Grasshopper Research Articles

Seasonal variations of insect abundance: Correlating growth stage-specific metrics with weather patterns in Rangpur Region, Bangladesh

The disclosure of insect occurrences correlating with meteorological data is pivotal in devising effective management strategies for rice fields. The study collected data on harmful and beneficial insects, along with meteorological variables, for three consecutive rice-growing seasons in 2021 and 2022. Month-wise insect distribution were delineated, with prominent species such as green leafhopper, brown planthopper, white-backed planthopper, rice whorl maggot, damselfly, parasitic wasps and green mirid bug observed consistently. Notably, most of the harmful insects were predominantly present during March–July and September–October. The spatial distribution, further segmented based on the rice-growing seasons, revealing the Aus season's preeminence in hosting harmful insects followed by Aman and Boro. The prevalence of most of the harmful insects were in tillering stage. Beneficial insects, displayed their dominance during specific months, growth stage, emphasizing their potential role in controlling harmful species and their prevalence were increased by increased of harmful insects. Furthermore, the study elucidated the correlation between climatic factors and insect abundance, emphasizing the role of temperature, rainfall and relative humidity. Temperature metrics and relative humidity manifested significant associations with several insects both harmful and beneficial species differently. While rainfall notably correlated with rice bug, short-horned grasshoppers, yellow stem borer, and non-significant association with other insects. The study underscored mutual dependencies between predator and prey species, emphasizing the ecological balance within the agricultural ecosystem. This comprehensive analysis indicated the need for integrated pest management strategies, considering both harmful and beneficial insect dynamics, to promote sustainable practices for optimizing rice production in changing climatic scenarios.

Optimal Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic (STPV) window based on energy performance, daylighting quality, and occupant satisfaction – A case study of private office in Chengdu China

With the global warming, energy crisis, and the increasing application of glazing curtain walls, semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) systems have garnered significant attention for their excellent energy performance and daylight quality. The cell coverage ratio (CCR) of an STPV window impacts energy performance, daylight quality, and occupants’ satisfaction simultaneously, though these impacts can be conflicting. Therefore, this study investigates the optimal CCR of STPV for optimal daylight, energy performance, and occupants' satisfaction in Chengdu City, China through a case study. A private office room was selected as the base model. Energy performance, and daylighting quality according to the different CCR (10% to 50%) of STPV were analyzed using Honeybee in Grasshopper (GH), which is a Plugin for Rhinoceros. Occupants’ satisfaction was assessed through a survey conducted with ClimateStudio (CS) and Virtual reality (VR). The results indicated that the optimal CCR of STPV for this room is as follows: East (30%), West (10%), North (10%), and South (40%), based on energy performance, daylight quality, and occupants’ satisfaction.

Viability of Cull Bee Brood (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) as an Additive in Chicken Feed for Enhanced Food Security

There is insufficient knowledge by African beekeepers on how to utilize and integrate culled bee brood into their chicken feed or food systems instead of dumping broods as wastes. Culling out access bee brood combs, diseased, old combs with brood remains will reduce over reproduction of bee brood in the bee colony and hence improving hygiene in bee hive colony which will increase its fitness. African bee keepers regularly practice bee brood culling of unwanted, damaged, diseased and excessive combs with brood during production and harvesting periods and throw away culled bee brood Africa beekeepers. Therefore, this study came up with new ways on how to collect, process, utilize and integrate culled bee brood into chicken feeds as additives instead of throwing them away as wastes. This would create new production opportunity among bee keeper now and in the future as culled bee brood to be an alternative source of protein in chicken feeds systems leading to improved food security. The study was conducted in three districts of southwestern Uganda (Kiruhura, Mbarara, Rwampara). Current Nutritional composition and hygiene practice were analyzed after sampling practices and collection. Analyzed 966 culled bee brood combs from 46 beekeeper’s colony. Data was analyzed using r-statistical program. All assumptions for statistical tests were met. A total of seven (7) apiaries participated in cull brood removal sample from 46 bee hives from each district that was sampled making a total of 966 colonies. a repeated measures ANOVA both at beginning of the season and the end of the season was used to analyze the beekeepers’ data from different apiary yard in western Uganda and five (5) colonies (bee hive) from an on-farm trial experiment at Mbarara, Kiruhura, Rwampara western Uganda, three (3) treatment and two control were utilized. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze this data. Using computer aided software of R-statistical package for analysis. Results were presented in table form from different seasons from laboratory analysis. The study also adds to existing literature where some insects are used industrially for selling as seen with the Nsenene (grass hoppers) in Uganda and crickets and black soldier’s flies in western Kenya at Jaramongi Odinga Oginga University of Science and Technology. MP2 has the highest metabolizable energy with slightly less microbes, and average moisture content. This makes it a good choice of feeds with bee brood additives for the chicken.

