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.

There are different methodologies used to make an inventory of social wasps. In general, these methods are divided into active search and passive collections. Each method has a different performance, depending on the environment in which the collection is being carried out. Thus, the choice for the proper methodology according to the study area will impact the success of sampled species. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of sampling methodologies for social wasps (active search and bait traps) in different phytophysiognomies (Regenerating Cerrado, “Cerradão”, Restored Forest, Semideciduous Forest and Riparian Forest) in the state of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. The active search sampled a greater number of species, with the exception of the Regenerating Cerrado. Regarding abundance, the active search was also more efficient, except in “Cerradão”, where there was no difference between the methods, and in Regenerating Cerrado, where the traps sampled a higher number of individuals. The fact that none of the methods collected all the sampled species indicates that it is appropriate to use more than one collection method in order to obtain a sampling closer to the true richness of the studied sites.

Adult females of most black flies species (Diptera, Simuliidae) exhibit a blood-sucking habit. Immature stages develop in water courses and are important in the ecology of lotic environments. We aim to understand the distribution of immature simuliids in the hydrographic sub-basin of the Comandaí river, in Northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For that purpose, simuliids were sampled in three stretches (source, intermediate and mouth) of nine streams, distributed along the three main regions of the sub-basin. Evaluations of the influence of abiotic factors in different spatial and temporal scales were made. Sampling was carried out in two seasons: between September and November 2016 (spring), and between April and July 2017 (autumn). In total, 17,146 individuals were sampled (larvae of last instars and pupae), which resulted in the identification of eleven Simuliidae species. The most abundant species were Simulium pertinax Kollar (77.55%), followed by Simulium incrustatum Lutz (14.56%) and Simulium subpallidum Lutz (2.35%). Regarding the identification of indicator species, S. pertinax, Simulium jujuyense Paterson & Shannon, S. subpallidum and Simulium orbitale Lutz stood out in mouth stretches, and Simulium rubrithorax Lutz in source stretches. Environmental variables such as conductivity, altitude, canopy cover and stream width were interpreted as important conditioning factors for the distribution of simuliid immature stages. In general, we concluded that Simuliidae are more abundant during spring in the study area, mainly downstream. This information may contribute to the implementation of efficient measures to control species of health importance in southern Brazil.

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.

Field assessment of integrated management of BT cotton pests was carried out in two consecutive seasons; 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 in the experimental research farm of the Kassala University, Sudan. Four insecticides (imidacloprid, abamectin, profenofos, and lufenuron) from different chemical groups and with a different mode of action and three levels (43.81 kgha-1, 87.62 kgha-1, and 131.43 kgha-1) of soil-applied nitrogen were tested in the IPM package. Insecticides were applied at the recommended doses. A total of 7 weekly counts of prevailing natural enemies [Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) and Aenasius bambawalei Hayat] were carried out for 4 weeks before spraying and 3 weeks post spraying starting the 3rd week from spraying. Results indicated that nitrogen level exerted no significant effects on the populations of prevailing natural enemies; C. carnea and A. bambawalei. Based on average post spray counts and percentage reduction over the control, all insecticide treatments significantly reduced the population of the natural enemies. Imidacloprid and profenofos exerted the highest reduction of C. carnea population followed by abamectin and lufenuron (56.03, 48.25, 07.78 and 06.61% respectively) in the first season, while profenofos, imidacloprid, lufenuron, and abamectin induced the highest reductions (55.94, 45.05, 17.57 and 17.33% respectively) in the second season. On the other hand, reductions in A. bambawalei population (abundant in season 1 only) followed the order; imidacloprid, lufenuron, abmectin, and profenofos (03.95, 02.63, 202.63, and 01.32%, respectively). Interactions between nitrogen fertilization and insecticide were not significant as measured by the population of prevailing natural enemies.

Khaya grandifoliola C. DC. (Meliaceae), known as African mahogany, is used in the establishment of commercial plantations for high-value timber production. This work aims to report the first occurrence of the genus Atta in a commercial plantation of this species. An ant nest mound with 105 m2 of loose soil and five active ant holes were observed. Leaves cut into crescent shaped sections and pieces of young branches were found near these holes, in addition to trees with the apical part of their crown partially defoliated. The collected specimens were identified as Atta laevigata Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini), locally known as the glass-head leaf-cutting ant.

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.

Restinga forests are plant formations that occur on plains of quaternary sandy deposits along the Brazilian coast. Despite historical reduction of the Restinga forests, little effort has been made to know the butterfly fauna of these areas. This paper is an important contribution to the butterfly’s knowledge, being the second inventory in the Restinga forest of northeastern Brazil. The survey was conducted in the Restinga de Cabedelo National Forest (FLONA de Cabedelo, following the Portuguese abbreviation) and aimed to provide preliminary information on the butterflies richness in this region. A total of 89 butterfly species and 1,503 individuals were recorded at FLONA de Cabedelo. Hesperiidae was the richest family (34 species), followed by Nymphalidae (33) Pieridae (eight), Lycaenidae (seven), Riodinidae (five), and Papilionidae (two). In general, the butterfly fauna of the FLONA de Cabedelo is dominated by species widely distributed and commonly found in open or forested areas in Brazil. Five species are new records in Paraíba state: Calydna sturnula (Geyer), Theope foliorum (Bates), Cogia hassan (Butler), Vehilius inca (Scudder), and Chiothion asychis (Stoll). We suggest carrying out monthly samplings which will certainly increase the list of species herein presented.

Hemipterans and ants are frequently recorded in trophobiotic associations, generally mutualism. Nests of the fire-ant Solenopsis virulens (Smith) found at the base of trees in the Atlantic Forest biome, Brazil, were investigated for their commensal fauna. The present study provides new information about the mutualism between the fire-ant with hemipterans Membracidae and Monophlebidae found in their nests, this report is the first mention of this kind of relationships in South America. Such associations are very common between ants and treehoppers but have seldom been reported with the family Monophlebidae.

A new species of Aididae is described and illustrated based on adults (male and female) and immature (last instar larvae). The larvae were found infesting leaves of Inga edulis Martius (Fabaceae) in the municipality of Autazes, State of Amazonas, representing the first record of Aididae in the northern region of Brazil. The new species is further compared with its closest species, Aidos amanda (Stoll, 1782).