Blattellidae Research Articles

NEW DEFINITIVE HOST RECORD FOR CHORDODES MORGANI (NEMATOMORPHA) IN NEBRASKA WITH NOTES ON ECOLOGY.

The life cycle and ecology of the horsehair worm Chordodes morgani (Nematomorpha) in Nebraska remain unknown. To identify its definitive host, we installed a series of pitfall traps along 3 first-order streams at 4 sites: Elk Creek, Upper Elk Creek, Maple Creek, and West Oak Creek, all located northwest of Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition, we opportunistically hand-collected insects at these sites, including wood cockroaches (Parcoblatta virginica), and maintained them in the lab until they passed adult worms. Two of these field-collected wood cockroaches each yielded 1 adult worm, which was identified as C. morgani by microscopy, showing that P. virginica serves as a definitive host. Experimental infections of captive-reared Parcoblatta americana supported this result. The wood cockroach was found at all 3 creeks, but C. morgani was not found at West Oak Creek, suggesting that the definitive host does not limit the distribution of C. morgani. Physical properties of the streams were measured to examine how these properties influenced the distribution of the worm. Flow rate and pH differed between the 3 sites where C. morgani was found and the West Oak Creek site, suggesting an important role for these abiotic factors in the distribution of this horsehair worm species.

Arthropod Abundance and Biomass in Response to Pinus taeda L. Trunk Height

The trunks of southeastern pines provide vital habitat for many invertebrates that are, in turn, available as prey for bark-foraging birds. Knowing how these arthropods are distributed vertically on tree trunks is important and may allow for a rapid assessment of prey response to forest management practices. In this study, we used a fast-acting insecticide to sample the arthropods on the lower (0–3 m) and upper (3–9 m) bole sections of nine loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., trees. We collected over 1,600 arthropods representing 15 orders and 66 families. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were the most abundant group collected, and wood cockroaches (Blattodea: Blattellidae) accounted for the greatest overall biomass. Abundance and biomass of arthropods per m2 were greater on the lower trunk, but these values were strongly correlated with those from the upper trunk. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed that arthropod community composition differed significantly between the two trunk positions. Additionally, indicator species analysis found four flightless taxa to be significantly associated with the lower trunk (Araneae, Zygentoma, Hymenoptera, and Pseudoscorpiones) but none with the higher trunk position. These findings show that bark-dwelling arthropods are generally more abundant near the bases of trees and that there is a strong relationship between abundance and biomass between lower and upper trunk sections. Knockdown insecticides offer an effective tool for rapidly assessing the availability of invertebrate prey for bark-foraging birds.

Molecular detection of Oxyspirura larvae in arthropod intermediate hosts

To determine potential intermediate hosts of Oxyspirura petrowi, a common nematode eyeworm of wild gallinaceous birds, various arthropod species including red harvester ants, beetles, wood cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, and desert termites were screened for the presence of O. petrowi using specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) of the eyeworm ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). This is the first study to investigate the intermediate hosts of O. petrowi utilizing molecular techniques. We determined 38% (13/34) of the cockroaches, 27% (3/11) of the crickets, and 23% (68/289) of the grasshoppers which were positive for O. petrowi. Identifying potential intermediate hosts of O. petrowi is essential to better understanding the epizoology of the eyeworm’s transmission mechanics and to controlling infections in wild gallinaceous birds.

Dietary composition and nutritional outcomes in two marsupials,Sminthopsis macrouraandS. crassicaudata

Little is known about the specific dietary preferences of many marsupials. We undertook digestion studies in 2 species of insectivorous marsupials, the stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) and the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), because these are 2 species that are regularly kept in captivity, although nothing is known about their nutritional requirements in the wild. Morphology and dimensions of the gastrointestinal tract of both species also were assessed. The test diets included 2 laboratory-type diets: cat formulation and Wombaroo small carnivore mix; and natural insect diets: adult crickets (Acheta domesticus), Australian wood cockroaches (Panesthia australis), and mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor). Composition of the test diets on a dry-matter basis varied considerably; ranges included gross energy 16–27 kJ/g, crude protein 38–64%, lipids 9–51%, calcium (Ca) 340–17,800 mg/kg, and phosphorus 6,600–16,000 mg/kg. Depending on the diet, the digestible energy intake ranged from 359 to 816 kJ kg−0.75 day−1 for stripe-faced dunnarts and digestible energy intake ranged from 542 to 990 kJ kg−0.75 day−1 for fat-tailed dunnarts. No single diet was appropriate if fed alone, notably the insect diets, which required Ca supplementation. The morphology of the gastrointestinal tracts of both species was simple and consisted of a unilocular stomach and relatively uniform intestine. The morphometries of the gastrointestinal tracts of fat-tailed dunnarts were proportionally larger than for stripe-faced dunnarts. Fat-tailed dunnarts also needed to consume more nutrients per unit of body mass for maintenance in captivity compared to stripe-faced dunnarts.

