Journal Description
Insects
Insects
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on entomology published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), PubMed, PMC, PubAg, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q1 (Entomology) / CiteScore - Q1 (Insect Science)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 17 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 2.9 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
Impact Factor:
3.0 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.1 (2022)
Latest Articles
Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insights into Water Immersion Promoting the Decocooning of Osmia excavata Alfken
Insects 2024, 15(4), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040288 - 18 Apr 2024
Abstract
The timing of decocooning and nesting during the flowering period are crucial for the reproduction and pollination activities of Osmia excavata. In order to improve the pollination efficiency of O. excavata, it is crucial to find a way to break
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The timing of decocooning and nesting during the flowering period are crucial for the reproduction and pollination activities of Osmia excavata. In order to improve the pollination efficiency of O. excavata, it is crucial to find a way to break the cocoon quickly. Our results showed that the decocooning rates at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h after 30 min of water immersion (WI) were 28.67%, 37.33%, 37.33%, 41.33%, 44.33%, and 53.00%, respectively. The decocooning rate fold of 6 h was 14.33 compared with the control group. Transcriptome sequencing resulted in 273 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) being identified between the WI and control groups. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that muscle-related functions play important roles in O. excavata decocooning in response to WI. Cluster analysis also showed that DEGs in cardiac muscle contraction and adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes were up-regulated in response to WI-promoted decocooning. In conclusion, the rate of decocooning can be improved by WI in a short time. During WI-promoted decocooning, muscle-related pathways play an important role. Therefore, the application of this technology will improve the pollination effect of O. excavata.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Insect Molecular Biology and Genomics)
Open AccessArticle
Validation of Diets with Tomato Pomace in Complete Cycle Breeding of Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
by
Ferdinando Baldacchino, Anna Spagnoletta, Flutura Lamaj, Maria Luisa Vitale and Vincenzo Verrastro
Insects 2024, 15(4), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040287 - 18 Apr 2024
Abstract
By-product-based diets have the potential to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758) production. However, evaluations of the efficacy of new diets are generally focused on larval performance, while the effect on adults is poorly understood. This aim of
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By-product-based diets have the potential to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758) production. However, evaluations of the efficacy of new diets are generally focused on larval performance, while the effect on adults is poorly understood. This aim of this study was to evaluate diets enriched with tomato pomace over a complete breeding cycle. The results showed that when used as an oviposition substrate, all the tested diets, including tomato pomace (T), outperformed the control bran-yeast diet (WY, 95:5 ratio), possibly due to the presence of cholesterol and linoleic acid. The adults fed with the bran-tomato pomace-brewer’s spent grain diet (WTB, 50:27:23 ratio), the bran-tomato pomace-yeast diet (WTY, 50:41:9 ratio), and the bran-tomato pomace diet (WT, 50:50 ratio) produced significantly more larvae than those fed with the WY diet. The WTB diet (despite being yeast-free) performed similarly to the WY control diet during the subsequent larval growth phase, making it suitable for the entire production cycle. In conclusion, the results show that tomato pomace can be used a valid by-product in the formulation of efficient diets for the breeding of T. molitor and also provide an alternative to expensive yeast.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Rearing: Reserve Forces with Commercial and Ecological Values)
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Open AccessArticle
The Effect of Social Norms on Residential Insecticide Use
by
Moshe Gish
Insects 2024, 15(4), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040286 - 18 Apr 2024
Abstract
Insecticide products are widely used in homes around the world, despite concerns about their adverse health effects. Variations in insecticide use levels can stem not only from differences in environmental conditions, but also from societal factors. This study investigates the impact of religiosity
