A5086482240- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Agricultural pest management studies
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Malaria Research and Control
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- African Botany and Ecology Studies
- Crop Yield and Soil Fertility
- Travel-related health issues
- Phytochemistry and Biological Activities
University of Nairobi
2015-2024
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
2006-2022
Kenyatta University
2008
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
2008
Maize (Zea mays) is a major staple food in Africa. However, maize production severely reduced by damage caused feeding lepidopteran pests. In East and Southern Africa, Chilo partellus one of the most damaging cereal stem borers mainly found warmer lowland areas. this study, it was hypothesized that future distribution abundance C. may be affected greatly current global warming. The temperature-dependent population growth potential studied on artificial diet under laboratory conditions at six...
Abstract Surveys were carried out in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar to establish geographic distribution the main vegetation mosaics ecological (host plant range, feeding behaviour) characteristics of East African noctuid stem borers. 49 wild species belonging Poaceae, Cyperaceae Typhaceae found harbour borers six surveyed. A total 36 nine genera identified from 14,318 larvae collected, which 17 new science. The diversity varied among host plants. Most borer appeared be specialised...
Surveys were completed in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar to assess the lepidopteran stem borer species diversity on wild host plants. A total of 24,674 larvae belonging 135 collected from 75 plants Poaceae, Cyperaceae Typhaceae. Amongst them 44 noctuid at least nine genera, 33 crambids, 15 pyralids, 16 Pyraloidea not yet identified, 25 tortricids three cossids. The represented 73.6% number collected, with 66.3, 3.5 3.8% found Typhaceae,...
Abstract Lepidopterous stem borers are the main field insect pests that attack maize, Zea mays L. in tropical Africa. A survey was carried during long and short rain cropping seasons of 2002 / 2003 across six agro-climatic zones (ACZs) to determine spatial distribution important borer species Kenya. total 474 visits were made seventy-eight localities conveniently chosen represent each ACZs. 189,600 stems checked for infestation, which 27,799 infested destructively cut dissected larvae...
Desert locust is one of the most destructive migratory pest in world. Current methods control rely on conventional chemical insecticides during invasion. Some environmentally friendly biopesticides based Metarhizium acridum and insect growth regulators have also been deployed preventive operations. They tested sprayers mounted commonly used platforms such as vehicles, aircraft, human. However, despite being successfully, these tools present many challenges, hence need to supplement them with...
Abstract The influence of temperature on the development, mortality, fecundity and life table parameters two important noctuid African cereal pests, Busseola fusca Sesamia calamistis was investigated under laboratory conditions. Experiments were carried out with larvae reared artificial diet eight constant temperatures (12°C, 15°C, 18°C, 20°C, 25°C, 28°C, 30°C 35°C) a 12L : 12D photoperiod. Life calculated using Insect Cycle Modelling ( ILCYM ) software. At 12°C 35°C insects failed to...
Species in the stem borer noctuid subtribe Sesamiina are notoriously difficult to distinguish because most related species have homogeneous wing patterns and almost indistinguishable genitalia. The latter is potentially problematic this group includes several important pest that usually baregly distinguishable from non-pest species. In study we focus on Mediterranean corn stalk Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre), an of maize with a wide area distribution covers Africa extends south Europe...
Malaria, a major cause of morbidity and mortality, is the most prevalent vector borne disease in Baringo County; region which has varied house designs arid semi-arid areas. This study investigated association between structures indoor-malaria abundance County. The density malaria vectors houses with open eaves was higher than that for closed eaves. Grass thatched roof had corrugated iron sheet roofs. Similarly, mud walled other wall types. Houses riverine zone were significantly associated...
The role of questing ticks in the epidemiology tick-borne diseases Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR), an ecosystem with intensified human-wildlife-livestock interactions, remains poorly understood. We surveyed diversity ticks, their blood-meal hosts, and pathogens to understand potential effects on human livestock health. By flagging hand-picking from vegetation 25 localities, we collected 1,465 host-seeking mostly Rhipicephalus Amblyomma species identified by morphology molecular...
Abstract Presence of wild host plants stem borers in cereal-growing areas has been considered as reservoirs lepidopteran borers, responsible for attack crops during the growing season. Surveys to catalogue hosts and well assess abundance were carried out cropping non-cropping seasons different agro-ecological zones along varying altitude gradient Kenya. A total 61 borer species belonging families Noctuidae (25), Crambidae (14), Pyralidae (9), Tortricidae (11) Cossidae (2) recovered from 42...
