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Many social species show variation in their social structure in response to different environmental conditions. For example, colonies of the yellowjacket wasp

Knowledge of Alabama's Araneae fauna is limited, with estimates ranging from 580 to 1000 species within the state. Until now, the most recent surveys were conducted in the 1940s and focused on 3 families. Studies elsewhere indicate that spider diversity is correlated to habitat and plant diversity. Alabama's diversity of ecoregions and flora should therefore support a highly diverse spider fauna. This study focused on spiders inhabiting a xeric upland and a mesic ravine area in Pike County, AL. The xeric area is a fire-maintained Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) plantation dominated by herbaceous vegetation. The ravine is relatively undisturbed and is dominated by hardwoods with little herbaceous growth. We employed a variety of techniques to collect a total of 1224 spiders from October 2015 until May 2016. Mature individuals represented 82 species in 24 families. About 16% of these species are new records for Alabama. Over half of the spiders collected were from the xeric area, and 61.0% of all specimens were male. Abundant prey and a varied understory in the xeric area appears to support a more diverse spider fauna compared to that found in the ravine.

Alabama is one of the most speciose states in the United States, yet many common groups of organisms, including assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae), have yet to be fully documented. The purpose of this manuscript is to identify all known assassin bug species occurring in the state using literature records and specimens from natural history collections, most notably the Auburn University Museum of Natural History Entomology Collection, to provide new state records, a checklist, and a morphological species key of the Alabama Reduviidae. All total, 61 species within 36 genera and 10 subfamilies are reported from Alabama. Additionally, 40 new state literature records are documented: 34 from Alabama and six from other states.

A continuing survey of the armored scale insects of Alabama has resulted in recording 113 species in 47 genera, among the tribes Aspidiotini, Diaspidini, and Odonaspidini. Alabama now ranks second among states in the southeastern United States in number of species of armored scales, trailing only Florida with its 150+ species. Comments on some of the more notable diaspidids, not previously collected in Alabama, are made along with notes on their hosts and distribution in the State.

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), is an invasive insect pest introduced from Asia in 2009 that poses a threat to soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr. [Fabales: Fabaceae]) and other legume crops in the United States. Initially discovered in Georgia, M. cribraria rapidly expanded across the southeast until 2014 when a significant decline in its population was observed across many locations. This notable decline in M. cribraria populations is attributed to the emergence of new parasitoids and pathogens in its new invasive range. So far, only a single egg parasitoid, Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), is known to parasitize the eggs of M. cribraria in the United States. Here, we report a new egg parasitoid of M. cribraria identified as Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii, 1928 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), recovered from egg masses of M. cribraria collected from soybean in Alabama. O. nezarae is reported to parasitize eggs from a variety of heteropteran families and has been observed parasitizing M. cribraria in China. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of O. nezarae in North America. The potentials of O. nezarae for biological control of M. cribraria in the United States and the direction of future studies are discussed.

Abundance and species richness of terrestrial cave invertebrates are not well known but are thought to be constrained by nutrient (food) supplies. A standard sampling procedure for collecting cave invertebrates does not exist. The majority of cave systems in the southeastern USA (e.g. Alabama and Georgia) have not been extensively sampled for invertebrates. We tested a baited ramp-pitfall trap for collecting terrestrial invertebrates from caves and investigated whether macroinvertebrate abundance and species richness follow total organic matter (TOM) levels from cave soils. In 14-day sampling periods, we captured 21,204 invertebrates from 14 orders comprising at least 44 species from five caves in north Alabama and Georgia. Diptera was the most frequently captured order, comprising 18 species and over 91% of our captures. Overall, our traps were successful at sampling terrestrial invertebrates from caves; however, species richness and abundance did not always correlate with TOM concentration.

Although the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) has been confirmed to cause economic losses to numerous fruit crop species in the southeastern U.S. since 1933, no science-based information is available on the occurrence of infection in economic fruit crops grown in Alabama, as well as the presence of effective Xf vectors in the state. An investigation to identify the sharpshooter (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) fauna and to determine their occurrence in selected orchards and vineyards was conducted in Alabama during 2008–2009. Leafhoppers were trapped in three different geographic locations: in the Gulf Coast, Central, and North Alabama. Seven species of sharpshooters were identified, including: Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), H. insolita (Walker), Oncometopia orbona (Fabricius), Paraulacizes irrorata (Fabricius), Graphocephala coccinea (Forster), Graphocephala versuta (Say), and Draeculacephala spp. H. vitripennis and G. versuta were the most prevalent species in Alabama orchards and vineyards; however, their...