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Insecticide products are widely used in homes around the world, despite concerns about their adverse health effects. Variations in insecticide use levels can stem not only from differences in environmental conditions, but also from societal factors. This study investigates the impact of religiosity on insecticide use in Jewish households, hypothesizing that religious families might use more insecticides because insects are considered taboo in Judaism. Data from interviews with 70 families, examining their insecticide use, exposure to pests, aversion to cockroaches, and other predisposing factors, revealed that despite similar levels of pest exposure, religious families reported higher insecticide use and greater aversion to cockroaches. Multiple linear regression analysis identified religiosity as the primary predictor of insecticide use, followed by pest exposure levels. The elevated insecticide use among religious Jewish families may stem from several factors, with the Jewish categorization of insects as “impure animals” that should be strictly avoided likely playing a crucial role in promoting insecticide use. Understanding how attitudes toward insects influence insecticide use across different societies is crucial for health and environmental authorities to develop novel insecticide-reduction initiatives that will be tailored to the unique social characteristics of various communities.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Cultural Entomology: Our Love-hate Relationship with Insects)
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Open AccessArticle
Bombus terrestris Prefer Mixed-Pollen Diets for a Better Colony Performance: A Laboratory Study
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Ziyu Zhou, Hong Zhang, Shibonage K. Mashilingi, Chunting Jie, Baodi Guo, Yi Guo, Xiao Hu, Shahid Iqbal, Bingshuai Wei, Yanjie Liu and Jiandong An
Insects 2024, 15(4), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040285 - 17 Apr 2024
Abstract
Pollen is a major source of proteins and lipids for bumblebees. The nutritional content of pollen may differ from source plants, ultimately affecting colony development. This study investigated the foraging preferences of Bombus terrestris in regard to four pollen species, i.e., oilseed rape,
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Pollen is a major source of proteins and lipids for bumblebees. The nutritional content of pollen may differ from source plants, ultimately affecting colony development. This study investigated the foraging preferences of Bombus terrestris in regard to four pollen species, i.e., oilseed rape, wild apricot, sunflower, and buckwheat, under laboratory conditions. The results show that B. terrestris diversified their preference for pollens; the bumblebees mostly preferred wild apricot pollen, whereas sunflower pollen was the least preferred. The colonies fed on a mixed four-pollen diet, with a protein–lipid ratio of 4.55–4.86, exhibited better development in terms of the number of offspring, individual body size and colony weight. The colonies fed with buckwheat and sunflower pollens produced a significantly lower number of workers and failed to produce queen and male offspring. Moreover, wild apricot pollen had the richest protein content (23.9 g/100 g) of the four pollen species, whereas oilseed rape pollen had the highest lipid content (6.7 g/100 g), as revealed by the P:L ratios of wild apricot, sunflower, buckwheat, and oilseed rape, which were 6.76, 5.52, 3.50, and 3.37, respectively. Generally, B. terrestris showed feeding preferences regarding different pollens and a mixture of pollens, which ultimately resulted in differences in colony development. The findings of this study provide important baseline information to researchers and developers of nutritive pollen diets for bumblebees.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Societies and Sociality)
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Open AccessArticle
More Than 200 Years Later: Gluvia brunnea sp. nov. (Solifugae, Daesiidae), a Second Species of Camel Spider from the Iberian Peninsula
by
Cristian Pertegal, Pablo Barranco, Eva De Mas and Jordi Moya-Laraño
Insects 2024, 15(4), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040284 - 17 Apr 2024
Abstract
We present the description of a new species of Solifugae from the Iberian Peninsula, Gluvia brunnea sp. nov., which has been found so far in southeast Spain. The morphological description is accompanied by molecular and multiple factor analyses, jointly giving full support to
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We present the description of a new species of Solifugae from the Iberian Peninsula, Gluvia brunnea sp. nov., which has been found so far in southeast Spain. The morphological description is accompanied by molecular and multiple factor analyses, jointly giving full support to the specific status of the taxon. Finally, we discuss the intraspecific variability of both species, G. dorsalis and G. brunnea sp. nov., and the recent history of the genus. We also discuss the usefulness of multiple factor analysis for quantitatively separating species, and we stress that some specimens of this new species were found in Mesovoid Shallow Substratum stations, representing the very first time that Solifugae have been captured in this type of trap.
