Asiatic apple leafminer, Phyllonorycter ringoniella Matsumura (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an important insect pest in apple orchard, however little is known about its demography and relationship with environmental factors. The effect of five constant temperatures (13.3, 15.3, 20.7, 26.1, and 30.0℃) on the demography of P. ringoniella was examined based on jackknife randomization method in the laboratory. The lowest (34.0%) and highest (63.3%) survivorship of immature stages occurred at 30.0 and 20.7℃, respectively. Sex ratio was estimated to be 0.5 and was unaffected by the temperature. Mean developmental times of immature stage were inversely related to temperature and varied from 25.9 days at 26.1℃ to 76.4 days at 13.3℃. Female adult longevity was longest at 15.3℃ (18.6 ± 0.96 days) and shortest at 30℃ (5.4 ± 0.27 days). The highest (86.24) and lowest (13.59) gross fecundity rate occurred at 15.3 and 30.0℃, respectively, while daily egg production displayed its highest (6.48) and lowest (2.12) values at 26.1 and 30.0℃, respectively. The highest net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) obtained at 20.7℃ were 12.43, 0.064, and 1.067, respectively. Mean generation time (T) decreased with increasing temperatures from 85.24 days at 13.3℃ to 30.48 days at 30.0℃. Doubling time (DT) varied significantly with temperature and the shortest value (10.75 days) was obtained at 20.7℃. The life expectancies of female adult were estimated to be 16.2, 18.6, 10.8, 7.2, and 5.4 days at 13.3, 15.3, 20.7, 26.1, and 30.0℃, respectively. This study was the first time to report demographic biology of P. ringoniella, thus it provide potential direction for future research on P. ringoniella and its natural enemies in apple orchards.

Potato tuber moth (PTM) is a primary pest of potato which had invaded into Korea in 1968 and its distribution was restricted in the southern part of the peninsula. Possibly due to the climate change, its distribution expanded toward the North including Gyounggi and Gangwon province. Since this pest also can inflict damage on other solanaceous crop like tobacco and tomato, we tested the possible host expansion and damage potential on the varieties of tomato. A day old larvae were inoculated to three commercial varieties of a tomatoes and a potato. The results showed that PTM could survive and reproduce on tomato leaves or fruits with differential performance on the varieties. Development time for a day old larvae took longest in leaves of 3 months old plant than of one months old plant of tomatoes. PTM showed lowest reproduction on the leaves of variety with significantly higher type-VI trichome density/mm2. When fed with fruits of tomatoes PTM performance was low in terms of biological parameters in small sized cherry tomatoes than big normal size tomatoes. Significantly high survival rate was observed in the large sized fruit of tomato verities than small sized. This led to further discuss the importance of fruit size and the glycoalkoloid which is present in high level in cherry type tomatoes. Further work on resistance with more tomato accessions are necessary to know wider resistance variability in Korea.

A survey was carried out to investigate Gamasina mite composition in the Gyeongbuk and Gangwon, during 2009-2014. Samples were collected from wide range of habitats (i.e. forest, riparian grassland, agriculture). 3 species namely Antennoseius avius (Ascidae), Hypoaspis sardous (Laelapidae) and Stylochirus caucasicus (Ologamasidae) are records as new records compared to already existed database of mite in Korea. Description of three new records species, identification keys (female adult) each species and figures of external morphology are given.

The pea leafminer fly, Liriomyza huidobrensis Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an emerging pest in Korea. High population and heavy damage of this pest were observed from potato fields in the southern part of Korea in 2012. Morphological and genetic evidence confirmed the species as L. huidobrensis. The infestation was expanding throughout the country and a rich complex of parasitoid was recognized. From the exclusion study, high density infestation of leafminers reduced yield among potato varieties (Chubeak, Seohong, Goun, Dejima, and Sumi). Higher leaf damage was evident in the lower part of plants. In olfactory bioassay and feeding preference tests, leafminers choosed the Goun variety most. Given the six constant temperatures, the developmental time from egg to adult significantly decreased with increment of temperatures. From the insecticide toxicity tests, abamectin and lepimectin and spinetoram were found effective against immature stages, while cartap hydrochlorid (Neonicotinoid) was against adult insects. Overall, these studies help to pave the ways for managing this new invasive pest.

Despite of having excellent nutritional potential and ecological benefits edible insect has received minimal attention in many part of industrialized civilization. Recently since FAO reported edible insects as one of the best sustainable solution for future food and feed security, global attention has been focussed on the use of insects for food stuffs. In Korea, this phenomenon is accelerating with the help of registration of an Act known as insect industry law which came into effect in 2010. We presented status and trend of research on edible insect and implementation from the global perspectives. Edible insect studies are categorized as 1) status of edible insect resources and distribution, 2) anthropological aspects, 3) biodiversity conservation aspects, 4) edible insect development for diet supplement or food ingredients including some legal aspects, and 5) efforts to bring insects on the table. Lastly some examples of large scale implementation for the production and manufacture systems were presented.

