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Insects
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Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control
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Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 8928

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hong Pang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Interests: the origin and evolution of insect diversity; systematic classification of Coleoptera; biological control; population genetics and resource utilization of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae)
Dr. Hao-Sen Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Interests: ladybird beetles; feeding habits; biological control; predator-prey interaction; insect-microbe symbiosis; population genetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ladybird beetles (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) are widely used in biological control practices. The introduction, artificial rearing, and release of ladybird beetles can contribute to their rapid evolution, resulting in changes in various characteristics such as life history, dietary preferences, and resistance to adverse conditions. Understanding of the genetic and evolutionary aspects of ladybird beetles can have implications for the effectiveness of biological control strategies. This Special Issue focuses on the scientific issue of “Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control” and seeks contributions from experts and scholars in the field. This Special Issue aims to show the latest research advancements and reviews in the areas including but not limited to the following:

  1. Population genetic changes in ladybird beetles resulting from artificial introductions.
  2. Evolution of characteristics related to biological control in ladybird beetles.
  3. Selective breeding strategies applied to ladybird beetles.
  4. Co-evolution between ladybird beetles and their prey species.

Prof. Dr. Hong Pang
Dr. Hao-Sen Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ladybird beetles
  • biological control
  • evolution
  • population genetics
  • selective breeding
  • predator–prey interaction

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 603 KiB  
Article
Impact of Direct Contact and Ingestion of Selected Insecticides on the Predator Harmonia axyridis of Citrus Psyllids
by Jing Pan, Gaoqi Cheng, Minjue Liu, Xiangfeng Pan, Zhigang Ouyang, Zhanjun Lu and Yimin Du
Insects 2025, 16(2), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16020126 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 920
Abstract
The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, serves as the primary vector for Huanglongbing (HLB) by transmitting Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. Lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam are commonly employed for the control of D. citri. The multicolored Asian lady beetle, or harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis [...] Read more.
The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, serves as the primary vector for Huanglongbing (HLB) by transmitting Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. Lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam are commonly employed for the control of D. citri. The multicolored Asian lady beetle, or harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, is an important predator of D. citri in both greenhouse and field settings. The effectiveness of integrated pest management (IPM) relies on the judicious use of selective insecticides that minimize harm to natural enemies. However, the effects of these insecticides on H. axyridis’ predation of D. citri remain thoroughly unexplored. In this study, we assessed the toxicity of lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam to H. axyridis and examined their impact on the functional response of this predator to D. citri using direct contact exposure methods. We also evaluated the indirect effects on predator voracity through ingestion exposure. Our results demonstrated that exposure to both insecticides at LC50 concentrations significantly prolonged the developmental durations of H. axyridis larval stages. The type-II functional response model effectively described the prey consumption patterns of H. axyridis, revealing a significant reduction in predation capacity across all life stages, particularly among second instar larvae, which experienced reductions of 85.30% and 88.58% following lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam treatments, respectively. Furthermore, H. axyridis’ predation significantly declined when feeding on D. citri contaminated at LC50 concentrations. These findings indicate that lambda-cyhalothrin and thiamethoxam adversely affect the predation of H. axyridis, both via direct contact and ingestion. Evaluating the potential impacts of these insecticides on H. axyridis is critical for the development of effective IPM strategies targeting D. citri. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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11 pages, 1849 KiB  
Article
Functional Analysis of Genes Encoding Juvenile Hormone Receptor Met and Transcription Factor Kr-h1 in the Reproductive Capacity of Coccinella septempunctata Males
by Ying Cheng, Yuhang Zhou and Cao Li
Insects 2025, 16(1), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16010049 - 6 Jan 2025
Viewed by 694
Abstract
This study focuses on the regulatory effects of genes encoding the juvenile hormone (JH) receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met) and transcription factor krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) on the reproductive capacity of Coccinella septempunctata male adults. Met and Kr-h1 expression levels were [...] Read more.
