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.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant stands out for being a species cultivated throughout the national territory, being the most important vegetable in Brazil, from the socioeconomic point of view. However, it has been one of the crops most affected by phytosanitary problems. For example, there are the pest insects of the genus Epicauta (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Thus, the objective of this study was to record the occurrence of a pest insect (beetle) harming vegetative growth and productive performance in the fresh-market tomato crop and feeding on weeds. The tomato plants were found on “jurubeba” (Solanum paniculatum L.) rootstock, spaced 1.0 m x 0.5 m, grown in the municipality of Rolim de Moura, Rondônia state. The insect-pest (beetle) was identified as Epicauta vittata (Fabricius). It was observed that the damages caused by the larvae occurred in the main stem of the tomato, only above the grafting site, causing boring, however no damage was observed in the rootstock (“jurubeba”). Adult insects caused defoliation in both tomato plant and joyweed (Alternanthera tenella Colla), slender amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L.), “trapoeraba” (Commelina benghalensis L.) and morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea [L.]). High population of E. vittata causes severe damages to tomato, damaging the vegetative growth and productive performance of the crop, however does not affect the root system when grafted with “jurubeba” (S. paniculatu). Epicauta vittata in the adult phase is fed alternately of weeds.

Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivation has great agricultural and food importance, but this crop production is generally affected by severe infestations of Cerotoma arcuata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the northern region of Brazil. An alternative for leaf beetle control is the use of physiological insecticides acting in the initial phase of plant growth, through pre-sowing seed treatment. In this sense, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of systemic insecticides, based on thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and fipronil, on the germination performance of bean seeds, and to verify the efficacy of these insecticides on the control of C. arcuata. The research was carried out in two stages. Initially, under laboratory conditions, the influence of the insecticides on the germinating power of seeds was evaluated through the following parameters: germination, emergence, electrical conductivity and dry mass of the aerial part. In the field, the efficacy of the insecticides on the plant stand, number of insects per plant and level of foliar damage at 21 and 28 days of planting were evaluated. The insecticides investigated did not affect the germinating power of seeds when compared to the control. Regarding field results, there was a lower incidence of C. arcuata and less leaf damage to plants from seeds treated with systemic insecticides, showing greater crop protection in the period studied.

Abstract. The genus Salvinia is composed of fast-growing floating ferns, capable of surviving in different environmental conditions. Some authors suggest that the relationships between this genus and macroinvertebrates may serve as water quality indicators. The present study aimed to determine the influence of seasonality and water quality on macroinvertebrate diversity associated with the Salvinia biloba Raddi. Water and fern were collected in rainy and dry seasons and was conducted a microbiological analysis of the water, as well as, the area of fern cover on the water, richness, and density of macroinvertebrates. Microbiological analysis of the water detected > 5,700 CFU/mL (rainy season) and 175 CFU/mL (dry season) of heterotrophic bacteria and was positive for total thermotolerant coliforms. The S. biloba cover on the water surface was 100% in the rainy and 30% in the dry season. In the rainy season, 142 macroinvertebrates were identified, divided into 12 morphospecies, with a density of 434 individuals/m3. In the dry season, there were 419 individuals in 14 morphospecies, with a density of 2,076 individuals/m3 exhibited. The highest species density recorded in the rainy season was for Chironomidae sp.1 (Diptera) (57.71%) and Odonata Zygoptera sp.1 (17.44%), and in the dry season, Chironomidae sp.2 (73.98%) followed by Gerromorpha sp.1 (Hemiptera), with 9.54%. The Sørensen similarity index between the two seasons was 53.84%. The higher density of Gerromorpha sp.1 in the dry season may indicate an increase in environmental integrity.

The order Diptera is constituted of insects that possess numerous varieties of habitats, these winged, commonly called mosquitoes, comprise a monophyletic group. Malaria transmitters in Brazil are represented by mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus, being it principal vector species Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root. Collectings were accomplished in the rural area of Cuiabá in the region of Coxipó do Ouro/MT, and a total 4,773 adult mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles were obtained. The prevailing species in the collectings where An. (Nys.) darlingi with 3,905 (81.8%), considered the vector of major epidemiological expression in the region, followed by Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) argyritarsis (Robineau-Desvoidy) 267 (5.6%) and Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) triannulatus (Neiva & Pinto) 226 (4.7%). This report might be useful to entomological surveillance, demonstrating that the Coxipó do Ouro/MT locality might be elected as an area to be monitored, once the presence of such vector in this type of environment indicates a potential malaria transmission risk for the neighbouring regions in the state of Mato Grosso.

Triatoma ryckmani Zeledón & Ponce, 1972 is a species found in sylvatic habitat at Central America. Considered rare in the past and poorly studied, nowadays can be found inside houses with potential of dispersal and colonization. All five instars of T. ryckmani are described based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. The postembryonic development of the head analyzed by ontogenetic morphometry showed the largest changes occur in the first three instars. Information about morphology of the immature stages of disease vectors can be helpful in the identification process increasing speed and efficiency of control strategies.

The Neotropical region has the highest diversity of species, but despite this diversity, this region presents many sampling gaps. The objective of this study was to study the diversity of the mosquitoes of family Culicidae (Diptera: Culicomorpha) as well as to identify the mosquito vectors, in a fragment of Amazon Cerrado in Macapá, Amapá. Three collection methods (Shannon trap, CDC and active collection) were used, and the samples were collected between January to December 2006. 21 species were identified; 11 of them being vectors of malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya and filariasis; and three of them, Toxorhynchites h. haemorrhoidalis (Fabricius), Wyeomyia melanocephala Dyar & Knab and Wyeomyia aporonoma Dyar & Knab were recorded for the first time from Amapá. The present study contributes to the diversity of mosquitoes (Culicidae) that can be used in additional mapping studies to mitigate epidemic outbreaks in the state of Amapá.