Modeling is one approach to better understanding the complex interaction in the abstracted and simplified forms. Here I present the interaction of honeybee, Apis mellifera and ectoparasitic mites of Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae. In the beginning, I provide the basic mechanism of ectoparasitic mite’s life cycle in association with the host insect life. Population behavior was analyzed as a single analytical population growth model. Then, since the carrying capacity of mite’s breeding resources are changing, I incorporated the damage function of mite to honeybee population. Incorporating the damage function into the honeybee-varroa interaction model provided more realistic behavior of both species. Simulation study showed that possible beneficial impact of hive-splitting on mite control. Also, varying the chemical spray timing and efficacies, the model simulation revealed that early spring acaricide treatment was essential for protection of honeybee from the varroa mites. At the last, this model has been expanded to include the other parasitic mite of Tropilaelaps mercedesae. For this, two species competition model was considered as well as incorporation of the host population behavior being added. Further discussion and call for collaboration were presented.

The Mesostigmata is an order of Subclass Acari either parasiting to diverse invertebrates or free-living predatory in terrestrial ecosystem. Phoresy is one of the unique behaviors of wingless arthropod dispersal by attaching winged arthropods. We collected mites attached on the dorsal part of abdomen adult sciarid fly, from mushroom culture. The mites were identified as Arctoseius cetratus Sellnick, 1940 in the family of Ascidae. Arctoseius cetratus has short J2, Z1, Z2, and S1, S2 setae, not reaching the bases of following setae. Posterior half of dorsal shield with longitudinal garland of puncta between J and Z setae, peritremes extending anteriorly to midlevel of coxaⅡ. The genus Arctoseius and species Arctoseius cetratus are the first record in Korea. We provided the detail description of the species including the identification key in the family with some ecological notes.

Lymantria dispar (Linne), gypsy moth, is known as euryphagous insect and one of forest pests having wide range of host. Female of European Gypsy Moth (EGM) are flightless whereas those of the Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) are strong fliers. So, we studied flight ability of female AGM by using flight mill device. The flight measurements of female AGM are recorded for an hour using 1- and 2-day-old mated and unmated individuals. As a results, mated females were observed more active the unmated. But, flight speed of unmated females are faster than mated. Flight frequency wasn't showed any significant difference between mated and unmated females.

The apple leaf miner, Phyllonorycter ringoniella(Lepidoptera:Gracillariidae),is an important pest of apple trees in Japan, Korea and China. It is very important to know the development time of overwinter pupae for predicting the adult spring emergence in apple orchard. In total 556 damaged leaves caused by P. ringoniella were collected three times in two locations, Pohang and Mungyeong, and then were reared in five incubators with 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30℃, RH 60±5%, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h, respectively. There were larvae, pupae of P. ringoniella and its parasitoids inside these damaged leaves. Larval population was 44% inside the curled leaves, but found all dead. Pupal population was 41%, but 41% were found dead. Parasitism was 14.5% ranged from 4.5 to 17.9%. This means that the winter survival was only 23.9%. Surviving pupal developmental rate was linearly related to the temperature treated. Lower threshold was estimated to 3.58℃ with degree-day accumulation to adult emergence of 153.8 DD. From this information, adult emergence was predicted during early April. However this estimation was only based on the partial data from which current experiments are on-going. Further sophisticated research outcome will produce better understanding of the overwintering moth development and its modeling.

The pea leafminer fly, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is a polyphagous pest attacking wide range of field and greenhouse crops and ornamental plants. Surprisingly, localized outbreaks with high population and heavy unique damage of leafminers were observed from the field survey of potato fields in the southern parts (Miryand and Goryeong) of Korea in 2012. L. huidobrensis was the responsible for those potato damages based on the morphological and genetic characteristics. Then after, it added a one more emerging species in Korean Liriomyza account. Infestation of L. huidobrensis was expanding and reported in major potato growing areas of the country. Genetic evidence showed the close relationship with Chinese L. huidobrensis population, so it might be invaded from China. As a new emerging pest, very few informations relative to this pest are available in Korean prospective. There is also significant potential for it to widen its distribution, as the Korean Peninsula is a hot spot of climate change, particularly global warming. There are a lot of challenges uprooting infront of researchers and growers. It is demanded to explore new secrets and to be ready to tackle of this invasive pest, L. huidobrensis.

The bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, plays an important role as one of alternative pollinators since the outbreak of honeybee colony collapse disorder. Recently, pathogens and parasites such as viruses, bacteria and mites affecting the life span and fecundity of their host have been discovered in B. terrestris. In this study, in order to detect viral infection in B. terrestris, we collected B. terrestris adults and isolated total RNA for diagnostic PCR. The PCR primers specific for pathogenic viruses were newly designed and applied to gene amplification for cloning and detection. Capsid protein gene of black queen cell virus (BQCV) among examined viral genes was only successfully amplified from collected bumble bee adults and sequenced. To optimize the detection of capsid protein gene of BQCV, 4 regions in the capsid protein gene were selected and further analyzed in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that capsid protein gene was directly detected with not more than 200 ng total RNA. This result suggests that an optimized detection via qRT-PCR can be applied for the rapid and sensitive diagnosis of BQCV infection in the field population as well as risk assessment of B. terrestris.

The development of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), an economic pest of wide range of field crops and ornamental plants, was studied under laboratory conditions at six constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 27 and 30oC). The total development period decreased with increasing temperatures between 15 and 27oC. In 10oC, eggs did not hatch and in 30oC, pupa did not survive. So, it may be assumed that these temperatures fall outside the development. Linear regression was used to describe the relationship between development rate and temperature. For total immature development (egg to adult) required 250 degree-days (DD) above the threshold of 9.75oC. The developmental data were fitted to a nonlinear temperature-dependent model (Lactin-1) for best described of development. Development rates of males and females did not differ in 20 and 25oC. High immature mortality was recorded in 27oC. Sex ratio of the surviving individuals was 0.62 from this study. Thermal requirements and temperature thresholds can be used to forecast the occurrence, number of generations and population dynamics of L. huidobrensis.

The Mesostigmata are a great diversity of invertebrate parasite-phoretic of insects, and free-living predators in terristerial ecosystem. The Ascidae are an important group of predator that inhabit various microhabitats such as leaf litter, rotten wood, anthills and bird’s nests. Their role in those habitats is imprtant and they can be used as biological indicator and as well as biological control agent. We collected mites from sciarid fly in mushroom. The genus Arctoseius and Arctoseius cetratus were recorded for first time in Korea. We also described the habitats and identification keys to the species. Arctoseius cetratus has short J2, Z1, Z2, and S1, S2 setae, not reaching the bases of following setae. Posterior half of dorsal shield with longitudinal garland of puncta between J and Z setae, peritremes extending anteriorly to mid-level of coxaⅡ.

The Seoul forest of urban forest park is provide places for relaxation and feeling naturally use inside the city. This study was conducted for investigating diversity of soil microarthropods for Bioblitz. Samples were collected from rose of Sharon in soil. This species was identified as N. harrowi (Collyer), described originally from New Zealand and Austrilia. This is the new record of N. harrowi in Korea. The morphological features of these two species are closely related to each other (N. makuwa (Ehara) and N. harrowi (Collyer)). So, we compared features of this species. Dorsal setae of N. harrowi are generally longer than in N. makuwa. Two posterior seta (Z4, Z5) of N. harrowi are much shorter than in the N. makuwa. In addition, there are some differences in the shape of the spermatheca, the forked atrium is larger in N. makuwa than in the N. harrowi.

Phoretic mites were collected from Copris ochus and C. tripartitus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). These beetles were collected from Holoce Ecosystem Conservation Research Institution, Gangwon-do. Five unrecorded species of Eviphis hastatellus Berlese, 1910 (Eviphididae), Holostaspella scatophila Takaku, 1994 (Macrochelidae), Macrocheles japonicus Evans & Hyatt, 1963 (Macrochelidae), Pachylaelaps siculus Berlese, 1921 (Pachylaelapidae) and Parasitus consanguineus Oudemans & Voigts, 1904 (Parasitidae) were recorded from Korea for the first time. However, Parasitus consanguineus Oudemans & Voigts (Parasitidae) was already recorded by Oudemans & Voigts in 1904 but since then no one has recorded. We have rerecorded this species in Korea.

Liriomyza leafminer flies comprise a pest group that causes both considerable economic losses and serious quarantine problems. We reported for the first time of the infestation of field crops by this invasive leafminer L. huidobrensis in Korea in 2012. Distribution survey of leafminer flies and other insect pests on potato crops along with associated natural enemies was conducted from 378 farmers' field in most of the potato growing provinces during 2011, 2012 and 2013. Sweeping (10 sweeps/field) and visual inspection were employed within 5 minute-walking distance each field. For damage rate was also calculated for each field. Ten mined leaflets were investigated for parasitoid species identification. Leafminer flies were identified by morphologically and molecular. However, parasitoid species were only morphologically identified. All the leafminer flies collected were identified as L. huidobrensis. No leafminer flies infested fields were recorded in Boseong (Jeollanam-do) in 2011. L. huidobrensis infested fields with unique crop damage symptoms were found only in Miryang and Goryeong (Gyeongsangnam-do) in 2012. There was significant different in leafminer infested fields among the surveyed locations in 2012 (f=85.73, df=5, 127, P<0.0001). Higher damaged (100%) potato fields were recorded in Miryang. Similarly, the leafminer infested potato fields were significantly different among the surveyed locations in 2013 (f=36.77, df=19, 201, P<0.0001). Highest damaged rates (100%) were recorded in all the surveyed locations of Gyeongsangnam-do. Increasing distribution expansion pattern of L. huidobrensis was found. Distribution covers from southern parts to northern parts of the country. The study on rate of distribution and factors responsible in rapid distribution of L. huidobrensis in Korea are demanded.

The bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, has played an important role as one of the alternative pollinators. Recently, pathogens and parasites affect the life span and fecundity of their host and been isolated from B. terristris. In order to detect viral infection in the field populations of B. terristris, we collected adults and isolated total RNA for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR primers specific for several viruses such as deformed wing virus, Israel acute paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus and black queen cell virus (BQCV) were newly designed and applied to gene amplification for cloning. Only BQCV was successfully amplified and sequenced, which suggests that BQCV may mainly infects the examined field population of B. terristris. To detect of capsid protein gene of BQCV, 4 selected regions were analyzed by primary PCR and 1 region was successfully amplified, which was further analyzed in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that BQCV was detected at concentrations as low as 0.1ng/μl total RNA. This result suggests that the detection via qRT-PCR can be applied for the rapid and sensitive diagnosis of BQCV infection in the field population as well as risk assessment of B. terristris.

It is true that the proper environmental risk assessments for many GM insects almost have not been executed in Korean research situation. Therefore, we tested the environmental risk assessment of GM silkworms if there is any difference between GM and non-GM silkworms by three. First, we measured their mobility in the breeding environment conditions with food and without food. Secondly, we measured their viability at the Korean artificial extreme environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, food) after escaping from their breeding environments. We observed the egg productivity and the hatchability between non-GM silkworm and transgenic silkworms with four different pair experiments. The mobility of non-GM silkworms and GM silkworms statistically did not differ and the egg production and hatchability was not also different. The hatchability by couple of GM female silkworm and non-GM male silkworm was lower than by non-GM male and female couple. We observed their viability (High Temp., wet and with food: p=0.0434; High Temp., wet and without food p=0.0430; High Temp., dry and with food: p=0.0005; High Temp., dry, without food: p=0.0479) between the GM silkworm and non-GM silkworm, and there was statistically different. Relatively, the viability of GM silkworm was lower than non-GM silkworms. We could not exactly test for viability of silkworm in low temperature conditions because of their hibernating. Although there was any difference in viability and hatchability between GM silkworm and non-GM silkworm, the all ability of GM silkworm was lower than non-GM silkworm. Conclusively, risk of GM silkworm was lower than non-GM silkworm.

Liriomyza species are the major pests of greenhouse and field crops. It was as minor pests in past, but the pest population increased rapidly such as L. trifolii, L. huidobresnsis and L. sativae during recent years is attributed to application of ineffective insecticides and developed insecticide resistance. This study was carried out to determine the efficacy of insecticides groups, Anthranilic diamide, Biopesticide, Carbamate, Neonicotinoid, Organophosphate, Pyrethroid and Oxadiazine, recommended for the control of leafminer species in Korea. Bioassay tests were done on first, third larval stages and adults under glasshouse and laboratory conditions respectively. The result showed significant differences in toxicity among the tested insecticides. The mortality of abamectin and lepimectin and spinosad were higher (>50%) in larvae stages. Etofenprox insecticide was not effective on larvae stage. The toxicity of Cartap hydrochlorid (Neonicotinoid) was higher (100%) in adult insects, followed by thiamethoxam, etofenprox and indoxacarb. Abamectin and lepimectin showed the decreasing toxicity level as insect stage developed. Abamectin showed least toxicity (26.67%) in adult stage. Spinetoram and emamectin benzoate showed higher toxicity (>50%) in all the insect stages tested. It could be suggested that abmectin and lepimectin have high efficiencies on control of larvae. However, spinosad and emamectin benzoate has higher potential on the control of both larvae and adult insects.

Mesostigmata is an important predaceous mite groups in various ecosystems and considered as an Order of Subclass Acari, Superorder Parasitiformes. Among the Suborders, Sejida, Trigynaspida, Monogynaspida, Heterozerconina and Gamasina, we list 35 families and 309 species from Korea. Some of the species were newly added to the Korean fauna. It includes mites from soil, litter, compost, snake, birds and some animal habitats, but the majority is from soil. Some of them are widely used biocontrol agents of spider mites, insects and nematodes.