Methoprene and Temperature Stimulation of Emergence and Longevity in Adults of Osmia Rufa L. (Megachilidae; Apoidea) During Wintering Period

In this study methoprene, a juvenile hormone analogues, was tested as a factor that stimulates the end of diapause, bee activation and emergence. In addition, the survival of bees was checked when combined with an application of methoprene. The experimental activation of wintering bees was carried out once a month between December and March, Three groups of bee cocoons were selected for each activation term: treated with either methoprene or acetone as vehicle control and untreated as controls. After the applications were finished the cocoons were incubated at temperature 26°C. The emerged adult males and females were then kept in the laboratory and fed sucrose solution to evaluate the longevity of bees. The application of juvenile hormone analogue reduced the emergence time of adult bees in December, February and March. The rate of emergence presented in the form of cumulative percentage of emerged adult bees indicated that the bees treated with methoprene started to emerge 1-2 days earlier than bees from acetone and control groups and finished emergence 2-5 days earlier too. Methopren application did not reduce the longevity of the bees after emergence. Moreover, the median longevity of these females was higher than untreated in December and February.

Efficacy of Insect Growth Regulators as Grain Protectants against Two Stored-Product Pests in Wheat and Maize

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) (two juvenile hormone analogues [fenoxycarb and pyriproxifen], four chitin synthesis inhibitors [diflubenzuron, flufenoxuron, lufenuron, and triflumuron], one ecdysteroid agonist [methoxyfenozide], and one combination of chitin synthesis inhibitors and juvenile hormone analogues [lufenuron plus fenoxycarb]) were tested in the laboratory against adults of Prostephanus truncatus in maize and against adults of Rhyzopertha dominica in wheat. The tested IGRs were applied in maize at three doses (1, 5, and 10 ppm) and assessed at three temperature levels (20, 25, and 30°C) in the case of P. truncatus, while in the case of R. dominica the above doses were assessed only at 25°C in wheat. In addition to progeny production, mortality of the treated adults after 14 days of exposure in the IGR-treated commodities was assessed. All IGRs were very effective (>88.5% suppression of progeny) against the tested species at doses of ≥5 ppm, while diflubenzuron at 25°C in the case of P. truncatus or lufenuron and pyriproxyfen in the case of R. dominica completely suppressed (100%) progeny production when they were applied at 1 ppm. At all tested doses, the highest values of R. dominica parental mortality were observed in wheat treated with lufenuron plus fenoxycarb. Temperature at the levels examined in the present study did not appear to affect the overall performance in a great extent of the tested IGRs in terms of adult mortality or suppression of progeny production against P. truncatus in treated maize. The tested IGRs may be considered viable grain protectants and therefore as potential components in stored-product integrated pest management.