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The bird cherry‐oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi) and the grain aphid (Sitobion miscanthi) are two destructive wheat pests that have caused severe economic losses in China's main wheat‐producing regions. Although previous studies have focused mainly on the population dynamics of wheat pests in wheat fields, little is known about the trans‐sea migration of both wheat aphid species in eastern China. Here, we conducted 10 years of monitoring from 2012 to 2021 to determine aerial migration patterns utilizing a suction trap on Beihuang Island (BH), a small island in the centre of the Bohai Strait that serves as a seasonal insect migratory pathway in eastern Asia. We also simulated the migration trajectories of these pests using the HYSPLIT model. Overall, a total of 6362 alatae S. miscanthi and 335 alatae R. padi were captured, and both wheat aphid species exhibited regular patterns of comigration across the sea from late April to late October each year. There were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the migratory numbers of both wheat aphids. Notably, the average daily humidity was the most important meteorological factor affecting migration biomass. The seasonal migration trajectories simulated using the HYSPLIT model revealed different source areas for both wheat aphid species, which mostly originated in Northeast, North and East China. Accordingly, our study provides valuable insights into the occurrence and migration route of wheat aphids in eastern Asia, helps fine‐tune forecasting and early warning systems, and thereby guides integrated pest management of wheat aphids in eastern Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Green lacewing is an important natural predator of many crop pests. In this study, we conducted 10 years of monitoring from 2012 to 2021 to determine the aerial migration patterns of green lacewing species using a suction trap on Beihuang Island (BH), a small island in the center of the Bohai Strait that serves as a seasonal insect migration pathway in eastern Asia. Overall, there were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the densities of the main species, and the sex ratio varied among different months, with more females being captured than males. It was determined that the green lacewings primarily originated from Shandong Province through trajectory analysis. This study provides valuable insights into the migration dynamics of green lacewings in eastern Asia, which is helpful for biological control in the region. Many insects, including green lacewings, migrate seasonally to exploit suitable breeding and winter habitats. Green lacewings are important natural enemies of insect pests worldwide. Here, four dominant green lacewing species, Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto), Chrysopa pallens (Rambur), Chrysoperla furcifera (Okamoto), and Chrysopa formosa Brauer, were investigated for their ability to migrate between northern and northeastern China across the Bohai Strait from late May to late October each year. Furthermore, there were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the number of migratory green lacewings collected. The number of green lacewings in spring was significantly lower than that in summer and autumn, and the highest average number of green lacewings occurred in June. In addition, there were differences in the sex ratio of migrating green lacewings between months, with a greater proportion of females than males. Finally, the seasonal migration trajectories simulated by the HYSPLIT model revealed that the green lacewings captured on Beihuang Island primarily originated from Shandong Province. Accordingly, these findings contribute to our understanding of green lacewing migration in eastern Asia and aid its incorporation within integrated pest management (IPM) packages for several crop pests. Furthermore, long-term tracking of migrant insect populations can reveal ecosystem services and trophic dynamic processes at the macroscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural enemies are important in pest control. However, control by natural enemies is hindered by the migration of rice planthoppers. Therefore, comigration and interactions between Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) and Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and five predator species, Chrysoperla sinica Tjeder, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Episyrphus balteatus, Syrphus corollae (Fab.) and Chrysopa pallens (Rambur) in eastern Asia were investigated. Results: From 2012 to 2021, the migration patterns of two rice planthoppers and five natural enemy species were monitored by suction trapping on Beihuang Island, Shandong Province, China. Both planthoppers and the five natural enemies regularly comigrated from late April to late October each year. There were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the numbers of two rice planthoppers migrating across this island. Simulated seasonal migration trajectories indicated different source areas for the two rice planthoppers, which mainly originated in northeast, north and east China. The biomass of planthoppers was significantly positively correlated with that of the ladybug H. axyridis in all migration periods, and significant differences in the ratio of rice planthoppers to natural enemies among months. A time‐lag effect between seasons was obtained when natural enemies and pests comigrated. Conclusion: Migration was coordinated between rice planthoppers and natural enemies in East Asia. When natural enemies and rice planthoppers comigrated, time lags between seasons were observed. The unique insights into the migration patterns will help to increase understanding of the occurrence of rice planthoppers in eastern Asia and provide an important theoretical basis for regional monitoring and management of rice planthoppers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many insects, including green lacewings, migrate seasonally to exploit suitable breeding and winter habitats. Green lacewings are important natural enemies of insect pests worldwide. Here, four dominant green lacewing species, Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto), Chrysopa pallens (Rambur), Chrysoperla furcifera (Okamoto), and Chrysopa formosa Brauer, were investigated for their ability to migrate between northern and northeastern China across the Bohai Strait from late May to late October each year. Furthermore, there were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the number of migratory green lacewings collected. The number of green lacewings in spring was significantly lower than that in summer and autumn, and the highest average number of green lacewings occurred in June. In addition, there were differences in the sex ratio of migrating green lacewings between months, with a greater proportion of females than males. Finally, the seasonal migration trajectories simulated by the HYSPLIT model revealed that the green lacewings captured on Beihuang Island primarily originated from Shandong Province. Accordingly, these findings contribute to our understanding of green lacewing migration in eastern Asia and aid its incorporation within integrated pest management (IPM) packages for several crop pests. Furthermore, long-term tracking of migrant insect populations can reveal ecosystem services and trophic dynamic processes at the macroscale.

