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Term | Explanation |
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Abdomen | Posterior (3rd) division of the insect body (other divisions are the head and thorax) |
Aedeagus | The insertion organ of the male genitalia. |
Annual | Plant that lives for only one growing season |
Antenna | Paired sensory structure located on the head. |
Anterior | Referring to the front position. |
Apterous | Without wings |
Artheropoda | A phylum of animals that have segmented bodies, exoskeletons, and jointed legs. |
Augmentative Biological Control | When natural enemies are missing from an agricultural setting, or are too scarce to provide control, their numbers can be increased by making releases of natural enemies. This can be done either inoculative or inundative. Inoculative augmentative releases are those in which small numbers of natural enemies are introduced early in the crop production cycle. |
Bacillus thuringiensis | A bacterium causing diseases in insects |
Basal | Near the base of a structure |
BLB | Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) |
BPMV | Bean pod mottle virus |
Bt | Bacillus thuringiensis |
Canopy | Leafy parts of plants or trees |
Caterpillar | Immature stage of insects in the order Lepidoptera. It has chewing mouthparts and is often the cause of damage of vegetables crops |
Cauda | Pointed tip of aphid abdomen |
Cerci | A pair of joint appendages at the tip of the abdomen |
Chlorophyll | Green pigments of plants that are used to capture energy from sunlight |
Chlorotic | An unusual or abnormal yellow color of green leaves or other parts of plants |
Chorion | Outer layer of insect eggs |
Chrysalis | A term used for some pupae of some Lepidoptera |
Cocoon | A silken case which encloses the pupa of some insects |
Compound eye | An eye made of many individual eye elements each represented externally by a corneal facet. |
Cornicles | The pair of small tubular outgrowths which occur on the hind end of the abdomen of an aphid |
Costal | Referring to the anterior portion of a wing. |
Coxa | Basal segment of insect leg |
Cotyledons | First pair of leaves developed by the embryo of a seed plant or some lower plants |
Crochets | Small hooks on the prolegs of caterpillars |
Cross resistance | Restance of pests to a pesticide to which it has not been exposed that accompanies the development of resistance to a pesticide to which it has been exposed |
Crucifer | Member of the plant family Cruciferae including cabbage, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, radish, and kohlrabi |
CSSV | Cocoa swollen shoot virus |
CTV | Cocoa trinidad virus |
Cultivar | An agricultural plant variety or strain |
CWW | Cabbage webworm (Hellula undalis) |
DBM | Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) |
Defoliator | Insects that feeds on leaves and removes either portions of or the entire leaf from the plant leaving the plant partially or completely defoliated |
Degree-day | Unit combining temperature and time, used to measure growth of organisms |
Diapause | A period of dormancy (hibernation) in arthropods |
Distal | That part of an appendage farthest from the body. |
Distribution | Location of all habitats in which the species lives and reproduces. |
Dorsal | Referring to the upper surface |
Eclosion | The hatching of the larvae or nymph from its egg |
EFSB | Eggplant fruit and shoot borer |
Elytra | Hardened forewings that protect the membranous hindwings in beetles |
Endemic | Restricted in distribution to particular region |
Endoparasite | A parasite living within the body of its host |
Epidermis | Outer cellular layer of the body |
Exoparasite | A parasite living on the outside of its host. |
Exoskeleton | The outside structure of an arthropod supporting the body |
Exotic | Not naturally present in an area. |
Exuviae | The cast (shed) exoskeleton of an arthropod. |
F. | Fabricius (name of a describer of an insect species) |
Fecund | In reference to an insect that will produce a large number of eggs or young |
Femur | A segment of the leg between trochanter and tibia |
Flea | An insect in the order Siphonaptera. It is a small compressed (from one side to the other) pest that is found on the skin of cats, dogs, and other mammals. It jumps rather long distances when disturbed |
Forewing | The front pair of wings; usually covering the hindwings when the insect does not fly. |
Frass | Solid waste excreted by the insect through the anus. It often makes vegetables dirty and lowers their value. Also referred to as fecal matter |
Fumigation | Application of pesticides in gas form |
Fungicide | Pesticide used to control fungi |
Generation | In reference to insects, it is a group of individuals born, living, and feeding during the same period of time |
Genitalia | Copulation organs, modified abdominal segments |
Germinate | In reference to plants, it means to begin to grow as a seed sprouts |
Girdle | To cut away the outer surfaces of a stem or a petiole in a ring around a plant |
Gregarious | In reference to insects that characteristically live and feed together as a group or an army |
Half-moon | Something shaped like a crescent or one half of a circle |
