse inseto e do gorgulho-da-goiaba. Foram realizados cinco experimentos, sendo um experimento em laboratório, três em casa de vegetação e um em campo. De acordo com os resultados, a mosca-do-mediterrâneo é suscetível aos nematóides quando exposta no estágio de pré-pupa e fase de pupa com 1 dia de desenvolvimento; O nematóide H. indica IBCB n5 mostrou-se como o mais virulento contra C. capitata. No teste de campo procurando avaliar H. indica IBCB n5 contra C. capitata e contra C. psidii, todos os tratamentos diferenciaram significativamente da testemunha. O nematóide apresentou-se bem mais eficiente contra a mosca-do¬mediterrâneo, com mortalidade do inseto de 66% e 93% para as dosagens de 1 e 10 JI/cm², respectivamente, do que contra o gorgulho-da-goiaba, com mortalidade de 33% e 50%, respectivamente, tendo todos esses tratamentos diferidos significativamente da testemunha
Abstract: The fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, and the guava weevil, Conotrachelus psidii, are among the most frequent and injurious pest of fruit crops. The insects larva feed on the fruit pulp and, at the end of this phase, the insects reach the soil where they spent their pupa phase. This research aimed to evaluate the virulence of 7 strains of entomopathogenic nematodes against the fruit fly in laboratory and green house conditions, and the efficiency of Heterorhabditis indica IBCB n5 against this insect and the guava weevil on field conditions. Five trials were done, being one trial done in laboratory, 3 in green house, and one at field condition. According to the results, the fruit fly is susceptible to the nematodes when exposed at the phases of pre-pupa and one day aged pupa. H. indica IBCB n5 was the most virulent nematode against C. capitata. At the field trial aiming to evaluate the efficiency of H. indica IBCB n5 against C. capitata and C. psidii, all the treatments with the nematode differed significantly from the control. H. indica IBCB n5 showed being much more virulent to the fruit fly, with insect mortality ranging from 66% to 93% at the dosages from 1 to 10 IJ/cm2, respective than to the guava weevil, with mortality ranging from 33 to 50%, respectively
Mestre

Ravageurs de quarantaine, les mouches des fruits (Diptera : Tephritidae) constituent unecontrainte importante à l’exportation de la mangue au Burkina Faso. L’objectif de cette étudeétait d’améliorer nos connaissances sur l’écologie de ces ravageurs. Entre décembre 2007 etdécembre 2009, 1156598 Tephritidae ont été capturés dans 7 vergers présentant 8 cultivarsdifférents. Pendant cette période, l’évolution de la température, de l’hygrométrie et de lapluviométrie a été notée. 19764 mangues ont été collectées et observées afin de déterminerleur niveau d’infestation par ces insectes. Dix-huit espèces des genres Bactrocera, Ceratitis,et Dacus ont été identifiées, B. invadens et C. cosyra étant les plus abondantes. Les pics despopulations de mâles et de femelles, apparaissent entre mai et juin selon les sites. Les femelles,présentent aussi un pic en période de floraison des manguiers. Sept espèces de Tephritidaeinfestent les mangues et l’incidence moyenne de leurs dégâts varie entre 0% (Sabre) et 12,5%(Keitt), Keitt et Brooks sont les cultivars les plus infestés. 64% de ces dégâts sont causés parB. invadens et 31% par C. cosyra. L’inventaire des essences ligneuses autour de ces sites ainsique la collecte et l’incubation de leurs fruits entre avril 2008 et décembre 2009 ont aussi étéeffectués. 105 ligneux ont été recensés autour des vergers. Les fruits de 13 d’entre eux sontinfestés par 7 espèces de Tephritidae dont 6 se retrouvent aussi dans les mangues. Il s’agitsurtout de C. cosyra mais aussi de C. silvestrii, C. puntata et B. invadens.Ce travail montre les corrélations significativees entre les facteurs climatiques, la fluctuationdes populations, et les dégâts observés. Les espèces ligneuses alentours sont des refugespermettant le maintien des populations même hors saison de la mangue. Ces résultatsnouveaux permettent l’adaptation de la lutte contre ces ravageurs économiquement importantsau contexte agro-écologique de notre zone d’étude
Classified as a quarantine pest, mango fruit flies (Diptera Tephritidae) are an importantconstraint for mango exportation from Burkina Faso. The main objective of this study was theenhanced understanding of the ecology of mango’s Tephritids. 1156598 Tephritid flies weretraped from December 2007 to December 2009 in 7 mango orchards. During this monitoring,temperature, relative humidity and rainfalls were registered. 19764 mango fruits from 8cultivars were collected and obsreved during mango season in order to assess fruit fliesdamages. Eighteen Tephritids species notably from Bactrocera, Ceratitis and Dacus genuswere identified and B. invadens and C. cosyra are the dominant ones. The population peaks ofmales and females appear in the months of May & June according to the sites. The femalespresent a peak during the flowering period also of the mango trees. Seven species of mangoinfesting fruit flies have been identified and the incidence of this infestation varies between0% (Sabre) and 12.5% (Keitt). Keitt and Brooks are the most infested mango cultivars. 64 %of these damages are caused by B. invadens while 31 % by C. cosyra. The inventory of thewoody plants around these sites as well as the collection and the incubation of their fruitsbetween April 2008 and December 2009 were also carried out. 105 woody trees had beenlisted around the mango orchards. Out of which, the fruits of 13 trees were found infested by7 species of Tephritids, of which, 6 are also found in mangos. It is especially C. cosyra butalso C. silvestrii, C. puntata and B. invadens.This work shows significant correlations between Tephiritids population fluctuations, climaticfactors and mango damages. The woody species around mango tree orchards shelter thesepests even after mango season. These new results allow the adaptation of the mango fruit fliescontrol methods in the particular agro-ecological area of our study zone