Root-feeding white grubs (Coleoptera: Scara baeidae) are among the most important group of pests attacking grasses in pastures and land scapes in the United States. Throughout the con tinental United States, about 10 species of grubs and several species in the genus Phyllophaga are reported pests of turfgrass (Vittum et al. 1999). In southeastern states, grubs of Phyllophaga, south ern masked chafer (Cyclocephala lurida), the green June beetle (Cotinus nitidia), and Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are traditionally asso ciated with damaged turfgrass. However, recent publications (Buss 2006, 2008) challenge the as sumption that just a few species account for the alleged increase in damage to turfgrass from white grubs in the southeast. Furthermore, intro duced and native species may be expanding their range into or throughout the southeast. This pa per documents the occurrence of white grubs of the Asiatic garden beetle Maladera castanea (Ar row), an exotic species, in damaged turfgrass in Alabama. Asiatic garden beetles, native to China and Ja pan, were first detected in New Jersey in 1921. They have since spread to most of the northeast ern states, west to Indiana, and south to South Carolina (Vittum et al. 1999, NAPIS 2008). Spread of Asiatic garden beetles in the northeast was attributed to natural dispersal of adults as well as movement of infested nursery stock and turfgrass (Hawley & Hallock 1936). All known biological information is based on only a few reports (Hawley 1931; Hawley & Hal lock 1936) of populations in the northeastern United States. Adults are nocturnal, emerging when temperatures are 18.3-21.1?C (65-70?F), and actively fly at temperatures >21.1?C (Hawley & Hallock 1936). Adult flight begins in late Jun and can last into the fall. At night, adults are at tracted to lights and light traps are the suggested means of trapping adults (Hawley & Hallock 1936). Adults feed on foliage or flowers of 100 or more hosts (Hawley & Hallock 1936), and spar ingly on grass blades (Heller 1995). Damage to woody and herbaceous plants from adults can be misdiagnosed since the damage appears over night and adults are rarely observed. Damage to foliage begins from the edges, progressing inward until only the midvein remains. Adults seem to prefer flowers attacking roses, chrysanthemums, dahlia, sunflower, strawflowers, and zinnias (Hawley & Hallock 1936), aster, and goldenrod (Vittum et al. 1999). Even though adult damage can be extensive when present, adults are only considered minor pests of ornamentals (Vittum et al. 1999). In daylight hours, adults are in the soil near host plants or in turf adjacent to these host plants. Females lay eggs in clusters in the soil and seem to prefer weedy patches of turf that are well irrigated (Hawley & Hallock 1936; Heller 1995). Eggs are present in the soil beginning in Jul. Eggs absorb moisture from the soil, swell, and hatch (Hawley & Hallock 1936) similarly to other white grubs. Newly-emerged grubs are 1.4 mm long, and develop to 19 mm when mature. There are 3 instars with mature grubs present in the mid-Oct. Grubs can be found under weedy turf, or in fields of sweetpotato, beans, and other field crops (Haw ley & Hallock 1936). Grubs are distinguished from other scarabs by a distinctive raster pattern and enlarged bulbous stipes on the maxillae (Hawley & Hallock 1936; Ritcher 1966). In the northeastern United States, there is 1 generation per year. On 2-3 Oct, 2008, a stand of weedy turfgrass on the Turfgrass Research Unit in Auburn, AL was sampled for grubs. This stand, 27.2 x 21.9 m (90 x 72 ft), is composed mostly of crabgrass (Digitaria sp.), dichondra, and various sedges and grasses. This stand was established in 1997 on a sandy loam soil and recently has been used for herbicide research, and in 2008, the area was irrigated weekly with about 2.54 cm (1 inch) of supplemen tal water and maintained at 3.8 cm (1.5 inch). The area generally stays moist after rain and wet dur ing the winter months. The grubs collected on both days were mostly southern masked chafer (Cyclocephala lurida), a few billbug larvae, 1 Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) grub, and 5 unidentified larvae. All grubs were collected into containers along with field soil and transported to the lab. The previ ously unidentified grubs had a raster pattern and swollen stipes characteristic of Asiatic garden beetle. The grubs were preserved in ethanol and the identity later confirmed with the key of Ritcher (1966). Grubs had an average length of 17.1 mm (0.67 inch) and head capsule width of 2.77 mm. These data indicate that the grubs are likely third instars (Hawley & Hallock 1936; Ritcher 1966). This is the southernmost report of Asiatic gar den beetle in the United States. Recent trapping studies in Alabama (Flanders et al. 2000) and, in Florida, Buss (2006) did not detect adult M. casta nea in blaeklight trap samples. The Alabama study, conducted in pastures, was within 50 km of

The purpose of this project was to investigate the distribution of the insect family Alydidae in the state of Alabama. Eight species and six genera were confirmed to be present, and all are new state records. The genus Hyalymenus and the species Stenocoris furcifera were previously only recorded in Florida, but are distributed well within Alabama. Although North American members of this family are not economically important, destructive species do exist in Asia and Africa. This information, therefore, will be useful in the potential event of an introduction.