Nest sanitation through defecation: antifungal properties of wood cockroach feces

The wood cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus nests as family units inside decayed wood, a substrate known for its high microbial load. We tested the hypothesis that defecation within their nests, a common occurrence in this species, reduces the probability of fungal development. Conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, were incubated with crushed feces and subsequently plated on potato dextrose agar. Relative to controls, the viability of fungal conidia was significantly reduced following incubation with feces and was negatively correlated with incubation time. Although the cockroach's hindgut contained abundant β-1,3-glucanase activity, its feces had no detectable enzymatic function. Hence, these enzymes are unlikely the source of the fungistasis. Instead, the antifungal compound(s) of the feces involved heat-sensitive factor(s) of potential microbial origin. When feces were boiled or when they were subjected to ultraviolet radiation and subsequently incubated with conidia, viability was "rescued" and germination rates were similar to those of controls. Filtration experiments indicate that the fungistatic activity of feces results from chemical interference. Because Cryptocercidae cockroaches have been considered appropriate models to make inferences about the factors fostering the evolution of termite sociality, we suggest that nesting in microbe-rich environments likely selected for the coupling of intranest defecation and feces fungistasis in the common ancestor of wood cockroaches and termites. This might in turn have served as a preadaptation that prevented mycosis as these phylogenetically related taxa diverged and evolved respectively into subsocial and eusocial organizations.

Diplogyniidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with Panesthia cockroaches (Blattodea: Blaberidae)

Five new Australian species of Paradiplogynium and one new species of Lobogyniella are described from Panesthia, a genusof subsocial wood cockroaches. Paradiplogynium panesthia Womersley, originally collected from Panesthia cribrata in NewSouth Wales, is redescribed. The new mite species are Paradiplogynium caitlinae sp. nov., Paradiplogynium damieni sp. nov.and Paradiplogynium elizabethae sp. nov. from Panesthia tyroni tryoni; Paradiplogynium isaaci sp. nov. from Panesthia cri-brata; Paradiplogynium kaii sp. nov. from Panesthia sloanei; and Lobogyniella harrynahmani sp. nov. from Panesthiaancaudellioides. Paradiplogynium and Lobogyniella are re-diagnosed and a key to Paradiplogynium is provided. EachPanesthia species has a large and a small species of diplogyniid mite associated with it. In two instances, geographically distanthost populations had different species of mite. Mites are restricted to a single host, except the widespread species Paradiplogy-nium nahmani, which is now known from Titanolabis colossea (Dermaptera), Pan. ancaudellioides, Pan. cribrata and Pan. sloanei.

Unusual macrocyclic lactone sex pheromone of Parcoblatta lata , a primary food source of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker

Wood cockroaches in the genus Parcoblatta, comprising 12 species endemic to North America, are highly abundant in southeastern pine forests and represent an important prey of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, Picoides borealis. The broad wood cockroach, Parcoblatta lata, is among the largest and most abundant of the wood cockroaches, constituting >50% of the biomass of the woodpecker's diet. Because reproduction in red-cockaded woodpeckers is affected dramatically by seasonal and spatial changes in arthropod availability, monitoring P. lata populations could serve as a useful index of habitat suitability for woodpecker conservation and forest management efforts. Female P. lata emit a volatile, long-distance sex pheromone, which, once identified and synthesized, could be deployed for monitoring cockroach populations. We describe here the identification, synthesis, and confirmation of the chemical structure of this pheromone as (4Z,11Z)-oxacyclotrideca-4,11-dien-2-one [= (3Z,10Z)-dodecadienolide; herein referred to as "parcoblattalactone"]. This macrocyclic lactone is a previously unidentified natural product and a previously unknown pheromonal structure for cockroaches, highlighting the great chemical diversity that characterizes olfactory communication in cockroaches: Each long-range sex pheromone identified to date from different genera belongs to a different chemical class. Parcoblattalactone was biologically active in electrophysiological assays and attracted not only P. lata but also several other Parcoblatta species in pine forests, underscoring its utility in monitoring several endemic wood cockroach species in red-cockaded woodpecker habitats.

