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Insects
Special Issues
Invasive Pests: Bionomics, Damage, and Management
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Invasive Pests: Bionomics, Damage, and Management

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 1714

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jie Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
Interests: RNA epigenetic; phenotypic plasticity; biological characteristics; Solenopsis invicta; Invasive Pests
Prof. Dr. Daifeng Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: invasive insects; Tephritidae; chemical ecology; reproduction behavior; insect–symbiont interactions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological invasions impose severe impacts on ecosystems, economic development, and human health. As a critically important group of invasive animals, insects have caused numerous major invasion events globally. Many invasive insect species continue to expand their ranges, causing novel damage in different regions worldwide. These non-native pests frequently outcompete indigenous species in new environments through mechanisms such as the enemy release hypothesis and phenotypic plasticity. Delving into the invasion mechanisms and ecological consequences of these invasive insect species holds dual significance: it not only aids in the early prediction and monitoring of outbreak trends but also provides the theoretical foundation for developing precise and eco-friendly control strategies. Research or review articles on the following topics are welcome:
  • Early Detection and Risk Assessment: Novel tools (e.g., AI-driven monitoring, remote sensing) and modeling frameworks for rapid response.
  • Sustainable Control: Eco-friendly methods such as biocontrol, RNA interference, and sterile insect techniques.
  • Invasive Mechanisms: Genomic insights into invasion success and adaptive evolution.
  • Emerging Mechanisms: Exploiting insect–host interactions, microbiome symbiosis, or chemical ecology for targeted interventions.

Dr. Jie Chen
Prof. Dr. Daifeng Cheng
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

  • invasive insects
  • early detection
  • surveillance methods
  • risk analysis
  • biological characteristics
  • sustainable control

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2715 KB  
Article
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Reveals Potential Mechanisms Involved in the Toxication and Detoxification of the External Immune Compound p-Benzoquinone Present in Oral Secretions
by Juan Chen, Yu-Chen Pu, Wen-Qing You, Ya-Nan Ji, Can-Hui Ding, Zong-Wei Zheng, Yi-Fan Wang and You-Ming Hou
Insects 2025, 16(10), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16101044 - 11 Oct 2025
Viewed by 456
Abstract
p-Benzoquinone (PBQ), a highly toxic compound, is the main active component in larval oral secretions of red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, playing critical roles in external immunity and pathogen defense. In this study, we demonstrated that pathogens effectively induce RPW larval [...] Read more.
p-Benzoquinone (PBQ), a highly toxic compound, is the main active component in larval oral secretions of red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, playing critical roles in external immunity and pathogen defense. In this study, we demonstrated that pathogens effectively induce RPW larval external immune responses. On this basis, the toxicity of PBQ to third-instar larvae was determined, with poisoning symptoms observed. The differences in gene expression between larvae before and after treatment with PBQ were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing to potentially involve the mechanisms of PBQ toxicity on larvae and the mechanisms of detoxification in the infected larvae. The results indicated that PBQ exposure was associated with altered expression of chitinase (CHI) and phenoloxidase (PO) genes in RPW larvae, which not only affects the digestion and degradation of the old cuticle but also activates phenoloxidase, further oxidizing tyrosine for its conversion into DOPA and dopamine, resulting in the generation of melanin and different degrees of cuticular melanization. The transcriptional changes further suggest that RPW larvae may employ metabolic processes to counteract the external immune-active compound PBQ toxicity by regulating the expression levels of detoxifying enzyme-encoding genes, such as cytochrome P450 (CYP450), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC). Our research provides potential novel strategies for pest control by targeting insect metabolic detoxification systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invasive Pests: Bionomics, Damage, and Management)
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13 pages, 5128 KB  
Article
Influence of Host’s Plant Diet on Gut Microbial Communities and Metabolic Potential in Spodoptera frugiperda
by Wan-Ying Dong, Muhammad Hafeez, Sheng-Yuan Zhao, Jin-Ming Zhang, Muhammad Imran, Farman Ullah, Xiao-Wei Li and Yao-Bin Lu
Insects 2025, 16(10), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16101042 - 10 Oct 2025
Viewed by 468
Abstract
The gut microbiota of insects, shaped by extensive coevolution, plays a crucial role in host adaptability and ecological expansion. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith), a highly polyphagous and migratory invasive pest, infests more than 350 plant species worldwide, resulting in [...] Read more.
The gut microbiota of insects, shaped by extensive coevolution, plays a crucial role in host adaptability and ecological expansion. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith), a highly polyphagous and migratory invasive pest, infests more than 350 plant species worldwide, resulting in substantial crop losses and increased reliance on pesticide applications. In this study, we employed 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to investigate diet-induced alternations in the gut microbial communities of larvae fed corn, rice, or an artificial diet. The results showed that diet significantly influenced microbial diversity, with rice-fed larvae exhibiting the highest richness. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Cyanobacteria were the predominant bacterial phyla. Genus-level analysis revealed notable diet-dependent shifts, with Enterobacter and other genera (e.g., Ochrobactrum and Allorhizobium–Neorhizobium–Pararhizobium–Rhizobium) only detected in plant-fed groups. Additionally, current findings suggest that gut microbial genera are more prevalent when S. frugiperda larvae feed on rice plants than on corn plants or an artificial diet and are closely linked to their metabolic activities. Dominant microbial genera are expected to support essential metabolic processes and exhibit increased abundance on rice. These results indicate that the gut microbiome of S. frugiperda is diet-driven reorganization, potentially facilitating its polyphagy. This study extends the current understanding by elucidating the specific gut microbial taxa and their putative metabolic associations that are responsive to diet in S. frugiperda, thereby providing a theoretical basis for its polyphagous capability and underscoring microbiota-based strategies for sustainable pest management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invasive Pests: Bionomics, Damage, and Management)
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Review