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(This article belongs to the Section Other Arthropods and General Topics)
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Feeding Appropriate Nutrients during the Adult Stage to Promote the Growth and Development of Carposina sasakii Offspring
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Tong Fu, Yiran Li, Xinrun Ren, Qiao Liu, Ling Wu, Angie Deng, Ruihe Gao, Yuhong Zhang, Lina Men and Zhiwei Zhang
Insects 2024, 15(4), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040283 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
Nutrients consumed during the adult stage are a key factor affecting the growth, development, and reproduction of insect offspring and thus could play an important role in insect population research. However, there is absence of conclusive evidence regarding the direct effects of parental
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Nutrients consumed during the adult stage are a key factor affecting the growth, development, and reproduction of insect offspring and thus could play an important role in insect population research. However, there is absence of conclusive evidence regarding the direct effects of parental (F0) nutritional status on offspring (F1) fitness in insects. Carposina sasakii Matsumura is a serious, widespread fruit-boring pest that negatively impacts orchards and the agricultural economy across East Asia. In this study, life history data of F1 directly descended from F0 C. sasakii fed with seven different nutrients (water as control, 5 g·L−1 honey solution, 10 g·L−1 honey solution, 5 g·L−1 sucrose solution, 10 g·L−1 sucrose solution, 15 g·L−1 sucrose solution, and 20 g·L−1 sucrose solution) were collected under laboratory conditions. The growth and development indices, age-stage specific survival rate, age-stage specific fecundity, age-stage specific life expectancy, age-stage specific reproductive value, and population parameters of these offspring were analyzed according to the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. The results showed that the nutritional status of F0 differentially affects the growth, development, and reproduction of F1. The F1 offspring of F0 adult C. sasakii fed with 10 g·L−1 sucrose had significantly higher life table parameters than those of other treatments (intrinsic rate of increase, r = 0.0615 ± 0.0076; finite rate of increase, λ = 1.0634 ± 0.0081; net reproductive rate, R0 = 12.61 ± 3.57); thus, 10 g·L−1 sucrose was more suitable for raising C. sasakii in the laboratory than other treatments. This study not only provides clear evidence for the implications of altering F0 nutritional conditions on the fitness of F1 in insects, but also lays the foundation for the implementation of feeding technologies within the context of a well-conceived laboratory rearing strategy for C. sasakii.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Ecology, Diversity and Conservation)
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Open AccessArticle
A Time-Frequency Domain Mixed Attention-Based Approach for Classifying Wood-Boring Insect Feeding Vibration Signals Using a Deep Learning Model
by
Weizheng Jiang, Zhibo Chen and Haiyan Zhang
Insects 2024, 15(4), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040282 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
Wood borers, such as the emerald ash borer and holcocerus insularis staudinger, pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems, causing damage to trees and impacting biodiversity. This paper proposes a neural network for detecting and classifying wood borers based on their feeding vibration
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Wood borers, such as the emerald ash borer and holcocerus insularis staudinger, pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems, causing damage to trees and impacting biodiversity. This paper proposes a neural network for detecting and classifying wood borers based on their feeding vibration signals. We utilize piezoelectric ceramic sensors to collect drilling vibration signals and introduce a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture named Residual Mixed Domain Attention Module Network (RMAMNet).The RMAMNet employs both channel-domain attention and time-domain attention mechanisms to enhance the network’s capability to learn meaningful features. The proposed system outperforms established networks, such as ResNet and VGG, achieving a recognition accuracy of 95.34% and an F1 score of 0.95. Our findings demonstrate that RMAMNet significantly improves the accuracy of wood borer classification, indicating its potential for effective pest monitoring and classification tasks. This study provides a new perspective and technical support for the automatic detection, classification, and early warning of wood-boring pests in forestry.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Management of Invasive Insect Pests)
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Open AccessArticle
Decline in Honeybees and Its Consequences for Beekeepers and Crop Pollination in Western Nepal
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Susanne Kortsch, Thomas P. Timberlake, Alyssa R. Cirtwill, Sujan Sapkota, Manish Rokoya, Kedar Devkota, Tomas Roslin, Jane Memmott and Naomi Saville
Insects 2024, 15(4), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040281 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
In understudied regions of the world, beekeeper records can provide valuable insights into changes in pollinator population trends. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 116 beekeepers in a mountainous area of Western Nepal, where the native honeybee Apis cerana cerana is kept as
