Posts Tagged ‘entomology’
Backfire of Bed Bugs’ Own Chemistry
Written by WTJ on June 6, 2009 – 11:13 pm -
Bed bugs (Cimes lectularius) have caused so much troubles in many industries, such as agriculture, housing, travel, hospitality, etc. Although there are many methods and products available to get rid of the bugs, there are evidences showing bed bugs are becoming more resistance to insecticides, namely pyrethroids. National Bed Bug Summit was even held in April by Environmental Protection Agency to deal with problems cause by bed bugs.
Desiccant dust is one of the oldest methods used to get rid of bed bugs, and it is still widely used now. Scientists from Ohio State University and Wittenberg University increase the effectiveness of desiccant dust by applying two pheromones secreted by bed bugs themselves. The two pheromones are (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal, which are secreted by the bugs when they are disturbed or excited. The pheromones enhanced desiccant dust attracts the bugs to walk through it, and the bed bugs are killed due to dehydration. Desiccant dusts can be used in many places and are not toxic (but messy).
The study is published in current issue fo Journal of Medical Entomology. Authors are Joshua B. Benoit, Seth A. Phillips, Travis J. Croxall, Brady S. Christensen, Jay A. Yoder, and David L. Denlinger.
Tags: (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, bed, bed bug, bed bugs, Brady S. Christensen, bug, bugs, Cimes lectularius, David L. Denlinger, Desiccant dust, entomology, Environmental Protection Agency, Jay A. Yoder, Joshua B. Benoit, Journal of Medical Entomology, National Bed Bug Summit, Ohio State University, pheromone, pheromones, pyrethroids, Seth A. Phillips, Travis J. Croxall, Wittenberg University
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New Butterfly Species With Mustache
Written by WTJ on March 2, 2009 – 6:24 pm -
Blanca Huertas, butterfly curator at Natural History Museum in London had discovered a new species among the three million butterfly specimens. The museum has nine million specimens of butterflies and moths. The new specimen has a hairy mouthparts (looks like moustache), which is the same as Splendeuptychia ackeryi (a.k.a. Magdalena valley ringlet) that Blanca and two colleagues discovered at dry Magdalena valleys of Colombia back in 2005. The entomologists did not realize those are new species back then. The butterfly specimen was in the museum collection since 1920. Blanca Huertas said that there are only 20,000 known butterfly species and 40% of them are in South America.
Two other colleagues of Blanca Huertas are Jean François Le Crom and Cristóbal Ríos M. The new discovery is published in the latest Zootaxa.
(Photo Credit: Copyright NHM)
Tags: blanca huertas, butterfly, Cristóbal Ríos M., entomology, insect, Jean François Le Crom, Magdalena, Magdalena valley ringlet, Natural History Museum, Splendeuptychia ackeryi, Zootaxa
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