Global temperatures are generally increasing, and this is leading to a well documented advancement and extension of seasonal activity of many pest insects. Effects of changing precipitation have received less attention, but might be complex because rain and snow are increasing in some places but decreasing in others. This raises the possibility that altered precipitation could accentuate, or even reverse, the effects of rising temperatures on pest outbreaks. We used >592 K aphid suction‐trap captures over 15 years, in the heavily farmed central USA, to examine how the activity of Aphis glycines (soybean aphid), Rhopalosiphum maidis (corn aphid), and Rhopalosiphum padi (bird cherry‐oat aphid) changed with variation in both temperature and precipitation. Increasing precipitation caused late‐season flight activity of A. glycines and early‐season activity of R. padi to shift earlier, while increasing temperature did the same for early‐season activity of A. glycines and R. maidis. In these cases, precipitation and temperature exhibited directionally similar, but independent, effects. However, precipitation sometimes mediated temperature effects in complex ways. At relatively low temperatures, greater precipitation generally caused late‐season flights of R. maidis to occur earlier. However, this pattern was reversed at higher temperatures with precipitation delaying late‐season activity. In contrast, greater precipitation delayed peak flights of R. padi at lower temperatures, but caused them to occur earlier at higher temperatures. So, in these two cases the interactive effects of precipitation on temperature were mirror images of one another. When projecting future aphid flight phenology, models that excluded precipitation covariates consistently underpredicted the degree of phenological advance for A. glycines and R. padi, and underpredicted the degree of phenological delay for R. maidis under expected future climates. Overall, we found broad evidence that changing patterns of aphid flight phenology could only be understood by considering both temperature and precipitation changes. In our study region, temperature and precipitation are expected to increase in tandem, but these correlations will be reversed elsewhere. This reinforces the need to include both main and interactive effects of precipitation and temperature when seeking to accurately predict how pest pressure will change with a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring mosquito populations is crucial for vector-borne disease surveillance. Routine mosquito surveillance in many regions of the United States is performed either by vector abatement districts or public health departments. These surveillance programs often use multiple trap types and attractants to target key mosquito species, however setting different traps with varying attractants can be expensive and labor intensive. Because funding for mosquito control is highly variable throughout the U.S., some programs may be limited in their surveillance capabilities. To determine whether a single trapattractant combination could provide specificity for key vector and nuisance species, as well as sensitivity for rare species, we compared the BG-Sentinel 2 and CDC miniature light traps paired with CO2, UV-LED, BG Lure, BG Sweetscent, octenol, or chicken feathers. Trapping was conducted biweekly from June/July-October 2019 and 2020 in Montgomery and Prince George's County, MD. BG traps collected significantly more Aedes albopictus than CDC traps when paired with BG Lure, Sweetscent, or octenol. BG/CO2 traps collected both the greatest number of total mosquitoes and Culex pipiens. BG/CO2, CDC/CO2, and CDC/UV traps provided the most diverse collections. Trapping with the CO2-baited BG-Sentinel is recommended as an effective strategy for general mosquito surveillance when resources are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on complexity and diversity of motion amplification and control strategies in motile carnivorous plant traps. Topics include the plants have evolved mechanisms for elastic energy storage and release to power and control rapid motion, the lack of consistent terminology and conceptual frameworks describing elastically powered motion in both groups, and the iconic examples of fast movements can be found in carnivorous plants.