In this thesis, experiments were conducted in the laboratory and the field to determine whether the provision of floral resources to hoverflies could enhance the biological control of aphids. The overall aim was to clarify hoverfly behaviour and ecology in an agroecosystem in order to understand the potential of these insects for biocontrol under a conservation biological control (CBC) regime. A preliminary experiment in New Zealand compared the effect of different coloured water-traps on catches of the hoverflies Melanostoma fasciatum (Macquart) and Melangyna novaezelandiae (Macquart). Significantly more individuals were caught in completely yellow traps than in traps with green outer walls and yellow inner walls or in completely green traps. This suggested that if a measure of hoverfly numbers relating to a particular distance along a transect is required, consideration should be given to the ability of hoverflies to detect yellow traps from a distance. The use of traps that are green outside would more accurately reflect the local abundance of hoverflies, as the insect would be likely to see the yellow stimulus only when above or close to the trap. Also, the addition of rose water significantly increased the number of M. fasciatum caught. From a suite of flowering plants chosen for their ability in other studies to increase hoverfly visit frequencies, laboratory experiments were conducted in France to determine the plant’s effectiveness at enhancing Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer) ‘fitness’, and to evaluate whether adult feeding on flowers was related to performance. Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Bentham cv. Balo), followed by buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench cv. Katowase) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) gave the optimal reproductive potential of female E. balteatus. There was no correlation between pollen and nectar consumption, and there was no discernible positive correlation between the quantity of pollen ingested and the resulting female performance. Phacelia and buckwheat were then studied as resource subsidies in the field in New Zealand. The effect of incorporating phacelia or buckwheat in the margins of 5 m x 5 m broccoli plots was tested for hoverfly activity and floral ‘preferences’. Hoverflies which had fed on phacelia and buckwheat pollen were found up to 17.5 m from the floral strips and females of M. fasciatum and M. novaezelandiae consumed more phacelia pollen than that of buckwheat in the field. These results support the choice of phacelia as an ideal floral resource subsidy in crops for enhanced biological control by these New Zealand species. The need for studying hoverfly movement in a large-scale field experiment was apparent from the field studies, so the next experiment was carried out in a field 450 × 270 m and flies were marked via their ingestion of the pollen of phacelia. The focus was on the proportion of flies having consumed the pollen. Although large quantities of pollen were found in some hoverfly guts, most did not contain phacelia pollen and very few were captured at 50 m from phacelia, compared with numbers at the border of the floral strip. A possible explanation was that hoverflies feed on a large variety of pollen species, reducing the relative attraction of phacelia flowers. Another possibility was that hoverflies dispersed from the phacelia away from the crop. Also, pollen digestion rates are likely to be a factor. Finally, a series of experiments was conducted in the field and laboratory to study hoverfly efficacy through oviposition and larval behaviour. In field experiments, female M. fasciatum and M. novaezelandiae laid more eggs where buckwheat patches were larger; however higher oviposition rates did not lead to improved aphid population suppression. In greenhouse experiments, larvae of E. balteatus could initiate a decline in aphid numbers at the predator: prey ratio 1: 8.3, however this control did not persist. Experiments in the laboratory showed that hoverfly larvae became more active and left the system while aphid numbers declined or numbers of larvae increased. This behaviour was caused by two factors: hunger and avoidance of conspecific larvae. Further experiments showed that the avoidance of conspecifics was caused by mutual interference rather than cannibalism. The results of this work highlight the importance of hoverfly dispersal ability. Given the observations of foraging behaviour of females and mutual interference observed between larvae, and the lack of success in CBC by hoverflies in experiments at the crop scale, it is essential to assess the impact of insect predators and parasitoids at a landscape scale.

