Chicken gizzard was tested as an alternative to beef diet for creating Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) to reduce costs and optimize the time of diet preparation and maintenance of the colony diet. Forty newly hatched larvae were placed in 100 grams of diet: gizzard and meat (control). The experiment was performed in triplicate. The mass of mature larvae was recorded in semi-analytical balance and separate batch of five. After emergence, three replicates of 10 pairs of adults were formed. The post-embryonic development was evaluated by Tukey’s test at a 5% level of significance and longevity was adjusted Weibull regression. The mass of mature larvae showed no significant difference. The larval stage of flies reared in meat was longer. Pupae and newly emerged adults showed no significant differences as a function of diet. The increased mortality rate after after 22 days in both experimental diets. Greater longevity was achieved with diet gizzard, which was more efficient than the meat on the biological parameters studied. Estudo Comparativo entre a Moela de Frango e Carne Bovina como Dietas e suas Influências sobre o Desenvolvimento Pós-Embrionário e Longevidade de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Resumo. Moela de Frango foi testada como dieta alternativa à carne para criação de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) visando reduzir custos e otimizar o tempo de preparação da dieta e manutenção da colônia. Quarenta larvas recém eclodidas foram colocadas em 100 gramas de dieta: moela e carne (controle). O experimento foi realizado em triplicata. A massa das lavas maduras foi registrada em balança semi-analítica e separada em lotes de cinco. Após a emergência, foram formadas três repetições de 10 pares de insetos adultos. O Desenvolvimento pós-embrionário foi avaliado pelo teste Tukey com nível a 5% de significância e a longevidade foi ajustada por regressão Weibull. A massa das lavas maduras não apresentou diferença significativa. A fase larval de moscas criadas em carne foi mais longa. Pupa e adultos recém-emergidos não apresentaram diferenças significativas em função da dieta. A mortalidade aumentou após 22 dias de experimento em ambas as dietas. Uma maior longevidade foi conseguida com a dieta moela, que se mostrou mais eficiente do que a carne sobre os parâmetros biológicos estudados.

Anopheles darlingi Root and Anopheles aquasalis Curry are the main vectors of malaria that occur in the State of Maranhão. Entomological surveys based on the behavior and infectivity of these vectors are important for the elaboration of disease control strategies. The objectives of this work were to study the behavioral patterns of mosquitoes, determining population and hematophagic peaks, dietary preferences, infectivity rate and characterization of breeding sites in two municipalities in the State of Maranhão: Buriticupu and São José of Ribamar. Larvae and pupae were collected in breeding sites and adult females in home environments. Mosquito behavior, their dietary preferences and Plasmodium spp infection rates were analyzed. The vegetation and physicochemical patterns in the breeding sites found are in agreement with those described for species from the Amazon region and the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Anopheles darlingi was the most prevalent mosquito in Buriticupu breeding and home environments. This species was found mainly fed on human blood and naturally infected with Plasmodium vivax Grassi & Feletti and Plasmodium falciparum Welch. Anopheles aquasalis was more frequent in breeding sites in São José de Ribamar, as well as in home environments, whose specimens were mainly fed with human and bird blood. The main peaks of mosquito occurrence in Buriticupu were between 6 pm to 9 pm and in São José de Ribamar we did not record a definite peak. In the first municipality A. darlingi showed dominance over Anopheles albitarsis Lynch Arribálzaga s.l., Anopheles oswaldoi Peryassú, Anopheles nuneztovari Gabaldón and Anopheles evansae Brèthes,, besides presenting a correlation with rainfall. In the second municipality, A. aquasalis was dominant over A. albitarsis s.l. and there was a correlation between these two species and the rainy season. We conclude that the collected data contribute to elucidate the dynamics of malaria transmission in the region and guide the control actions directed to the elimination of the disease in the country.

