Bug Management Research Articles

Perception, attitudes, and knowledge on infestation and management of bed bugs in major cities of Indonesia: A cross-sectional online survey.

The resurgence of bed bugs is a global phenomenon, but until now reports on bed bug infestations in Indonesia are rare. The success of bed bug control is affected by people's knowledge and awareness. Stigma against bed bugs in Indonesia discourages the public from reporting infestations and therefore knowledge of their impact on public health is scarce. Herein, this study investigates the public's perception, attitudes, and knowledge on bed bug-related issues in several major cities in Indonesia through an online survey. Despite low case reports, three in five respondents (n = 600) have encountered bed bugs at least once; mostly in their homes (74.1%). Approximately half of the respondents correctly identified bed bugs, whereas mites were often misidentified for bed bugs (26.3%). Bite marks were not a useful indicator for detecting bed bugs. We found age, gender, and level of education affects the public's perception toward various bed bug-related issues. Regarding bed bug treatment, above 50% respondents are unaware of the availability of bed bug-specific insecticidal products and are unwilling to pay pest management professionals to control infestation. This study provides the first overview of the public's awareness and perception of bed bug infestations in some major cities of Indonesia, which can be useful for designing public health policies for bed bug management. The reported data represents the perspectives of online users, most likely from metropolitan regions. A bigger monitoring program encompassing pest professionals and hospitality businesses would give a more thorough overview of the bed bug impact in Indonesia.

Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis spp.): A Pest of Economically Important Fruit and Plantation Crops: Its Status and Management Prospects

The tea mosquito bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) is the recognized pest of fruits and plantations across the world. In India, three species viz. Helopeltis antonii, H. bradyi and H. theivora are dominant among different species and found attacking a wide range of crops. Several alternate host plants of the tea mosquito bug have been recorded, especially in Africa and Asia. The nymphs and adults of the tea mosquito bug suck the sap from leaves, buds and shoots, which results in heavy crop losses. The pest is posing a serious challenge in domestic and overseas trades. For better management decisions, it is very much important to know about pest status, bionomics, distribution, host range, etc. The focus on the management of tea mosquito bug has to emphasize from chemical to traditional, indigenous technical knowledge and integrated pest management using the accessible resources to reduce the resistance development and limit the residual effects. This review highlights the significant works conducted on tea mosquito bug with detailed management strategies. The information on current status, host preference, incidence and early detection of this pest are discussed.

Life History Traits of the Pentatomidae (Hemiptera) for the Development of Pest Management Tools

Knowledge of the biology of a pest is essential for building sustainable management programmes. Pentatomidae have a hemimetabolous life cycle with egg, nymphal, and adult life stages, which differ in morphological, ecological, and behavioural traits. Some of these traits, such as mating behaviour, pheromones (alarm and aggregation pheromones) and the acquisition of gut symbionts can be targeted for pest management strategies. Here, we review the available literature on these life history traits of the Pentatomidae with potential for use in management programmes. Pheromone-mediated aggregation and the disruption of symbiont acquisition are two important targets for Pentatomidae control. Other traits such as the use of alarm pheromones for enhancing natural enemies and substrate-borne vibration for mating disruption deserve further consideration. Colour vision and flight ability are still poorly studied, despite their potential importance for stink bug management.

Volatile Organic Compounds: A Promising Tool for Bed Bug Detection.

The recent decades' resurgence of bed bugs as a public health concern in industrialized countries has driven an increased interest on new sustainable insecticide-free methods to monitor and control these ectoparasites. Current methods of detection rely mainly on visual inspection or canine scent detection, which are methods that are time-consuming, require experience, are non-specific or require costly mission repetitions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are considered an environmentally friendly alternative and a promising approach for bed bug detection. An overview of the released literature on VOCs, their chemical characteristics and their role in bed bugs' intra- and inter-species communications allowed us to highlight the identification of 49 VOCs in Cimex lectularius (23 molecules) and C. hemipterus (26), which are emitted by both sexes during diverse compartments including aggregation (46), mating (11), defense (4), etc., and all life stages including exuviae or dead bed bugs as a principal indicator of infestation. The latter has a great importance for application of these semiochemicals in successful detection and control management of bed bugs and to prevent their further dispersion. This approach has the advantage of more reliability compared to conventional detection methods with no need for repeated inspections, household furniture moving or resident rehousing for bed bugs' VOC detection, which are commonly performed by active or passive sampling with absorbing tubes and analyzed by gas chromatography-based analytical platforms.

