1 Scaphoideus titanus Ball, a nearctic leafhopper introduced into Europe in the 1950s, is known to be the vector of the phytoplasma agent of flavescence dore´e (FD), a persistent disease of grapevine. Knowledge of its dispersal patterns is thus very important to prevent disease outbreaks. 2 Yellow sticky traps were used to study the seasonal flight activity of S. titanus, its vertical flight, its movement outside the vineyard and the influence of plant density. Sticky traps of different colours (yellow, red, blue, and white) were also compared. The behaviour of males and females was tested for all those conditions. 3 Abundance was greater in normal than in low plant density conditions, and a positive relationship was found between number of plants per square metre and presence of S. titanus. Leafhoppers did not appear capable of spreading significantly outside a vineyard. Few individuals were trapped above the canopy. Red sticky traps caught more individuals than white, yellow or blue, with the latter showing a poor attractiveness. Sex ratio was almost always male biased. 4 Scaphoideus titanus is monophagous and appears incapable of great dispersal away from its host plant, and females are less likely to fly than males. Further studies on the influence of different factors on the behaviour of this leafhopper are suggested.

Tracking the movement dispersion of Scaphoideus titanusThe movement dispersion of Scaphoideus titanus Ball adults from wild to cultivated 8 grapevine was studied with a novel mark-capture techniqueapplying. aA water solution of 9 cow milk (marker: casein) or chicken egg whites (marker: albumin) was applied directly onto 10 the canopy of wild grapevine more or less in close proximity (5-350 m) to at a distance from 11 vineyards ranging from 5 to 330 m.; Yyellow sticky traps were placed on the canopy of 12 grapes, and captured S. titanus adultsinsects were analyzed via an indirect ELISA for 13 markers' identification. Data were subject to exponential regression as a function of distance 14 from wild grapevine, and to spatial interpolation analyses (Inverse Distance Weighted and 15Kernel interpolation with barriers) were performedusing ArcGIS Desktop 10.1 software.; Tthe 16 influence of rainfall and time elapsed after marking on markers' effectiveness, and the 17 different dispersal patternsdispersion of males and females were also studied with regression 18 analyses. Of a total of 5417 insects analyzed for egg, 43% were positive to egg; whereas 18% 19 of 536 tested were milk-resulted marked with milkpositive. No influence of rainfall or time 20 since the marker's applicationelapsed was observed for egg-marked specimens, whereas milk-21 Introduction 33The nearctic leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) was introduced 34into Europe in the late 1950s (Bonfils & Schvester, 1960) and is now widespread in many 35European countries from Portugal to Bulgaria (COST Action FA0807). This species is a 36 grapevine specialist, and develops on both wild and cultivated grapevine (Vitis spp.). It is 37 univoltine and overwinters in the egg stage, which is laid under the bark of wood 2-yrs of age 38 or more (Vidano, 1964); eggs start to hatch in the middle of May and nymphs (which include 39 five instars) are present until the end of July, whereas adults usually appear at the beginning 40 of July and are observed up to the middle of October (Vidano, 1964). S. titanus is an 41 important pest, as it is the main vector of grapevine's Flavescence dorée (FD), a disease 42 caused by 16SrV phytoplasmas (subgroups C and D) (Malembic-Maher et al., 2011). Nymphs 43 from the 3 rd instar on acquire phytoplasmas by feeding on infected plants (acquisition access 44 period, AAP), and following a latency access period (LAP) of 4-5 weeks they become adults 45 and able to transmit FD to healthy plants (IAP) (Bressan et al., 2005). Since FD is a cause of 46 great economic losses, insecticidal sprays against S. titanus are mandatory in Italy: active 47 ingredients include neonichotinoids, organophosphates, etofenprox, and natural pyrethrum, 48 the latter in organic farming (Lessio et al., 2011a Marking methods used in entomology include fluorescent dusts (Garcia-Salazar & Landis, 55 1997; Takken et al., 1998; Skovgard, 2002), radioisotopes (Hagler & Jackson, 2001), and 56immunomarking (Hagler & Jackson, 2001; Jones et al.,...

The relationships between the feeding activity of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hü bner), crop technique (i.e., planting date, nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, and use of deltamethrin), and mycotoxin contamination of kernels were studied in Italian corn crop systems. Field sampling was conducted to determine the incidence of first-and second-generation larvae for each crop technique. At harvest, kernel contamination by fumonisins and zearalenon was measured and related to the number and position of tunnels on corn ears. The number of corn plants injured from second-generation larvae was partially reduced by using deltamethrin (735%) and by bringing forward planting (712%), whereas differences in nitrogen and water supply had little effect. The abundance of the first generation was, on average, low. The amount of fumonisin was generally one scale point higher in injured ears, and was positively related to ear tunnelling: tunnels in the apex seem to increase the amount of contamination. No links were detected between O. nubilalis presence and zearalenon contamination.

Orientus ishidae (Matsumura) (subfamily Deltocephalinae) is an Asian species now widespread in Europe, and a vector of 16SrV phytoplasmas agents of grapevine Flavescence dorée (FDP). Embryonic and post-embryonic development, spatial distribution, and relationships with grapevine of nymphs were studied under field and laboratory conditions. Egg-hatching dynamics and post-embryonic development of nymphs were studied by collecting grapevine wood from managed and unmanaged vineyards (including bot European Vitis vinifera L., and wild American rootstocks) and storing it inside rearing cages at T = 21–23°C. Field sampling of nymphs were made on both grapevine and two elective host plants of O. ishidae: hazelnut and hornbeam. Taylor’s Power Law was applied to assess the aggregation coefficient of early- (first and second) and late- (third to fifth) life instars on leaves and shoots of host plants. More nymphs were obtained from wood collected in unmanaged rather than managed vineyards. Under lab conditions, the embryonic development lasted 34–48 d, whereas the whole post-embryonic development averaged 27 d. Under field conditions, early instars peaked at the end of May, and late instars peaked 2–4 wk later. The aggregation patterns decreased from early to late instars, and from leaves to shoots. Very few nymphs were observed on unmanaged grapevine, either European or American, and none on managed European grapevine. Some behavioral and FDP epidemiological consequences of the results obtained are discussed.

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