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In understudied regions of the world, beekeeper records can provide valuable insights into changes in pollinator population trends. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 116 beekeepers in a mountainous area of Western Nepal, where the native honeybee Apis cerana cerana is kept as a managed bee. We complemented the survey with field data on insect–crop visitation, a household income survey, and an interview with a local lead beekeeper. In total, 76% of beekeepers reported declines in honeybees, while 86% and 78% reported declines in honey yield and number of beehives, respectively. Honey yield per hive fell by 50% between 2012 and 2022, whilst the number of occupied hives decreased by 44%. Beekeepers ranked climate change and declining flower abundance as the most important drivers of the decline. This raises concern for the future food and economic security of this region, where honey sales contribute to 16% of total household income, and where Apis cerana cerana plays a major role in crop pollination, contributing more than 50% of all flower visits to apple, cucumber, and pumpkin. To mitigate further declines, we promote native habitat and wildflower preservation, and using well-insulated log hives to buffer bees against the increasingly extreme temperature fluctuations.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Healthy and Sustainable Beekeeping)
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Future Climate Change and Anthropogenic Disturbance Promote the Invasions of the World’s Worst Invasive Insect Pests
by
Runyao Cao and Jianmeng Feng
Insects 2024, 15(4), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040280 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
Invasive insect pests adversely impact human welfare and global ecosystems. However, no studies have used a unified scheme to compare the range dynamics of the world’s worst invasive insect pests. We investigated the future range shifts of 15 of the world’s worst invasive
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Invasive insect pests adversely impact human welfare and global ecosystems. However, no studies have used a unified scheme to compare the range dynamics of the world’s worst invasive insect pests. We investigated the future range shifts of 15 of the world’s worst invasive insect pests. Although future range dynamics varied substantially among the 15 worst invasive insect pests, most exhibited large range expansions. Increases in the total habitat suitability occurred in more than ca. 85% of global terrestrial regions. The relative impacts of anthropogenic disturbance and climate variables on the range dynamics depended on the species and spatial scale. Aedes albopictus, Cinara cupressi, and Trogoderma granarium occurred four times in the top five largest potential ranges under four future climate scenarios. Anoplophora glabripennis, Aedes albopictus, and Co. formosanus were predicted to have the largest range expansions. An. glabripennis, Pl. manokwari, Co. formosanus, and So. invicta showed the largest range centroid shifts. More effective strategies will be required to prevent their range expansions. Although the strategies should be species-specific, mitigating anthropogenic disturbances and climate change will be essential to preventing future invasions. This study provides critical and novel insights for developing global strategies to combat the invasions of invasive insect pests in the future.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Pest and Vector Management)
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Wing Plasticity Is Associated with Growth and Energy Metabolism in Two Color Morphs of the Pea Aphid
by
Hehe Cao, Xi Wang, Jiawei Wang, Zhaozhi Lu and Tongxian Liu
Insects 2024, 15(4), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040279 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a major pest of legume crops, exhibiting distinct polymorphism in terms of wings and body color. We found that, under crowded conditions, the red morph A. pisum produced more winged offspring than the green morph. The
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The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a major pest of legume crops, exhibiting distinct polymorphism in terms of wings and body color. We found that, under crowded conditions, the red morph A. pisum produced more winged offspring than the green morph. The signaling pathways involved in aphid wing determination, like insulin and ecdysone, also play important roles in regulating growth, development, and metabolism. Thus, here, we examined the association between the wing-producing ability and the growth rate, development time, reproductive capacity, and energy metabolism in these two color morphs. The growth rate of red morphs was significantly higher than that of green morphs, whereas green morphs produced more offspring during the first 6 days of the adult stage. Red morphs accumulated higher levels of glycogen and triglycerides and consumed more triglycerides during starvation; however, green aphids consumed more trehalose during food deprivation. Red aphids exhibited stronger starvation tolerance, possibly due to their higher triglyceride catabolic activity. Furthermore, the expression levels of genes involved in the insulin pathway, glycolysis, and lipolysis in red aphids were higher than those in green aphids. These results suggest that the wing-producing ability of the pea aphid may be associated with its growth and metabolism, which may be due to the shared regulatory signaling pathways.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Physiology, Reproduction and Development)
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High Trunk Truncation as a Potential Sustainable Management Option for Asian Longhorned Beetle on Salix babylonica
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Chen Huang, Hualing Wang, Xiaoxia Hai, Zhigang Wang and Fei Lyu
