The baruzeiro or baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is a tree species native to Brazil that is known for its production of edible nuts with high nutritional value. However, little is known about the insects associated with this forest species. Therefore, this study aims to document the occurrence of leafhoppers on baruzeiro trees in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. We therefore examined baruzeiro plants in an afforestation plot at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (18°43'33"S; 47°31'31"W) in August 2020, located in the municipality of Monte Carmelo, Minas Gerais. The leafhopper species was identified as Aetalion reticulatum (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae). The ant species Camponotus crassus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was found to feed on the honeydew released by leafhoppers, demonstrating facultative mutualism between the species. This is the first report of A. reticulatum on D. alata in Minas Gerais.

The current study aimed to test how aqueous neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss. extract affects the attractiveness, feeding and development of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) on different: peanut cultivars. Tests were carried out under laboratory conditions with the cultivars IAC 503 and IAC 147 and aqueous neem extract in concentrations (mass/volume) of 5 and 10%, obtained from seeds and dried in an oven at a temperature of 35 to 38 °C for 15 days, with caterpillars offered a food choice preference test. For this, leaf discs from each treatment were placed in Petri dishes into which three first instar caterpillars were released. To assess resistance biology, single newly-hatched caterpillars were transferred to individual Petri dishes, where the following biological parameters were measured: larval mortality after 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days; pupal mortality; total mortality; weight of 10-day-old caterpillars; pupal weight at 24 hours; and adult longevity. The main conclusions of the work, include: cultivar IAC 147 was less attractive and consumed less; cultivar IAC 503 plus 10% neem extract reduced leaf consumption; cultivar type did not affect caterpillar biological development, and 10% neem extract caused 100% mortality in S. frugiperda.

Repellent volatiles to insects might be an important tool for management of bees in areas which the presence of these organisms is not required. This study aimed to evaluate the electroantennal and behavioral responses of Africanized honeybees (workers), Apis mellifera (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera Apidae), at different ages, to benzaldehyde (BA) and methyl anthranilate (MA) and to evaluate the potential repellency of these compounds under field conditions. Laboratory tests were conducted to study electroantennographic responses (mV) and chemotactic behavior of worker bees aged 1-5 (young) and 20-30 (old) days in four choice olfactometer. Electrophysiological responses to each compound did not differ between young and old workers. Bees antennae (young) triggered significantly greater responses to BA, in the older ones, a higher response was observed to MA, both compared to control (ethanol). The threshold response to BA and MA was achieved at 10 µg/µL, both compounds repelled bees at the same dose in olfactometer. Treatments with BA and MA, in field conditions, were less visited by scouter honey bees than those without these compounds (control).

The baruzeiro or baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is a tree species native to Brazil that is known for its production of edible nuts with high nutritional value. However, little is known about the insects associated with this forest species. Therefore, this study aims to document the occurrence of leafhoppers on baruzeiro trees in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. We therefore examined baruzeiro plants in an afforestation plot at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (18°43'33"S; 47°31'31"W) in August 2020, located in the municipality of Monte Carmelo, Minas Gerais. The leafhopper species was identified as Aetalion reticulatum (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae). The ant species Camponotus crassus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was found to feed on the honeydew released by leafhoppers, demonstrating facultative mutualism between the species. This is the first report of A. reticulatum on D. alata in Minas Gerais.

Currently, there is a global concern regarding exotic species due to, among other factors, their great ability to reproduce and spread rapidly through the novel environment. As such, these species often compete for nesting places and food resources or convey pathogens. Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is a non-native solitary bee occurring in Brazil. This study aimed to collect data about the occurrence sites of this species to investigate the historical sequence of its spread throughout the country. Based on this, we estimated population data such as the number of males and females, phenology and bioclimatic niche overlap with native species. The occurrence records were retrieved from speciesLink and Global Biodiversity Information Facility. All analyses were performed in R. The collected data demonstrate that, except for the 1960s, the records of the occurrence of A. manicatum in Brazil are few and constant, being notified since the mid-1930s in at least nine Brazilian states. In total, 778 individuals were sampled, with males being recorded about 1.7 times more than females. This species seems to be bivoltine, with generations in May and November. Anthidium manicatum showed a low and moderate bioclimatic niche overlap with two native species, Anthidium sertanicola Moure & Urban and Anthidium latum Schrottky, respectively. These data provide relevant information on the biology and status of A. manicatum in Brazil. However, since most Brazilian scientific collections have not digitalized their data in the platforms consulted here, some ecological features described here may be underestimated.