The trapdoor spider genus Myrmekiaphila currently comprises 11 nominal species. A recent molecular phylogenetic evaluation of the group identified a number of problems with respect to how species and species groups were delineated by Bond and Platnick in their 2007 taxonomic revision of the genus. We report herein the discovery of a new species, Myrmekiaphila tigris sp. n. The phylogenetic position of the species is evaluated using a molecular phylogenetic approach based on a set of mtDNA markers. Our preferred phylogenetic hypothesis supports the recognition of a new species and further highlights the need to more carefully investigate species boundaries within the genus. These results further indicate that palpal bulb morphology is rapidly evolving and has likely been a contributing factor in rendering a number of species paraphyletic with respect to the molecular data.

The adult females of two new species of the margarodid genus Matsucoccus, M. apachecae and M. leiophyllae , are described and illustrated. M. apachecae was collected on Pinus engelmanii and P. ponderosa in Arizona. M. leiophyllae was collected on P. leiophylla in Arizona and Pinus sp. in the Federal District of Mexico. With the addition of these two species, the genus Matsucoccus in North America is now represented by 17 species. Included is a key to the adult females of North American Matsucoccus .

A lectotype is designated for Pseudophilippia quaintancii Cockerell (Homoptera: Coccidae). The 3 immature instars of the female and 5 instars of the male are described and illustrated. A key for separation of all developmental stages of the species is included together with a discussion of the generic status of Pseudophilippia.

Megacopta cribraria (F) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) was first discovered in North America in 9 counties in northeastern Georgia (USA) in October 2009. By the end of 2012, surveys conducted in Georgia and neighboring states confirmed that the insect had spread into 383 additional counties in the southeastern U.S., including the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. It was reported from 33 species of plants representing 15 taxonomic families in these surveys, with 17 of those from the family Fabaceae (legumes). Kudzu (Pueraria montana Lour. [Merr.] variety lobata [Willd.] Maesen & S. Almeida) was the most frequently reported host. All life stages of the insect were observed only on kudzu and soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) which, to date, are the only confirmed reproductive host plants of M. cribraria in its expanded North American range.

Twenty-seven 12-24 inch tall, container-grown Ixoracoccinea, heavily infested with hemispherical scale were selected for treatment. Test plants were growing in 2 gal pots. All stages of hemispherical scale were present. A single application of the test materials was made out-of-doors on June 17. The foliage of all plants was sprayed to run-off using compressed air sprayers. Treatments were replicated 3 times, one plant constituting a replication. Plants were allowed to dry and then were returned to a greenhouse. Mortality was determined on July 6 by counting 100 individuals per plant. Counts were made with the use of a stereo-microscope by examining each scale insect and scoring it as living if normally-colored and full-bodied or dead if it was discolored and shriveled or dried.

Whitefly infested gardenias, 18-20 inches tall, growing in 1 gal plastic pots at the Auburn University Ornamental Horticultural Field Station, Mobile, AL were selected for treatment. Foliar applications of 5 candidate insecticides were applied to run-off Jul 14 and 21 using a hand-pumped, compressed air sprayer. The adjuvant Nu-Film 17 was added to each spray mixture at the rate of 0.5 pt/100 gal. Each treatment was replicated 3 times. Plants were sprayed and then arranged in a randomized complete block design. Efficacy was determined Jul 27 by examining 100 citrus whitefly pupae per plant and scoring them as living if normally-colored and full-bodied or dead if discolored and shriveled or dried.

Fourteen 12-24 inch tall container-grown Ixoracoccinea, heavily infested with green scale, were selected for treatment. Test plants were growing in 2 gal pots. All stages of green scale were present. A single application of the test materials was made out-of-doors on Aug 4. Treatments were replicated 3 times and arranged in a randomized block design. Plants were allowed to dry and then were returned to a greenhouse. Mortality was determined on Aug 11 by counting 100 individuals per plant. Counts were made with the use of a stereo-microscope by examining each scale insect and scoring it as living if normally-colored and full-bodied, or dead if it was discolored and shriveled or dried.

Thirty-six 1 ft tall, container grown dwarf burford hollies heavily infested with tea scale were selected for treatment. Test plants were growing in 1 gal plastic pots. Test materials were applied Jun 18'79. Chevron spray-sticker was added to all treat-ments at the rate of 2.4 ml/gal of spray mixture. The foliage of all plants was sprayed to runoff using compressed air sprayers. Treatments were replicated 3 times, one plant constituting a replication. Plants were allowed to dry and then were returned to a plastic greenhouse. Efficacy of the treatments was de-termined on Jul 3'79 by examining 100 adult female tea scales per plant. Mortality counts were made with the use of a stereo-microscope by examining each scale insect and scoring it as living if normally colored and fullbodied or dead if discolored and shriveled or dried.

The 3 immature instars of the female pyriform scale insect, Protopulvinaria pyriformis (Cockerell), are described and illustrated. A key for the separation of all developmental stages is provided.