Halteres | Club-shaped balancing organs, which flies have in place of the hindwings |
HaNPV | Helicoverpa armigera nuclear polyhedrosis virus |
Herbivore | Plant eating animal |
Hibernation | A type of animal dormancy that occurs during the winter months |
Holotype | The single specimen designated as the �type� by the author of the original description |
Hindwing | Second pair of wings, often covered by the frontwings when the insect rests. |
Honeydew | A secretion of the insect, which comes out from the posterior end of its body. it is rich in some sugars and is an excellent medium for the growth of some fungi. It is also the favored food of some ants |
Horticultural oil | Petroleum or botanical oil used to control pests |
Host | Organsim that provides food and or shelter for another organism |
Hyperparasite | A parasite which parasites another parasite |
ICM | Integrated crop management |
Imago | The adult stage of an insect |
Immature | In reference to the development of an insect, it is an individual that is not mature or not fully developed. Often it is the particular stage that causes damage to vegetable crops |
Infection | Entry and establishment of a pathogen into a host |
Infestation | Presence of pests in a field |
Insecticide | Pesticide used to control insects |
Instar | One stage of growth between egg and adult |
Integrated Pest Management | An approach that prevents damage by pests through a combination of environmentally sound techniques |
Integument | Outer layer, cuticle of an insect |
Inundative Biological Control | Inundative augmentation is the mass release of natural enemies to suppress pest population growth. Inundative natural enemy releases can not be used in �curative� manner to reduce pest populations to non-damaging levels once they have reached economically injurious densities because natural enemies can not immediately control pest populations in a manner similar to insecticides. |
IPM | Integrated pest management |
Juvenile | Stages between egg and adult form; immature forms of nematodes |
Linnaeus | |
Larva | The immature stage of an insect. It is wormlike in appearance and may or may not have legs. It has chewing mouthparts and can cause damage to vegetable cops |
Lateral | Pertaining to the sides (that is. left or right side) |
Lesion | A localized area of damage or infection |
Life cycle | The series of stages in form and activity that an insect passes through from life to death |
Looper | A caterpillar that moves by looping (placing the rear end of the body next to the thorax before extending the front part) its body |
Maggot | The immature stage of insects belonging to the order Diptera, the flies. Typically it is white, broad at one end and tapering to the other. Some species damage vegetables crops. Larvae are legless |
Mandible | Pair of jaws in insects |
Maxilla | Dorsal jaw plate |
Mesothorax | Middle or second segment of the thorax |
Metamorphosis | Change in form during development |
Microbial pesticide | Microbial organisms applied like pesticides |
Micropyle | In eggs specialized channels, which enable a single sperm to swim down through the egg's surface |
Mid-vein | The middle vein that runs along the length of the leaf. It arises in the vicinity of the leaf stem or petiole |
Mimicry | The ability of an insect to mimic another animal species or plant (in color, form, behavior) |
Mineral oil | Horticultural oil derived from petroleum |
Miticide | Pesticide used to control mites |
Mold | A fungus of the order Mucorales. A woolly growth that often forms on damp or decaying surfaces. Certain molds can grow in and on some excretions of insects |
Molt | Shedding of the pouter body in order to attain the adult stage |
Monitoring | Pest scouting, observation of pest abundance and damage |
Mosaic | A virus disease of plants which characteristically causes a yellow and green mottling of the foliage |
Moth | The adult stage of insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera. It has sucking mouthparts and does not cause feeding damage to vegetable crops. Normally it is active only at night |
Mulch | Material placed on the soil to suppress weed growth |
Mummy | Remains of an aphid after consumed by a parasitoid |
Neem | Botanical insecticide derived from the neem tree, main active ingredient is Azadirachtin |
Nocturnal | Active at night |
NPV | Nuclear polyhedrosis virus |
Nymph | An immature wingless stage of an insect after hatching, in species that does not have a pupal stage |
Ocellus | The single-faceted simple eye of an insect. |
Omnivorous | Having a broad diet |
Ootheca | A case or cover of an egg mass, commonly found in grasshoppers, cockroaches, and mantids |
Organophosphate | Class of synthetic insecticides |
Oviparous | Reproduction through depositing eggs |
Ovipositor | Egg laying apparatus of some insects |
Palps | Sensory appendages attached to the mouth |
Parasite | An animal that lives on or in the body of another animal (its host). Parasites usually do not kill their hosts |
Parasitoid | A parasite that kills its host |
Paratype | A specimen that was before the author at the time of preparation of the original description and was designated by the author. |
Parthogenesis | Development from an egg that is not fertilized |
