The small hive beetle's capacity to disperse over long distances by flight.

The spread of invasive species often follows a jump-dispersal pattern. While jumps are typically fostered by humans, local dispersal can occur due to the specific traits of a species, which are often poorly understood. This holds true for small hive beetles (Aethina tumida), which are parasites of social bee colonies native to sub-Saharan Africa. They have become a widespread invasive species. In 2017, a mark-release-recapture experiment was conducted in six replicates (A-F) using laboratory reared, dye-fed adults (N = 15,690). Honey bee colonies were used to attract flying small hive beetles at fixed spatial intervals from a central release point. Small hive beetles were recaptured (N = 770) at a maximum distance of 3.2 km after 24 h and 12 km after 1 week. Most small hive beetles were collected closest to the release point at 0 m (76%, replicate A) and 50 m (52%, replicates B to F). Temperature and wind deviation had significant effects on dispersal, with more small hive beetles being recaptured when temperatures were high (GLMM: slope = 0.99, SE = 0.17, Z = 5.72, P < 0.001) and confirming the role of wind for odour modulated dispersal of flying insects (GLMM: slope = - 0.39, SE = 0.14, Z = - 2.90, P = 0.004). Our findings show that the small hive beetles is capable of long-distance flights, and highlights the need to understand species specific traits to be considered for monitoring and mitigation efforts regarding invasive alien species.

Developing a method to rear Varroa destructor in vitro.

Varroa destructor is a significant mite pest of western honey bees (Apis mellifera). Developing a method to rear and maintain populations of V. destructor in vitro would provide year-round access to the mites, allowing scientists to study their biology, behavior, and control more rapidly. In this study, we determined the impact of various rearing parameters on V. destructor survival and reproduction in vitro. This was done by collecting V. destructor from colonies, placing them in gelatin capsules containing honey bee larvae, and manipulating the following conditions experimentally: rearing temperature, colony source of honey bee larva, behavioral/developmental stages of V. destructor and honey bee larva, and mite:bee larva ratio. Varroa destructor survival was significantly impacted by temperature, colony source of larvae and mite behavioral stage. In addition, V. destructor reproduction was significantly impacted by mite: larva ratio, larval developmental stage, colony source of larva, and temperature. The following conditions optimized mite survival and reproduction in vitro: using a 4:1 mite:larva ratio, beginning the study with late stage uncapped larvae, using mites collected from adult bees, maintaining the rearing temperature at 34.5° C, and screening larval colony source. Ultimately, this research can be used to improve V. destructor in vitro rearing programs.

Rapid Collection of Floral Fragrance Volatiles using a Headspace Volatile Collection Technique for GC-MS Thermal Desorption Sampling.

Fragrances of many flower families have been sampled and the volatiles analyzed. Knowing the compounds that make up the fragrances can be an important step to conservation of flowers that are threatened or endangered. Because floral fragrance is critical for attracting pollinators, this method could be used to better understand or even enhance pollination. We present a protocol using a portable charcoal air filter and vacuum to collect floral fragrance volatiles, which are then analyzed by a GC-MS. By using this method, fragrance volatiles can be sampled using a non-destructive method with a machine that is easily transported. This methodology uses a rapid sampling procedure, cutting sampling time down from 2-3 hours to approximately 10 minutes. Using GC-MS, the fragrance compounds can be identified individually, based on authentic standards. The steps used for collecting fragrance and control data are presented, from material setup to collecting the data output.

Interactions Among Plants, Insects, and Microbes: Elucidation of Inter-Organismal Chemical Communications in Agricultural Ecology.

The last 2 decades have witnessed a sustained increase in the study of plant-emitted volatiles and their role in plant-insect, plant-microbe, and plant-plant interactions. While each of these binary systems involves complex chemical and biochemical processes between two organisms, the progression of increasing complexity of a ternary system (i.e., plant-insect-microbe), and the study of a ternary system requires nontrivial planning. This planning can include an experimental design that factors in potential overarching ecological interactions regarding the binary or ternary system, correctly identifying and understanding unexpected observations that may occur during the experiment and thorough interpretation of the resultant data. This challenge of planning, performing, and interpreting a plant's defensive response to multiple biotic stressors will be even greater when abiotic stressors (i.e., temperature or water) are factored into the system. To fully understand the system, we need to not only continue to investigate and understand the volatile profiles but also include and understand the biochemistry of the plant's response to these stressors. In this review, we provide examples and discuss interaction considerations with respect to how readers and future authors of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry can contribute their expertise toward the extraction and interpretation of chemical information exchanged between agricultural commodities and their associated pests. This holistic, multidisciplinary, and thoughtful approach to interactions of plants, insects, and microbes, and the resultant response of the plants can lead to a better understanding of agricultural ecology, in turn leading to practical and viable solutions to agricultural problems.