This study focuses on the regulatory effects of genes encoding the juvenile hormone (JH) receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met) and transcription factor krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) on the reproductive capacity of Coccinella septempunctata male adults. Met and Kr-h1 expression levels were analyzed in males fed on artificial diets with and without JH by quantitative real-time PCR, and the effects of Met and Kr-h1 on male reproduction were analyzed by RNA interference technology. Met transcription levels in 5- and 10-day-old males fed with a JH-supplemented diet were lower than those without JH. Kr-h1 expression in 5-day-old adult males was lower in diets lacking JH but was higher in 10-day-old males fed on a diet lacking JH. There were no significant differences in the testes sizes of male ladybugs injected with Met-dsRNA when compared to GFP-dsRNA; however, the testis volume of ladybugs injected with Kr-h1-dsRNA was smaller than those injected with GFP-dsRNA. After males were injected with Met-dsRNA and Kr-h1-dsRNA, the mean egg production by females decreased by 12.75% and 23.10%, respectively, at 20 d postinjection. Our results show that Met and Kr-h1 have important roles in regulating reproduction by directly affecting testes development in males and egg production in females. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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14 pages, 9223 KiB  
Article
Functions of Insulin-like Peptide Genes (CsILP1 and CsILP2) in Female Reproduction of the Predatory Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
by Shanshan Feng, Da Wang, Qiuju Qin, Ke Chen, Wenjing Zhang and Yunzhuan He
Insects 2024, 15(12), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15120981 - 11 Dec 2024
Viewed by 827
Abstract
Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) are important peptide hormones in insects, particularly involved in regulating physiological processes such as growth, development, and reproduction. However, the specific roles of ILPs in the reproduction of natural enemy insects remain unknown. In this study, two ILP genes, CsILP1 [...] Read more.
Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) are important peptide hormones in insects, particularly involved in regulating physiological processes such as growth, development, and reproduction. However, the specific roles of ILPs in the reproduction of natural enemy insects remain unknown. In this study, two ILP genes, CsILP1 and CsILP2, were cloned and their functions were analyzed in female Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The open reading frames (ORFs) of CsILP1 and CsILP2 were 384 bp and 357 bp, respectively. The expression of CsILP1 increased on the 6th day after eclosion, reaching its peak on the 12th day, while CsILP2 levels showed a significant increase on the 6th day and then stabilized. In different tissues, CsILP1 was highly expressed in ovaries, while CsILP2 predominated in elytra. Injection of dsRNA targeting CsILP1 and CsILP2 resulted in the down-regulation of insulin pathway genes. The relative expression of ovarian development-related genes Vasa, G2/M, and Vg was reduced by 82.50%, 89.55%. and 96.98% in dsCsILP1-treated females, and by 42.55%, 91.36%, and 55.63% in dsCsILP2-treated females. Furthermore, substantial decreases in 14-day fecundity were observed, with reductions of 89.99% for dsCsILP1 and 83.45% for dsCsILP2. These results confirm the regulatory functions of CsILP1 and CsILP2 in female C. septempunctata reproduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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31 pages, 32585 KiB  
Article
A Brief Review of the Microweiseinae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Region, Including Description of a New Species
by Janakiraman Poorani
Insects 2024, 15(11), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15110874 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1157
Abstract
Indian species of Microweiseinae are reviewed, comprising eight species (five species of Serangium Blackburn, one species of Microserangium Miyatake, and two species of Scymnomorphus Weise, including one new species from the southern Indian state of Kerala, Scymnomorphus ochraceus sp. n.). Illustrated diagnostic accounts [...] Read more.
Indian species of Microweiseinae are reviewed, comprising eight species (five species of Serangium Blackburn, one species of Microserangium Miyatake, and two species of Scymnomorphus Weise, including one new species from the southern Indian state of Kerala, Scymnomorphus ochraceus sp. n.). Illustrated diagnostic accounts are given for all species with details of distribution, biology, and host insects, wherever they are known. Immature stages are illustrated for Serangium parcesetosum Sicard and Serangium chapini (Kapur). An updated checklist of the Microweiseinae of India is given. The need for focused collections and systematic studies to unearth the hidden diversity of Indian Microweiseinae is discussed, and comments on their poor utilization in applied biological control in India are made. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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13 pages, 747 KiB  
Article
Functional and Numerical Responses of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Their Potential for Biological Control
by Chong Li, Jingya Yu, Runping Mao, Kaili Kang, Letian Xu and Mengting Wu
Insects 2024, 15(9), 633; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15090633 - 23 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1115
Abstract
The water lily aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae) is a highly polyphagous herbivore that causes severe damage to many terrestrial and aquatic plants, especially lotus. Due to environmental concerns about water pollution and other issues caused by chemical control methods, there is an [...] Read more.