Pathogen | Microbial organism causing a disease |
Pedicel | A small stalk or stem bearing a fruit, flower, or leaf |
Pedipalps | Appendages attached to the head, consist of six segments and used primarily to handle food |
Pesticide | Material that kills pests and is used for pest control |
Petiole | The slender stem that supports the leaf of a plant |
Pheromone | A substance given off by insects which causes a specific reaction to members of the same species (including trail making pheromones, sex attractants, alarm substances) |
Phoretic behaviour | The use of one organism by another organism as a means of transport. |
Phytopagous | Feeding on plants or plant products |
Phytotoxicity | Damage to a plant through contact with a chemical toxin |
Posterior | Hind or rear |
Preoviposition period | The period between molting to the adult and the laying of the first eggs. |
Prepupae | Active but non-feeding stage of an insect preceding the pupal stage |
Proleg | Short appendage on the abdomen of some caterpillars that act as legs. Many caterpillars have prolegs |
Pronotum | The dorsal body plate of the first section of the thorax, frequently enlarged in many insects |
Prothorax | The most forward of the three thoracic segments of an insect. The prothorax never bears wings |
Pterygote | Winged |
Pupa | Development stage between larva and adult in insects with a complete metamorphosis |
Pupation | The process the insects go through when it pupates or becomes a pupa. The pupa is the immature stage of the insect just prior to becoming an adult. It is a stage where many body changes occur. The pupa does not damage vegetables crops |
Pyrethroids | Synthetic insecticides similar to the pyrethrum toxin |
Pyrethrum | Natural insecticide derived from Chrysanthemum plants |
Resistance | Tolerance to conditions or materials that are deleterious |
Rostrum | In weevils the snout-like prolongation of the head containing the mouth |
Saprophagous | Feeding on dead plant or animal tissue |
Scale | A flattened seta on the insects surface |
Sclerite | A hardened body wall plate of insects delimited by sutures of membranous areas. |
Scutellum | A segment of the pronotum, most notable in true bugs, cicadas, and beetles. In stink bugs the triangular shield between the folded wings |
Segment | A subdivision of the body |
Senescence | The time period after maturity |
Serrate | Notched like the teeth of a saw |
Sessile | Immobile |
Sex-pheromone | A chemical substance produced by an individual insect to obtain a response from another insect of the same species |
Skeletonizing | A type of leaf damage caused by insects with chewing mouthparts. They actually consume leaf tissue in a manner, which leaves a basic skeleton or framework of the leaf intact |
Snout | A prolongation of the head. This is a common characteristic of weevils. At a glance the insects look as though they have piercing-sucking mouthparts. Actually they have chewing mouthparts located at the end of the snout |
Sooty mold | Dark colored fungus growing on the honey-dew secreted by insects, often aphids |
sp. | species |
Species | Group of potentially inbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups. |
Spermatophore | A packet of sperm |
Spine | An erect, usually sharp-pointed projection from the body of an insect. It is slightly thicker than a normal insect hair |
Spiracle | A pore to breathe for insect, external opening of the tracheal respiratory system |
Spore | Reproductive stage of a fungus |
spp. | species (plural) |
ssp. | subspecies |
Stylet | A part of a sucking mouthpart, needle like structure |
Tarsus | Last three to five divisions of the leg, beyond the tibia |
Taxonomy | The study of the general principles of scientific classification |
Tegmen | Lathery, narrow, nearly parallel sided forewings of Orthoptera. |
Terpene | A chemical compound. Any of the virus isomeric hydrocarbons found present in essential oils. An example is turpentine |
Thorax | Middle of the three major regions of an insect |
Thrips | The common name of tiny insects belonging to the order Thysanoptera. Some species damage vegetable crops |
Tibia | Section of an insect leg between femur and tarsus |
TMV | Tobacco mosaic virus |
ToMV | Tomato mosaic virus |
Tracheal system | Tomato mosaic virusRespiratory system of insects. |
Trap crop | A crop intended to lure insects away from the main crop |
Trichomes | Hairs or spines on plant surfaces |
Trochanter | A small section of the leg connecting coax and femur |
Tubercle | Projection on the elytron, knob-like |
Type | The single specimen that bears the name of species and from which the species was described. |
var. | variety |
Vector | An organism like an insect or mite that transmit a pathogen to a plant |
Vein | A tube running to the wings of insects |
Ventral | Underside of the body, the opposite of dorsal |
Virulence | Ability of a pathogen to infect a host |
Virus | The causative agent of an infectious disease |
Viviparous | Reproduction by means of live birth instead of laying eggs |
Wilt | In reference to the condition of plant leaves that become weak and droop. They lose their freshness due to lack of water |
Term | Explanation |