Insects 2024, 15(4), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040278 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) causes substantial economic and ecological losses, thus, an environmentally friendly management strategy is needed. Here, we propose high trunk truncation (HTT), the removal of the above 200 cm portion of trees, as a sustainable management strategy to control
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The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) causes substantial economic and ecological losses, thus, an environmentally friendly management strategy is needed. Here, we propose high trunk truncation (HTT), the removal of the above 200 cm portion of trees, as a sustainable management strategy to control ALB. To examine the hypothesis, an initial step involved the assessment of various biological characteristics of ALB. Subsequently, a controlled field experiment was carried out utilizing HTT. Finally, HTT was applied in two additional ALB infestation regions. The results of the study of the biological characteristics of ALB showed that 76.31–78.88% of frass holes and 85.08–87.93% of emergence holes were located on branches above 200 cm. Adults preferred to feed on branches 2–3 cm in diameter, ALB eggs were predominantly laid on 5 cm branches, and both were primarily located above 200 cm. These results revealed a correlation between the number of ALBs and the tree crown height. The controlled field experiment showed that the number of ALBs was significantly decreased when the HTT strategy was implemented: approximately 90% of frass holes and 95% of adults were eradicated by HTT compared with the control. Different field surveys involving HTT have shown similar results. These findings provide valuable insights into a sustainable and efficient management strategy for reducing the number of ALBs.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Agricultural Crops and Forest Ecosystems)
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Point Protection with Transfluthrin against Musca domestica L. in a Semi-Field Enclosure
by
Robert L. Aldridge, Alexandra A. Pagac, Edmund J. Norris, Daniel L. Kline, Christopher J. Geden and Kenneth J. Linthicum
Insects 2024, 15(4), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040277 - 16 Apr 2024
Abstract
House flies are notoriously difficult to control, owing to their tendency to live in close relationships with humans and their livestock, and their rapid development of resistance to chemical controls. With this in mind, we explored an alternative chemical control, a spatial repellent
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House flies are notoriously difficult to control, owing to their tendency to live in close relationships with humans and their livestock, and their rapid development of resistance to chemical controls. With this in mind, we explored an alternative chemical control, a spatial repellent to deter Musca domestica L. from points we wanted to protect (i.e., a baited trap). Our results demonstrated that the synthetic spatial repellent, transfluthrin, is effective in preventing M. domestica adults from entering protected traps for both a susceptible strain (CAR21) and a field-acquired permethrin-resistant strain (WHF; 24 h LD50 resistance ratio of 150), comprising 22% and 28% of the total number of flies collected, respectively. These results are promising and demonstrate that transfluthrin can be an effective spatial repellent to protect points of interest where needed.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Pest and Vector Management)
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Identification of Candidate Genes Associated with Type-II Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis in the Tea Geometrid (Ectropis obliqua) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)
by
Changxia Xu, Nanxia Fu, Xiaoming Cai, Zhaoqun Li, Lei Bian, Chunli Xiu, Zongmao Chen, Long Ma and Zongxiu Luo
Insects 2024, 15(4), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040276 - 15 Apr 2024
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Ectropis obliqua, a notorious tea pest, produces a Type-II sex pheromone blend for mate communication. This blend contains (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-octadecatriene, (Z,Z)-3,9-cis-6,7-epoxy-octadecadiene, and (Z,Z)-3,9-cis-6,7-epoxy-nonadecadiene. To elucidate the genes related to the biosynthesis of these
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Ectropis obliqua, a notorious tea pest, produces a Type-II sex pheromone blend for mate communication. This blend contains (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-octadecatriene, (Z,Z)-3,9-cis-6,7-epoxy-octadecadiene, and (Z,Z)-3,9-cis-6,7-epoxy-nonadecadiene. To elucidate the genes related to the biosynthesis of these sex pheromone components, transcriptome sequencing of the female E. obliqua pheromone gland and the abdomen without pheromone gland was performed. Comparative RNAseq analyses identified 52 putative genes, including 7 fatty acyl-CoA elongases (ELOs), 9 fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FARs), 1 decarbonylase (DEC), 3 lipophorins (LIPs), and 32 cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs). Tissue expression profiles revealed that two ELOs (ELO3 and ELO5), two FARs (FAR2 and FAR9), one DEC (CYP4G173), and one LIP (LIP1) displayed either abdomen-centric or -specific expression, suggesting potential roles in sex pheromone biosynthesis within the oenocytes of E. obliqua. Furthermore, the tissue expression patterns, combined with phylogenetic analysis, showed that CYP340BD1, which was expressed specifically and predominantly only in the pheromone gland, was clustered with the previously reported epoxidases, highlighting its potential role in the epoxidation of the unsaturated polytriene sex pheromone components. Collectively, our research provides valuable insights into the genes linked to sex pheromone biosynthesis.
