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Brianna Mosher - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the behavioural effects of predator induced stress responses in the Cricket gryllus texensis the upside of the stress response
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2013Co-Authors: Shelley A Adamo, Ilya Kovalko, Brianna MosherAbstract:Predator-induced stress responses are thought to reduce an animal's risk of being eaten. Therefore, these stress responses should enhance anti-predator behaviour. We found that individual insects (the Cricket Gryllus texensis) show reliable behavioural responses (i.e. behavioural types) in a plus-shaped maze. An individual's behaviour in the plus maze remained consistent for at least 1/2 of its adult life. However, after exposure to a model predator, both male and female Crickets showed a reduced period of immobility and an increased amount of time spent under shelter compared with controls. These changes could be mimicked by injections of the insect stress neurohormone octopamine. These behavioural changes probably aid Crickets in evading predators. Exposure to a model predator increased the ability of Crickets to escape a live predator (a bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps). An injection of octopamine had the same effect, showing that stress hormones can reduce predation. Using Crickets to study the fitness consequences of predator-induced stress responses will help integrate ecological and biomedical concepts of 'stress'.
Shelley A Adamo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the behavioural effects of predator induced stress responses in the Cricket gryllus texensis the upside of the stress response
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2013Co-Authors: Shelley A Adamo, Ilya Kovalko, Brianna MosherAbstract:Predator-induced stress responses are thought to reduce an animal's risk of being eaten. Therefore, these stress responses should enhance anti-predator behaviour. We found that individual insects (the Cricket Gryllus texensis) show reliable behavioural responses (i.e. behavioural types) in a plus-shaped maze. An individual's behaviour in the plus maze remained consistent for at least 1/2 of its adult life. However, after exposure to a model predator, both male and female Crickets showed a reduced period of immobility and an increased amount of time spent under shelter compared with controls. These changes could be mimicked by injections of the insect stress neurohormone octopamine. These behavioural changes probably aid Crickets in evading predators. Exposure to a model predator increased the ability of Crickets to escape a live predator (a bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps). An injection of octopamine had the same effect, showing that stress hormones can reduce predation. Using Crickets to study the fitness consequences of predator-induced stress responses will help integrate ecological and biomedical concepts of 'stress'.
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the specificity of behavioral fever in the Cricket acheta domesticus
Journal of Parasitology, 1998Co-Authors: Shelley A AdamoAbstract:When infected, some insects can raise their body temperature by moving to warmer areas. This behavioral fever response can help the host overcome infection. However, not all parasites and pathogens are equally susceptible to increases in host temperature. Elevating the temperature of the Cricket Acheta domesticus from room temperature (22 C) to 33 C did not reduce the survival of parasitoid flies or reduce the number of gregarine gut protozoans, and Crickets infested with these parasites showed no increase in their temperature preference. Warmer temperatures (33 C) did not increase the survival of Crickets infected with the bacterium Serratia marcescens, and infected Crickets did not prefer warmer temperatures. However Crickets infected with the intracellular parasite Rickettsiella grylli were more likely to survive when the host was exposed to warmer temperatures. Crickets infected with R. grylli increased their preferred temperature from 26 C to 32 C. In A. domesticus, behavioral fever may be a specific response induced by relatively few pathogens and parasites. Behavioral fever in insects may differ in this respect from fever in mammals that can be elicited by a wide variety of parasites and pathogens.
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the role of neurohormonal octopamine during fight or flight behaviour in the field Cricket gryllus bimaculatus
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 1995Co-Authors: Shelley A Adamo, Charles E Linn, Ronald R HoyAbstract:Octopamine has been called the 'fight or flight' hormone of insects. We tested this hypothesis by measuring octopamine levels in the haemolymph of field Crickets after fighting, flying, courting and escape behaviours. Octopamine levels in the Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus increased during aggressive (agonistic) behaviour from baseline levels of 4.5 +/- 2.1 pg microliters-1 haemolymph to 24.3 +/- 15.2 pg microliters-1 haemolymph, regardless of whether the Cricket won or lost the encounter. Octopamine levels also increased after 5 min of flying (to 44.6 +/- 22.3 pg microliters-1) and during courtship. However, Crickets did not exhibit an increase in their haemolymph octopamine levels after performing an escape run. Therefore, neurohormonal octopamine shows some, but not all, of the characteristics that would be expected if it were a component of a nonspecific 'arousal' system. Rather, octopamine may be released as a neurohormone to prepare the animal for a period of extended activity or to assist the animal in recovering from a period of increased energy demand. Antennal contact with conspecifics may provide a sensory cue that results in the release of octopamine into the haemolymph.