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), remains the most economically important and difficult to manage pest in citrus throughout Florida. To improve existing control methods, the potential for Asian citrus psyllid to evade insecticide sprays and engage in shortterm dispersal was investigated. Dispersal was evaluated to better understand responses of Asian citrus psyllid to citrus grove management, and how these factors affect population dynamics when citrus flush is scarce. To determine the impact of insecticide applications and other abiotic factors on Asian citrus psyllid movement, psyllid captures were measured on yellow sticky-card traps placed along the citrus grove borders. Additional suction trap and citrus grove stem-tap samples were collected and compared with sticky card catches, then correlated with data taken from the Florida Automated Weather Network. More Asian citrus psyllids were caught after than directly before insecticide sprays (t = 3.096; df = 27; P = 0.005), with the highest catches occurring from Mar to May. Both solar radiation and wind direction were positively correlated with Asian citrus psyllid dispersal, whereas humidity was negatively correlated across all sampling methods. Significant psyllid catches in suction traps located 500 m from a citrus grove provide additional evidence that Asian citrus psyllids tend to migrate when host conditions are unfavorable, returning to previous or neighboring groves after dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psyllids are small, phloem-feeding insects. Several species are vectors of economically important pathogens, such as 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (CLso) and phytoplasmas. We monitored the psyllid population in Quedlinburg, Germany, using a 12.2-m suction trap from May to September 2017 in order to detect potential vectors for CLso, a pathogen of apiaceous and solanaceous crops. CLso has been previously detected in Germany in the carrot psyllid, Trioza apicalis. Psyllids were identified using a combination of morphological and molecular methods, and samples of each species were tested for CLso. No known vectors of CLso were captured. However, we detected CLso of unknown haplotype in a single individual of Trioza urticae, which mainly feeds on Urtica spp. A so-called haplotype U was recently described in Finland and was associated with Trioza urticae and Urtica dioica. This is the first report of CLso in T. urticae in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the seasonal flight activity of the Phlaeothripidae (Thysanoptera) species was studied by using suction trap, in South-East Hungary, in the years 2000 and 2004 from April to October. The flight period of two dominant species, namely Haplothrips angusticornis Priesner and Haplothrips aculeatus Fabricius (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), was observed in high number in Europe. Also, it was the first record of mass flight observation of H. angusticornis. In addition, the effect of meteorological factors, such as temperature, sunshine duration, relative humidity, air pressure, and their influences, were evaluated.

Background and Aims Some carnivorous plants trap not only small animals but also algae and pollen grains. However, it remains unclear if these trapped particles are useless bycatch or whether they provide nutrients for the plant. The present study examines this question in Utricularia, which forms the largest and most widely spread genus of carnivorous plants, and which captures prey by means of sophisticated suction traps. Methods Utricularia plants of three different species (U. australis, U. vulgaris and U. minor) were collected in eight different water bodies including peat bogs, lakes and artificial ponds in three regions of Austria. The prey spectrum of each population was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively, and correlated with data on growth and propagation, C/N ratio and δ15N. Key Results More than 50 % of the prey of the Utricularia populations investigated consisted of algae and pollen, and U. vulgaris in particular was found to capture large amounts of gymnosperm pollen. The capture of algae and pollen grains was strongly correlated with most growth parameters, including weight, length, budding and elongation of internodes. The C/N ratio, however, was less well correlated. Other prey, such as moss leaflets, fungal hyphae and mineral particles, were negatively correlated with most growth parameters. δ15N was positively correlated with prey capture, but in situations where algae were the main prey objects it was found that the standard formula for calculation of prey-derived N was no longer applicable. Conclusions The mass capture of immotile particles confirms the ecological importance of autonomous firing of the traps. Although the C/N ratio was little influenced by algae, they clearly provide other nutrients, possibly including phosphorus and trace elements. By contrast, mosses, fungi and mineral particles appear to be useless bycatch. Correlations with chemical parameters indicate that Utricularia benefits from nutrient-rich waters by uptake of inorganic nutrients from the water, by the production of more traps per unit of shoot length, and by the capture of more prey particles per trap, as nutrient-rich waters harbour more prey organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Ultrasonic aspiration is widely used in the resection of brain tumors. Nevertheless, tumor tissue fragments obtained by ultrasonic aspiration are usually discarded. In this study, we demonstrate that these fragments are possible sources of material for histopathological study and tissue culture and compare their microscopic features and viability in tissue culture of cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator tissue fragments. Methods: Brain tumor tissue collected by ultrasonic aspiration (CUSA EXcel®; Integra Radionics Inc.) in a simple sterile suction trap during resection was processed for primary cell culture. Cell viability and immunohistological markers were measured by the WST-1 test, microscopy and immunofluorescent evaluation. Results: Six gliomas are presented to demonstrate that these tissue fragments show good preservation of histological detail and tissue viability in culture. Conclusion: Utilization of this material may facilitate pathological interpretation by providing a more representative sample of tumor histology as well as an adequate and sterile biosource of material for tissue culture studies. