Article
Entomology
Ferenc Lakatos, Katalin Tuba, Boglarka Bender, Hisashi Kajimura, Viktoria Toth
Summary: The sycamore lace bug is a common pest on plane trees worldwide. It originated in North America but has been introduced to other continents. Genetic analysis of a mitochondrial DNA fragment revealed higher genetic diversity in the native area compared to the invaded areas. Longer DNA fragments provided detailed information about genetic structure, while shorter fragments did not show a clear link between genetic variation and geographic origin.
Article
Entomology
Yang Yang, Ya-Ting Wang, Yan Chen, Rong Wang, Jun-Yin Deng, Xiao-Yong Chen
Summary: Plants and pollinators may have different responses to environmental changes. This study investigated the ability of a specific pollinator species to track the range expansion of its host plant. The results showed that the pollinator species was able to track the host plant's expansion, but there was a reduction in genetic variation and increased differentiation among populations within the expanded range. The findings suggest that plant range expansion caused by artificial introduction may not result in the loss of pollinators, even in obligate mutualisms.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Cecilie S. Svenningsen, Tobias Guldberg Froslev, Jesper Bladt, Lene Bruhn Pedersen, Jonas Colling Larsen, Rasmus Ejrnaes, Camilla Flojgaard, Anders Johannes Hansen, Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, Robert R. Dunn, Anders P. Tottrup
Summary: This study demonstrates how car nets and DNA metabarcoding can be used to sample flying insect richness and diversity at large spatial scales. The results show high proportions of Diptera in Denmark, lower insect richness and diversity in urbanized areas, and the detection of previously unknown species in Denmark.
Article
Entomology
Orthon Ricardo Vargas-Cardoso, Victor Hugo Toledo-Hernandez, Angelica M. Corona-Lopez, Alejandro Flores-Palacios, Rodolfo Figueroa-Brito, Jessica Maria Sosa-Armenta, Victor Lopez-Martinez
Summary: This study investigated the oviposition site selection of cerambycids in a tropical dry forest in central Mexico and its relationship with seasonality, vertical stratification, and physical characteristics of wood. The results showed that different species differed in their selection of strata and seasons, and they generally preferred soft and ephemeral wood resources. The dry season and canopy were found to be the most common habitats for cerambycids.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Alina Avanesyan, Nurani Illahi, William O. Lamp
Summary: This study focused on optimizing a DNA-based method for identifying host plants of potato leafhopper and investigating the longevity of ingested plant DNA. Utilizing PCR technology, the researchers successfully detected ingested host plant DNA in potato leafhoppers, demonstrating a quick and cost-effective detection method.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hannah M. Thompson, Thomas J. McAvoy, Gregory Wiggins, Scott M. Salom, Suzanne Lenhart
Summary: The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand) is an invasive insect pest that causes significant changes to hemlock forests in the eastern United States. An infestation of A. tsugae often leads to the death of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) within years. A model composed of systems of ordinary differential equations with time-dependent parameters is used to investigate the mechanisms behind cycles in hemlock health and A. tsugae density.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
A. Volpato, J. Moran
Summary: The study found that wildflower strips are important habitats for providing insect-rich food for grey partridge chicks, and planting different vegetated strip types can provide different insect taxa, offering key resources for the birds.
IRISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cristiane Nardi, Caroline Rech, Joao Ronaldo Freitas Oliveira, Maria Fernanda Gomes Villalba Penaflor, Franciele Santos, Jose Mauricio Simoes Bento
Summary: Based on the theory of optimal foraging and preference-performance hypothesis, gravid females of Diabrotica speciosa, a cucurbit beetle, select plant hosts for oviposition that benefit themselves or their offspring. This study investigated the use of volatiles emitted by non-infested maize plants and herbivore-infested plants by conspecific immatures and adults by gravid females in host selection. Results showed that the presence of conspecifics on maize plants triggered volatiles emission, influencing the host selection for oviposition. Gravid females avoided plants infested by larvae and plants infested by larvae and adults. Leaf-infested plants did not affect the host-selection behavior. Weight gain of larvae was higher on non-infested and leaf-infested plants, indicating that female preference is related to offspring performance.
ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2023)
Review
Biology
Zaki Saati-Santamaria, Raul Rivas, Miroslav Kolarik, Paula Garcia-Fraile
Summary: The study focused on the ecological distribution and functions of Pseudomonas bacteria in bark beetles, showing that they provide beneficial roles to the insects by providing nutrients, protection, and antagonizing fungi. The symbiosis between microbes and insects is considered essential for understanding the biological implications of microbe-host interactions.
Article
Ecology
Carlo L. Seifert, Patrick Strutzenberger, Konrad Fiedler
Summary: We studied the relationship between life history traits and adult body size in European geometrid moths. Our results showed that species associated with woody plants tend to be larger and increase in size with broader diet breadth. Additionally, univoltine species are larger than multivoltine species and attain larger sizes when their larvae occur in the early season. Moreover, species overwintering as pupae have smaller adult body size compared to those overwintering as eggs or caterpillars.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Cenk Yucel, Isil Ozdemir, Didem Coral
Summary: Safflower is an important oilseed plant grown in Turkey, and a study found that safflower plantations are infested with harmful aphids. Eight aphid species were identified, with two species recorded on safflower for the first time. DNA barcoding was used to confirm the identification of aphids, and an identification key was provided.
JOURNAL OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Valentina Cardenas-Hernandez, Sandra Velasco-Cuervo, Nelson Toro-Perea
Summary: The interactions between phytophagous insects and microorganisms play a crucial role in enabling the insects to utilize plant tissue as a food resource. Through metagenome sequencing, the microbiota and microbiomes of Anastrepha obliqua larvae when feeding on different fruits were characterized and compared. The microbial composition varied among host plants, with different dominant groups. The reconstructed genomes of four dominant microbial species revealed genes involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, which are essential for utilizing food resources. These findings provide insights into the contribution of microorganisms to A. obliqua's ability to utilize its host plants and have potential applications for pest control.
ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Daiki Nakasone, Kei W. Matsubayashi, Naoyuki Fujiyama
Summary: This study investigated the pattern of host-use ability of the phytophagous ladybird beetle Henosepilachna niponica on three different thistle species. The results showed asymmetric local adaptation by the beetles, with different populations displaying different preferences and performances on different host species. This suggests the occurrence of host-associated divergent specialization in H. niponica.
ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Muhammad RIZWAN, Saifullah ABRO, Muhammad Usman ASIF, Amjad HAMEED, Wajid MAHBOOB, Zaheer Ahmed DEHO, Mahboob Ali SIAL
Summary: Sucking insect pests such as whiteflies, thrips, and jassids cause significant damage to cotton crops. The study evaluated 12 cotton genotypes/varieties for morphological and biochemical traits related to host plant resistance against these pests. Results showed that certain varieties exhibited resistance to the pests and had negative correlations with soluble sugars and proteins, but positive correlations with phenolics, tannins, and flavonoids. Deploying these resistant resources and traits can be beneficial in breeding programs for developing insect resistant cotton varieties in the future.
JOURNAL OF COTTON RESEARCH
(2021)