Yupa Hanboonsong - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Life cycle assessment of Cricket farming in north-eastern Thailand
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Yupa Hanboonsong, Sander BruunAbstract:Abstract Over the last few years, edible insect species have been heralded as an environmentally sustainable solution to current and future food crises. However, the few existing studies that aim to evaluate the environmental performance of insect farming systems are extremely limited in scope. This paper presents the first case of a life cycle assessment (LCA) performed on an existing production system of Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer (field Cricket) and Acheta domesticus (house Cricket) production in north-eastern Thailand and compares it with broiler production in the same region. The system boundaries of the production system considered the entire production cycle of edible Crickets as well as processing. The study included two functional units (1 kg of edible mass and 1 kg of protein in edible mass). Irrespective of the functional unit, larger impacts were associated with broiler production. Major hotspots for Cricket and broiler production were related to the production soybean meal and maize grain for feed. A scaled-up Cricket farming system which was considered as a possible 'future' scenario demonstrated a reduction in overall environmental impacts when compared to current Cricket production and industrial broiler production. While scaled-up Cricket farming showed fewer overall environmental impacts, intensified systems could potentially have reduced socioeconomic impacts on rural areas in Thailand. Improvement options could be adopted by undertaking further research into the formulation of local feeds and acquiring improved knowledge about Cricket nutrition.
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Cricket farming as a livelihood strategy in Thailand
The Geographical Journal, 2016Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Yupa HanboonsongAbstract:While many important aspects of wild and farmed insects have been discussed by scholars, such as nutritional value, conservation and farming techniques, no study has addressed how insect farming contributes to rural livelihoods. Furthermore, the roles that interactions between insect farmers, their peers and institutions play in insect farming as a livelihood strategy are even less well understood. This paper presents a preliminary assessment of Cricket farming as a livelihood strategy in Thailand. Fortynine Cricket farmers participated in in-depth interviews designed to gain insight into how Cricket farming contributes to rural livelihoods. This exploratory study investigates the following research questions: What are the characteristics of Thai Cricket farmers and their farms? How do Crickets contribute to the lives of rural farmers in Thailand? What role has social and human capital played in Cricket farming communities? And what can be learned from the experience of Cricket farming in Thailand? Findings suggest that Cricket farming has improved the lives of many rural farmers in Thailand not only through the provision of an alternative income source, but through strengthening human and social capital. As such, further empirical data and case study analyses are needed in order to advance our understanding of this particular livelihood strategy.
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The development of the edible Cricket industry in Thailand
Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2016Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Roberto Flore, Yupa HanboonsongAbstract:Since Cricket farming was introduced in Thailand in 1997, domestic, regional and international interest in the edible Cricket industry has increased. This study aims to identify emerging themes related the development of the edible Cricket industry over the past decades. It also discusses additional themes in the development of the Cricket industry in connection to the work of other scholars, as well as future considerations to maintain the positive impacts of the industry on rural economic development, entrepreneurship and employment. Eight types of actors in the Cricket industry were considered in this study: Cricket farmers; wholesale traders and market vendors; tourism agents; international organisa tions; chefs; private companies; researchers; and governmental representatives. The farming and sale of Crickets is still a small-scale activity which is relatively profitable for the farmers and other actors in the value chain. Based on the findings of this study, the constraints to growth and further exp...
Chikara Kaito - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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two spotted Cricket as an animal infection model of human pathogenic fungi
Drug discoveries and therapeutics, 2017Co-Authors: Yuto Kochi, Yasuhiko Matsumoto, Kazuhisa Sekimizu, Chikara KaitoAbstract:: Invertebrate infection models that can be evaluated at human body temperature are limited. In this study, we utilized the two-spotted Cricket, a heat-tolerant insect, as an animal infection model of human pathogenic fungi. Injection of human pathogenic fungi, including Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Cryptococcus neoformans killed Crickets within 48 h at both 27˚C and 37˚C. The median lethal dose values (LD50 values) of C. albicans and C. glabrata against Crickets were decreased at 37˚C compared to that at 27˚C, whereas the LD50 value of C. neoformans was not different between 27˚C and 37˚C. Heat-killed cells of the three different fungi also killed Crickets, but the LD50 value of the heat-killed cells was higher than 5-fold that of live fungal cells in the respective species. C. neoformans gene-knockout strains of cna1, gpa1, and pka1, which are required for virulence in mammals, had greater LD50 values than the parent strain in Crickets. These findings suggest that the two-spotted Cricket is a valuable infection model of human pathogenic fungi that can be used to evaluate fungal virulence at variable temperatures, including 37˚C, and that the killing abilities of C. albicans and C. glabrata against animals are increased at 37˚C.
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no effect of body size on the frequency of calling and courtship song in the two spotted Cricket gryllus bimaculatus
PLOS ONE, 2016Co-Authors: Atsushi Miyashita, Kazuhisa Sekimizu, Hayato Kizaki, Chikara KaitoAbstract:The relationship between body size and vocalization parameters has been studied in many animal species. In insect species, however, the effect of body size on song frequency has remained unclear. Here we analyzed the effect of body size on the frequency spectra of mating songs produced by the two-spotted Cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus. We recorded the calling songs and courtship songs of male Crickets of different body sizes. The calling songs contained a frequency component that peaked at 5.7 kHz. On the other hand, courtship songs contained two frequency components that peaked at 5.8 and 14.7 kHz. The dominant frequency of each component in both the calling and courtship songs was constant regardless of body size. The size of the harp and mirror regions in the Cricket forewings, which are the acoustic sources of the songs, correlated positively with body size. These findings suggest that the frequency contents of both the calling and courtship songs of the Cricket are unaffected by whole body, harp, or mirror size.
