The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is an invasive sorghum pest that has threatened over 90% of North American sorghum production. Resident parasitoids, coccinellids, syrphids, and lacewings prey on this aphid. Our objective was to compare and estimate parasitoid and predator suppression of sugarcane aphids placed on resistant and susceptible hybrids in a field setting using natural enemy exclusion cages. During 2018 and 2019 along the Texas Gulf Coast and Central Oklahoma, three natural enemy exclusion treatments—no exclusion (full access for parasitoids and predators), partial exclusion (access limited to parasitoids), and complete exclusion (excludes parasitoids and predators)—were used. The parasitoid Aphelinus nigritus Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) accounted for 90% of recovered natural enemies. In 2018, aphid suppression attributable to A. nigritus was ca. 95% on the resistant hybrids and 80% on the susceptible hybrids when comparing aphid counts from complete and partial exclusion treatments, while few predators were observed. In 2019, aphid suppression was attributed to a combination of predation and parasitism. Relatively more predators were recorded at both sites, accounting for 14% to 33% of specimens recovered in the no exclusion treatment. Aphid suppression attributed to predators and parasitoids ranged from 85% on aphid-resistant hybrids and 27% on susceptible hybrids in south Texas and >95% on both hybrids in Oklahoma when comparing aphid abundance in the complete and no exclusion treatments. Parasitism and predation contributed to aphid regulation on both hybrids, which may accrue multiple benefits leading to a more resilient sugarcane aphid management system.

The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is an invasive insect that can cause damage to maize (Zea mays L.) in two ways: by direct feeding and the transmission of several plant pathogens. Dalbulus maidis is an invasive and serious economic pest of maize that has spread from its center of origin in Mexico to the southernmost parts of the United States. Prior to 2024, corn leafhoppers had not been documented in Oklahoma, and their spread northward toward the United States corn belt is of significant concern. Here, we provide the first reports of the insect in maize in several Oklahoma counties. Insect specimens were collected at various commercial and experimental field sites by Oklahoma State University research and extension personnel. The identity of the insect species was validated through morphological and molecular taxonomy. The presence records for the corn leafhopper presented here provide valuable information for future monitoring and management efforts of this economically important pest and disease.

Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald) (sorghum aphid), (=Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is an invasive pest of Sorghum bicolor (L.) in North America. Over 19 species of predators and parasitoids have been found to prey on M. sorghi. Natural enemies may reside in vegetation such as sorghum in cultivation (in-season) and persist after harvest (off-season), in Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) (L.) and riparian areas consisting of shrubs and grasses, including Johnson grass. The objective was to assess the ability of these vegetation types to harbor M. sorghi natural enemies during and between annual grain sorghum production. Predator diversity was greatest in riparian vegetation in-season, with twelve species detected across seven families, and four orders of insects. Six lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species were abundant in-season, and Cycloneda sanguinea (L.) persisted at relatively high abundance off-season. Parasitoid diversity was more limited (two primary parasitoids and one hyperparasitoid detected) with the primary parasitoids commonly detected. Aphelinus nigritus (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), accounted for 85% and 57% of parasitoids in- and off-season, respectively. Aphelinus nigritus abundance was steady across the annual sorghum season in all vegetation types. Results from this study will inform land-management strategies on how diverse vegetations can play a role in the biological control of M. sorghi.

Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), commonly called the sorghum aphid, is an invasive pest of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (L.) in North America. It was first observed in 2013 along the Gulf Coastal Plains ecoregion of Texas, Louisiana (USA), and Mexico, where it quickly established itself as an economically important pest within a few years. This ecoregion contains an established complex of aphid natural enemies, including both predators and parasitoids. In the decade since its invasion, indicators of increased suppression observed across six years and five locations from south to north Texas were as follows: (1) aphid abundances trending downwards across the years, (2) overall natural enemy abundances trending upwards during the same time period, and (3) a key parasitoid and coccinellid species increasing in dominance. Two key taxa, Aphelinus nigritus (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and six species of coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), were likely responsible for the majority of the pest’s suppression. In light of these findings, the importance of monitoring and stewarding natural enemies of invasive insect pests is discussed as part of a comprehensive strategy to measure and reduce the impact of a pest invasion in large-scale agroecosystems.

Bait trapping is a common practice throughout the field of entomology to target specific groups of insects for research interests like surveys of presence, abundance, and distribution. This technique can also be used to capture live insects to use in further research studies or to establish laboratory colonies. This study investigated the effectiveness of different types of bait, levels of bait decomposition, and environmental effects for live traps targeting carrion-associated families Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae. Trapping was conducted over a 3-mo period in the summer in Stephens County, Texas. Model selection was used to analyze the effects of bait type, decomposition level, temperature, and relative humidity on overall trap capture at the family level for Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae, and the species level for Lucilia mexicana Macquart (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Though the data were highly variable and did not show high R2 in the best models, relative humidity was always included in the best models and may play an important role in the number of flies captured during bait trapping. There is also evidence of an interaction between relative humidity and bait type present in some models describing the number of Calliphoridae collected. The results of this study indicate a need for further research into the interactions between environmental variables like relative humidity on bait types commonly used in field trapping for carrion-associated flies.