Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.6
2.9
Journals
Insects
Special Issues
Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects
share announcement

Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 4973

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mingxing Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: insect ecology; insect-microbe interactions; risk assessment; biological control; invasive ants; invasive mealybugs; weevils

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Invasive alien species can have severe impacts on ecosystems, economies, and human health. Insects, comprising the majority of invasive animals, have caused numerous invasion events globally. They require close surveillance and effective management to slow their spread and mitigate potential impacts.

Surveillance, i.e., post-border surveys to detect the presence of newly arrived non-native populations, is crucial for the effective management and eradication of these populations. To date, a number of effective surveillance tools have been available and have traditionally been used for the detection of certain invasive insects, such as traps that are baited with sex pheromones, aggregation pheromones, or host compounds. Moreover, along with the advances in research on insects/plants’ biology and interspecific interactions and increased uses of techniques from other fields to manage pests (e.g., AI and IT), novel surveillance and control techniques have been under development. The current Special Issue focuses on the most recently developed techniques and systems. Its scope also includes traditional surveillance and control techniques that are applied with a new strategy, as well as analyses of the factors that restrict their implementation efficiency or success. Finally, this Special Issue will present new findings on invasive insects’ ecology and biology that potentially support the development of novel surveillance/control approaches, such as those that are generated based on insect–host interactions and insect–microbe symbiosis.

Prof. Dr. Mingxing Jiang
Guest Editor

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
  • quarantine measures
  • eradication
  • sustainable control

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (8 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

