African Platyplectrus Ferrire (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Kenya, with description of nine new species.

Eleven species of Platyplectrus have been recorded from the Afrotropical region. Ch. Ferrire described nine species in 1941: two of them as Platyplectrus (P. capensis and P. ornatus) and seven under Euplectromorpha (Platyplectrus ausensis, P. brevicornis, P. kiambuensis, P. obscuratus, P. nitidiceps, P. striolata and Euplectromorpha variegata (not synonymized until the present paper)). Subsequently, P. meruensis was described by Delucchi (1962) and P. desertus by Yefremova (2008). To date, only one species, P. kiambuensis, has been recorded from Kenya. Recently, a wide-ranging survey and inventory project in Kenya raised this number to 18 species, nine of which are new and described herein: Platyplectrus albiclavatus sp. nov., P. kayaensis sp. nov., P. marenjeensis sp. nov., P. mrimaensis sp. nov., P. ngangaoensis sp. nov., P. nyambeneensis sp. nov., P. nyanzaensis sp. nov., P. pseudoornatus sp. nov., and P. pyrrhomaculatus sp. nov. Three species are redescribed: two for both sexes (P. meruensis, P. obscuratus) and one for females (P. ornatus). A new combination is proposed for Platyplectrus striolatus (Ferrire) from Euplectromorpha striolata Ferrire, 1941, and Euplectromorpha variegata Ferrire, 1941 is synonymized with Platyplectrus nigroflaveatus Yefremova, and the female is redescribed. A key to the genus Platyplectrus is provided for the 18 species found in Kenya.

Tachinobia repanda (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) From Egg Sacs of a Colonial Spider, Cyrtophora moluccensis (Araneae: Araneidae) in Papua New Guinea.

We report the discovery of the wasp Tachinobia repanda Boucek collected from egg sacs of the colonial spider Cyrtophora moluccensis (Doleschall) in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG) by Lubin, Y.D. in 1980. This is the first record of T. repanda from egg sacs of a colonial spider. The likely host of this eulophid wasp was the larvae of a sarcophagid fly that parasitizes the egg sacs of these spiders. The 67 T. repanda collected were all females and varied little in body size. We suggest that this species is a gregarious hyperparasitoid.

Aprostocetus chilophagae new species (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from South Dakota, with taxonomic notes on A. bromi (Kostjukov) and A. nebraskensis (Girault).

Aprostocetus chilophagae Yefremova and Yegorenkova, new species (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Tetrastichinae) is described from eastern South Dakota, U.S.A., and is reported as a parasitoid of the larva of Chilophaga virgati Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), an ovule predator of Panicum virgatum. This new species is separated from sympatric A. bromi (Kostjukov) and A. nebraskensis (Girault) by structural morphology and host associations. Aprostocetus bromi was recently recognized from North America as an introduced species from Russia that is a primary parasitoid of the introduced ovule feeding gall midge Stenodiplosis bromicola Marikovskij and Agafonova (Cecidomyiidae) on the invasive grass Bromus inermis. Aprostocetus nebraskensis is a native species that is known as a parasitoid only from S. wattsi Gagné, also an ovule predator on the native prairie grasses Andropogon girardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans. Trichacis rufipes Ashmead (Platygastridae) co-occurs with A. chilophagae new species on C. virgati, and a Centrodora sp. (Aphelinidae) may be a hyperparasitoid. The females of A. bromi and A. nebraskensis are redescribed and the males for each species are described for the first time.

A review of the family Eulophidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of Egypt, with thirty three new records.

A checklist of Eulophidae (excluding Entiinae) is presented based primarily on a total of 155 specimens collected from 23 localities in Egypt during the period of April 2012 to June 2014, mostly by sweep net. Altogether, 55 species in 22 genera and 3 subfamilies (Entedoninae, Eulophinae and Tetrastichinae) are recorded, of which 6 genera (Dicladocerus Westwood, Euplectrus Westwood, Entedon Dalman, Neotrichoporoides Girault, Sigmophora Rondani and Sympiesis Förster) and 33 species (60%) are newly reported for Egypt. The valid name and world distribution of each species are given; local distributions and host records for species previously recorded from Egypt are also given. Most of the species have a distribution characterized as Palaearctic, Afrotropical, or Indo-Malayan. About 4% are cosmopolitan in distribution.

An annotated checklist of the Eulophidae (excl. Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of Israel.

An annotated checklist of Israeli Eulophidae, excluding Tetrastichinae, is presented based primarily on a total of 757 specimens collected since the 1970s from 70 localities in Israel mostly by Malaise traps, sweeping and rearing from hosts. Altogether, 127 species belonging to 35 genera are recorded, of which 82 species (65%) are newly reported for Israel. Valid names, distribution, and known hosts are given for each species. Two previously reported species are excluded from the fauna and one is considered as doubtful in the country. The most species-rich genera are Pediobius, with 14 species, and Elasmus, with 12 species. The most common species, comprising about half of the collected specimens, are Diglyphus isaea (Walker), Neochrysocharis formosus (Westwood), Sympiesis sericeicornis (Nees), Pediobius pyrgo (Walker) and Euderus albitarsis Zetterstedt. Three species are currently known only from Israel, Aulogymnus albipes (Askew), Elasmus aternalis Yefremova & Strakhova and Pediobius thysanopterus Burks. Hosts are reported for 17 species, of which 10 are new records. Most of the species (88%) have a vast area of distribution characterized as Palearctic, Holarctic, or even cosmopolitan.