Diversity of Grasshopper (Hexapoda: Orthoptera) in the Conservation Area of Kerandangan Natur Park, Senggigi, West Lombok

The Kerandangan TWA conservation area has high biodiversity, but much of it is unknown, including grasshoppers. This research aims to analyze the diversity of grasshoppers in the area. Grasshopper samples were collected on two transects determined purposively. This collection was carried out over two months, namely October to November 2022. Data on species and numbers were analyzed descriptively. This analysis includes abundance, richness index, diversity index, and species evenness index. Our findings show that there are 8 species of grasshoppers from the families Acrididae, Pyrgomorphidae, Catantopidae, and Tettigoniidae. The most abundant species was Stenocatantops splendens, whose proportion was 66.67%. The species richness, diversity, and evenness indexes were 2.06, 1.27, and 0.61, respectively. This shows that grasshopper biodiversity in Kerandangan TWA is relatively low. However, it must be conserved because of its essential role in maintaining regional ecological processes.

Development and Fabrication of Locust Control System - A Review

Locusts, a group comprising specific species of short-horned grasshoppers within the Acrididae family, undergo a phase where they swarm together. Typically solitary, these insects undergo a behavioural shift under certain conditions, becoming gregarious. These swarms of locusts pose a significant threat to agriculture, causing extensive damage to crops. Addressing this challenge, we're developing a simplified solution: a box equipped with ultraviolet light to attract locusts. As the locusts are drawn towards the light, they fall into the box, which then automatically closes to contain them. Subsequently, a high-voltage current is applied to the box to eliminate the locusts. To deter theft of the device, we're incorporating a security system. Additionally, the resulting locust ash can be easily decomposed. Keywords— Locusts management, Grasshopper, Locust bacterial. Desert locust, Locust hate.

The short-horned grasshoppers (Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae: Orthoptera) of Karnataka, India: A checklist and distribution data

Short-horned grasshoppers’ checklist is presented here. In the present study, the inventory was created using data from a survey conducted in various districts of Karnataka between 2019-2021, including Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Hassan, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Udupi, Uttar Kannada and orthopteran collections at the Insect Systematics Laboratory, Department of Entomology, KSNUAHS, Shivamogga and literature published to date from various parts of Karnataka. A total of 101 species/subspecies belonging to 66 genera, 15 subfamilies and two families i.e., Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae were reported. Several species were recorded for the first time from the districts investigated, including 9 in Chikkamagaluru, 4 in Dakshina Kannada, 1 each in Hassan and Kodagu, 3 in Shivamogga, 9 in Udupi and 1 in Uttar Kannada. This is the first-ever checklist featuring distribution records for short-horned grasshoppers in Karnataka and is updated with the Orthoptera species file online. The index may help for future taxonomic diversity studies of grasshoppers of Karnataka

Phylogenetic insights into Central European Chorthippus and Pseudochorthippus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) species using ddRADseq data