Malaria causes the greatest public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa where high mortality occurs mainly children under 5 years of age. Traditionally, malaria has been reported lowlands endemic regions western Kenya, while highlands Rift Valley have relatively free except for sporadic epidemics some areas. Baringo County is located Kenyan highlands. The county generally experiences seasonal transmission malaria. A few hotspots which experience continuous do however exist. objective this...
The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), is one of the most devastating tephritid flies horticulture worldwide. Field trials were carried out for two seasons on mango (Mangifera indica L.) to evaluate use male annihilation technique (MAT) using methyl eugenol laced with deltamethrin instead commonly used malathion suppression pest in coastal Kenya. Prior application MAT, mean total numbers B. per trap day (FTD) pre-suppression monitoring data comparable orchards assigned MAT...
Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex from eastern and south-eastern Africa belonging to the A. stygiata albivena groups are reviewed. Six described as new: brunneella, mitiwa, mpika, salmona, sporobola yakoba. The Poaceae host plants eight recorded; four species, mitiwa. subalbissima, syscia yakoba, were found developing exclusively on Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv., (Andropogoneae); two I. Sporobolus macranthelus Chiov. (Zoysieae); cylindrica, Miscanthus capensis (Nees) Andersson...
Current population genetic models fail to cope with differentiation for species large, contiguous and heterogeneous distribution. We show that in such a case, can be predicted at equilibrium by circuit theory, where conductance corresponds abundance distribution (SDMs). Circuit-SDM approach was used the phylogeographic study of lepidopteran cereal stemborer Busseola fuscaFüller (Noctuidae) across sub-Saharan Africa. Species surveyed its range. SDMs were optimized selected cross-validation....
The global increase in vector borne diseases has been linked to climate change. Seasonal vegetation changes are known influence disease population. However, the relationship is more theoretical than quantitatively defined. There a growing demand for understanding and prediction of sensitive risks especially regions where meteorological data lacking. This study aimed at analyzing assessing seasonal year-to-year association between climatic factors (rainfall temperature) cover, its...
Abstract The noctuid stem borer Busseola fusca is an important pest of maize and sorghum in Sub-Saharan Africa. presence this species occurred mostly on cultivated than wild habitats. oligophagous having a narrow range grass species. This might be due, part, to differences silicon (Si) content plant tissues between grasses. In the present study, we have tested hypothesis by studying survival relative growth rate (RGR) expressed as daily weight gains B. larvae six host plants, natural habitat...
Phytochemical analysis of a methanol–dichloromethane (1:1) extract the aerial parts Tephrosialinearis led to isolation 18 compounds. Seven these, namely, lineaflavones A–D (1–4), 6-methoxygeraldone (5), 8″-acetylobovatin (6), and 5-hydroxy-7-methoxysaniculamin A (7) are new The compounds were characterized based on their NMR HRMSn data. anti-inflammatory effects crude isolated evaluated by measuring levels interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor...
Lepidopteran stemborers are among the most important field insect pests of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa. With exception Chilo partellus, all other borer indigenous to Africa and assumed have co-evolved with some native grasses sedges. Understanding interactions between pest species their cultivated hosts required develop sustainable management strategies. In addition species, natural habitats support diverse range (non-pests associated enemies) which unknown science. Although...
Abstract Larvae of the greater wax moth (GWM), Galleria mellonella, a destructive pest honeybee ( Apis mellifera) , have been observed to display aggregation behaviours. However, underlying mechanism by which these larvae come together remains unknown. We hypothesized that GWM detect, orient towards and utilize conspecific larval chemical cues aggregate in groups. used dual‐choice olfactometer assays investigate involvement odours their amongst 3–5th instar 8th larvae. The revealed only were...
The braconid wasp, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead), was introduced in Kenya from Hawaii for classical biological control of the invasive tephritid, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel. Following reports that D. had formed new associations with Ceratitis cosyra, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess interaction between and native parasitoid C. cosyra; Psyttalia cosyrae (Wilkinson) under three scenarios: B. only, cosyra only mixed populations two species. Parasitoids host as sole,...