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Open AccessArticle
Prevalence in Potato of ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus Phytopathogenicus’ and ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma Solani’ and Their Transmission via Adult Pentastiridius leporinus
by
André Rinklef, Sarah Christin Behrmann, David Löffler, Jan Erner, Martin Vincent Meyer, Christian Lang, Andreas Vilcinskas and Kwang-Zin Lee
Insects 2024, 15(4), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040275 - 15 Apr 2024
Abstract
The planthopper Pentastiridius leporinus (Hempiptera: Cixiidae) is the main vector of two bacterial pathogens: the γ-proteobacterium ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ and the stolbur phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’. These pathogens cause the disease syndrome basses richesses (SBR) in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris
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The planthopper Pentastiridius leporinus (Hempiptera: Cixiidae) is the main vector of two bacterial pathogens: the γ-proteobacterium ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ and the stolbur phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’. These pathogens cause the disease syndrome basses richesses (SBR) in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), which reduces the yields and sugar content. In 2022, potato (Solanum tuberosum) fields were found to be colonized by P. leporinus, and the transmission of Arsenophonus was confirmed, resulting in symptoms like wilting, yellow leaves, and rubbery tubers. We monitored both pathogens in Southwest Germany in 2022 and 2023. This revealed their widespread presence in potato tubers, although there were differences in regional prevalence. The broad prevalence of Arsenophonus was maintained in 2023, whereas the prevalence of stolbur increased in most locations. We confirmed that P. leporinus adults can transmit both pathogens to potatoes, but neither pathogen reduced the germination rate of tubers, and no plants showed abnormal growth after germination. Arsenophonus was not detected in germinated shoots, but 5.4% contained stolbur, emphasizing the need for plant material testing to maintain phytosanitary conditions.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Pest and Vector Management)
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Transcriptomic and Metatranscriptomic Analyses Provide New Insights into the Response of the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to Acetamiprid
by
Zhiyan Cai, Xuhui Zhao, Yuxin Qian, Kun Zhang, Shigang Guo, Yunchao Kan, Yuqing Wang, Camilo Ayra-Pardo and Dandan Li
Insects 2024, 15(4), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040274 - 15 Apr 2024
Abstract
Acetamiprid is a broad-spectrum neonicotinoid insecticide used in agriculture to control aphids. While recent studies have documented resistance to acetamiprid in several aphid species, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome and metatranscriptome of a
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Acetamiprid is a broad-spectrum neonicotinoid insecticide used in agriculture to control aphids. While recent studies have documented resistance to acetamiprid in several aphid species, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome and metatranscriptome of a laboratory strain of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris, 1776), with reduced susceptibility to acetamiprid after nine generations of exposure to identify candidate genes and the microbiome involved in the adaptation process. Sequencing of the transcriptome of both selected (RS) and non-selected (SS) strains allowed the identification of 14,858 genes and 4938 new transcripts. Most of the differentially expressed genes were associated with catalytic activities and metabolic pathways involving carbon and fatty acids. Specifically, alcohol-forming fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) and acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSF2), both involved in the synthesis of epidermal wax layer components, were significantly upregulated in RS, suggesting that adaptation to acetamiprid involves the synthesis of a thicker protective layer. Metatranscriptomic analyses revealed subtle shifts in the microbiome of RS. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of acetamiprid adaptation by the pea aphid and provide new insights for aphid control strategies.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Pest and Vector Management)
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Open AccessArticle
Natural Diversity of Cuticular Pheromones in a Local Population of Drosophila after Laboratory Acclimation
by
Jean-François Ferveur, Jérôme Cortot, Matthew Cobb and Claude Everaerts
Insects 2024, 15(4), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040273 - 15 Apr 2024
Abstract