Low fertility, fecundity and numbers of mated female offspring explain the lower reproductive success of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in African honeybees.

Although Varroa destructor is the most serious ecto-parasite to the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., some honeybee populations such as Apis mellifera scutellata in Kenya can survive mite infestations without treatment. Previously, we reported that grooming behaviour could be a potential tolerant mechanism expressed by this honeybee subspecies towards mite infestation. However, both hygienic and grooming behaviours could not explain the lower mite-infestation levels recorded in these colonies. Here, we investigated the involvement of other potential resistant mechanisms including suppression of mite reproduction in worker brood cells of A. m. scutellata to explain the low mite numbers in their colonies. High infertility rates (26-27%) and percentages of unmated female offspring (39-58%) as well as low fecundity (1.7-2.2, average offspring produced) were identified as key parameters that seem to interact with one another during different seasons to suppress mite reproduction in A. m. scutellata colonies. We also identified offspring mortality in both sexes and absence of male offspring as key factors accounting for the low numbers of mated daughter mites produced in A. m. scutellata colonies. These results suggest that reduced mite reproductive success could explain the slow mite population growth in A. m. scutellata colonies.

Floral fragrance analysis of Prosthechea cochleata (Orchidaceae), an endangered native, epiphytic orchid, in Florida.

South Florida is home to a number of native species of orchids. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge has 27 known species, including Prosthechea cochleata, the clamshell orchid, which is listed as endangered on Florida's Regulated Plant Index. In a prior study done on this species in Mexico, P. cochleata was found to produce no floral fragrance at the particular study location. However, blooming orchids of this species at the University of Florida in Gainesville, were noted to be fragrant. In this paper, we document the presence of floral fragrance compounds from P. cochleata by using by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of headspace volatile collection. The orchids sampled were found to be consistently producing eight volatiles that are common in floral fragrances, including those of previous orchid species studied. By knowing the fragrance compounds produced, we can better understand the pollination biology of this endangered orchid. This information could be used to help future conservation efforts for P. cochelata by increasing pollination and subsequent seed capsule production.

Hygienic and grooming behaviors in African and European honeybees-New damage categories in Varroa destructor.

Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic pest of honeybees, and a threat to the survival of the apiculture industry. Several studies have shown that unlike European honeybees, African honeybee populations appear to be minimally affected when attacked by this mite. However, little is known about the underlying drivers contributing to survival of African honeybee populations against the mite. We hypothesized that resistant behavioral defenses are responsible for the survival of African honeybees against the ectoparasite. We tested this hypothesis by comparing grooming and hygienic behaviors in the African savannah honeybee Apis mellifera scutellata in Kenya and A. mellifera hybrids of European origin in Florida, USA against the mite. Grooming behavior was assessed by determining adult mite infestation levels, daily mite fall per colony and percentage mite damage (as an indicator of adult grooming rate), while hygienic behavior was assessed by determining the brood removal rate after freeze killing a section of the brood. Our results identified two additional undescribed damaged mite categories along with the six previously known damage categories associated with the grooming behavior of both honeybee subspecies. Adult mite infestation level was approximately three-fold higher in A. mellifera hybrids of European origin than in A. m. scutellata, however, brood removal rate, adult grooming rate and daily natural mite fall were similar in both honeybee subspecies. Unlike A. mellifera hybrids of European origin, adult grooming rate and brood removal rate did not correlate with mite infestation levels on adult worker honeybee of A. m. scutellata though they were more aggressive towards the mites than their European counterparts. Our results provide valuable insights into the tolerance mechanisms that contribute to the survival of A. m. scutellata against the mite.

Intrinsic competition and competitor-free-space influence the coexistence of parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) of Neotropical Tephritidae (Diptera).

Endoparasitoid larvae may eliminate heterospecific competitors by physical or physiological means. The outcomes of these intrinsic competitions are often predictable with one species typically eliminating the other. The opiine braconids Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck) are among the most common native parasitoids of frugivorous Tephritidae in the Neotropics and subtropics. U. anastrephae is typically the victor in intrinsic interactions with D. areolatus, but the later has a longer ovipositor and may find a competitor-free-space in larger fruit whose hosts are beyond the reach of U. anastrephae. An Asian opiine species, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) has been introduced throughout much of the Americas. Its ovipositor is longer than that of D. areolatus and if it is a superior intrinsic competitor it should be able to cause local extinctions of D. areolatus. The outcomes of sequential ovipositions by D. longicaudata and D. areolatus and U. anastrephae found that D. longicaudata significantly suppresses development of D. areolatus. However, competitions between D. longicaudata and U. anastrephae were more equal. The denial of competitor free space may account for the gradual replacement of D. areolatus by D. longicaudata in Florida where both species were introduced ~40 yr ago. Diachasmimorpha longicaudata and D. areolatus continue to coexist in Mexico and this could be because of greater abiotic and biotic environmental complexity that allows for separate niches. Establishment or augmentative releases of D. longicaudata could result in elimination of native parasitoids and this should be considered before its introduction.