Orientador: Claudio José Von Zuben
Banca: Aricio Xavier Linhares
Banca: Wesley Augusto Conde Godoy
Resumo: A ordem Diptera desperta grande interesse nos estudos científicos devido à importância agrícola, sanitária, veterinária e forense, dependendo da espécie em estudo. A espécie Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) foi introduzida há cerca de 30 anos no Brasil e é de considerável importância médico-sanitária, além de poder ser utilizada em estudos forenses, na estimativa de intervalo pós-morte (IPM) em humanos. A espécie Musca domestica (Linnaeus) tem distribuição cosmopolita e é bastante comum no ambiente urbano e pode também transportar formas infectantes de muitas doenças. Nessas moscas, após o desenvolvimento dos imaturos em substratos discretos e efêmeros, as larvas abandonam o substrato alimentar em busca de um sítio para pupação, processo chamado de dispersão larval pós-alimentar. No entanto, em ambiente natural, tanto a fonte alimentar como o substrato de pupação podem estar contaminados com substâncias químicas, sendo que algumas destas podem ser de interesse forense ou ser aplicadas no controle de pragas. Assim, o principal objetivo do presente trabalho é procurar dar contribuição a um melhor conhecimento dos efeitos do ansiolítico Diazepam [Diazepam NQ® 10mg] sobre o desenvolvimento larval e comportamento de dispersão larval e do inseticida Fipronil [Regent 800 WG®] sobre a dispersão pós-alimentar das larvas de duas espécies de moscas (C. megacephala e M. domestica). Na análise do desenvolvimento larval, pôde-se observar que a presença de Diazepam no substrato alimentar aumenta o tempo de desenvolvimento larval, retardando o ganho de massa por tempo nas duas espécies estudadas, quando se compara ao grupo controle. Já o comportamento de dispersão larval foi alterado na presença de Fipronil ou de Diazepam, em relação ao controle, sendo que a profundidade de enterramento e a distância das pupas do centro de irradiação... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: Some species of Diptera have a great medical and veterinary importance, acting as vectors of many diseases, addiction of having a considerable agricultural, commercial and ecological importance and other ones having forensic importance. Flies utilize discrete and ephemeral breeding sites for larval nutrition. After the exhaustion of food, larvae begin dispersing in search of sites to pupate or to additional food sources, a process referred as post feeding larval dispersal. However, in natural environments these breeding or feeding sites can be contaminated with chemical substances. Some of these substances can be of forensic interest or be applied in pest control. In the present study, the main objective was to investigate the effect of Diazepam® [Diazepam NQ® 10mg] and Fipronil® [Regent 800 WG®] on immature stages of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). The larvae were reared on artificial diet and rabbit liver on which different dosages of Diazepam were administrated in order to study the effects of this drug on the development and post feeding larval dispersal of the two species. Different dosages of the insecticide Fipronil were disposed in circular arena used as pupation substrate to investigate the effects on post feeding larval dispersal. The results showed that time required for larval development were significantly longer in colonies fed in contact with Diazepam than in the control ones, delaying the increase of mass per unit time in the two studied species. The larval dispersal behavior was modified in the presence of Fipronil and Diazepam, in comparison to arenas without the drugs. It was also observed that the burial depth and distance of the irradiation center were shorter than in the control groups for the two species... (Complete abstract click electronic address below)