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Although both endogenous and exogenous processes regulate populations, the current understanding of the contributions from density dependence and climate to the population dynamics of eruptive herbivores remains limited. 2. Using a 17-year time series of three cereal aphid species [ Rhopalosiphum padi L., Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker), and Diuraphis noxia (Kurdumov)] compiled from a trapping network spanning the northwestern U.S.A., temporal and spatial patterns associated with population fluctuations, and modelled density dependence in aphid abundances were tested. These models were used to analyse correlations between climate and aphid abundances in the presence and absence of residual variance as a result of density-dependent effects. 3. The temporal dynamics of aphid population fluctuations indicated periodicity, with no clear evidence for a spatial pattern underlying population fluctuations. 4. Aphid abundances oscillated in a manner consistent with delayed density dependence for all three aphid species, although the strength of these feedbacks differed among species. 5. Diuraphis noxia abundances were negatively correlated with increasing temperatures in the absence of density-dependent effects, whereas M. dirhodum abundances were positively correlated with increasing cumulative precipitation in the presence of density-dependent effects; yet, R. padi abundances were unrelated to climate variables irrespective of population feedbacks. 6. Our analysis suggests that endogenous feedbacks differentially regulate aphid populations in the northwestern U.S.A., and these feedbacks may operate at an expansive spatial scale. It is concluded that the contributions of density dependence and climate to aphid population dynamics are species-specific in spite of similar ecological niches, with implications for assessing species responses to climate variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important pest of soybean in China. To monitor and manage this pest effectively it is necessary to understand its population dynamics and demographics, as well as the physiological responses of soybean plants to its feeding. In this study, using field surveying and suction-trap monitoring, we investigated the population dynamics of the soybean aphid in Xiuyan County, Liaoning Province in northeastern China during 2009-2012. The results indicated that the population dynamics of the soybean aphid followed a unimodal curve distribution, with the insect generally colonizing soybean fields from the middle of June to early July and the population reaching a peak between early July and early August. On the whole, soybean aphids occurred in suction-traps at least 2 weeks earlier than they were found in field surveys. A total of 72 alates were collected by suction-trapping over the 4 years, with the earliest alate captures occurring on 28 May in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 4 June in 2010. The life table parameters clearly showed that this aphid had a short doubling time (4.73 ± 0.21 days), and 7.36 ± 0.98 nymphs were produced by a soybean aphid adult during its lifetime (13.57 ± 0.30 days). Finally, biochemical assays indicated that the amount of malondialdehyde and the activities of four defense-related enzymes in soybean leaves significantly changed between 0 day and 7 days of aphid infestation. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase (CAT) activities increased more dramatically after 1 day of aphid feeding. In addition, significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase and CAT were found after aphid feeding for 7 days, whereas there was no significant change in the activities of peroxidase and PPO. Consequently, this study will be beneficial in determining the seasonal occurrence of the soybean aphid and selecting insect-resistant soybean varieties, and thus in developing a theoretical framework for appropriate management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We describe here the phenological patterns of the 25 most common ballooning species of spiders caught by a 12.2 m suction trap during an eleven year survey in Switzerland. We aimed at identifying and quantifying the number, position, spread, and relative weight of activity periods for the whole community. Further, we explored the possible link between phenological patterns and habitat use. For this purpose, we used bump-hunting approaches and fitted mixtures of normal distributions to the abundance data. The phenologies can be grouped in four categories, from uni- to quadrimodal. The specific peaks in the timing of ballooning were found between February and November, with most ballooning activity occurring in summer and autumn. For some taxa, it was possible to analyze the data for young instars and adults. For the majority of taxa, the adults' peak appeared between the early and late peaks of immature individuals. Species inhabiting the ground level of open areas, often disturbed by agricultural practices, were clearly dominant in the multimodal categories; spiders living in more closed and stable habitats, such as tree-shrub and herb layers, typically