Insects, Volume 11, Issue 8

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, a major pest of corn and native to the Americas, recently invaded (sub)tropical regions worldwide. The intensive use of insecticides and the high adoption of crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) pro...

The finite element (FE) method is one of the most widely used numerical techniques for the simulation of the mechanical behavior of engineering and biological objects. Although very efficient, the use of the FE method relies on the development of acc...

Wolbachia symbionts are maternally inherited bacteria that are widely distributed among Arthropoda hosts. Wolbachia influence their host biology in diverse ways. They may induce reproductive abnormalities, protect hosts against pathogens and parasite...

Pest management in most sub-Saharan subsistence agriculture involves mainly the use of botanicals that are either applied as powders, solvent extracts, ash or essential oils. Two hydrogenated monoterpenes (α-pinene and 3-carene) from Cupressus ...

Several postharvest technologies are currently being commercialized to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa reduce grain storage losses. We carried out a study in Northern Benin to compare the effectiveness of five technologies being sold t...

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is an important pest of stored products. Insecticidal treatment is a common practice for the control of this notorious insect pest. Most studies are focused on the immediate and/or delayed mort...

True flies and mosquitos (Diptera) live in habitats and consume diets that pose specific demands on their gut bacterial communities (GBCs). Due to diet specializations, dipterans may have highly diverse and species-specific GBCs. Dipterans are also c...

We conducted a survey on honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen management. Data were collected every year from 1980 to 2018. In total, 2964 questionnaires were collected from all over Poland. We examined the trends by decade timeslot, apiary size, and geo...

The New World screwworm (NWS) fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is an economically important ectoparasite currently distributed in South America and in the Caribbean basin. The successful eradication of this species in USA, Mexic...

Background: the mosquito Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is an important vector of arboviruses, including Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya. The dietary requirements of larval Ae. aegypti are not well understood and likely impact developmental and physiologi...

Due to concerns about frequent applications of spinosad and other broad spectrum insecticides for managing spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, SWD), we investigated the use of essential oils as an alternative to current insecticide...

Numerous assays are used to quantify thermal tolerance of arthropods including dynamic ramping and static knockdown assays. The dynamic assay measures a critical temperature while the animal is gradually heated, whereas the static assay measures the...

(1) Background: The widespread use of insecticides has cause extensive resistance in German cockroach (Blattella germanica) populations globally. Biological control has the potential to mitigate insecticide resistance, and Metarhizium anisopliae (Mes...

Plant-derived or botanical insecticides are biopesticides experiencing substantial ongoing increase in interest. The 74 years of our literature survey tracked over 2500 papers on botanical insecticides published between 1945 and 2019 (Web of Science...

Integrated pest management (IPM) is today a widely accepted pest management strategy to select and use the most efficient control tactics and at the same time reduce over-dependence on chemical insecticides and their potentially negative environmenta...

To explore the mitogenome characteristics and shed light on the phylogenetic relationships and molecular evolution of Drabescini species, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of two species including Drabescus ineffectus and Ro...

The agricultural mutualistic symbiosis between macrotermitine termites and Termitomyces fungi is obligate for both partners. The termites provide a protective growth environment for the fungus by cultivating it inside their colony and providing it wi...

Honey bees use several strategies to protect themselves and the colony from parasites and pathogens. In addition to individual immunity, social immunity involves the cumulative effort of some individuals to limit the spread of parasites and pathogens...

Specific sodium channel gene mutations confer target site resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in mosquitoes and other insects. In Aedes mosquito species, multiple mutations that contribute to resistance vary in their importance around the world. He...

Bacterial symbionts in arthropods are common, vary in their effects, and can dramatically influence the outcome of biological control efforts. Macrolophus pygmaeus (Heteroptera: Miridae), a key component of biological control programs, is mainly pred...

Global warming has gradually reduced the control efficacy of Agasicles hygrophila against the invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides. To better understand the summer collapse of A. hygrophila populations, we cloned the cDNA sequences of the high t...

The most common type of RNA editing in metazoans is the deamination of adenosine into inosine (A-to-I) catalyzed by the adenosine deaminase acting on the RNA (ADAR) family of proteins. The deletion or dysfunction of ADAR enzymes in higher eukaryotes...

Synthetic herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) could be used to monitor insect populations in agroecosystems, including beneficial insects such as natural enemies of herbivores. However, it is unknown whether insect responses to HIPVs are influe...

Pollinating butterflies are an important asset to agriculture, which still depends on wild resources. Yunnan Province in Southwest China is a region with typical montane agriculture, but this resource is poorly investigated. From literature reference...

Ionizing radiation creates free radicals, the effect of which is enhanced by the presence of oxygen; a low oxygen level produces radioprotective effects for insects compared with irradiation in ambient air. Modified (controlled) atmosphere packaging...

