This volume addresses chemical interactions between insects and plants, such as feeding and ovipositional attractants and deterrents. It begins with a general introduction to insects in a chemical world. Included is a discussion of molecular biology and genetics in insect control, with respect to potentially inserting the genes for the synthesis of a protective substance into a crop plant. Also covered is the detoxification of plant substances by insects. This volume is especially helpful for chemists and biologists in the field of pesticide research.

Scale insects feed on plant juices and can easily be transported to new countries on live plants. They sometimes become invasive pests, costing billions of dollars in damage to crops worldwide annually, and farmers try to control them with toxic pesticides, risking environmental damage. Fortunately, scale insects are highly susceptible to control by natural enemies so biological control is possible. They have unique genetic systems, unusual metamorphosis, a broad spectrum of essential symbionts, and some are sources of commercial products like red dyes, shellac and wax. There is, therefore, wide interest in these unusual, destructive, beneficial, and abundant insects. The Encyclopedia of Scale Insect Pests is the most comprehensive work on worldwide scale insect pests, providing detailed coverage of the most important species (230 species in 26 families, 36% of the scale insect pest species known). Advice is provided on collection, preservation, slide-mounting, vouchering, and labelling of specimens, fully illustrated with colour photographs, diagrams and drawings. Pest species are presented in two informal groups of families, the 'primitive' Archaeococcoids followed by the more 'advanced' Neococcoids, covered in phylogenetic order. Each family is illustrated and diagnosed based on features of live and slide-mounted specimens, with information on numbers of genera and species, main hosts, distribution, and biology. For the important pest species, coverage includes information on the morphology of live and slide-mounted specimens, common names, principal synonyms, geographical distribution, plant hosts, plant damage and economic impact, reproductive biology, dispersal, and management strategies including biological, cultural and chemical control, sterile insect techniques, regulatory control, early warning systems and field monitoring. An additional complete list of scale insect pests worldwide is provided, comprising 642 species in 28 scale insect families (about 8% of the 8373 species of living scales known), with information on plant hosts, geographical distribution and validation sources. Beneficial uses of scale insects include sources of red dyes, natural resins and waxes, and agents for invasive weed control, alongside the importance of their honeydew to bees for making honey, and as a food source to other animals. Academic researchers, students, entomologists, pest management officials in agribusiness or government including plant quarantine identifiers, extensionists, farmers, field scientists and ecologists will all benefit from this book.

In insect and other arthropod immune systems, discrimination between self and nonself tissues is accomplished through the combined actions of two immunocytes and several humoral factors. Immunology of Insects and Other Arthropods presents a comprehensive look at this and other important topics in arthropod immunology. Issues discussed include insect immunocytes and other hemocytes, including computer image analysis of immunocyte serial sections; the two basic cellular immune reactions (phagocytosis and encapsulation), including the molecular basis and roles of gap junctions in encapsulation; how encapsulation is affected by polydnavirus and encapsulation-promoting factors; why insect cells are immune to HIV; humoral factors; and antibacterial factors in Lepidoptera, Diptera, and other insect orders. Other topics include hemolymph proteins interacting with mammalian complement cascade; adaptive humoral response in the American cockroach; antigenic stimulation of hemaglutinin production in insects; and the applications of the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) in detecting endotoxins in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, clinical diagnosis, and hygienic control. This book represents an important reference source for hematologists, pathologists, immunologists, AIDS researchers, comparative immunologists, and pharmaceutical companies.

This book is devoted to amaranth, a plant to which 45 species are indigenous to the Mesoamerican region and 10 others originated in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Amaranth was the foundation of the extensive North and South American ancient civilizations and is still important in the agriculture of more recent Indian cultures. However, this plant nearly disappeared after the Spanish conquest. In view of the outstanding agronomic performance of the plant and the high nutritional value of the grain, it is now becoming an important crop in various regions of the world. Progress in the utilization of amaranth is directly related to scientific and technical information on its biological, physical, and chemical properties. Amaranth: Biology, Chemistry, and Technology begins with a chapter on the use of tissue culture, molecular biology, and genetic engineering techniques for crop improvement. The next few chapters deal with classical genetics, traditional plant breeding, and plant physiology. Following chapters review the properties of storage and leaf proteins, carbohydrates (especially starch), and seed oil. The potential of amaranth for new food products and popping is discussed, and commercialization and marketing of amaranth and its products are described. The book also emphasizes the outstanding nutritional properties of amaranth.

This book documents the latest accomplishments and technology relating to pheromone use in insect pest management along with the information that lead to these advances. It will appeal to entomologists, biologists, chemists, biochemists, pest control specialists, and insect physiologists.

Insects are the most numerous class of animals or earth, both in terms of their number and their variety. There are 800,000 recognized species, with between 1 and 10 million estimated species yet to be classified. This book will discuss, mechanics of flight, Wing structure, Hovering flight, flight in smaller and larger insects and wing polars.