25 pages, 47768 KiB  
Article
YOLO-PTHD: A UAV-Based Deep Learning Model for Detecting Visible Phenotypic Signs of Pine Decline Induced by the Invasive Woodwasp Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera, Siricidae)
by Wenshuo Yang, Jiaqiang Zhao, Dexu Zhu, Zhengtong Wang, Min Song, Tao Chen, Te Liang and Juan Shi
Insects 2025, 16(8), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16080829 (registering DOI) - 9 Aug 2025
Abstract
Sirex noctilio is an invasive pest that contributes to pine tree decline, leading to visual symptoms such as needle discoloration, crown thinning, and eventual tree death. Detecting these visible phenotypic signs from drone imagery is challenging due to elongated or irregular crown shapes, [...] Read more.
Sirex noctilio is an invasive pest that contributes to pine tree decline, leading to visual symptoms such as needle discoloration, crown thinning, and eventual tree death. Detecting these visible phenotypic signs from drone imagery is challenging due to elongated or irregular crown shapes, weak color differences, and occlusion within dense forests. This study introduces YOLO-PTHD, a lightweight deep learning model designed for detecting visible signs of pine decline in UAV images. The model integrates three customized components: Strip-based convolution to capture elongated tree structures, Channel-Aware Attention to enhance weak visual cues, and a scale-sensitive dynamic loss function to improve detection of minority classes and small targets. A UAV-based dataset, the Sirex Woodwasp dataset, was constructed with annotated images of weakened, and dead pine trees. YOLO-PTHD achieved an mAP of 0.923 and an F1-score of 0.866 on this dataset. To evaluate the model’s generalization capability, it was further tested on the Real Pine Wilt Disease dataset from South Korea. Despite differences in tree symptoms and imaging conditions, the model maintained strong performance, demonstrating its robustness across different forest health scenarios. Field investigations targeting Sirex woodwasp in outbreak areas confirmed that the model could reliably detect damaged trees in real-world forest environments. This work demonstrates the potential of UAV-based visual analysis for large-scale phenotypic surveillance of pine health in forest management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
29 pages, 5503 KiB  
Article
Feature Selection Framework for Improved UAV-Based Detection of Solenopsis invicta Mounds in Agricultural Landscapes
by Chun-Han Shih, Cheng-En Song, Su-Fen Wang and Chung-Chi Lin
Insects 2025, 16(8), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16080793 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 320
Abstract
The red imported fire ant (RIFA; Solenopsis invicta) is an invasive species that severely threatens ecology, agriculture, and public health in Taiwan. In this study, the feasibility of applying multispectral imagery captured by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect red fire ant [...] Read more.
The red imported fire ant (RIFA; Solenopsis invicta) is an invasive species that severely threatens ecology, agriculture, and public health in Taiwan. In this study, the feasibility of applying multispectral imagery captured by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect red fire ant mounds was evaluated in Fenlin Township, Hualien, Taiwan. A DJI Phantom 4 multispectral drone collected reflectance in five bands (blue, green, red, red-edge, and near-infrared), derived indices (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI, soil-adjusted vegetation index, SAVI, and photochemical pigment reflectance index, PPR), and textural features. According to analysis of variance F-scores and random forest recursive feature elimination, vegetation indices and spectral features (e.g., NDVI, NIR, SAVI, and PPR) were the most significant predictors of ecological characteristics such as vegetation density and soil visibility. Texture features exhibited moderate importance and the potential to capture intricate spatial patterns in nonlinear models. Despite limitations in the analytics, including trade-offs related to flight height and environmental variability, the study findings suggest that UAVs are an inexpensive, high-precision means of obtaining multispectral data for RIFA monitoring. These findings can be used to develop efficient mass-detection protocols for integrated pest control, with broader implications for invasive species monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1398 KiB  
Article
Flight Phenology of Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1781) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Its Native Range: A Baseline for Managing an Emerging Invasive Pest
by Claudia Alzate, Eduardo Soares Calixto and Silvana V. Paula-Moraes
Insects 2025, 16(8), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16080779 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 326
Abstract
Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1781) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest with a broad host range and growing relevance due to its high dispersal capacity, recent invasions into Africa and Asia, and documented resistance to biological insecticides. Here, we assessed S. eridania flight phenology [...] Read more.
Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1781) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest with a broad host range and growing relevance due to its high dispersal capacity, recent invasions into Africa and Asia, and documented resistance to biological insecticides. Here, we assessed S. eridania flight phenology and seasonal dynamics in the Florida Panhandle, using pheromone trapping data to evaluate population trends and environmental drivers. Moths were collected year-round, showing consistent patterns across six consecutive years, including two distinct annual flight peaks: an early crop season flight around March, and a more prominent flight peak during September–October. Moth abundance followed a negative quadratic relationship with temperature, with peak activity occurring between 15 °C and 26 °C. No significant relationship was found with precipitation or wind. These results underscore the strong influence of abiotic factors, particularly temperature, on seasonal abundance patterns of this species. Our findings offer key insights by identifying predictable periods of high pest pressure and the environmental conditions that drive population increases. Understanding the flight phenology and behavior of this species provides an ultimate contribution to the development of effective IPM and insect resistance management (IRM) programs, promoting the development of forecasting tools for more effective, timely pest management interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 1220 KiB  