Experimental studies of insects are often based on strains raised for many generations in constant laboratory conditions. However, laboratory acclimation could reduce species diversity reflecting adaptation to varied natural niches. Hydrocarbons covering the insect cuticle (cuticular hydrocarbons; CHCs) are reliable adaptation markers. They
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Experimental studies of insects are often based on strains raised for many generations in constant laboratory conditions. However, laboratory acclimation could reduce species diversity reflecting adaptation to varied natural niches. Hydrocarbons covering the insect cuticle (cuticular hydrocarbons; CHCs) are reliable adaptation markers. They are involved in dehydration reduction and protection against harmful factors. CHCs can also be involved in chemical communication principally related to reproduction. However, the diversity of CHC profiles in nature and their evolution in the laboratory have rarely been investigated. Here, we sampled CHC natural diversity in Drosophila melanogaster flies from a particular location in a temperate region. We also measured cis-Vaccenyl acetate, a male-specific volatile pheromone. After trapping flies using varied fruit baits, we set up 21 D. melanogaster lines and analysed their pheromones at capture and after 1 to 40 generations in the laboratory. Under laboratory conditions, the broad initial pheromonal diversity found in male and female flies rapidly changed and became more limited. In some females, we detected CHCs only reported in tropical populations: the presence of flies with a novel CHC profile may reflect the rapid adaptation of this cosmopolitan species to global warming in a temperate area.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research in Chemical Ecology of Insects of Significance to Forestry and Agriculture)
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Open AccessArticle
Response of Chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae) to Environmental Factors at Different Spatial Scales
by
Bruno Rossaro and Laura Marziali
Insects 2024, 15(4), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040272 - 14 Apr 2024
Abstract
Factors responsible for species distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates, including responses at different spatial scales, have been previously investigated. The aim of the present research was to review the most relevant factors explaining chironomid species distribution focusing on factors operating at different spatial scales,
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Factors responsible for species distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates, including responses at different spatial scales, have been previously investigated. The aim of the present research was to review the most relevant factors explaining chironomid species distribution focusing on factors operating at different spatial scales, such as latitude, longitude, altitude, substrate, salinity, water temperature, current velocity, conductivity, acidity, dissolved oxygen, nutrient content etc. acting at regional levels and at a large or small water basin level. Data including chironomid species abundances from different lentic and lotic waters in Italy and other surrounding countries were analyzed using partial canonical correspondence analysis (pCCA) and multiple discriminant analysis (DISCR). Spatial analyses, including univariate Moran’s I correlograms, multivariate Mantel correlograms and Moran’s eigenvector maps (MEMs), were thereafter carried out. The results showed that habitat type, including different types of lotic waters (i.e., kryal, crenal, rhithral, potamal) and different lake types (i.e., littoral, sublittoral, profundal zones), is the most significant factor separating chironomid assemblages, while spatial factors act only as indirect influencers.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Insects: Diversity, Ecology and Evolution)
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Open AccessArticle
Molecular Identification and Prevalence of the Mite Carpoglyphus lactis (Acarina: Carpoglyphidae) in Apis mellifera in the Republic of Korea
by
Thi-Thu Nguyen, Mi-Sun Yoo, Hyang-Sim Lee, So-Youn Youn, Se-Ji Lee, Su-Kyoung Seo, Jaem-Yung Kim and Yun-Sang Cho
Insects 2024, 15(4), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040271 - 14 Apr 2024
Abstract
Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potential colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee
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Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potential colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across nine provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colony samples were collected from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1242 bp segment of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings of this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.