This book represents proceedings from ICINN 1993, and comprises papers on nerve function, neurotransmitters, ion channels, second messengers and neuropeptides. By using a variety of techniques, combining aspects of nrurophysiology, pharmacology, immunology, peptide separation and sequencing or molecular biology, it has become possible to study systems in greater detail and complexity than before.

This book documents the latest accomplishments and technology relating to pheromone use. It contains listing of pheromones which provides an up-to-date background of material to help bring both the advanced and the new worker abreast of the rapidly growing pheromone field.

Insects and Pollution provides a comprehensive overview of both the direct and indirect effects of pollution on insects and discusses the ecological and economic consequences of these changes. The book reviews studies on pollutant-induced changes in insects classified according to their trophic position, taxonomy, and developmental stage. These changes are considered on different spatial and temporal scales, in different climatic and vegetation zones, and in different habitats (with emphasis on coniferous forests). The book also describes the effects of a variety of pollutants on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Other topics considered include the effects of pollutants on insect physiology, ecology and evolution, and updating and synthesizing data. Insects and Pollution is the first book to combine entomological and ecotoxicological perspectives to address the far-ranging effects of pollution on insects. It is essential reading for entomologists, ecotoxicologists, conservation biologists, and other professionals in the environmental sciences.

This book discusses nematodes for biological of insects. The book includes the following chapters; classification of nematode, key to entomogenous nematodes, nematode groups, microorganisms associated with entomogenous nematodes, immunity to entomogenous nematodes, natural enemies of entomogenous nematodes, environmental impact of entomogenous nematodes, and future prospects.

Written by experts in the fields of insect pest genetics, the genetics of biological control organisms, and the application of biological control, this book provides the first up-to-date summary of the genetic literature on the genetics of arthropod biological control agents. It identifies successful programs and also gaps and needs in research, research constraints, and possible research approaches in this important field of pest control. The power and applicability of new genetic and molecular biology methods have created new and exciting possibilities to greatly improve the effectiveness of traditional biological control programs. This book provides essential information about the state-of-the-art application of these new methods. It explains how biological control procedures can be improved, covers methods for selecting pesticide-resistant strains of natural enemies, and looks at methods for maintaining genetic diversity and quality control during the rearing of biological control agents in the laboratory. The book also provides information regarding the application of powerful PCR methods for taxonomic identification of strains and species of biocontrol agents.

This book was first published in 1990. It discusses a plethora of both high and low tech options for the control of vectors such as mosquitos in the spread of disease.

Insect Cell Biotechnology provides a lucid, up-to-date description of recent major advances in the field. A number of significant topics are addressed, including the use and production of baculoviruses in insect cells, baculovirus specificity, bacterial toxin studies in cultured insect cells, scale-up operations required in the production of recombinant protein and insect viruses propagated in insect cells, growth and nervous system interactions, and the physiological and developmental capacities of cell lines. Transfection in Drosophila cells and a chapter on the theoretical and practical implications of stress produced by x-rays, ultraviolet light, chemicals, psoralens, and heat are discussed as well.

This book consisting of ten review chapters contributed by leading workers in their respective fields, from around the world, covers the whole subject of insect reproduction.It begins with the basic physiological questions of insect reproduction, moves on to discuss the new advances seen in the fields of behavioural and ecological mechanisms, and culminates by examining the recent work on evolutionary biology and its application in the field. Each chapter, although including a brief review of the basic seminal work, focuses mainly on the advances made within the last ten years and highlights those areas in which the respective authors see the greatest scope for further important advances

"Handbook of Agricultural Entomology" by Helmut van Emden is a landmark publication for students and practitioners of entomology applied to agriculture and horticulture. It can be used as a reference and as a general textbook.

The book opens with a general introduction to entomology and includes coverage of the major insects (and mites) that cause harm to crops, livestock and humans. The important beneficial species are also included. Organisms are described in a classification of insect Orders and Families. The emphasis is on morphological characters of major taxonomic divisions, "spot characters" for the recognition of Families, and the life histories, damage symptoms and economic importance of the various pest species.

The book is beautifully illustrated in full colour with more than 400 figures showing both the organisms and the damage caused to plants with diagnostic characters indicated by arrows. Coverage is world-wide and includes much material stemming from the vast personal experience of the author.A companion website with additional resources is available at www.wiley.com/go/vanemden/agriculturalentomology

Bees existed long before human beings, but our future is perhaps more reliant upon them than any other species. They pollinate 80 per cent of the world's crops and plants, but how much do we really know about them? Small, clever and mysterious, the honeybee in particular has long been celebrated in human culture as a sacred insect, a symbol of the sun, bridging the gap between our world and the next. They are expert communicators, skilled aviators and natural alchemists, turning fresh nectar into sweet, golden honey. They are also in trouble and need our help. This beautifully illustrated guide explores the honeybee's historic relationship with humans, the basics of beekeeping, and how we can help save the bees' dwindling population.