The evolution of several orthopteran groups, especially within the grasshopper family Acrididae, remains poorly understood. This is particularly true for the subfamily Gomphocerinae, which comprises cryptic sympatric and syntopic species. Previous mitochondrial studies have highlighted major discrepancies between taxonomic and phylogenetic hypotheses, thereby emphasizing the necessity of genome-wide approaches.In this study, we employ double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to reconstruct the evolution of Central European Chorthippus and Pseudochorthippus species, especially C.smardai, P.tatrae and the C.biguttulus group.Our phylogenomic analyses recovered deep discordance with mitochondrial DNA barcoding, emphasizing its unreliability in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers. Specifically, our data robustly distinguished the C.biguttulus group and confirmed the distinctiveness of C.eisentrauti, also shedding light on its presence in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Moreover, our results support the reclassification of C.smardai to the genus Pseudochorthippus and of P.tatrae to the genus Chorthippus.Our study demonstrates the efficiency of high-throughput genomic methods such as RADseq without prior optimization to elucidate the complex evolution of grasshopper radiations with direct taxonomic implications. While RADseq has predominantly been utilized for population genomics and within-genus phylogenomics, its application extends to resolve relationships between deeply-diverged clades representative of distinct genera.

Anatolian Short-Horned Grasshoppers Unveiled: Integrating Biogeography and Pest Potential.

Biogeographically, Anatolia harbours a rich diversity of short-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Caelifera). The number of species recorded from Anatolia so far stands at 300. They inhabit diverse habitats ranging from arid Eremial to Euro-Siberian-like montane meadows, aligning with the topographical and climatological heterogeneity of Anatolia. Alongside some swarming species, the pest potential of several pullulating species needs attention. This is especially important concerning global warming, a scenario expected to be more severe in the Northern Mediterranean Basin in general and Anatolia specifically. A faunal list of biogeographic Anatolia, the area extending from the Aegean Sea in the west to the intermountain basin of the Caucasus in the northeast, the lowlands of Lake Urmia in the east, and Mesopotamia in the southeast, was developed. The recorded species were classified according to the phytogeographical provinces of Anatolia. Distributions of the species with the potential for pullulating were modelled using ecological-niche-modelling approaches for the present and future. The results have the potential to lead to the development of a concept that merges biogeography and the pest potential of certain Anatolian grasshopper species. Our results reveal the following: (i) Acrididae and Pamphagidae are the most diverse families represented in Anatolia; (ii) roughly 40% of Caelifera and 71% of Pamphagidae are endemics, suggesting Anatolia is a biodiversity hotspot; (iii) according to Caelifera diversity, the phytogeographical provinces of Anatolia follow an order of Irano-Anatolia, Euro-Siberia, Mediterranean, and Mesopotamia; and (iv) based on ecological modelling and personal observations, Dociostaurus maroccanus, Locusta migratoria, Calliptamus italicus, Heteracris pterosticha, Notostaurus anatolicus, Oedipoda miniata, and O. schochii should be monitored regarding their pest potential.

Comparative analysis of mitogenomes among three species of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Gomphocerinae) and their phylogenetic implications.

Whole mitochondrial genomes have been widely used in phylogenetic analysis, population genetics and biogeography studies. This study sequenced and characterized three complete mitochondrial genomes (Dasyhippus peipingensis, Myrmeleotettix palpalis, Aeropedellus prominemarginis) and determined their phylogenetic position in Acrididae. The length of the mitochondrial genomes ranged from 15,621-15,629 bp and composed of 13 PCGs, 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA genes and an AT control region. The arrangement and structure of the mitochondrial genomes were similar to those of other invertebrates. Comparative genomics revealed that the three mitochondrial genomes were highly conserved in terms of gene size, structure, and codon usage, all PCGs were purified selections with an ATN start codon and a TAN stop codon. All tRNAs could be folded into the typical clover-leaf structure, except tRNA Ser (AGN) that lacked a dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs of 34 Acrididae species and seven outgroup species revealed that differences in the shape of antennae within the family Acrididae should be given less weight as a taxonomic character for higher-level classification. Moreover, the divergence time estimates indicates that in Gomphocerinae, the species with clubbed antennae were formed within the nearest 18 Mya, and Pacris xizangensis is more ancient.