Manejo integrado del piojo harinoso o cochinilla

Abstract This factsheet for farmers in Nicaragua provides information on the integrated management of mealy bugs or scale insects, pests of orange ( Citrus ) plants. It includes details about their damage, control and a photo of a tree showing symptoms. CCAJ - Jalapa

Evaluation of some insecticides and biopesticides for the management of pod bug, Clavigralla gibbosa (Spinola) on long duration pigeonpea

Evaluation of some insecticides and biopesticides for the management of pod bug, Clavigralla gibbosa (Spinola) on long duration pigeonpea

An Extended Survey Concerning the Significance of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques for Bug Triage and Management

An Extended Survey Concerning the Significance of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques for Bug Triage and Management

Effect of Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Aldehydes on Efficacy of Fungal Biopesticides.

The use of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals. - Criv.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) has been recently incorporated in the management of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Bed bugs produce a set of aldehydes that are known to affect the growth of some fungi. Considering that bed bugs or their exuviae release these aldehydes, it was suspected that the bed bugs' aggregation sites would contain an increased level of the bed bug aldehydes. The current study examined if elevated levels of the bed bug aldehydes in the microhabitats would impact the efficacy of B. bassiana. Following a brief exposure to the residues of commercial products containing B. bassiana, the treated bed bugs were kept in a vial with or without a natural or artificial blend of bed bug aldehydes (i.e., exuviae or synthetic compounds). For a B. bassiana product that is not currently registered for bed bugs control, the presence of aldehydes significantly reduced 15-d mortality (61-62%) compared to the no aldehydes control (97.7%). However, when tested with a B. bassiana formulation designed for bed bug control, the aldehydes only caused delayed mortality for the treated bed bugs. When tested in culture, the growth rate of B. bassiana on a medium was significantly reduced when the bed bug aldehydes were provided in the headspace. Implications on practical bed bug management using fungal biopesticides are discussed.

Upstream bug management in Linux distributions

Upstream bug management in Linux distributions

Temporal variation and spatial distribution of Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) during the soybean grain formation period

The neotropical brown stink bug Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is one of the most important pests in soybean and knowledge of its distribution is necessary to determine the moment of control and enable the appropriate use of strategies to avoid production losses. This research aimed to study the temporal variation and the spatial distribution of E. heros in soybean. The study was carried out in an area of 6600 m2 of soybean, with 60 plots of 100 m2 each, with two sampling points/plot being evaluated weekly by the beat cloth method to count nymphs and adults. The evaluations occurred from fruiting (R3) to physiological maturation (R8). The data were subjected to dispersion indices (variance/mean ratio, Morisita index, and exponent k), theoretical frequency distributions (Poisson, negative binomial, and positive binomial), and spatial analysis by inverse distance weighting (IDW). This study demonstrated the infestation of E. heros throughout the evaluation period, and the dispersion indices showed the trend of nymph aggregation and the sum of nymphs and adults (total population). However, adults tended towards a moderate to uniform aggregation. Theoretical frequency distributions for nymphs and total population indicated randomness at the beginning of the infestation, tending to aggregation from R5 onwards. Aggregation is confirmed in adults, but the population tended towards uniformity at the end of the cycle. The use of the IDW method is an important tool for the rational management of the neotropical brown stink bug in the soybean crop.

Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Peregrinus Maidis (Ashmead)

The present study to evaluate entomopathogenic fungi for the management of sorghum shoot bug, Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) revealed that, among the entomopathogens applied in various methods (foliar spray and whorl application along with FYM), Raichur strain (UASR BC VL 1) of Lecanicillium lecani (2×108CFU) @ 2g/l directed to whorl region excelled in reducing shoot bug population (5.49/plant), % plant damage (58.62%) and superior plant growth parameters over all other EPF (Entomopathogenic fungi) treatments which was on par results with standard check, cypermethrin 25% EC @ 0.50ml/lit directed to whorl region (5.78/plant & 65.46%). Whereas, all the EPF treatments and untreated control showed superiority in conserving the natural enemy population (spiders and coccinellids) but standard check due to its chemical properties led to the reduction in the beneficial insects with lowest spider (0.54/plant) and coccinellid (0.87/plant) population.

The Efficacy of a Pyrethroid-impregnated Mattress Liner on Multiple International Strains of Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) and Cimex hemipterus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).