Richardsitas Betsch is a small genus of Sminthurinae with only two species described so far, both from Madagascar. It resembles other Sminthurinae with long antennae, especially Temeritas Richards. Here we provide the first record of Richardsitas fro...

Small-scale bioacoustic sensors, such as antennae in insects, are often considered, biomechanically, to be not much more than the sum of their basic geometric features. Therefore, little is known about the fine structure and material properties of th...

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]

An area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) strategy with a sterile insect technique (SIT) component has been proposed for the management of African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) in South Africa. In preparation for the SIT, the mating performance...

Plants and pollinators are mutually beneficial: plants provide nectar as a food source and in return their pollen is disseminated by pollinators such as honeybees. Some plants secrete chemicals to deter herbivores as a protective measure, among which...

The brain-gut–microbiome axis is an emerging area of study, particularly in vertebrate systems. Existing evidence suggests that gut microbes can influence basic physiological functions and that perturbations to the gut microbiome can have delet...

The author wishes to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

With the recent introduction of the non-native spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) to the USA, research and concern regarding this insect is increasing. Though L. delicatula is able to feed on many different plant species, its preference for the...

Bacteria belonging to ‘Candidatus Liberibacter spp.’ are associated with various severe diseases in the five continents. The African citrus psyllid Trioza erytreae (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is an efficient vector of citrus huanglongbing-HLB...

The mites Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and Tropilaelaps mercedesae Anderson and Morgan are both serious threats to the Apis mellifera beekeeping industry. A trait frequently used in selection programs for V. destructor resistance is hygieni...

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae is a difficult-to-control pest due to its short life cycle and rapid resistance development. In this study, we characterized field strains collected in 2001 and 2003 that were selected for acequinocyl r...

The alien invasive insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), commonly referred to as fall armyworm (FAW), is causing significant losses to maize production in Africa since its detection in 2016. Despite being the primary insec...

Zoophytophagous predators provide biocontrol services in various major crops of modern horticulture due to the combination of its predatory capacity and the induction of plant defenses derived from its phytophagy. However, under certain conditions of...

Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) repel banana black weevil (BW), Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824), the key-pest of banana [Musa sp. (Linnaeus, 1753)]. The entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana (Bb1TS11) and Metarhizium robertsii (Mr4TS04) we...

The effect of two protoporphyrin IX derivatives conjugated with single (PP[Lys(TFA)-OH)]₂) or double (PP[Lys(TFA)-Lys(TFA)-OH]₂) lysine moieties on the infectious capacity of Nosema ceranae spores was examined, and their efficacies were compared with...

Bumble bee population declines over the last decade have stimulated strong interest in determining causative factors and necessary conservation measures. Research attention has largely been directed toward bumble bee worker and queen health and their...

Dinotefuran-Permethrin-Pyriproxyfen (DPP) is used to kill and repel mosquitoes from dogs. However, the influence of the product on the host-seeking behavior of mosquitoes remains unknown. The interference of DPP with the host selection of unfed femal...

The essential oils extracted from mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) fruits, and from tea tree (Maleleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betche) Cheel) leaves have been chemically analyzed and tested for their bioactivity against D. suzukii. Besides, to e...

Bees collect pollen from flowers for their offspring, and by doing so contribute critical pollination services for our crops and ecosystems. Unlike many managed bee species, wild bees are thought to obtain much of their microbiome from the environmen...

Plant sap-sucking insects commonly have established mutualistic relationships with endosymbiotic bacteria that can provide nutrients lacking in their diet. Bemisia tabaci harbors one primary endosymbiont, Portiera aleyrodidarum, and up to seven secon...

Symbionts contribute nutrients that allow insects to feed on plants. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) is a polyphagous pest that depends on symbionts to provide key nutrients that are deficient in the diet. Here, we establ...

Stingless bee honey (SBH) is an astounding ‘miracle liquid’ with countless medicinal properties for various diseases such as gastroenteritis, cataracts, as well as for wound-healing. However, knowledge regarding it is still rather scarce....

Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, represent a significant public health concern due to their vectoring of tick-borne disease. Despite their medical importance, there is still limited knowledge of the chemosensory system of this species, and thus...

The yellow marmorated stink bug, Erthesina fullo (Thunberg, 1783), is a major pest of certain tree fruits in Northeast Asia. To better understand the feeding mechanism of E. fullo, the fine structure of the mouthparts, including the distribution and...

Eicosanoids mediate both cellular and humoral immune responses in insects. Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) catalyzes the first committed step in eicosanoid biosynthesis. It is a common pathogenic target of two entomopathogenic bacteria, Xenorhabdus and Photo...