Management of insecticide resistance in the mosquito Culex pipiens complex is important because this complex is a major vector of lymphatic filariasis and West Nile fever, which occurs worldwide, and has been exposed to frequent chemical controls with a variety of insecticides. We applied the SNaPshot assay, a primer extension-based genotyping method, to the identification of both insecticide resistance-associated point mutations at insecticidal active sites and the mosquito subspecies distributed in Japan. Variations at Leu1014 and Val1016 positions in the sodium channel and Ser119 in Drosophila Ace-paralogous acetylcholiesterase (p-Ace) were individually tested for the detection of mutations conferring decreased sensitivity to nerve insecticidal targets. Moreover, sequence differentiations in Drosophila Ace-orthologous acetylcholinesterase (o-Ace) gene were concomitantly tested for the detection of subspecies of Cx. pipiens pollens, Cx. p. molestus and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The exactness of the SNaPshot assay was verified using standard laboratory strains and mutagenized synthesized DNA. The assay was then applied to laboratory-colonized mosquitoes that were captured from Kyushu and Honshu, Japan. Judgments for both Cx. p. m. and Cx. p. pallens by SNaPshot assay agreed with the respective autogenicities of the colonies tested, except for an erroneous individual. Mutation of Leu1014 to Phe and Ser in the sodium channel genes were specifically identified in the samples of Cx. p. m. and Cx. p. pallens., respectively. No mutation was detected for the other target sites.

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A bird-parasitic fly, Carnus hemapterus Nitzsch was found from three avian hosts in Japan. A total of 42, 35, and 2 adults of C. hemapterus was collected from nestlings of Eurytomus orientalis (Linnaeus), Dendrocopus major (Linnaeus), and Corvus corone Linnaeus, respectively. Eurytomus orientalis is a new host for C. hemapterus. Almost all flies obtained were dealate, but one alate male and two alate females were found from D. major and E. orientalis, respectively. Two deformed-wing flies were collected from a new nest box of E. orientalis. In 51 females, abdomens of 48 flies were distended or slightly distended, and those of 3 flies were not distended. A case of human dermatitis caused by a male adult fly was also reported from a survey of nesting ecology of D. major.

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In Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia, six black fly species (two known and four new) are placed in the tuberosum species-group of the subgenus Simulium (Simulium) Latreille s. str. The male, pupa and mature larva of S. (S.) aeneifacies Edwards are described for the first time, S. (S.) sabahense Smart and Clifford is revised, and all the four new species are described. All the six species are morphologically very similar to one another and endemic to Borneo, thus suggesting an intra-insular speciation which has been so far known to occur very rarely in the tuberosum species-group.

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The 26 December 2004 tsunami heavily damaged many areas of Sri Lanka. Many people were forced to live in temporary housing area until February 2006, but unsanitary conditions (scattered garbage, water, etc.) related to the multiplication of Musca domestica nebulo Fabricius, 1784 in the city by seawater incursion of the tsunami had already improved. Investigations of these flies were carried out in both a temporary housing area and an unaffected village after about one year from a tsunami. Results showed that M. domestica nebulo in kitchens of temporary housing areas were more numerous than those in village areas, although no significant difference existed in a vacant lot between the areas. Attraction of M. domestica nebulo to kitchens of temporary housing areas might result from large amounts of food and raw garbage relative to those of villages. Under these circumstances, the risk of outbreak of fly-borne diseases is likely to be aggravated in temporary housing areas. This indirect damage of the tsunami to human health persists in Sri Lanka even though about one year has passed since the tsunami.

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To understand the role of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne, as a hygiene insect, the adhesion rate and adhesion patterns of fungi spores on the body surface of beetles collected from indoors and outdoors were investigated. Fungi spores were isolated from 701 individuals of 988 from a total of 3,684 that were captured, and the adhesion rate of the fungi spores was 71.0%. The adhesion of fungi spores was observed on the pronotum, forewing, labrum, mandible, scutellum, abdomen, femur and tibia using a scanning electron microscope. In addition, Aspergillus sp. spores were identified and an Aspergillus sp. spore was observed on the body surface adhering to the middle of a body hair by secretion of emplastic substance. Lasioderma serricorne most likely plays a role as a carrier of fungal spores.

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