First report of Dermatopelte Erdos & Novicky (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) from the Indo-Malayan realm, with descriptions of new species.

Four new species of Dermatopelte Erdos & Novicky (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), D. bavilucus n. sp., D. collis n. sp., D. hanoica n. sp. and D. heratyi n. sp., are described from the Indo-Malayan biogeographic realm, the first three based on females and the last on a male. While similar to previously described Nearctic and Palearctic species, these new species comprise a distinct species group defined by a stronger transverse pronotal carina and smooth propodeal median panels. The differences between Indo-Malayan, Nearctic, and Palearctic species of Dermatopelte are discussed, and a key to all species of the genus is provided.

Karyotypes of parasitic wasps of the family Eulophidae (Hymenoptera) attacking leaf-mining Lepidoptera (Gracillariidae, Gelechiidae).

Karyotypes of eleven parasitoid species of the family Eulophidae were examined, namely, Chrysocharis laomedon (Walker, 1839) (2n = 10), Chrysocharis sp. aff. laomedon (n = 5, 2n = 10), Chrysocharis sp. aff. albipes (Ashmead, 1904) (2n = 12), Mischotetrastichus petiolatus (Erdös, 1961) (n = 6, 2n = 12), Minotetrastichus frontalis (Nees, 1834) (n = 5, 2n = 10), Cirrospilus pictus (Nees, 1834) (2n = 12), Hyssopus geniculatus (Hartig, 1838) (2n = 16), Sympiesis gordius (Walker, 1839) (2n = 12), S. sericeicornis (Nees, 1834) (2n = 12), Pnigalio agraules (Walker, 1839) (2n = 12 + 0-2B) and Pnigalio gyamiensis Myartseva & Kurashev, 1990 (2n = 12 + 0-6B) reared from Phyllonorycter acerifoliella (Zeller, 1839), Ph. apparella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855), Ph. issikii (Kumata, 1963) (Gracillariidae) and Chrysoesthia sexguttella (Thunberg, 1794) (Gelechiidae). Chromosome sets of all species except P. agraules and P. gyamiensis were studied for the first time. B chromosomes were detected in the two latter species; in P. gyamiensis, the maximum number of B chromosomes represents the highest value known for parasitic wasps to date.

Evaluation of attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB)-Barrier for control of vector and nuisance mosquitoes and its effect on non-target organisms in sub-tropical environments in Florida.

The efficacy of attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB) with the active ingredient eugenol, an Environmental Protection Agency exempt compound, was evaluated against vector and nuisance mosquitoes in both laboratory and field studies. In the laboratory, eugenol combined in attractive sugar bait (ASB) solution provided high levels of mortality for Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus. Field studies demonstrated significant control: >70% reduction for Aedes atlanticus, Aedes. infirmatus, and Culex nigripalpus and >50% reduction for Anopheles crucians, Uranotaenia sapphirina, Culiseta melanura, and Culex erraticus three weeks post ATSB application. Furthermore, non-target feeding of six insect orders, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Orthoptera, was evaluated in the field after application of a dyed-ASB to flowering and non-flowering vegetation. ASB feeding (staining) was determined by dissecting the guts and searching for food dye with a dissecting microscope. The potential impact of ATSB on non-targets, applied on green non-flowering vegetation was low for all non-target groups (0.9%). However, application of the ASB to flowering vegetation resulted in significant staining of the non-target insect orders. This highlights the need for application guidelines to reduce non-target effects. No mortality was observed in laboratory studies with predatory non-targets, spiders, praying mantis, or ground beetles, after feeding for three days on mosquitoes engorged on ATSB. Overall, our laboratory and field studies support the use of eugenol as an active ingredient for controlling important vector and nuisance mosquitoes when used as an ATSB toxin. This is the first study demonstrating effective control of anophelines in non-arid environments which suggest that even in highly competitive sugar rich environments this method could be used for control of malaria in Latin American countries.

Reduction of mosquito biting pressure by timed-release 0.3% aerosolized geraniol.

We conducted a study to determine the degree of personal protection provided by the Terminix(®) ALLCLEAR(®) Mosquito Mister - Lantern Edition. This outdoor unit was operated to disperse an aerosolized aqueous 0.3% geraniol emulsion in timed-release intervals of 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 min. Human volunteers participated in landing catch experiments to test the effect of geraniol sprayed at pre-set time intervals, at two distances: (1) 18 ft (5.49 m), the maximum effective distance claimed by the manufacturer, and (2) 9 ft (2.74 m), half the effective distance from the unit. When aerosolized geraniol was dispensed, reductions in biting pressure (landing, probing and biting mosquitoes) of Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus, at all times and distances, were evident compared to dispensation of the water spray control. The degree of protection correlated well with the distance from the subject and the time interval of releases. The 5 min time interval mode reduced overall biting pressure by more than 90% at 9 ft (2.74 m) and 18 ft (5.49 m). Reduction of biting pressure in the 7.5 min mode was still well over 80% and even in the 10 min mode, overall protection was slightly above 80% at a distance of 9 ft. The lowest but still reasonable protection level was observed in the 10 min mode, at the periphery of the area the unit claims to protect (300 ft(2)), with a biting pressure reduction of approximately two-thirds.