Implementation of light shelves and WWR to improve daylight performance in university classroom

Daylight plays important role in achieving good Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) because it contributes to human health and optimal working performance. The Engineering Center (EC) building, which is part of Universitas Indonesia in Depok, Indonesia has great daylight potential with an existing design Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) of 100%. However, this potential has yet to be maximized due to use of artificial lighting during the day. Moreover, the uneven distribution of sunlight entering the room creates some issues (i.e., glares, dazzled, heat and low uniformity level). This research tries to improve this condition by intervening in Window to Wall Ratio (WWR) and adding Light Shelves (LS) in class 101 (facing south) and 102 (facing north). 56 variations of WWR and LS were simulated using Rhinoceros (RH) and Grasshopper (GH) software with plug-ins (Ladybug and Honeybee). The simulation results show three design configurations WWR 60% - LS straight; WWR 78% - LS straight; and WWR 60% - LS curve in room number 102 facing north produce illuminance close to the maximum and minimum threshold for good lighting in the classroom (350 - 500 lx). This study will provide reference strategies for improving daylight performance in university classrooms with tropical climates.

Solar Energy Utilization Potential in Urban Residential Blocks: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

In dense, energy-demanding urban areas, the effective utilization of solar energy resources, encompassing building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems and solar water heating (SWH) systems inside buildings, holds paramount importance for addressing concerns related to carbon emission reduction and the balance of energy supply and demand. This study aimed to examine the interplay between urban residential blocks and their solar energy potential, with the objective of promoting environmentally sustainable development within urban residential areas. The primary focus of this study was the hot summer and cold winter zone of China, which serves as a representative case study. Methodologically, we employed Rhinoceros and Grasshopper (GH) software version GH6.0 tools to simulate the solar radiation potential within residential blocks and translated this information into the potential utilization of BIPV and SWH systems. Subsequently, our focus was directed towards identifying optimal locations for mounting BIPV modules and water heaters on roofs and building façades. The study results revealed the following: (1) The floor area ratio (FAR), building density (BD), average building height (ABH), and space layout (SL) exerted substantial influences on the solar potential of a residential block, with correlations of up to 75%, 71%, 78%, and 50%, respectively, concerning the overall solar potential of the entire plot. (2) It is essential to emphasize that, with regard to the BIPV installation potential, façades account for 80% of the overall residential block potential, whereas rooftops contribute only 20%. Both south- and west-facing façades exhibited a BIPV installation ratio of approximately 34%. (3) In the realm of solar water heating, the potential for installations on building façades accounted for 77% of the total living area of the residential blocks, 23% on the rooftops, and 35% on the south-facing façades. This study furnishes practical guidelines for harnessing the potential of BIPV and SWH systems within residential blocks, thereby contributing to the advancement of sustainable urban development practices.

Sustainable interior design: A new approach to intelligent design and automated manufacturing based on Grasshopper

The construction industry consumes a great deal of energy and causes environmental pollution, especially the interior design of the construction industry because the lower degree of automation brings more ecological problems. Thus, intelligent design and automated manufacturing are essential for interior design, as they can increase efficiency and reduce environmental pollution for sustainable development. This study proposes a new method of intelligent design and automatic manufacturing based on Grasshopper (GH) and proves its effectiveness in interior design through practice. The proposed method automatically generates suitable drawings and three-dimensional models by GH instead of manual drawing, thus improving design efficiency and quality. The construction cost calculation is conducted simultaneously with the design while the cost control is completed in the design stage. Then the design is handed over to the computer numerical control factory to realize high-precision automatic manufacturing. Automatically manufactured components are installed on-site instead of manufactured, making the process more environmentally friendly and reducing the construction period. The results show that the application of this method in interior design helps improve design efficiency and quality and has cost-saving and sustainability advantages.