Resumo. O psilídeo, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Liviidae), por ser vetor da bactéria causadora do Hunglongbing (HLB), tornou-se uma praga-chave dos citros no Brasil. Além dos citros, a planta ornamental conhecida como murta-de-cheiro, Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack, também é hospedeira do psilídeo. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a dinâmica populacional do psilídeo em pomares de citros e o seu parasitismo em citros e murta-de-cheiro no estado de Sergipe, o quarto maior produtor de citros do Brasil. As avaliações foram realizadas quinzenalmente durante onze meses em sete pomares de laranjeira Pera Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck localizados em dois municípios (Boquim, e Umbaúba). As populações de ovos, ninfas e adultos de D. citri foram comparadas entre todos os pomares e todas as fases de vida foram relacionadas com os fatores abióticos, temperatura, umidade relativa e precipitação de cada localidade. O psilídeo D. citri foi classificado como espécie acessória (pouco abundante) nos pomares de Sergipe, apresentando maior densidade populacional nos meses de novembro, dezembro e março. A precipitação foi o único fator abiótico que contribuiu para o aumento populacional de adultos do psilídeo. Altas taxas de parasitismo (55 %) de ninfas do psilídeo pelo parasitoide exótico Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) foram detectadas em plantas de murta-de-cheiro. Com base nos resultados, caso a bactéria seja detectada em Sergipe, para o manejo do vetor, amostragens de menor intervalo deverão ser realizadas nos meses da primavera e verão. Adicionalmente, o parasitoide T. radiata poderia ser liberado inundativamente em programas de manejo integrado do vetor. Population dynamics and natural parasitism of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) on citrus orchards in Sergipe state Abstract. The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Liviidae), which is the vector of the Hunglongbing (HLB) bacterium, has become a key citrus pest in Brazil. In addition to citrus, the ornamental plant known as Orange Jasmine, Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack, also hosts the psyllid. The present work aimed at studying the population dynamics of the psyllid in citrus orchards and its parasitism in citrus and M. paniculata in the state of Sergipe, the fourth largest citrus-producing state in Brazil. The evaluations were performed fortnightly for eleven months in seven Pera Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck orange orchards located in two municipalities of Sergipe state (Boquim, and Umbauba). The populations of eggs, nymphs and adults of D. citri were compared among all orchards and all developmental stages were related to the abiotic factors temperature, relative humidity and precipitation, in each locality. The psyllid was classified as an accessory species (not very abundant) in the orchards of Sergipe, showing a higher population density in November, December and March. Precipitation was the only abiotic factor that contributed to the population increase of adults of the psyllid. High rates of parasitism (55%) of psyllid nymphs by the exotic parasitoid Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were detected in M. paniculata plants. Based on the results, if the HLB bacterium is detected in Sergipe, shorter samplings should be performed in the spring and summer months aiming at vector management. In addition, T. radiata could be released inundatively in integrated vector management programs.

Malaria vector mosquitoes belong to the genus Anopheles Meigen. The Amazon has been changing due to economic activities such as mining, logging, agriculture, and urbanization, leading to changes in malaria transmission patterns in this region. Therefore, this study aimed to survey Anopheles species in a peri-urban area of Macapá, state of Amapá, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. Human landing catches (HLC) and Shannon light traps were used to collect Anopheles adults at three points. We screened breeding sites in all accessible water reservoirs within a 2 km radius of each collection point to collect immatures and found two species: Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis s.l. Lynch-Arribalzága (35.7%) and Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) braziliensis (Chagas) (64.3%). A total of 267 winged specimens of Anopheles were collected: A. (N.) braziliensis (62.9%), Anopheles (Anopheles) mattogrossensis Lutz & Neiva (11.6%), Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) triannulatus s.l. (Neiva & Pinto) (11.6%), A. (N.) albitarsis s.l. Lynch-Arribálzaga (6.7%), Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root (5.2%), Anopheles (Anopheles) peryassui Dyar & Knab (1.5%), and Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) nuneztovari Galbadón (0.4%). Considering that Macapá has autochthonous malaria cases, our findings can contribute to developing public health measures in this municipality, therefore helping to protect its habitants.

Chicken gizzard was tested as an alternative to beef diet for creating Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) to reduce costs and optimize the time of diet preparation and maintenance of the colony diet. Forty newly hatched larvae were placed in 100 grams of diet: gizzard and meat (control). The experiment was performed in triplicate. The mass of mature larvae was recorded in semi-analytical balance and separate batch of five. After emergence, three replicates of 10 pairs of adults were formed. The post-embryonic development was evaluated by Tukey’s test at a 5% level of significance and longevity was adjusted Weibull regression. The mass of mature larvae showed no significant difference. The larval stage of flies reared in meat was longer. Pupae and newly emerged adults showed no significant differences as a function of diet. The increased mortality rate after after 22 days in both experimental diets. Greater longevity was achieved with diet gizzard, which was more efficient than the meat on the biological parameters studied. Estudo Comparativo entre a Moela de Frango e Carne Bovina como Dietas e suas Influências sobre o Desenvolvimento Pós-Embrionário e Longevidade de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Resumo. Moela de Frango foi testada como dieta alternativa à carne para criação de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) visando reduzir custos e otimizar o tempo de preparação da dieta e manutenção da colônia. Quarenta larvas recém eclodidas foram colocadas em 100 gramas de dieta: moela e carne (controle). O experimento foi realizado em triplicata. A massa das lavas maduras foi registrada em balança semi-analítica e separada em lotes de cinco. Após a emergência, foram formadas três repetições de 10 pares de insetos adultos. O Desenvolvimento pós-embrionário foi avaliado pelo teste Tukey com nível a 5% de significância e a longevidade foi ajustada por regressão Weibull. A massa das lavas maduras não apresentou diferença significativa. A fase larval de moscas criadas em carne foi mais longa. Pupa e adultos recém-emergidos não apresentaram diferenças significativas em função da dieta. A mortalidade aumentou após 22 dias de experimento em ambas as dietas. Uma maior longevidade foi conseguida com a dieta moela, que se mostrou mais eficiente do que a carne sobre os parâmetros biológicos estudados.