TL;DR: In terms of number of species, Diptera was the most important group observed, particularly Ornidia obesa, considered a highly invasive species, and Hermetia illuscens, both reported as beneficial for decomposition of organic matter.
Abstract: Sarcosaprophagous macroinvertebrates (earthworms, termites and a number of Diptera larvae) enhance changes in the physical and chemical properties of organic matter during degradation and stabilization processes in composting, causing a decrease in the molecular weights of compounds. This activity makes these organisms excellent recyclers of organic matter. This article evaluates the succession of insects associated with the decomposition of solid urban waste separated at the source. The study was carried out in the city of Medellin, Colombia. A total of 11,732 individuals were determined, belonging to the classes Insecta and Arachnida. Species of three orders of Insecta were identified, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Diptera corresponding to 98.5% of the total, was the most abundant and diverse group, with 16 families (Calliphoridae, Drosophilidae, Psychodidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Milichiidae, Ulidiidae, Scatopsidae, Sepsidae, Sphaeroceridae, Heleomyzidae, Stratiomyidae, Syrphidae, Phoridae, Tephritidae and Curtonotidae) followed by Coleoptera with five families (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Ptiliidae, Hydrophilidae and Phalacaridae). Three stages were observed during the composting process, allowing species associated with each stage to be identified. Other species were also present throughout the whole process. In terms of number of species, Diptera was the most important group observed, particularly Ornidia obesa, considered a highly invasive species, and Hermetia illuscens, both reported as beneficial for decomposition of organic matter.
TL;DR: A survey on the diversity of necrophagous species in 4 types of environments: rainforest, agroecosystem, beach, and urban areas, finding the rainforest fragment and the sugarcane plantation were the environments with the highest degree of species similarity.
Abstract: The distribution and habitat preferences of necrophagous Diptera in northeastern Brazil is poorly known despite the medical and forensic relevance of species in the Families Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, and Muscidae. We performed a survey on the diversity of necrophagous species in 4 types of environments: rainforest, agroecosystem, beach, and urban areas. Adult flies were collected by using suspended traps containing decomposing animal tissue (chicken liver, sardine, or pork) as baits. A diverse assemblage of necrophagous Diptera was registered in all environments, consisting of 20 species from 7 families: Calliphoridae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Phoridae, Piophilidae, Sarcophagidae, and Ulidiidae. Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Phoridae), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Calliphoridae), and Tricharaea sp. (Muscidae) were the most abundant species. The rainforest fragment and the sugarcane plantation were the environments with the highest degree of species similarity. The type of bait did not significantly influence the number of species captured. The invasive species Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) and C. albiceps were present in high abundance in all environments, especially at the sandy beach, where they corresponded to 100% of all Calliphoridae specimens.
TL;DR: O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a incidencia de especies de Euxesta em areas of producao de milho e identificar as es pecies predominantes usando dois atraentes alimentares diferentes a base of proteinas hidrolisaveis, BioAnastrepha® e Torula, colocados no interior of armadilha McPhail.
Abstract: Survey of ear flies (Diptera, Ulidiidae) in maize (Zea mays L.) and a new record of Euxesta mazorca Steyskalin Brazil. Species of Euxesta (Diptera, Ulidiidae), known as silk flies or ear flies, are becoming increasingly important as maize insect pests in South America, although very little is known about them in Brazil. The larvae of some species of this genus initially damage female reproductive tissues, and then the developing kernels on the ear. As a result of feeding, fermentation and associated odors cause complete loss of the grain because it is no longer fit for human or livestock consumption. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the incidence of Euxesta spp. in Brazilian maize fields and to determine the most prevalent species using two different hydrolyzed protein foods attractants, BioAnastrepha® (hydrolyzed maize protein) and Torula, placed inside McPhail traps. The two species identified were E. eluta Loew and E. mazorca Steyskal, the latter being a new record from Brazil. Between the two species, E. eluta was the more abundant in maize fields. Both attractants were efficient in capturing the two species. However, BioAnastrepha® captured significantly more insects than Torula.
TL;DR: Raising adults from fly larvae-infested ears provided the best method for assessing rates of ear infestation and species richness, and sweep netting did not provide reliable information on the presence or species composition of ulidiid species infestation.
Abstract: The picture-winged fly Euxesta stigmatias Loew (Diptera: Ulidiidae) has been a serious pest of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) in Florida since 1930. Several other species in the family are known to infest corn grown in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Surveys were conducted throughout Florida to evaluate species richness and distribution of corn-infesting Ulidiidae. Adults were sampled with sweep nets and reared from fly larvae-infested corn ears collected from representative corn fields in 16 and 27 counties in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Four Ulidiidae species were found in corn fields using both sampling techniques. Euxesta eluta Loew and Chaetopsis massyla (Walker) were found throughout the state on field and sweet corn. Euxesta stigmatias was only found in Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie Counties on field and sweet corn. Euxesta annonae (F.) was found in sweet corn in Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, and Palm Beach Counties, but field corn was not sampled in the...