Mestre

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Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Aedes aegypti é uma espécie sinantrópica que utiliza essencialmente criadouros artificiais como locais de desenvolvimento das formas imaturas, localizados dentro e ao redor das casas. Sabe-se que a produtividade dos criadouros, assim como o tamanho dos mosquitos adultos neles gerados dependem de uma série de fatores bióticos e abióticos, como disponibilidade de alimentos, competição larval inter e intraespecífica, temperatura, características físico-químicas da água, entre outras. Mosquitos de diferentes tamanhos podem ter capacidade vetorial diferente: podem se dispersar, sobreviver, alimentar-se e se infectar diferentemente. No presente estudo buscamos avaliar o potencial papel dos nutrientes (encontrados na água e no sedimento do criadouro), assim como de parâmetros físico-químicos na determinação do peso corporal e do tamanho das asas de A. aegypti. Também procuramos avaliar os efeitos da competição interespecífica entre A. aegypti e A. albopictus sobre o peso e tamanho das asas dessas duas espécies de mosquitos quando as mesmas foram encontradas simultaneamente no mesmo criadouro. Para tal, de abril a agosto de 2010, foram examinados 240 criadouros em quatro bairros da área metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro com características sócio-econômicas e ambientais distintas, sendo 50 criadouros positivos e 10 negativos em cada bairro. Avaliamos características físico-químicas da água (nitratos, fosfatos, carbono dissolvido, carbono no sedimento, O2 dissolvido, pH, condutividade, temperatura e volume de água), além da temperatura ambiente, velocidade do vento, exposição ao sol, área do criadouro, presença de predadores e de outros mosquitos co- ocorrendo com A. aegypti. As caixas d‟água e outros recipientes usados para armazenamento de água foram os mais freqüentemente positivos para mosquitos nas localidades onde as condições sócio-econômicas e ambientais são mais precárias (Prainha e Tubiacanga), ao passo que, nas localidades com melhores condições socioeconômicas, os focos mais freqüentes foram vasos de plantas (Curicica), ralos e bromélias (Vila Valqueire). Observou- se um menor tamanho das asas e peso corporal em A. aegypti quando encontrados co- ocorrendo nos mesmos que A. albopictus, apesar de não significativo estatisticamente, sugere que uma espécie interfere no desenvolvimento da outra, produzindo mosquitos menores. O volume de água e a área do criadouro se mostraram como fatores importantes para a colonização por A. aegypti e parecem ser limitantes para o número de formas imaturas. A temperatura ambiente mostrou-se associada ao número de imaturos. O teor per capita de carbono orgânico no sedimento per capita não se mostrou associado ao número de imaturos presentes no criadouro, mas, tal como o oxigênio dissolvido, condutividade e incidência de luz, parece influenciar positivamente o tamanho das asas e o peso dos A. aegypti adultos emergidos.