Article
Color and Attractant Preferences of the Black Fig Fly, Silba adipata: Implications for Monitoring and Mass Trapping of This Invasive Pest
by Ricardo Díaz-del-Castillo, Guadalupe Córdova-García, Diana Pérez-Staples, Andrea Birke, Trevor Williams and Rodrigo Lasa
Insects 2025, 16(7), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16070732 - 17 Jul 2025
Viewed by 516
Abstract
The black fig fly, Silba adipata (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), is an invasive pest recently introduced to Mexico, where it has rapidly spread across fig-producing regions. Despite its economic importance, effective monitoring strategies remain poorly studied. The present study evaluated the response of S. adipata [...] Read more.
The black fig fly, Silba adipata (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), is an invasive pest recently introduced to Mexico, where it has rapidly spread across fig-producing regions. Despite its economic importance, effective monitoring strategies remain poorly studied. The present study evaluated the response of S. adipata adults to visual (color) and olfactory (attractant) cues under laboratory and field conditions in fig orchards. No significant color preferences were observed in laboratory choice tests using nine colors or in field trials using traps of four different colors. In the laboratory, traps containing 2% ammonium sulfate solution, torula yeast + borax, or Captor + borax, captured similar numbers of flies, whereas CeraTrap® was less attractive. Traps containing 2% ammonium sulfate were more effective than 2% ammonium acetate, though attraction was comparable when ammonium acetate was diluted to 0.2% or 0.02%. In the field, torula yeast + borax and 2% ammonium sulfate mixed with fig latex outperformed the 2% ammonium sulfate solution alone, although seasonal variation influenced trap performance. A high proportion of field-captured females were sexually immature. Torula yeast + borax attracted high numbers of non-target insects and other lonchaeid species, which reduced its specificity. In contrast, traps containing fig latex mixtures showed higher selectivity, although some S. adipata adults could not be sexed due to specimen degradation. These findings highlight the value of torula yeast pellets and 2% ammonium sulfate plus fig latex for monitoring this pest, but merit validation in field studies performed over the entire crop cycle across both wet and dry seasons. Future studies should evaluate other proteins, ammonium salt combinations and fig latex volatiles in order to develop effective and selective monitoring or mass trapping tools targeted at this invasive pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1285 KiB  
Article
Symbiont-Targeted Control of Halyomorpha halys Does Not Affect Local Insect Diversity in a Hazelnut Orchard
by Sofia Victoria Prieto, Matteo Dho, Bianca Orrù, Elena Gonella and Alberto Alma
Insects 2025, 16(7), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16070688 - 30 Jun 2025
Viewed by 572
Abstract
Harmless crop-associated insect communities are a fundamental part of the agroecosystem. Their potential as a reservoir of natural enemies of pests has encouraged their conservation through the development of low-impact pest management programs. The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, represents a serious [...] Read more.
Harmless crop-associated insect communities are a fundamental part of the agroecosystem. Their potential as a reservoir of natural enemies of pests has encouraged their conservation through the development of low-impact pest management programs. The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, represents a serious threat to Italian hazelnut production. Laboratory and field experiments confirmed the susceptibility of this pest to the disruption of the obligated symbiotic interaction with gut bacteria, paving the way for the development of the symbiont-targeted control strategy. Here we present the results of a three-year field assessment of symbiont-targeted control in a hazelnut orchard in northwestern Italy. The use of a biocomplex to disrupt symbiont acquisition by H. halys nymphs was compared to the use of lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide. The effects on the local entomofauna were assessed, as were the trend of H. halys population and the damage caused by stink bugs to harvested hazelnuts. The insecticide consistently reduced the insect diversity in the field, while the anti-symbiont biocomplex had no effect. However, the control of the H. halys population and the stink bug-induced damage to hazelnuts varied over the years in the field plot submitted to the symbiont-targeted approach. Our results indicate that the symbiont-targeted control does not interfere with local insect communities. Key aspects for improving the effectiveness of this tactic are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 4048 KiB  
Article
Multigeneration Sublethal Chlorantraniliprole Treatment Disrupts Nutritional Metabolism and Inhibits Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Phthorimaea absoluta
by Lun Li, Zunzun Jia, Kaiyun Fu, Xinhua Ding, Weihua Jiang, Xiaowu Wang, Tursun. Ahmat, Jiahe Wu, Yutong Wen, Xiaoqin Ye, Wenchao Guo and Hongying Hu
Insects 2025, 16(5), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050524 - 15 May 2025
Viewed by 733
Abstract