Hooded Grasshopper Teratodes monticollis (Gray, 1832) Morphometric and Intraspecific Colour Variation from Bonai Forest Division, Odisha, India

Hooded grasshopper belongs to the order Orthoptera and the family Acrididae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. The hooded grasshopper, Teratodes monticollis, was described as Gryllus monticollis by English zoologist George Robert Gray in 1832. The distribution of this species has been recorded in different parts of Burma, Ceylon, and India. The contemporary reports about records of this species from various states of India are very limited. The authors observed the intraspecific colour variation of Teratodes monticollis in Bonai Forest Division, Odisha, India, and presented it here. It might be due to some abiotic stress in the study areas.

Integrated Management Practices against Desert Locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal) in India: A Review

Locusts are the most dangerous agricultural pests. They are belonging to family Acrididae. Gregarious locusts travel in swarms from one location to another in adult form. The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal), is one of the grasshopper species that cause crop damage and can fly up to 150 km in the direction of the wind. The present state of knowledge on its biological regulation employing microbes and plant extracts is discussed. Metarhizium flavoviride was among the first fungi to be identified in the laboratory and field as a bio-control agent against desert locust. Following extensive investigation, with integrated pest management stratedies using these bio-controls would be a viable option for controlling desert locust infestations. Against the desert locust, IPM (Integrated Pest Management) approaches that emphasize the successful combination of chemical and biological insecticides with prediction and monitoring technology have been encouraged. Recent experimental investigations and researches are mainly focusing on identifying viable answers through financial collaboration between governmental and non-governmental organizations. The authors highlighted the loss in the agricultural sector due to desert locust infestation, as well as its sophisticated control and management solutions, after evaluating publications from numerous journals, magazines, and symposia.

MULTIOBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF THE INTERGENERATIONAL RESIDENTIAL SPACE WITH THE GOAL OF DAYLIGHTING AND THERMAL COMFORT

ABSTRACT (1) Background: An ageing population and two-child policy have led to the transformation of China’s family structure, and multigenerational residences account for an increasing proportion of mainstream family residences. Different generations of residents have great differences in behaviour patterns and health requirements, but existing residential buildings are not especially designed for health needs. (2) Methods: First, based on relevant codes and a questionnaire survey, the spatial needs and behaviour patterns of different generations of residents are obtained, and the benchmark model is established based on the Grasshopper (GH) parametric platform. Then, based on the GH platform and the building simulation plug-in, which are Ladybug Tools and a multiobjective optimization tool named Wallacei, daylight autonomy (DA), useful daylight illuminance (UDI), and the proportion of thermal discomfort hours (PDH) are taken as daylighting and thermal comfort indicators, and the bedroom location, orientation, bay size, depth to bay ratio, window form, window-to-wall ratio, and horizontal shading width are optimized. Finally, the Pareto front is analysed by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) comprehensive evaluation method, and the optimal solution is compared with existing multigenerational residences in Tianjin. (3) Results: First, the middle room, oriented south or south by east, large bay, small window-to-wall ratio, and bay window can effectively be improved for indoor thermal comfort, while rooms that are oriented south or south by east, small depth bay ratio, large window-to-wall ratio and balcony can effectively be improved for daylighting quality. Second, compared with existing buildings in Tianjin, the DA, UDI, and PDH of the adult bedroom with the ideal solution are increased by 33.7%, 3.5%, and 10.8%, respectively; the DA, UDI, and PDH of the child bedroom with the ideal solution are increased by 15.5%, 4.2%, and 4.9%, respectively; and the DA, UDI, and PDH of the elderly individual bedroom with the ideal solution are increased by 42.7%, 4.9%, and 1.7%, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The optimization scheme is substantially improved for the health of the indoor daylight and thermal environment of existing housing, and it provides a scientific and quantitative decision-making basis for the healthy design of multigenerational residences.