Longevity of multiple species of tephritid (Diptera) fruit fly parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) provided exotic and sympatric-fruit based diets.

While adult parasitic Hymenoptera in general feed on floral and extrafloral nectars, hemipteran-honeydews and fluids from punctured hosts, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), an Old World opiine braconid introduced to tropical/subtropical America for the biological control of Anastrepha spp. (Tephritidae), can survive on fruit juices as they seep from injured fruit. An ability to exploit fruit juice would allow such a parasitoid to efficiently forage for hosts and food sources simultaneously. Two New World opiines, Doryctobracon areolatus (Szepligeti) and Utetes anastrephae (Viereck), are also prominent Anastrepha parasitoids and are roughly sympatric. All three species were provided with: (1) pulp and juice diets derived from a highly domesticated Old World fruit (orange, Citrus sinensis L.) that is only recently sympatric with the Mexican flies and parasitoids and so offered little opportunity for the evolution of feeding-adaptations and (2) a less-domesticated New World fruit (guava, Psidium guajava L.), sympatric over evolutionary time with D. areolatus and U. anastrephae. Both sexes of D. longicaudata died when provided guava pulp or juice at a rate similar to a water-only control. D. areolatus and U. anastrephae, presumably adapted to the nutrient/chemical constituents of guava, also died at a similar rate. Survival of all three species on orange pulp and juice was greater than on water, and often equaled that obtained on a honey and water solution. In confirmatory experiments in Mexico, D. areolatus and U. anastrephae, as well as other tephritid parasitoids Doryctobracon crawfordi (Viereck) and Opius hirtus (Fisher), all died at a significantly higher rates when provided guava in comparison to a honey and water diet. Such a result is likely due to guavas being repellent, innutritious or toxic. D. longicaudata clearly consumed guava juice tagged with a colored dye. Dilutions of orange and guava juice resulted in shorter lifespans than dilutions of orange juice and water demonstrating that there while diluted orange juice provided nutrition the addition of guava created toxicity. Given the differences in fruit-food quality, adult opiine food sources would not be obtainable at all oviposition sites and in the case of guava, more additional sites and foraging for food than previously postulated may be required.

A compound produced by fruigivorous Tephritidae (Diptera) larvae promotes oviposition behavior by the biological control agent Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Tephritid fruit fly parasitoids use fruit-derived chemical cues and the vibrations that result from larval movements to locate hosts sequestered inside fruit. However, compounds produced by the larvae themselves have not been previously described nor their significance to parasitoid foraging determined. We collected the volatiles from four species of tropical and subtropical Tephritidae: Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett, and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), representing two subfamilies (Dacinae and Trypetinae). Para-ethylacetophenone, an analog of a known tephritid parasitoid attractant, was a major constituent of all four, and was not associated with larvae of another acalypterate fly, Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, or with the calypterate Musca domestica L. It also was present in volatiles from whole, A. suspensa infested fruits of Eugenia uniflora (L.). Para-ethylacetophenone was not necessarily produced as a direct consequence of fruit consumption because it also was detected from larvae that developed in two artificial diets and in spent diets subsequent to larval development. Sensillae on both the antennae and ovipositor of the opiine braconid fruit fly parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) responded to the para-ethylacetophenone in larval volatiles and as a synthetic. Although a potential cue to foraging parasitoids, para-ethylacetophenone showed no long range (>1m) attractiveness to the adult female parasitoid, but did stimulate ovipositor-insertion and oviposition into both a natural (fruit) and an artificial (parafilm) substrate. Thus it may prove useful in colonizing and mass-rearing opine fruit fly parasitoids.

A floral-derived compound attractive to the tephritid fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Many adult hymenopteran parasitoids, even host-feeding species, consume the nectar of flowering plants. Previous field studies had identified plants attractive (Lobularia maritima L.) and unattractive (Spermacoce verticillata L) to certain opiine braconids (Hymenoptera). Under laboratory conditions, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), a parasitoid of tephritid fruit fly larvae and representative opiine, responded in flight tunnels to L. maritima but not to S. verticillata. Volatile chemicals of the two flowers were collected and analyzed by using capillary gas liquid chromatography and mass spectral analysis. Acetophenone was isolated from L. maritima but not from S. verticillata. In flight tunnels, D. longicaudata were exposed to 10 concentrations (doses) of acetophenone. Female parasitoids showed a significant attraction to several acetophenone doses, with concentrations of 25 and 50 ng the most attractive. No odor source, either floral or floral-derived, was attractive to male parasitoids. Reliable trapping systems for parasitoid species, particularly species such as D. longicaudata used for augmentative biological control, would be a valuable monitoring tool. At present, there are few, if any, florally derived synthetic lures for attracting hymenopteran parasitoids.