had a single peak of adult dispersal. This discrepancy in phenology may simply reflect different numbers of generations, but may also result from an adaptation to maximize the persistence of populations in unstable habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) augmented with pedicle screw instrumentation has become a favored surgical treatment for management of lumbar degenerative disease and spondylolisthesis. Iliac crest bone graft has traditionally been used for interbody arthrodesis. Many substitutes for autograft have been suggested to reduce iliac crest graft morbidity. The present study was aimed to determine fusion rate and clinical outcome with local bone autograft drill shavings harvested during minimally invasive (MI) TLIF. Methods: A retrospective study of 40 patients who underwent MI-TLIF using a cage filled with local bone shavings and pedicle screw fixation with a minimum 1-year imaging follow-up was performed. Bone shavings were collected during surgery by use of a simple specimen trap device. Fusion was assessed with computed tomography scan with sagittal and coronal reconstructions. Clinical assessment was performed using patient-filled preoperative and postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and leg and back pain visual analog scale (VAS) score. Results: The mean age at time of surgery was 54 years (range, 21 to 84 years). Clinical outcome was graded as excellent or good in 65% and 27% of patients, respectively, based on improvement in ODI and VAS. The mean ODI, leg, and back pain VAS score improved from 66, 6, and 9 to 30, 1, and 3 after surgery (P < 0.005) Fusion was demonstrated on computed tomography scan in 67.5% of patients. Clinical outcome was graded as excellent or good in 92% of patients irrespective of the presence or absence of fusion (P = 0.45). Conclusions: Use of a cage filled with local bone shavings harvested using a specimen trap during MI-TLIF is simple and can result in up to a 70% fusion rate with good clinical outcome in 92% of patients. This is the first study assessing fusion rate with local bone shavings, and the results may help spine surgeons in choosing the best graft option for patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Understanding and modelling insect pest dispersal is an important prerequisite for designing integrated pest management programs. Nevertheless, studies investigating the dispersal of small insects in natural conditions remain scarce mainly because of the difficulty of tracking the movements of these organisms. Here we propose to use Hierarchical Bayesian Modelling (HBM) framework to gain knowledge on hidden processes that cannot be observed directly in natura, such as insect landing and insect mortality, through the definition of latent variables. An HBM describing crop colonization by winged aphids was fitted to a large dataset of field observations issued from a long term survey at a wide scale of both aerial and field densities of the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. This study provides the first evidence that suction trap data are reliable proxies of aphid colonizing rates in cereal fields in autumn and can be a nice alternative to the very time-consuming crop sampling. The proportion of winged aphids landing in cereal fields is shown to vary between regions according to the degree of investment of local R. padi population in sexual reproduction. Results also indicate that under autumnal field conditions, less than 5% of winged aphids survive more than 10 days after landing. This HBM provides the basis of a predictive model for aphid crop colonization that fully accounts for all sources of uncertainty. It should be of great value to improve the trust of users in any decision making systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current study evaluated the potential of using counts of winged adults captured in suction traps to forecast the local abundance of soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., fields. The abundance of aphids was evaluated weekly by sampling plants in four to 11 soybean fields and recording the number of aphids in suction traps between 2006 and 2008 in four counties in Indiana and Illinois. Fields in each county were located within 10 km of their respective suction trap, which allowed us to evaluate the relation between aphid abundance on soybean plants and in suction traps at the county level. Migrant soybean aphids caught in suction traps exhibited distinct seasonal trends each year: in 2006, trapped migrants consisted predominantly of individuals dispersing from soybean to buckthorn (Rhamnus sp.); in 2007, in contrast, the majority of trapped migrants were apparently individuals dispersing among soybean fields. The cumulative number of aphids captured in suction traps was positively related to aphid densities on soybean plants. However, the utility of suction traps as a monitoring tool may be limited by the variation in temporal patterns observed in suction traps and on soybean plants each year, and the spatial variation in aphid abundance among soybean fields within a county. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. For the first time, long-term changes in total aerial insect biomass have been estimated for a wide area of Southern Britain. 2. Various indices of biomass were created for standardised samples from four of the Rothamsted Insect Survey 12.2 m tall suction traps for the 30 years from 1973 to 2002. 3. There was a significant decline in total biomass at Hereford but not at three other sites: Rothamsted, Starcross and Wye. 4. For the Hereford samples, many insects were identified at least to order level, some to family or species level. These samples were then used to investigate the taxa involved in the decline in biomass at Hereford. 