Modern bed bugs are resistant to multiple insecticide classes, particularly the pyrethroids. The efficacy of pyrethroid-impregnated mattress liners marketed for bed bug management has been variable. This study evaluated the efficacy of a permethrin-impregnated mattress liner, ActiveGuard, against 24 bed bug strains, consisting of both Cimex hemipterus (F.) and Cimex lectularius L. A 'mat assay', employing an allethrin-impregnated mat, was used to establish the pyrethroid resistance profile of all strains. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of ActiveGuard exposure on bed bug knockdown: 1) exposing the bed bugs continuously on the liner for up to 24 d, 2) holding the bed bugs on the liner for either 4 or 6 h, and 3) placing a noninsecticide treated fabric above the liner with the bed bugs held continuously on top. Our results indicated that all modern strains (collected within the last 15 years during the current resurgence) were pyrethroid-resistant, although the magnitude of resistance was highly variable between strains. In the continuous exposure study, an incomplete knockdown was recorded for most modern bed bug strains, with some having no knockdown even up to 7 d of constant exposure. In the 4 or 6 h exposure study, the level of knockdown was reduced even further, and very few bed bugs were knocked down in the double fabric study. The results of this study indicate that pyrethroid-impregnated mattress liners are not likely to be effective in the management of most modern bed bug infestations involving either C. hemipterus or C. lectularius.

A Dynamic Threshold Approach for Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) Management in the Midsouthern U.S. Cotton.

One of the most economically important pests of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the midsouth region of the United States is the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois, Hemiptera: Miridae). Tarnished plant bug populations across the region have exhibited widespread resistance to numerous insecticide classes. To minimize late season resistance development, reducing unwarranted applications during the late flowering period can aid in resistance management and potentially reduce input costs. Trials were conducted during 2019 and 2020 to evaluate the impacts of tarnished plant bug populations in the later flowering period of cotton by modifying or terminating threshold regimes during the later weeks of bloom. Results showed that dynamic thresholds altered at the fourth week of bloom or later can reduce the number of late season applications made with no penalty to yield. Additionally, when utilizing a week of bloom termination approach, no significant yield losses were seen when terminating applications after the fourth week of bloom. These data may offer an alternative method to managing tarnished plant bug populations during the later flowering period of midsouth cotton.

A Case Study on Tropical Bed Bug, Cimex hemipterus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Infestation and Management in Dormitories.

Numerous bed bug research papers have been published in the past 20 yr as a result of bed bug (Cimex spp.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) resurgence in the world. Yet, few of them focused on the management of the tropical bed bug, C. hemipterus (F.). Here, we describe a case of tropical bed bug infestation in two dormitory buildings and effectiveness of a tropical bed bug treatment program. The study site consisted of 125 dormitories in two buildings. An initial building-wide monitoring with ClimbUp interceptors revealed 25 infestations. The spatial distribution of bed bug infested rooms showed a significant aggregated distribution pattern with same infestation status for neighboring units sharing walls. All infested rooms were monitored every 2 wk and treated using a combination of steam and diatomaceous earth (DE) dust application if bed bugs were still found. For the 25 initially identified infested rooms, after 14 wk treatment, 44% of them no longer had bed bugs, and the mean number of bed bugs captured per room decreased by 94.1%. A combination of steam and DE dust treatment is an effective strategy for suppressing tropical bed bug infestations in dormitory environment.

Success stories in biological control: Lessons learnt

Globally, several success stories have been documented on classical, augmentative and conservation biological control strategies for managing insect pests and weeds. India too has had its share of successes in the field of biological control. Some examples include the management of the papaya mealy bug through classical biological control, suppression of the sugarcane woolly aphid through conservation biological control, and management of rice pests through augmentation biological control. However, it is a sad state of affairs that biocontrol practices have not been either universally accepted or optimally utilised as per the expectations. There are several hurdles to the uptake of biological control, which include unwieldy regulatory procedures to be followed for international exchange of biocontrol agents and registration of microbial biopesticides; hesitation amongst the commercial units to take up production of biocontrol agents (macrobials and microbials) and lack of active interactions between biocontrol researchers and all other stake-holders including farmers, public, extension workers, regulators and politicians. In this paper, an attempt has been made to compile information on some of the significant success stories in the field of biological control. Based on the lessons learnt from the older biological control success stories, proactive steps have been taken in India to tackle some of the recent invasive pests. The need of the hour is for biocontrol researchers and practitioners to network with economists, social scientists and other relevant stakeholders so that the social, economic and financial value of biological control (primarily based on the success stories) can be clearly defined and accurately quantified and communicated to farmers, commercial units and policymakers, which can lead to increased uptake of this sustainable method of pest management.

Effect of Plastic Mulch Colors on Anasa tristis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) Population Dynamics in Summer Squash, Cucurbita pepo (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae).