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(This article belongs to the Section Insect Systematics, Phylogeny and Evolution)
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Open AccessArticle
Expanding the Mesozoic Record of Early Brachyceran Fly Larvae, including New Larval Forms with Chimera-Type Morphologies
by
André P. Amaral, Joachim T. Haug, Carolin Haug, Simon Linhart, Patrick Müller, Jörg U. Hammel and Viktor Baranov
Insects 2024, 15(4), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040270 - 13 Apr 2024
Abstract
Diptera are one of the four megadiverse groups of holometabolan insects. Flies perform numerous ecological functions, especially in their larval stages. We can assume that this was already the case in the past; however, fly larvae remain rare in most deposits. Here we
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Diptera are one of the four megadiverse groups of holometabolan insects. Flies perform numerous ecological functions, especially in their larval stages. We can assume that this was already the case in the past; however, fly larvae remain rare in most deposits. Here we report new dipteran larvae preserved in Cretaceous (about 99 Ma) Kachin amber from Myanmar and, even older, Jurassic (about 165 Ma) compression fossils from China. Through light microscopy and micro-CT scanning we explore their peculiar morphology and discuss their possible phylogenetic affinities. Several larvae seem to represent the lineage of Stratiomyomorpha. A few others present characters unique to Xylophagidae (awl-flies), as well as to Athericidae (water sniper-flies), resulting in a chimeric morphology. Understanding the exact relationships of most of these specimens with a particular lineage remains challenging, since they differ considerably from any other known dipteran larvae and present some unique traits. Additionally, we report new specimens of Qiyia jurassica Chen et al., 2014, supposedly parasitic larvae, most likely representatives of Athericidae. These new findings offer valuable insights into the evolution of the early diversification of the brachyceran flies and underscore the importance of immature stages in understanding the evolutionary history and ecology of flies.
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(This article belongs to the Collection Advances in Diptera Biology)
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Open AccessArticle
Micronutrient Deficiency May Be Associated with the Onset of Chalkbrood Disease in Honey Bees
by
Ratko Pavlović, Robert Brodschneider, Walter Goessler, Ljubiša Stanisavljević, Zoran Vujčić and Nenad M. Zarić
Insects 2024, 15(4), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040269 - 12 Apr 2024
Abstract
Chalkbrood is a disease of honey bee brood caused by the fungal parasite Ascosphaera apis. Many factors such as genetics, temperature, humidity and nutrition influence the appearance of clinical symptoms. Poor nutrition impairs the immune system, which favors the manifestation of symptoms
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Chalkbrood is a disease of honey bee brood caused by the fungal parasite Ascosphaera apis. Many factors such as genetics, temperature, humidity and nutrition influence the appearance of clinical symptoms. Poor nutrition impairs the immune system, which favors the manifestation of symptoms of many honey bee diseases. However, a direct link between dietary ingredients and the symptoms of chalkbrood disease has not yet been established. We show here that the elemental composition of chalkbrood mummies and healthy larvae from the same infected hives differ, as well as that mummies differ from larvae from healthy hives. Chalkbrood mummies had the highest concentration of macroelements such as Na, Mg, P, S, K and Ca and some microelements such as Rb and Sn, and at the same time the lowest concentration of B, As, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba and Pb. Larvae from infected hives contained less Pb, Ba, Cs, Sb, Cd, Sr, As, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, V and Al in contrast to healthy larvae from a disease-free apiary. This is the first study to demonstrate such differences, suggesting that an infection alters the larval nutrition or that nutrition is a predisposition for the outbreak of a chalkbrood infection. Though, based on results obtained from a case study, rather than from a controlled experiment, our findings stress the differences in elements of healthy versus diseased honey bee larvae.
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(This article belongs to the Collection Impact of Environmental Factors and Management Practices on Bee Health)
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