Honey Bees: Estimating the Environmental Impact of Chemicals provides the reader with an up-to-date account of the different strategies currently in use or in development for assessing the ecotoxicity of xenobiotics against these social insects which play a key role in both ecology and agriculture. In addition to the classical acute laboratory test, semi-field cage tests and full field funnel tests, new tests based mainly on behavioural responses are for the first time clearly described. Information on the direct and indirect effects on honey bees of radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, semi-volatile organic compounds and genetically modified plants is also presented.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203218655

Every science, including the study of insects, may have circumscribed limits, but its deeper principles open up new worlds of possibility. Milward uncovers these hidden principles by examining the daily lives and habits of insects. His studies lead him to fascinating speculations, taking the reader into the realms not only of literature, as suggested by the subtitle, but also of philosophy and theology.When Milward discusses what everybody knows about insects and what he has personally observed, he relates insects to human life in general. His insights help us feel a certain fellowship with the insects, or at least with some of the more familiar insects. He does not let us forget that there is an important diff erence between human beings and insects. Human beings think. It is our ability to think that makes us what we are, but it is thinking that enables us to discover our affi nity with insects.The Secret Life of Insects does not probe into the hidden lives of insects or treat them as individuals. His main interest is the light insects may throw on our human experience, and the assistance they may lend us as we seek to transcend our human experience. Milward aims at the level of common knowledge. In contrast to entomological scientists, Milward finds shadowy glimpses of hidden meaning in the insect world. Th ese intimations or shadowy glimpses reveal thoughts and possibilities that will extend the human imagination. As a consequence, this work will inspire philosophers, as well as general readers interested in refl ecting on the profundity of ordinary life.

This book presents detailed information on the imidazolinone herbicides, provided in chapters contributed by scientists and product development managers who work for American Cyanamid, categorized in sections covering chemistry, biology, metabolism and residues, environmental fate and product performance. Each chapter has its own bibliography, and appendices give (a) details of the chemical and physical properties, formulations and trade names of imazapyr, imazamethabenz-methyl, imazethapyr and imazaquin, and (b) the scientific and common names of species used in the text. There is a general bibliography of references for each of the above imidazolinone herbicides and a useful subject index. The individual chapters are abstracted separately.

This unique book is written with the novice in mind, providing an introduction to all aspects of working with cockroaches. The focus of this writing is on the neuroendocrine system of cockroaches, which was collected by entomologists, primarily with the aim of improving methods of insect pest control. It includes some chapters devoted exclusively to techniques with detailed instructions. This comprehensive work also covers details of anatomy along with illustrations and experimental results. This is one of the few books available which provides such a broad coverage of areas of neurobiology of one organism. This handbook is a must for all researchers in the biomedical/veterinary field. Entomologists will find this reading exciting as well.

Insect-Plant Interactions is a series devoted to reviews across the breadth of the topic from cellular mechanisms to ecology and evolution. Articles are selected from areas of particular current interest or subjects that would especially benefit from a new review. It is hoped that the interdisciplinary selection in each volume will help readers to enter new fields of insect-plant interactions. Volume II contains six very different articles.

Invertebrate cell culture is increasingly being used in various areas of biological research. Research in cellular biology and pathology that previously depended primarily on in vitro investigations of vertebrate animal cell systems is now being conducted using invertebrate cells. Specialists and pioneers from the United States, Japan, Switzerland, Slovakia, and China have presented original contributions to create a well-balanced cross-section of current developments. Topics discussed include the preparation of cell culture media; cultivation of mosquito, lepidopteran, grasshopper, and tick cells; the application of such cells to mammalian and plant virus research; and diverse applications in medicine, biology, and agriculture. A special chapter devoted to the work of Japanese cell culture pioneers is also featured. All chapters are supported by tables, photographs, and up-to-date bibliographies.

This book discusses the effects of both natural (e.g., temperature, humidity, and lack of food) and man-induced stressors (e.g., pollution) on insects. Insect neurohormones and metabolism are emphasized, although all aspects of insect biology are examined. The role of ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones in response to thermal and other stressors is featured, and population studies in insect stress are presented. Entomologists, ecologists, ecophysiologists, physiologists, applied entomologists and others will find Hormones and Metabolism in Insect Stress an important reference resource.

First published in 1989. Presents research and findings from a series of conferences in the 1980s on the use of plants in pesticides for insect control.

The present work deals with the diseases of nematodes. Although the term disease implies a pathological condition brought about by an infectious agent, a broader concept is used here.