Hybrid muddy electric fish and grasshopper optimization algorithm (MEF-GOA) based CNN for detection and severity differentiation of glaucoma in retinal fundus image

Glaucoma is an irreversible blindness that affects the people over the age of 40 years. Many approaches are proposed to detect glaucoma in image by dealing with its complex data. Redundancy is the major problem in medical image which could lead to increased false positive and false negative rates. This paper proposed a three-structure CNN optimized with Hybrid optimization approach for glaucoma detection and severity differentiation. The CNN structure is designed with three sub-groups to do attention prediction, segmentation and classification. The mathematical equation for Loss function is derived for the CNN structure with three hyper-parameters which is optimized with Hybrid approach. Hybrid optimization approach consist of Muddy Electric fish Optimization and Grass hopper optimization algorithm for exploration and exploitation processes. The proposed method is designed in a Matlab and validated with LAG and Rim-One database. The proposed method achieved accuracy greater than 95% and other metrics like F2 and AUC has reached 98%.

Hybrid bat–grasshopper and bat–modified multiverse optimization for solar photovoltaics maximum power generation

A hybrid BAT with Grasshopper (GH) algorithm and BAT-MMVO (Modified Multiverse Optimization) are exhibited for harvesting maximum power from photovoltaics (PV) using the Xilinx System Generator (XSG) implanted controller. Using a hybrid BAT-GH and BAT-MMVO algorithm, the proposed implanted controller finds the best switching pulse for the boost converter. The implanted controller, switching schemes, and the Photovoltaic (PV) supported boost converter were built using the XSG domain. The hardware implementation of the best two cases were done using a microcontroller in a smaller scale. This aims to gather the maximum amount of power by a PV array for solar irradiation and cell temperature under varied environmental situations. The PV structure in the XSG domain is used to construct the system model for prediction. The major emphasis of this work is to keep the difference of actual power and reference power as minimum. Finally, the implanted controller's performance is compared to that of other existing hybrid controllers. The performance of the proposed algorithm is found to yield good results in terms of power extraction. The theoretical and experimental results are presented. The computational efforts for the implementation of the algorithm are found to be less complex when compared to other existing methods.

Coordinate-Parametric Matrix Model Inspired Square-Conjoint Pattern in Cross Woven for Conventional Bamboo Mat

In the study, it is proposed that a coordinate-parametric matrix model is performed to a square-conjoint pattern of cross woven (SCPCW) in the bamboo mat. The patterns of SCPCW are firstly detected according to the perspective of configuration, which is divided into the basic-monomer shape and the basic combination shape. Secondly, the compositions of design patterns in SCPCW are analyzed to attain the trend of curve shape. Based on the coordinate-parametric matrix model, the specimens of SCPCW are subsequently accomplished to elaborate the woven logic of bamboo mats. The digital innovation of SCPCW, defined by a mathematical resolution, is implemented by the software of Grasshopper (GH), which plays a crucial role in capturing image information by the Image Sampler component. Successively, the weaving logic of coordinated matrix is referred to apply in the computing component of Grasshopper software. Finally, the computer simulation could demonstrate that the coordinate-parametric matrix model of SCPCW would be realized to analyze the micro-weaving structure and overall weaving effect in the bamboo mat.

Differential evolutionary cuckoo-search-integrated tabu-adaptive pattern search (DECS-TAPS): a novel multihybrid variant of swarm intelligence and evolutionary algorithm in architectural design optimization and automation

Abstract One of the critical limitations in architectural design optimization (ADO) is slow convergence due to high-dimensional and multiscale variables. For the rapid and optimal digital prototyping of architectural forms, this paper proposes a novel metaheuristic optimization technique that hybridizes standard low-level algorithms: the differential evolutionary cuckoo-search-integrated tabu-adaptive pattern search (DECS-TAPS). We compared DECS-TAPS to 10 major standard algorithms and 31 hybrids through 14 benchmark tests and investigated multi-objective ADO problems to prove the computational effectiveness of multiple algorithm hybridization. Our findings show that DECS-TAPS is vastly efficient and superior to the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy algorithm in multifunnel and weak structural functions. The global sensitivity analysis demonstrated that integrating multiple algorithms is likely conducive to lowering parameter dependence and increasing robustness. For the practical application of DECS-TAPS in building simulation and design automation, Zebroid—a Rhino Grasshopper (GH) add-on—was developed using IronPython and the GH visual scripting language.

New Records of Family Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from Uttarakhand State, India

New Records of Family Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from Uttarakhand State, India