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14 pages, 1146 KB  
Review
Thermal Adaptation in Liriomyza trifolii (Diptera: Agromyzidae): From Interspecific Competition to Mechanisms
by Ya-Wen Chang, Jing-Ya Zhao, Yu-Cheng Wang and Yu-Zhou Du
Insects 2025, 16(9), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16090957 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 590
Abstract
Global climate change has intensified temperature fluctuations, significantly impacting insect populations. Thermal tolerance has emerged as a critical determinant of species distribution and invasion potential. Liriomyza trifolii, an economically important invasive pest, has been rapidly expanding in southeastern coastal regions of China, [...] Read more.
Global climate change has intensified temperature fluctuations, significantly impacting insect populations. Thermal tolerance has emerged as a critical determinant of species distribution and invasion potential. Liriomyza trifolii, an economically important invasive pest, has been rapidly expanding in southeastern coastal regions of China, gradually displacing its congeners L. sativae and L. huidobrensis. This competitive advantage is closely associated with its superior thermal adaptation strategies. Here, we first examine the temperature-mediated competitive dominance of L. trifolii, then systematically elucidate the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying its temperature tolerance, revealing its survival strategies under extreme temperatures. Notably, L. trifolii exhibits a lower developmental threshold temperature and higher thermal constant, extending its damage period, while its significantly lower supercooling point confers exceptional overwintering capacity. Physiologically, rapid cold hardening (RCH) enhances cold tolerance through glycerol accumulation and increased fatty acid unsaturation, while heat acclimation improves thermotolerance via a trade-off between developmental processes and reproductive investment. Molecular analyses demonstrate that L. trifolii combines the low-temperature inducible characteristics of L. huidobrensis with the high-temperature responsive advantages of L. sativae in heat shock protein (Hsp) expression patterns. Transcriptomic studies further identify differential expressions of lipid metabolism and chaperone-related genes as key to thermal adaptation. Current research limitations include incomplete understanding of non-Hsp gene regulatory networks and laboratory–field adaptation discrepancies. Future studies should integrate multi-omics approaches with ecological modeling to predict L. trifolii’s expansion under climate change scenarios and develop temperature-based green control strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Invasive Pests: Bionomics, Damage, and Management)
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