Distribution of Asiablatta kyotensis in Korea

Asiablatta kyotensis (Asahina, 1976) is an endemic wood cockroach found in Far Eastern Asia, Korea, and Japan. A. kyotensis is found primarily outdoors in association with decaying wood, but it can also be found inside buildings. Wood cockroaches are not serious pests, but a possibility exists for them being a nuisance when many individuals live in a building. The detailed biology and distribution of A. kyotensis are almost unknown in both Korea and Japan. After a male A. kyotensis was found in a warehouse in Seoul, which is further north than previously reported in Korea, authors investigated A. kyotensis specimens from three Korean organizations (the National Institute of Biological Resources, Seoul National University, and Kangwon National University) and one Japanese organization (Kyushu University). All specimens found through the investigation were discovered in the western and southern areas of Korea, where the annual mean temperature ranges from 12 to 14 °C and are in warm temperate or subtropical climate zones. A. kyotensis populations in Korea live in warm temperate and subtropical regions and their geographic distribution in Korea is related with temperature conditions.

Relationship of Coarse Woody Debris to Arthropod Availability for Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers and Other Bark-Foraging Birds on Loblolly Pine Boles

This study determined if short-term removal of coarse woody debris would reduce prey available to red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis Vieillot) and other bark-foraging birds at the Savannah River Site in Aiken and Barnwell counties, SC. All coarse woody debris was removed from four 9-ha plots of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in 1997 and again in 1998. We sampled arthropods in coarse woody debris removal and control stands using crawl traps that captured arthropods crawling up tree boles, burlap bands wrapped around trees, and cardboard panels placed on the ground. We captured 27 orders and 172 families of arthropods in crawl traps whereas 20 arthropod orders were observed under burlap bands and cardboard panels. The most abundant insects collected from crawl traps were aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The greatest biomass was in the wood cockroaches (Blattaria: Blattellidae), caterpillars (Lepidoptera) in the Family Noctuidae, and adult weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The most common group observed underneath cardboard panels was Isoptera (termites), and the most common taxon under burlap bands was wood cockroaches. Overall, arthropod abundance and biomass captured in crawl traps was similar in control and removal plots. In contrast, we observed more arthropods under burlap bands (mean ± SE; 3,021.5 ± 348.6, P = 0.03) and cardboard panels (3,537.25 ± 432.4, P = 0.04) in plots with coarse woody debris compared with burlap bands (2325 ± 171.3) and cardboard panels (2439.75 ± 288.9) in plots where coarse woody debris was removed. Regression analyses showed that abundance beneath cardboard panels was positively correlated with abundance beneath burlap bands demonstrating the link between abundance on the ground with that on trees. Our results demonstrate that short-term removal of coarse woody debris from pine forests reduced overall arthropod availability to bark-foraging birds.

Position Around A Tree: Consequences For Pheromone Detection

The air flow pattern expected around a cylindrical object such as a tree in slow wind, is predicted from fluid mechanics to have areas of faster flow (upwind) and slower recirculating flow with eddies (downwind). An organism located on the surface of a tree would experience different flow depending on its circumferential position. If that organism was searching for a chemical signal, such as a pheromone plume, it might maximize its probability of chemodetection by placing itself in areas of greatest flow speed (the upwind surface of the cylinder, i.e., in front of the separation points). We tested whether wood cockroaches in the genus Parcoblatta exhibit such upwind positioning; they live in forests, and males actively fly from tree to tree, while searching for females releasing sex pheromone. In contrast to an expectation of upwind preference, male cockroaches were evenly distributed around trees relative to upwind (measured with a novel "feather boa" flow visualization technique), even though the wind direction was relatively steady. We investigated whether sex pheromone could be detected at any location around a cylindrical surface in a laboratory flow chamber by using Bombyx mori wing fanning as a bioassay. Although upwind moths arrayed on the surface detected pheromone more rapidly, pheromone detection occurred at least a third of the time at any position, which could explain the even distribution of Parcoblatta males around trees.

Polymorphic population genetic markers for the Australian wood cockroach Panesthia australis

AbstractPrimers for five polymorphic nuclear DNA (nDNA) markers and one mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene (COI) were developed for the Australian wood cockroach Panesthia australis using a range of techniques. Eight mitochondrial haplotypes and four to 36 alleles per nuclear locus were detected in 744 cockroaches. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.117 to 0.816 in a sample of 30 animals from one population. The markers will be useful for population biology and for the measurement of the effects of habitat fragmentation on this ecologically important forest‐dependent species.

Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for volatile sex pheromones in Parcoblatta wood cockroaches.

Species within the cockroach genus Parcoblatta are sexually dimorphic for wing length; females have reduced wings and are flightless, while males have long wings that are used in flight. We predicted that Parcoblatta females would release a volatile sex pheromone to attract the more mobile males. Nymphs of the broad wood cockroach, P. lata, and the Caudell's wood cockroach, P. caudelli, were collected in forested areas in North Carolina, USA, and reared in the laboratory for observations of sexual behavior and for pheromone analysis. After several days of sexual maturation, virgin females of both species exhibited distinct calling behaviors. In females of P. lata, calling commenced 6 days after adult emergence. Under a light-dark photoperiod regime, calling behavior in both species was restricted to the scotophase. Calling consisted of a repeated pattern of raising and lowering the abdomen with occasional exposure of the genital vestibulum. To test whether calling behavior is associated with the release of pheromone, volatiles from calling and noncalling females were collected on Super-Q and tested by electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioral assays. Volatile collections from calling females elicited higher male-specific EAG responses than collections from noncalling females of the same physiological stage. In an olfactometer choice test (Y-tube), males preferred volatiles from calling females over those from noncalling females. To determine the anatomical source of the pheromone, solvent extracts of various body parts were analyzed by EAG. The first through seventh tergites were the only body parts that elicited male-specific EAG responses in both species. In P. lata, the activity of the extract increased from 1- to 7-day-old females, but was lower in mated than in virgin females of the same age. The putative pheromone gland appears to consist of numerous class-3 secretory units, each composed of a secretory cell connected to a cuticular pore via a tubular duct. We conclude that female P. lata and P. caudelli produce ex-specific volatile pheromones that are emitted during calling behavior.

Life History and Habitat Associations of the Broad Wood Cockroach, <I>Parcoblatta lata</I> (Blattaria: Blattellidae) and Other Native Cockroaches in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina

Abstract Wood cockroaches (Blattaria: Blattellidae) are important prey of the red-cockaded woodpecker, Picoides borealis Wilson (Piciformes: Picidae), an endangered species inhabiting pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southern United States. These woodpeckers forage on the boles of live pine trees, but their prey consists of a high proportion of wood cockroaches, Parcoblatta spp., that are more commonly associated with dead plant material. Consequently, we sampled large woody debris, logs and standing dead trees (snags), in a South Carolina pine forest to determine densities of wood cockroaches in these habitats. Nearly 80% of the 662 wood cockroaches we collected from woody debris were found in snags. However, when we estimated the number of wood cockroaches per hectare, we found that the two habitats contained approximately equal numbers because logs are more abundant than snags. The broad wood cockroach, Parcoblatta lata Brunner, was the most common cockroach on live pine boles constituting 46% of the w...

The genus Macrocerca Hanitsch with descriptions of new species (Blattaria, Blattidae: Macrocercinae, subfam. n.)

AbstractTwo known species of the blattid genus Macrocerca Hanitsch are redescribed, and 7 new species from New Guinea are described. A key is provided to distinguish the adults. The genus, previously in the Blattellidae, is placed in the Blattidae: Macrocercinae (subfam. n.), between the Blattinae and Polyzosteriinae.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO FIELD DISTRIBUTION IN PANESTHIA CRIBRATA SAUSSURE (BLATTODEA: BLABERIDAE)

AbstractField distribution and laboratory investigations of the social behaviour of an Australian wood cockroach, Panesthia cribrata, are reported. These cockroaches are found in aggregations, most commonly containing a number of adult females, a single male and nymphs of various sizes. Agonistic behaviour is mainly restricted to adult males. This fighting does not lead to the development of hierarchies or defined territories, but results in the dispersal of adult males. Courtship is simple, the female being relatively passive and the male repeating a number of characteristic behavioural acts. P. cribrata evince many of the behaviours observed in other Blaberidae, but adaptation to its restrictive habitat may have resulted in the loss of some of the more intricate behavioural patterns and interactions present in these species. Similarities in the behaviour of P. cribrata and the primitive Cryptocercus punctulatus are probably due to both species inhabiting the same kind of environment and thus are examples of convergent evolution.

An Unusual Infestation of Wood Cockroaches

Journal Article An Unusual Infestation of Wood Cockroaches Get access H. C. Severin H. C. Severin South Dakota Stale College, Brookings Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 45, Issue 6, 1 December 1952, Page 1079, https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/45.6.1079 Published: 01 December 1952