A thorough understanding of microbial communities in the gut of lower termites is needed to develop target-specific and environmentally benign wood protection systems. In this study, the bacterial community from Reticulitermes virginicus was examined by Illumina sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) spanning the V3 and V4 regions. Prior to library preparation, the termites were subjected to five treatments over an 18-day period: three groups were fed on wood treated with 0.5% chitosan, 25% acetic acid, or water, the fourth group was taken directly from the original collection log, and the fifth group was starved. Metagenomic sequences were analyzed using QIIME 2 to understand the treatments’ effects on the dynamics of the gut bacteria. Four dominant phyla were detected: Bacteroidetes (34.4% of reads), Firmicutes (20.6%), Elusimicrobia (15.7%), and Proteobacteria (12.9%). A significant effect of chitosan treatment was observed in two phyla; Firmicutes abundance was significantly lower with chitosan treatment when compared to other groups, while Actinobacteria was lower in unexposed and starved termites. The results suggest that chitosan treatment not only affects the structure of the microbial community in the gut, but other treatments such as starving also cause shifts in termite gut communities.

Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) is a classical biological control agent used to control Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi, in Florida, USA. Brazilian peppertree is an invasive weed that threatens natural and agricultural environments, including sensitive habitats such as mangrove swamps. As P. ichini generally pupates in the soil and its host plant can occur in wet areas, it is important to investigate the effects of soil type, moisture, salinity, and immersion survival time on adult emergence. Five moisture contents (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were used in factorial combination with three soil types (fine sand, sand, and muck) using fresh or brackish water. To simulate sporadic flooding, we also assessed larval and pupal survival after being immersed in fresh and brackish water for 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 16, and 32 h. A generalised mixed model logistic regression was used to analyse the data in both experiments. As soil moisture content increased, the proportion of P. ichini emerging as adults decreased across all soil types and water types. The survival of larvae and pupae immersed in either brackish or fresh water declined over time, with no survival at 32 h. There was a significant difference between water types for the survival of pupae and adult emergence of pupae and larvae, with higher survival in brackish water. The outcome of this study contributes to our understanding of P. ichini ecology and the estimation of thrips establishment success in a variety of habitats infested by Brazilian peppertree.

As of October 2025, Puerto Rico has been experiencing an ongoing dengue outbreak that started in March 2024. The latest island-wide mosquito survey conducted in Puerto Rico during 2018 to 2019 covered 41 of the 78 municipalities and detected the presence of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) in 27 of the municipalities. Given the prolonged elevated circulation of the dengue virus on the island, we carried out an Ae. aegypti survey in June 2025 across 48 out of 78 municipalities. Here, we report the occurrence of Ae. aegypti in 43 out of 48 municipalities surveyed, some of which have not been reported in previous studies. Notably, 77.6% of cemeteries surveyed across 24 municipalities served as oviposition sites for Ae. aegypti and were found in 10 municipalities not previously recorded in literature. Due to observed frequency of shared larval habitat with Ae. mediovittatus (Coquillett, 1906), an analysis of co-occurrence patterns is provided from collected sites. In addition, updated distribution of Ae. mediovittatus is provided. The larvivorous Tx. portoricensis (Röder, 1885) was observed opportunistically, and co-occurrence analysis was performed to assess its potential for biocontrol. We also documented effective integrated pest management practices that minimize mosquito breeding where mosquito larvae were absent. Overall, the updated distribution of the three species in Puerto Rico reveals a broader distribution than previously reported, and co-occurrence analysis confirms that Ae. aegypti and Ae. mediovittatus frequently share larval habitat. This highlights the implications for dengue transmission risk and the need for continuous surveillance to support mosquito control efforts.

Stator limbatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), a generalist seed beetle, is widely distributed across the Americas and is known to utilize a wide range of host plants. While it has been recorded feeding on over 90 plant species, its association with invasive plants remains understudied. Acacia auriculiformis (A.Cunn. ex Benth.) (Fabaceae), commonly known as earleaf acacia, is an invasive tree in Florida, where it threatens native ecosystems. Seed collections from 21 A. auriculiformis trees began in 2022, when the trees were 3 years old, and continued annually through 2024, by which time the trees were 5 years old. This study reports the first recorded association of S. limbatus infesting A. auriculiformis seeds. The beetle infestation increased from 14.8 % in 2022 to 22.7 % in 2024, indicating a potential population buildup, though this increase was not statistically significant. Seed damage attributed to S. limbatus was identified by characteristic small, round emergence holes (1–2 mm in diameter) and internal larval feeding cavities containing frass. No evidence of larger openings, gnaw marks, or other damage typical of bird or rodent seed predation was observed. Additionally, we conducted seed germination trials for both intact seeds and those with S. limbatus exit holes. The results of our study showed that seeds damaged by S. limbatus did not germinate, while 95 % of those not infested germinated. This study demonstrates the potential impact of S. limbatus as a natural seed predator of A. auriculiformis , which could complement ongoing biological control efforts aimed at curbing the spread of this invasive species.

Historical repository of UF/IFAS Extension numbered publications made available on the EDIS website. UF/IFAS Extension is a federal, state, and county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences and to making that knowledge accessible to sustain and enhance the quality of human life.

Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) is a recently released biological control agent for one of the most invasive plants (Brazilian peppertree) in Florida. Limited genetic information hinders efforts to develop effective genetic surveillance techniques. To address this gap, we present the first full mitogenome sequence of this biological control agent, isolated from the colony reared at the University of Florida Norman C. Hayslip Biological Control Research and Containment Laboratory. The complete length of the P. ichini mitogenome is 15,281 base pairs with 83.8 % AT content. Its sequence is most similar to the mitogenome sequence of Acaciothrips ebneri (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), with an 86.8 % sequence identity. This complete mitochondrial sequence is an important new genomic resource to understand the phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of the species, offering valuable insight for developing molecular tools for study and enhancement of this biological control agent.