Phthorimaea absoluta, an important pest of tomato crops, has reportedly developed high levels of resistance to the insecticide chlorantraniliprole, which has a unique mode of action and high efficacy. This study evaluated the sustained multigenerational effects of chlorantraniliprole on P. absoluta, [...] Read more.
Phthorimaea absoluta, an important pest of tomato crops, has reportedly developed high levels of resistance to the insecticide chlorantraniliprole, which has a unique mode of action and high efficacy. This study evaluated the sustained multigenerational effects of chlorantraniliprole on P. absoluta, focusing on resistance development, growth, development, reproductive capacity, population parameters, and nutritional indicators. After continuous selection with sublethal chlorantraniliprole for eight generations (CX-Sub8), bioassays showed that CX-Sub8 had 225.37-fold higher resistance than the susceptible strain. The age-stage, two-sex life table analysis revealed that the preadult development time and mean generation time were significantly prolonged, while population reproduction and pupal weight were reduced. Moreover, the relative fitness of CX-Sub8 was 0.62, and changes in the life table parameters correlated with an increase in the serial number of selection cycles. The second-instar larvae of CX-Sub8 presented lower triglyceride, glycerol, trehalose, free fatty acid, and protein contents than the unselected strain (CX-S8). Transcriptome analysis identified 2517 differentially expressed genes, with most being enriched in nutrient metabolism-related pathways, such as amino acid biosynthesis and fatty acid degradation metabolism. These results indicate that multigenerational sublethal chlorantraniliprole treatment disrupts the nutritional metabolism, and inhibits the growth, development, and reproduction of P. absoluta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3100 KiB  
Article
Transboundary Dispersal Dynamics of Ceracris kiangsu: From Source Regions to Migration Corridors
by Yangyang Li, Ting Du, Jun Yao, Yunsen Chen, Lei Shi and Sangzi Ze
Insects 2025, 16(4), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040400 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 483
Abstract
Yunnan is located on the southwest border of China, with a complex geographical environment and rich biodiversity, which is the first stop for many migratory pests to enter China. In recent years, Ceracris kiangsu has migrated into China through the China–Laos border line. [...] Read more.
Yunnan is located on the southwest border of China, with a complex geographical environment and rich biodiversity, which is the first stop for many migratory pests to enter China. In recent years, Ceracris kiangsu has migrated into China through the China–Laos border line. The migratory C. kiangsu has shown typical characteristics of migratory locusts, which has seriously jeopardized the ecological security, biosecurity and food security of China. In order to prevent and control C. kiangsu from the source as soon as possible, this study used hotspot analysis and trajectory analysis to clarify the migration dynamics, source regions and migration corridors of C. kiangsu. The results showed that the migratory C. kiangsu was mainly distributed in the towns of Jiangcheng County, and the source regions were concentrated in Phongsaly, Laos. There are three cross-border migration corridors of C. kiangsu, among which the Laos–Niuluohe border migration corridor running through the entire migration cycle is the most important corridor. The study answered three key questions about the prevention and control of C. kiangsu. Ascertaining when C. kiangsu arrived at Yunnan, where it came from, and where the population then went will greatly improve the efficiency of the prevention and control of C. kiangsu as well as provide a theoretical basis for subsequent monitoring and early warning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 1352 KiB  
Review
The Baluchistan Melon Fly, Myiopardalis pardalina Bigot: Biology, Ecology, and Management Strategies
by Junyan Liu, Yidie Xu, Mengbo Guo, Kaiyun Fu, Xinhua Ding, Sijia Yu, Xinyi Gu, Wenchao Guo and Jianyu Deng
Insects 2025, 16(5), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050514 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 1502
Abstract
The Baluchistan melon fly (Myiopardalis pardalina) is a highly invasive tephritid pest. It poses a critical threat to global cucurbit production, with crop losses exceeding 90% during outbreaks. This review synthesises current research on the pest’s biology, ecology, and management, focusing [...] Read more.
The Baluchistan melon fly (Myiopardalis pardalina) is a highly invasive tephritid pest. It poses a critical threat to global cucurbit production, with crop losses exceeding 90% during outbreaks. This review synthesises current research on the pest’s biology, ecology, and management, focusing on its severe economic repercussions for key crops—including melon, watermelon, and cucumber—across Africa, Asia, and Europe. M. pardalina has a four-stage life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, and adult) and distinct morphological adaptations. The species’ geographic range continues to expand, driven by global trade networks and its adaptability to shifting climatic conditions. Infestations by this pest severely reduce fruit yields, undermining food security and destabilising rural economies reliant on cucurbit cultivation. We evaluate diverse control strategies, including monitoring and quarantine methods, cultural practices, physical controls, chemical management, biological agents, and emerging genetic tools. This review emphasises the urgency of adopting integrated pest management (IPM) to strategically balance efficacy, ecological sustainability, and operational scalability. By consolidating fragmented knowledge and identifying critical research gaps, this work provides a framework for mitigating M. pardalina’s impacts, offering actionable insights to safeguard agricultural productivity and enhance resilience in vulnerable regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Management of Invasive Insects)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-8
Back to TopTop