Aedes aegypti is a synanthropic species that usually breed in artificial larval habitats located indoors and in the close vicinity of houses. It is known that the productivity of larval habitats, as well as the adult mosquito size depend on a number of biotic and abiotic factors, such as food availability, inter and intraspecific larval competition, temperature, physical- chemical water characteristics, among others. Mosquitoes of different sizes may have different vectorial capacity: they can disperse, survive, feed and infect differently. This study aimed to evaluate parameters that assist in determining the water quality of the breeding sites and that can influence the weight and size of mosquitoes produced, as the role of interspecific competition on A. aegypti and A. albopictus as the cause of the variation in the adult mosquito body size. For that, 240 containers were sampled from April to August 2010 in four districts from the great metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro with distinct socio-economical and environmental characteristics, being 50 positive and 10 negative larval habitats in each district. We evaluated some physico-chemical water characters (nitrates, phosphates, dissolved carbon, carbon in the sediment, dissolved O2, pH, conductivity, temperature and volume)air temperature, wind speed, sun exposure, total area of larval habitats, presence of predators and other mosquito species co-occurring with A. aegypti. Water tanks and other containers used for storing water were the breeding sites most frequently found positive for mosquito in low income districts (Prainha and Tubiacanga), whereas vases, drains, and bromeliads were the most commonly found positive in those district with better environmental and urbanization conditions (Curicica and Vila Valqueire). There was a smaller size of the wings and body weight in A. aegypti found co-occurring in the same larval habitat that A. albopictus. Although not statistically significant, our results suggest that one species interferes with the development of another when both species occur together. The water volume and the total larval habitat area showed to be important factors for the colonization of containers by A. aegypti, and appeared limit the number of immature forms. The environment temperature was positive associated with the number of immatures in the container. The amount of per capita carbon in the sediment was not associated with the number of immatures in the container, but such as dissolved oxygen, conductivity and solar incidence, it was positively related to wing length and body weight of emerged A. aegypti adults.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
A ordem Diptera desperta grande interesse nos estudos científicos devido à importância agrícola, sanitária, veterinária e forense, dependendo da espécie em estudo. A espécie Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) foi introduzida há cerca de 30 anos no Brasil e é de considerável importância médico-sanitária, além de poder ser utilizada em estudos forenses, na estimativa de intervalo pós-morte (IPM) em humanos. A espécie Musca domestica (Linnaeus) tem distribuição cosmopolita e é bastante comum no ambiente urbano e pode também transportar formas infectantes de muitas doenças. Nessas moscas, após o desenvolvimento dos imaturos em substratos discretos e efêmeros, as larvas abandonam o substrato alimentar em busca de um sítio para pupação, processo chamado de dispersão larval pós-alimentar. No entanto, em ambiente natural, tanto a fonte alimentar como o substrato de pupação podem estar contaminados com substâncias químicas, sendo que algumas destas podem ser de interesse forense ou ser aplicadas no controle de pragas. Assim, o principal objetivo do presente trabalho é procurar dar contribuição a um melhor conhecimento dos efeitos do ansiolítico Diazepam [Diazepam NQ® 10mg] sobre o desenvolvimento larval e comportamento de dispersão larval e do inseticida Fipronil [Regent 800 WG®] sobre a dispersão pós-alimentar das larvas de duas espécies de moscas (C. megacephala e M. domestica). Na análise do desenvolvimento larval, pôde-se observar que a presença de Diazepam no substrato alimentar aumenta o tempo de desenvolvimento larval, retardando o ganho de massa por tempo nas duas espécies estudadas, quando se compara ao grupo controle. Já o comportamento de dispersão larval foi alterado na presença de Fipronil ou de Diazepam, em relação ao controle, sendo que a profundidade de enterramento e a distância das pupas do centro de irradiação...
Some species of Diptera have a great medical and veterinary importance, acting as vectors of many diseases, addiction of having a considerable agricultural, commercial and ecological importance and other ones having forensic importance. Flies utilize discrete and ephemeral breeding sites for larval nutrition. After the exhaustion of food, larvae begin dispersing in search of sites to pupate or to additional food sources, a process referred as post feeding larval dispersal. However, in natural environments these breeding or feeding sites can be contaminated with chemical substances. Some of these substances can be of forensic interest or be applied in pest control. In the present study, the main objective was to investigate the effect of Diazepam® [Diazepam NQ® 10mg] and Fipronil® [Regent 800 WG®] on immature stages of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). The larvae were reared on artificial diet and rabbit liver on which different dosages of Diazepam were administrated in order to study the effects of this drug on the development and post feeding larval dispersal of the two species. Different dosages of the insecticide Fipronil were disposed in circular arena used as pupation substrate to investigate the effects on post feeding larval dispersal. The results showed that time required for larval development were significantly longer in colonies fed in contact with Diazepam than in the control ones, delaying the increase of mass per unit time in the two studied species. The larval dispersal behavior was modified in the presence of Fipronil and Diazepam, in comparison to arenas without the drugs. It was also observed that the burial depth and distance of the irradiation center were shorter than in the control groups for the two species... (Complete abstract click electronic address below)