The objective was to assess the selectivity and sublethal effect of botanical extracts on adults of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Plant species used: Rosmarinus officinalis L., Mikania glomerata Spreng., Varronia curassavica Jacq., Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Vermonia polyanthes Spreng., Plectranthus amboinicus Spreng., Tetradenia riparia Codd., Artemisia absinthium L., Cymbopogon citratus Stapf. Plant material were reared in laboratory and leaves collected during the morning were used to prepare the extracts as following: 100 g of leaves from each plant were macerated and immersed in 300 mL of triple-extracted methyl alcohol and evaporated on rotavapor. Then, 250 mg of crude extract was diluted in 1000 mL of water. The experimental design for selectivity was done in randomized blocks with five repetitions, following a standardized protocol of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) and accordingly classified. In sublethal effect, the design was completely randomized with twenty repetitions, where the eggs exposed to parasitism were sprayed with the treatments. In both experiments the control was twofold (water and chlorpyrifos). Regarding selectivity, the botanical extracts of M. glomerata, C. ambrosioides, V. polyanthes, P. amboinicus, A. absinthium and C. citratus were classified as slightly harmful (class 2), chlorpyrifos as moderately harmful (class 3). In the evaluation of sublethal effects, the botanical extracts of C. ambrosioides and C. citratus initially presented reduced number of parasitized eggs, reduction in total parasitized eggs and female longevity. It can be concluded that C. citratus botanical extract has small selectivity and causes sublethal effects on T. pretiosum adults.

Espírito Santo is a Brazilian state that has a wide variety of habitats, providing a high biological diversity of fauna and flora. However, few reports had been shown about the insect diversity of this region, especially of heteropterans insects that inhabit on pasture ecosystems. In the present study, forty-three species of Heteroptera belonging to thirteen families were collected on pastures on Espírito Santo state, Brazil: Alydidae (1 sp.), Berytidae (3 sp.), Blissidae (1 sp.), Coreidae (7 sp.), Miridae (16 sp.), Nabidae (1sp.), Pentatomidae (3 sp.), Pyrrhocoridae (1 sp.), Reduviidae (6 sp.), Rhopalidae (1 sp.), Rhyparochromidae (1sp.), Thaumastocoridae (1 sp.) and Tingidae (1 sp). Among the species; Cebrenis tenebrosa (Brailovsky, 1995) is recorded for the first time in Brazil. The range extension is also included for several heteropterans collected on the Espírito Santo state. The following species: Blissus aff. antillus (Leonard, 1968); Collaria oleosa (Distant, 1883); Oebalus ypsilongriseus (De Geer, 1773), and Trigonotylus tenuis (Reuter, 1893) were observed causing damages on pastures, therefore, in this study, we suggested those species as potential pastures pests. This study aims to increase the knowledge about the heteropterans and to show the presence of some pest species that may cause serious damage to pastures and consequently affect the economy of cattle breeders on the state.

Two strains of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) were first described in the United States; in Brazil, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso, and western Paraná they have also been reported. This study was aimed at identifying these strains in Norte Pioneiro and Campos Gerais, in the states of Paraná and southwestern São Paulo. Larvae of S. frugiperda were collected in the cities of Ponta Grossa, Tibagi, Arapoti, and Wenceslau Braz in Paraná, and in the city of Itaberá, in São Paulo. PCR-RFLP genotyping of the COI gene was carried out using sixty-six specimens. Based on their electrophoretic pattern, 51 individuals were identified as corn strain, five as rice strain, and 10 as hybrids (Rice in MspI and Maize in SacI). Our findings indicate that both S. frugiperda strains are present the study areas.

Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector of arboviruses associated with dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever. Based on empirical knowledge, plants belonging to genus Crotalaria (Fabaceae) attract dragonflies, which are the main natural predator to A. aegypti and help controlling populations of this mosquito. The aim of the present study is to investigate (i) whether Crotalaria is a food source for A. aegypti and (ii) whether Crotalaria attracts predators to this mosquito, mainly dragonflies. The study was carried out from January to March 2018 in two Crotalaria spectabilis Roth (Fabaceae) cultivation fields, which covered 100 m2 (each) in Missal County, Paraná State, Brazil. Samples of all arthropods foraging on C. spectabilis were collected. Observations in situ were carried out to investigate whether A. aegypti individuals visit C. spectabilis flowers. In total, 14,967 arthropods were recorded foraging on C. spectabilis (288 in cultivation field 1 and 14,679 in cultivation field 2). Dragonflies and damselflies were recorded foraging on C. spectabilis crops, but no A. aegypti individual was recorded in active collections and observations in situ. These results indicate that C. spectabilis works as food source and/or place used by several arthropods to find preys. The incidence of dragonflies and damselflies flying in C. spectabilis monocultures indicates that these plants attract dragonflies, as well as that Crotalaria can help indirectly controlling A. aegypti populations.