Instars: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (Texas Digital Library - TDL E-Journals)
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Comparison of longevity in male and female Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
No full textFemales and males of many creatures including insects differ in regards to various traits including longevity. Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius), the secondary screwworm, is a medically and forensically relevant insect due to its infestation of necrotic tissue on cadavers and living organisms. Screwworms both female and male were reared from captured adults and their longevity was charted. It was determined that female and male C. macellaria exhibit no significant differences with regards to longevity. C. macellaria are similar to other carrion-feeding Diptera and commonly feature in cases of myiasis or cadaver infestation. The results increased understanding of C. macellaria development and may inform further research on its role in medical and forensic entomology
Survey of Mosquito Species in Brazos County and Other Areas
No full textMosquitoes are arguably the most medically important insect in the world, vectoring numerous diseases to humans and animals alike. In order to adequately combat and control dangerous diseases, public health officials regularly observe and document the species composition of mosquito populations in any area also occupied by humans. Mosquito specimens were collected during the spring months of 2015 by the experimenters to determine which species were present in local Texas areas. Larvae were collected through use of a mosquito dipper and other various plastic containers, then reared in mosquito breeding containers (samples of larvae were preserved for identification). Regions surveyed were focused in the Bryan/College Station area, with several samples also collected in Round Rock, Texas near Austin, Humble, Texas and another located in De Kalb, Texas. Mosquitoes of the species Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes canadensis, Anopheles albimanus, Aedes vexans, Aedes albopictus were collected in Brazos county. Culex quinquefasciatus was found to be present in Round Rock and Humble, Texas as well. Several mosquito species were consistently found in the various regions of Texas with a few exceptions
Drowning of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Eggs in Water
No full textChrysomya rufifacies is an important blowfly species used to estimate the postmortem interval of corpses. Chrysomya rufifacies eggs were submerged in water for 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, and 10 minutes to see if the eggs can survive being submerged in water. The number of successfully hatched eggs was recorded and there was only a significant difference with the 10 minutes treatment. Based on the results, C. rufifacies eggs can tolerate water until 10 minutes of submergence. This result can mean that even though C. rufifacies eggs can tolerate water, their emergence can be affected by water after 10 minutes of submergence. This is the first experiment that deals with the drowning of C. rufifacies eggs which is important for the emergence time that helps estimate the PMI of a corpse
Toleration of Lucilia cuprina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Eggs to Agitation Within Insect Saline
No full textMicroorganisms have an ability to attach themselves to surfaces, where they then multiply and form a protective biofilm, which protects the microorganisms from outside influences, including chemicals for sanitation. This makes the cleaning of fly eggs for maggot therapy difficult. The purpose of this study was to test the toleration of Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)eggs for agitation, which is used to degrade biofilms. Lucilia cuprina eggs were washed with insect saline and treated by undergoing five minutes of agitation. It was found that there was a significant difference between the control group, which did not undergo any agitation, and the treatment group, which did. This knowledge is useful for further testing of the extent to which agitation impacts survivability of the eggs and the debridement of the biofilm.
At Home Flea Population Control via Store Bought Products for both the Environment and Host
No full textFlea assoicated domestic issues are a common problem associated with urban pest control, and understanding of the flea life cycle is vitral to development of effective management protocol of flea infestation. For the purposes of this experiment, evaluation of assorted over the counter chemical products were compared to determine the most effective method of controlling a domestic Ctenocephalides felis infestation. To determine comparative control ability, several over the counter treatment options were purchased and applied such that effects on flea population present in a select household could be measured over the span of a month. It was determined that all products tested appeared to have immediate and short term results of killing off approximately 75% of the domestic flea population, but when the Trifexis was applied to the canine host extermination was lsower but dramatically more effective overall. Findings support the use of directly applied flea control medicaiton as opposed to in home pesticide treatments
Sampling of Fall-Active Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae) in Lick Creek Park, College Station, Texas
No full textDung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae) are an important component in ecosystems. The author randomly sampled fall-active dung beetles in Lick Creek Park located in College Station, Texas for approximately three hours in the afternoon of 8 November 2014 in order to assess the number of species and how many of each species were present. The apparent feeding preferences of each species are also discussed. Beetles not belonging to the subfamilies Aphodiinae or Scarabaeinae were excluded. Genera included Onthophagus (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Canthon (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Aphodius (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) and Pseudagolius (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae). All species determinations were made by the author. The species present included Onthophagus hecate (Panzer), O. medorensis Brown, O. tuberculifrons Harold, O. gazella (Fabricius), Pseudagolius bicolor (Say), Aphodius fimetarius (Linnaeus), and Canthon viridis (Palisot de Beauvois)
Biases Created by Color and Size of Suspect Pool within Photo Lineups
No full textDecisions of legal precedent often rely on the statements of eyewitnesses which inherently are subject to any and all personal perceptions of that individual. This study aimed to illustrate the possibility of discrepancies that might arise from eyewitness statements and the natural occurrence of selective attention. Selective attention is the understanding that naturally humans can only process a few pieces of information at once, and disregard the rest. The purpose of this study was to determine if seemingly minute characteristics, such as the color of clothing and number of suspects comprising a lineup, cause bias when identifying suspects of crime. The procedures carried out identify whether aspects of a lineup cause particular individuals to stand out. In this study, color and the amount of photos in a lineup were considered. Both factors were individually tested and the data found supported a difference in the amount of correct suspect identification compared to the control. With the data obtained through experimental trials, it was possible to determine that there is a likely potential bias induced by colors present and size of the lineup in suspect identification.
Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Collection Survey of Bryan/College Station, Texas
No full textMosquito-borne diseases are responsible for millions of hospitalizations and deaths worldwide each year. Many species with a high vectorial capacity for diseases such as West Nile virus, St. Louis and eastern equine encephalitis, and dog heartworm are endemic to the southern U.S. The different mosquito species can be found in a broad spectrum of environments, ranging from nearly clean water to brackish runoff. Certain mosquito species have a preference as to where they lay their eggs, including standing, or permanent water species, as well as floodwater, or temporary water species. Four different locations were sampled for the presence of mosquito larvae. Some collected larvae were preserved immediately and the rest reared out to adults before they were identified down to genus and species. Mosquitoes from the genus Aedes, Culex, and Psorophora were identified, with Aedes species being the most common. Identification of the different species collected is important in helping to understand the various habitats these mosquitoes breed within in order to properly develop specific control methods to reduce populations. Knowing the species that are present in a location is also essential in identifying the different diseases that might be present, as different mosquito species are vectors for different pathogens. The knowledge of what pathogens are in an area can help raise awareness about the importance of mosquito prevention, control, and what symptoms to look for if a person falls ill with a suspected mosquito-borne disease. This survey served to identify some of the common species of mosquito present in various locations in the Bryan and College Station area
Survey of Insect Species Associated with Dog Parks in College Station, Texas
No full textFor a span of 4 weeks between March and April of 2015, insect traps were set up in 3 different parks identified as “canine stations” or “dog parks” by the City of College Station Parks and Recreation Department. The aim of this study was to survey and collect all insect species in the area, and then evaluate them by level of veterinary importance. Homemade traps were filled with brown sugar, water, and yeast; the insects were collected and sugar yeast mixture refilled 3 times a week. 10 species were collected, of the orders Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera. The most dominant insect collected was the Drosophila spp. at 141 of the 175 specimens. No species were found that pose a direct threat toward canines or their outdoor areas. It is important to understand that these findings could have been due to the safety of the area or the use of inefficient traps. A survey of the different insects collected were recorded for the three locations in the specific region.
Prevalence of Anaplasma (A.) Genus in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) Found in Shelter
No full textAnimal shelters are known for being an excellent place for various diseases to be transmitted among dogs, since there is a large volume of animals enclosed in a relative small space. Rhipicephalus sanguineus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) commonly known as the brown dog tick is unusual among ticks, because it can complete its entire life cycle inside making it the perfect vector for diseases. In this study we looked at the prevalence of one of the main vector borne disease in the dog population of Texas, anaplasma. Three hundred and nine ticks used for the experiment were collected from six shelters around Texas. This ticks were identified to species. Three hundred and eight were identified to be Rhipicephalus sanguineus, only one Dermacentor Variabilis (S.) (Acari: Ixodidae) was collected. DNA was extracted from 90 ticks; the DNA was analyzed using polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Positive samples were sent to a gene bank for sequencing. Eleven samples came back as positive for Anaplasma genus. We concluded that the prevelansce of anaplasma might be much higher than previously expected and that more studies have to be conducted on the subject.