5. The Hereford samples were dominated by large Diptera, particularly Dilophus febrilis, which showed a significant decline in abundance. 6. Changes in agricultural practice that could have contributed to the observed declines are discussed, as are potential implications for farmland birds, with suggestions for further work to investigate both cause and effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphids, because of their short generation time and low developmental threshold temperatures, are an insect group expected to respond particularly strongly to environmental changes. Forty years of standardized, daily data on the abundance of flying aphids have been brought together from countries throughout Europe, through the EU Thematic Network ‘EXAMINE’. Relationships between phenology, represented by date of first appearance in a year in a suction trap, of 29 aphid species and environmental data have been quantified using the residual maximum likelihood (REML) methodology. These relationships have been used with climate change scenario data to suggest plausible changes in aphid phenology. In general, the date of first record of aphid species in suction traps is expected to advance, the rate of advance varying with location and species, but averaging 8 days over the next 50 years. Strong relationships between aphid phenology and environmental variables have been found for many species, but they are notably weaker in species living all year on trees. Canonical variate analysis and principal coordinate analysis were used to determine ordinations of the 29 species on the basis of the presence/absence of explanatory variables in the REML models. There was strong discrimination between species with different life cycle strategies and between species feeding on herbs and trees, suggesting the possible value of trait-based groupings in predicting responses to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six aphid species new for Italy were caught by suction trap in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Italy. They are: Chaetosiphon chaetosiphon (Nevsky), Illinoia morrisoni (Swain), Myzodium modestum (Hottes), Pseudacaudella rubida (Börner), Schizaphis longicaudata Hille Ris Lambers and Trichosiphonaphis (Xenomyzus) polygonifoliae (Shinji). All species are provided here with characteristic morphological information and line drawings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. There is continuing debate about the impact of agricultural practices on farmland wildlife. In particular, it has been postulated that a general decline in insect abundance linked with intensification of agriculture may have contributed to farmland bird decline. While some autecological studies have supported this hypothesis, larger-scale and long-term studies are needed. 2. Suction traps mounted on 12·2-m towers (Rothamsted-type) have been sampling aerial insects for nearly 40 years throughout the UK. Their catches are correlated over large spatial scales. We analysed insect catch data from a single suction trap run for 27 years in a rural location in Scotland, and showed that insect numbers have changed significantly over time, although non-linearly. The multivariate data set (numbers from the 12 common arthropod groups) was summarized using principal components analysis (PCA) to extract three components explaining 62% of the variation. 3. We also used PCA to describe agricultural change, using published agricultural data for eight measures of farming in Scotland. Arthropod abundance and principal component (PC) scores were significantly related to the agricultural PC scores as well to summary climatic measures. 4. Using Scottish data from the British Trust for Ornithology Common Birds Census, we extracted three PC to describe the time-dependent average densities of 15 common farmland birds in Scotland. Measures of bird density were significantly related to insect abundance and PC scores and, independently, to measures of agriculture and climate. 5. These data from a broad suite of species provide support for linked temporal change between farmland birds, invertebrate numbers and agricultural practice in Scotland. Although entirely correlative, the results are consistent with the view that agricultural change has influenced birds through changes in food quality or quantity. The work also shows how large-scale invertebrate sampling, in this case... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paired suction traps were used to study the habitat choice of migrating aphids in adjacent crop and natural habitats in east central Illinois. Traps were placed in a row-crop field and a restored prairie for 4 yr at one site, and a row-crop field and a wooded plot for 3 yr at another. Row crops were corn or soybean, rotated annually. We did not wish to sample aphids that were native to the local habitats because they would be in a habitat by circumstance of birth, and not necessarily by choice. We therefore removed from the habitat choice analysis any aphid species that colonize plants in either the agricultural or natural habitat. Numbers of aphids from outside sources in the two adjacent habitats were compared. In 2 of 4 yr, outside-source aphids were more abundant in the row-crop than the restored prairie, despite the absence of potential host plants in both habitats. In all 3 yr, outside-source aphids were trapped in greater numbers in the crop than in the woods. Selection of the crop over the natural habitat occurred during almost all sampling periods throughout the summers. We present possible explanations for the aphids' apparent preference for crop habitats and provide brief discussions of abundant aphids, local--as well as outside--source species, trapped in our study. We also discuss the relevance of our study to the understanding of long- and short-distance aphid migration and aphid vectoring of plant pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]