Afton Halloran - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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What determines farmers’ awareness and interest in adopting Cricket farming? A pilot study from Kenya
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 2020Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Monica Ayieko, Jacqueline Oloo, Silvenus Ochieng Konyole, Mohammed Hussen Alemu, Nanna RoosAbstract:Farming Crickets for human consumption is emerging as a promising novel and sustainable animal-source food production system. Cricket farming in Kenya first began in 2013; however, adoption rates have been slower than expected. This paper presents a pilot study of farmers’ awareness of and interest in adopting Cricket farming as a new agricultural technology in three counties of Nyanza district, Kenya. A household questionnaire was conducted and included farmers who practised Cricket farming as well as those who did not practice Cricket farming. Thirteen focus group discussions were also held with adopters (those farming Crickets), exposed (trained) non-adopters, and non-exposed (untrained) non-adopters. Our results show that awareness is influenced by proximity to an existing Cricket farm; the number of sources of agricultural information; frequency of consumption of animal source foods; frequency of fruit consumption; farm size; crop diversity score; off-farm income; frequency of visits to an extension office; and the consumption of Crickets. Some of these factors – together with ownership of a mobile phone, the degree of risk averseness and the consumption of termites – also influence interest in adopting Cricket farming. Adequate equipment, space, and housing were the most cited barriers to the adoption of Cricket farming. Overall, the results of this pilot study suggest that Cricket farming is still relatively unknown and adoption is low amongst rural smallholders in Kenya, which is explained by various factors. However, this pilot study should be followed with a more comprehensive study to investigate the adoption of Cricket farming and its drivers.
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Life cycle assessment of Cricket farming in north-eastern Thailand
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Yupa Hanboonsong, Sander BruunAbstract:Abstract Over the last few years, edible insect species have been heralded as an environmentally sustainable solution to current and future food crises. However, the few existing studies that aim to evaluate the environmental performance of insect farming systems are extremely limited in scope. This paper presents the first case of a life cycle assessment (LCA) performed on an existing production system of Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer (field Cricket) and Acheta domesticus (house Cricket) production in north-eastern Thailand and compares it with broiler production in the same region. The system boundaries of the production system considered the entire production cycle of edible Crickets as well as processing. The study included two functional units (1 kg of edible mass and 1 kg of protein in edible mass). Irrespective of the functional unit, larger impacts were associated with broiler production. Major hotspots for Cricket and broiler production were related to the production soybean meal and maize grain for feed. A scaled-up Cricket farming system which was considered as a possible 'future' scenario demonstrated a reduction in overall environmental impacts when compared to current Cricket production and industrial broiler production. While scaled-up Cricket farming showed fewer overall environmental impacts, intensified systems could potentially have reduced socioeconomic impacts on rural areas in Thailand. Improvement options could be adopted by undertaking further research into the formulation of local feeds and acquiring improved knowledge about Cricket nutrition.
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Cricket farming as a livelihood strategy in Thailand
The Geographical Journal, 2016Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Yupa HanboonsongAbstract:While many important aspects of wild and farmed insects have been discussed by scholars, such as nutritional value, conservation and farming techniques, no study has addressed how insect farming contributes to rural livelihoods. Furthermore, the roles that interactions between insect farmers, their peers and institutions play in insect farming as a livelihood strategy are even less well understood. This paper presents a preliminary assessment of Cricket farming as a livelihood strategy in Thailand. Fortynine Cricket farmers participated in in-depth interviews designed to gain insight into how Cricket farming contributes to rural livelihoods. This exploratory study investigates the following research questions: What are the characteristics of Thai Cricket farmers and their farms? How do Crickets contribute to the lives of rural farmers in Thailand? What role has social and human capital played in Cricket farming communities? And what can be learned from the experience of Cricket farming in Thailand? Findings suggest that Cricket farming has improved the lives of many rural farmers in Thailand not only through the provision of an alternative income source, but through strengthening human and social capital. As such, further empirical data and case study analyses are needed in order to advance our understanding of this particular livelihood strategy.
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The development of the edible Cricket industry in Thailand
Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 2016Co-Authors: Afton Halloran, Nanna Roos, Roberto Flore, Yupa HanboonsongAbstract:Since Cricket farming was introduced in Thailand in 1997, domestic, regional and international interest in the edible Cricket industry has increased. This study aims to identify emerging themes related the development of the edible Cricket industry over the past decades. It also discusses additional themes in the development of the Cricket industry in connection to the work of other scholars, as well as future considerations to maintain the positive impacts of the industry on rural economic development, entrepreneurship and employment. Eight types of actors in the Cricket industry were considered in this study: Cricket farmers; wholesale traders and market vendors; tourism agents; international organisa tions; chefs; private companies; researchers; and governmental representatives. The farming and sale of Crickets is still a small-scale activity which is relatively profitable for the farmers and other actors in the value chain. Based on the findings of this study, the constraints to growth and further exp...