The water lily aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae) is a highly polyphagous herbivore that causes severe damage to many terrestrial and aquatic plants, especially lotus. Due to environmental concerns about water pollution and other issues caused by chemical control methods, there is an urgent need to develop effective and sustainable control methods. The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is a well-known aphid predator and may pose a potential threat to R. nymphaeae. To study the predation ability of H. axyridis at different developmental stages on R. nymphaeae, we assessed the functional response, attack rate, and search effect of H. axyridis larvae and adults preying on R. nymphaeae. The numerical response of this process was also evaluated under a constant ladybird-to-aphid ratio and constant aphid density conditions, respectively. Our results showed that all predator stages exhibited type II functional responses. The predation rate of individual H. axyridis on R. nymphaeae nymphs significantly increased as prey density increased. In contrast, the search effect of H. axyridis gradually decreased with an increase in prey density. Meanwhile, H. axyridis at different developmental stages possess varying predation abilities; fourth instar and adult H. axyridis were found to be highly efficient predators of R. nymphaeae. H. axyridis adults exhibited the highest predation ability and predation rate, while both the adult and fourth-instar larvae exhibited the highest attack rate. Moreover, fourth-instar larvae exhibited the highest search effect value at initially lower prey densities, although adults surpassed them at higher prey densities. Our results also indicated that H. axyridis exhibited varying degrees of intraspecific interference and self-interference influence as predator density increases. These results strongly support H. axyridis as an effective biocontrol agent for R. nymphaeae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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10 pages, 2516 KiB  
Article
Effect of Ephestia kuehniella Eggs on Development and Transcriptome of the Ladybird Beetle Propylea japonica
by Guannan Li, Pei-Tao Chen, Mei-Lan Chen, Tuo-Yan Chen, Yu-Hao Huang, Xin Lü, Hao-Sen Li and Hong Pang
Insects 2024, 15(6), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15060407 - 2 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1628
Abstract
The eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella, are frequently utilized as alternative diets and have demonstrated promising outcomes when consumed by various insects. Nonetheless, the specific reasons for their effectiveness remain unclear. In our study, we assessed the developmental performance [...] Read more.
The eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella, are frequently utilized as alternative diets and have demonstrated promising outcomes when consumed by various insects. Nonetheless, the specific reasons for their effectiveness remain unclear. In our study, we assessed the developmental performance of the ladybird Propylea japonica when fed E. kuehniella eggs, alongside 12 factitious prey or artificial diets. Our findings revealed that ladybirds fed E. kuehniella eggs displayed a performance comparable to those fed the natural prey Megoura crassicauda. Transcriptome profiling of larvae raised on E. kuehniella eggs and M. crassicauda revealed that genes upregulated in the former group were enriched in metabolic pathways associated with carbohydrates, lipids, and other essential nutrients. This suggests that E. kuehniella eggs may have a higher nutrient content compared to natural prey. Furthermore, a notable downregulation in the expression of immune effector genes, such as Attacin and Coleoptericin, was observed, which might be attributed to the lower microbial content in E. kuehniella eggs compared to M. crassicauda. We suggest that the difference between E. kuehniella eggs and M. crassicauda as food sources for P. japonica lies in their nutrient and microbial contents. These findings provide valuable insights for the advancement of innovative artificial breeding systems for natural enemies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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12 pages, 979 KiB  
Article
Non-Consumptive Effects of Harmonia axyridis on the Reproduction and Metabolism of Spodoptera frugiperda
by Zeyun Fan, Xiaolu Lv, Yuyang Huang, Weizhen Kong, Chongjian Ma and He Yan
Insects 2024, 15(6), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15060395 - 28 May 2024
Viewed by 1771
Abstract
An increasing body of research has underscored the significant impact of non-consumptive effects on the dynamics of prey pests, encompassing growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism across various vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, rivaling the influence of consumption effects. In our investigation, we delved into [...] Read more.
An increasing body of research has underscored the significant impact of non-consumptive effects on the dynamics of prey pests, encompassing growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism across various vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, rivaling the influence of consumption effects. In our investigation, we delved into the non-consumptive effects exerted by the natural predatory enemy Harmonia axyridis on the reproductive capacity and metabolism of Spodoptera frugiperda adults. Our findings revealed a substantial decrease in the reproductive ability of S. frugiperda adults when exposed to the non-consumptive effects of H. axyridis. Concurrently, we observed an elevation in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutases (SODs), catalases (CATs), and peroxidases (PODs). Furthermore, notable alterations were detected in energy metabolism, characterized by heightened triglyceride levels and diminished glycogen and trehalose concentrations. These outcomes underscored the adaptive response of the pest aimed at mitigating non-consumptive adverse effects by augmenting antioxidant enzyme activity to counteract oxidative stress and minimize cellular damage. Nonetheless, this defensive mechanism entails a significant expenditure of energy resources, resulting in shifts in energy utilization. Elevated triglyceride levels and reduced glycogen and trehalose concentrations diminish available resources for reproductive processes, such as egg laying, ultimately culminating in decreased fecundity. This study contributes novel insights into the non-consumptive effects observed in insects, while also furnishing valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying insect stress responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Evolution of Ladybird Beetles in Biological Control)
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