The squash bug, Anasa tristis (De Geer), is a serious pest of cucurbit crops across the United States, especially within summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) systems. Using their piercing sucking mouthparts, squash bugs feed on both leaf tissue and fruits, often leading to leaf necrosis, marketable fruit loss, and even plant death. To date, the relationship between squash bug presence and plasticulture has not been adequately investigated. This 2-yr study evaluated the effects of white, black, and reflective plastic mulch colors on the occurrence of all squash bug life stages and marketable zucchini yield in Virginia. In both years, A. tristis adults and egg masses were more numerous on zucchini plants grown in white and reflective plastic mulch compared to bare ground plants. Greater nymphal densities and marketable fruit yield were observed in certain plastic mulch treatments versus the bare ground treatment, yet these differences were not consistent in both years. Contrary to the repellency effects reflective mulches have on other cucurbit insect pests, our research suggests that reflective and other plastic mulch colors can negatively impact squash bug management, especially in regions with high A. tristis pressure. Our study offers new insights for cucurbit growers to use when considering whether they should implement plasticulture in their growing systems.

Natural incidence of pathogenic fungi on stink bug pests in Argentinian rice paddies

AbstractEntomopathogenic fungi (EF) are important biocontrol agents due to their wide host range, easy application, and compatibility with phytosanitary products. Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are the most important rice pests in Argentina. Although there is information on the pathogenicity of EF against stink bug pests in rice fields, the natural incidence of EF, and especially their association with stink bug species and plant characteristics, is largely unexplored. The aims of this study were: (1) to monitor the natural incidence of EF on Pentatomidae pests in Argentinian rice paddies; (2) to assess the relationship between the incidence of EF, stink bug feeding guild, and rice cultivar; and (3) to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the EF recorded. Sampling was conducted in target rice fields throughout the rice‐growing season (2017–2018), during which adult individuals of Tibraca limbativentris Stål and Oebalus spp. were manually collected and visually examined for evidence of mycelial development. Of the 780 individuals examined, 182 infected individuals were recorded, from which 12 strains of EF were isolated and identified based on molecular characterization: three strains of Beauveria bassiana sensu lato (Bals.‐Criv.) Vuill., five of Metarhizium anisopliae s.l. (Metschn.) Sorokin, and four of Purpureocillium lilacinum (Thom) Luangsa‐ard et al. (Hypocreales). The occurrence of the three EF species was significantly higher in stem‐feeding T. limbativentris than in seed‐feeding Oebalus spp., thus, differed between feeding guilds. For T. limbativentris, the occurrence of EF was higher when feeding on a short than on a tall rice variety, thus, differed between plant varieties. The results illustrate the potential of using native strains of EF in integrated management of stink bugs in rice.

A Text Mining Framework for Analyzing Change Impact and Maintenance Effort of Software Bug Reports

Software practitioners often strive to achieve a “bug-free” software, though, it is a myth. Software Bug Categorization (SBC) models, which assigns levels (viz. “low”, “moderate” or “high”) to a software bug aid effective bug management. They assist in allocation of proper maintenance resources for bug elimination to improve software quality. This study proposes the development of SBC models that allocate levels on the basis of three software bug aspects i.e., maintenance effort required to correct a bug, its change impact and the combined effect of both of these. In order to develop SBC models, we use text mining approach, which extracts relevant features from bug descriptions and relates these features with different software bug levels. The results of the study indicate that the categorization of software bugs in accordance with maintenance effort and change impact is possible. Furthermore, the combined approach SBC models were also found to be effective.

Seasonal incidence, natural enemies, damage intensity and management of lace bug, Cochlochila bullita on sweet basil

Seasonal incidence, natural enemies, damage intensity and management of lace bug, Cochlochila bullita on sweet basil

Integrated management of gundhi bug (Leptocorisa spp.) infesting aromatic rice

The field trial conducted at Rice Research Farm of Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi during Kharif season of 2018 and 2019 with aromatic rice variety Birsa Vikas Sugandh-1 revealed that three foliar sprayings applied at 25,55 and 85 days after transplanting with tipronu 5SC @ 1200 ml ha-1 recorded lowest mean gundhi bug population (1.96) and highest polled mean yield (47.17 q ha-1) followed by 2.9 and 46.13 q ha-1, respectively recorded with fipronil 5SC @ 1000 ml ha-1. Fipronil @ 1200 ml ha-1 recorded increased grain yield of 29.04 q ha-1 over the control. Alternate spray of fipronil and botanical insecticide neem (2.5 l ha-1) also recorded appreciable reduction in gundhi bug population (4.21) and 23.5 per cent increase in rice grain yield over the control.