Pasture areas have been decreasing over the years in Brazil, largely due to the expansion of agricultural areas, mainly in the Southeast region. Natural or planted pastures are subject to attack by insects that can become pests depending on their level of infestation and among them are the Scarabaeidae beetles. The scarce information on the species of this family existing in the region of Bálsamo (São Paulo) makes a study on the occurrence of these species necessary, thus generating data that can contribute to identification and information on possible existing pest species. During September 2018 to August 2019, collections of phytophagous Scarabaeidae species were done in pasture areas with a light trap. A total of 446 adults from the subfamilies Dynastinae, Melolonthinae and Rutelinae were collected. In Dynastinae the genera Bothynus, Coelosis, Cyclocephala, Chalepides and Actinobolus were collected, in Melolonthinae the genera Plectris and Liogenys and in Rutelinae the genera Anomala, Geniates, Leucothyreus, Lobogeniates, Byrsopolis and Trizogeniates were found. Among the species collected, some are described as pests in crops, including pastures, such as Liogenys suturalis Blanchard, which was the species that had the largest number of individuals during the collection period, being indicated as a species worthy of more detailed studies.

We characterize the population dynamics of pests and beneficial organisms in strawberries to assess the impact of two meteorological factors (temperature and precipitation) and define the most appropriate method for monitoring insects in strawberries crop. Population dynamics were monitored weekly using the plant beat method and Möericke traps in Albion strawberries. Measurements were taken in organic strawberry farms over two growing seasons, from March 26, 2010 to August 23, 2010 (first season - 2009/2010) and from October 4, 2010 to March 21, 2011 (second season - 2009/2010) in the municipality of Pinhais, Paraná state, southern Brazil (25º25'S; 49º08'W). We collected a total of 7,971 pests and 1,987 beneficial organisms. The most abundant pests were Chaetosiphon fragaefolii (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the first growing season and Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the second. Beneficial organisms from Acari, Araneae, and Hymenoptera parasitoids predominated in both seasons. Temperature and precipitation were the the primary climatic factor associated with the population variation of aphids. Populations of C. fragaefolii grew when the temperature was between 16°C and 25ºC. We found that plant beat was the fastest and most suitable method for strawberry pests monitoring since it captured insects that were effectively colonizing the plants. This study contributes to a better understanding of the entomofauna associated with cultivation of organic strawberry.

Sarcophagidae is a family of Diptera with medical-veterinary importance, which have species with sarcosaprophagous, necrophagous or causing-myiasis larvae, among others. The Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro has 92 municipalities, but only 26 have sarcophagid records and the municipality of Rio das Ostras is one of the least registered, with only nine species recorded. This works aimed to increase the knowledge of flesh fly diversity in a conservation unit of this municipality, the “Área de Relevante Interesse Ecológico de Itapebussus”. The study was conducted in restinga and semideciduous forest. We used modified Van Someren-Rydon traps baited with decayed fish, and the samples were taken in dry and rainy seasons. A total of 446 male sarcophagines of 18 species of the genera Oxysarcodexia, Peckia, Ravinia, Sarcofahrtiopsis, and Titanogrypa were collected. We found 13 new records for the sampled municipality. The forest presented higher richness than the restinga and the most abundant species was Oxysarcodexia amorosa (Schiner). Diversity and equitability showed similar values in the two areas (H'f=2.193, H'r=2.027, J'f=0.7908 and J'r=0.7682) and the cluster analysis suggest high similarity. PERMANOVA did not present significant results for any source of variation. The presence of synanthropic and asynanthropic species in the fragment demonstrates that it is already a somewhat human-impacted environment. Marked increase in the number of sarcophagid records obtained in this small sample in the studied municipality (from nine to 22 species) shows the importance of taxonomic surveys in poorly studied areas.

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.

Evaluation of resistance of Vigna unguiculata L. landraces, used as green beans, to Aphis craccivora Koch was tested. Eleven landraces and standard genotypes were used in a free choice protocol: BR 17-Gurguéia, VITA 7 (susceptible), BRS Guariba and TVu 408P2 (resistant). A completely randomized blocks design was used with six replicates. Seedlings were infested with five six-day-old adult insects. The number of alive adults after 48 h and of alive nymphs after 96 h was evaluated. The results evidenced that there are high genetic diversity among the landraces, the antibiosis as the main mechanism of resistance. By means of multivariate analysis we suggest crosses among the commercial cultivar BRS Guariba and the most dissimilar varieties CCE-088, CCE-075, CCE-013 and CCE-062 to obtain superior hybrids.

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.

Females of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) have a serrated ovipositor that causes severe physical damage to soft fruit. This behaviour results in the early ripening and accelerated rotting of infested fruit. In addition, feeding by larvae softens of the fruit peel, causing in a depreciation in commercial value. In this study, results of infestation indices, pupal viability, egg-adult period, degradation time of infested fruit, and description of physical injuries caused by oviposition and larval feeding of D. suzukii in Barbados cherries (Malpighia emarginata DC., Malpighiaceae) are described. Overall, our results and discussion contribute to the understanding of the status of D. suzukii as an insect pest of the Barbados cherry.

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.