Article
Biology
Elisabeth Adam, Bill S. Hansson, Markus Knaden
Summary: Insect pollinators like the tobacco hawkmoth have olfactory sensilla not just on their antennae but also at the tip of their proboscis. While moths can easily learn odors with their antennae, solely perceiving odors with the proboscis is not enough for odor learning. There appears to be no communication between the antennae and proboscis, and information learned by the antennae cannot be recalled by the proboscis.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Sonja Bisch-Knaden, Michelle A. Rafter, Markus Knaden, Bill S. Hansson
Summary: The olfactory system of female hawkmoths can differentiate between conspicuous floral cues and subtle bouquets of larval host plants within a complex olfactory landscape. Their neural coding strategies enable them to locate crucial resources for feeding and oviposition, even when these resources are rare and intermingled with volatiles from surrounding background plants.
Article
Mechanics
Yujing Xue, Xuefei Cai, Hao Liu
Summary: This study investigates the aerodynamics and energetics of hawk moth flight using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results show that the interaction between the flapping wings and the flying body affects the aerodynamic performance, with body-vortex-based mechanisms increasing vertical force and reducing energy consumption. These findings have implications for the design of biomimetic flapping micro-aerial vehicles in the future.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kalpesh Nath Yajnik, Shradheya R. R. Gupta, Mansi Taneja, Indrakant K. Singh, Archana Singh
Summary: Plant yields are affected by biotic and abiotic stresses, with insect attack being a major concern. The use of pesticides to overcome the harmful effects of herbivory is not sustainable in the long run. This study aims to identify and understand the MAPK pathway involved in plant defense against herbivory and suggests potential interactions for further validation.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhiyao Mao, Yang Ge, Yadong Zhang, Jian Zhong, Asim Munawar, Zengrong Zhu, Wenwu Zhou
Summary: In this study, the researchers analyzed the early defense responses of potato leaves to potato tuber moth (PTM) herbivory. They found that simulated and actual herbivory triggered similar hormonal and transcriptional responses in the plants. Microbes associated with PTM herbivory were found to regulate the phytohormones jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Additionally, seven gene modules were identified to explain how potato plants respond to different PTM herbivory stimuli.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ariel Gershman, Tatiana G. Romer, Yunfan Fan, Roham Razaghi, Wendy A. Smith, Winston Timp
Summary: Researchers introduced a new, more complete reference genome JHU_Msex_v1.0 for the tobacco hornworm, generated using modern technologies to improve genome continuity and accuracy. The assembly includes 25,256 genes and is accessible for public use, demonstrating benefits for future research on the tobacco hornworm as a model organism.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Li-Jun Cai, Li-Shuang Zheng, Yu-Ping Huang, Wei Xu, Min-Sheng You
Summary: This study identified 39 putative OBP genes from the diamondback moth genome and transcriptome sequences, and investigated their expression patterns across different developmental stages, sexes, and tissues. The results showed that most OBPs were highly expressed in adult antennae, with certain OBPs being regulated by mating activities and host plant feeding.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christopher A. Johnson, Gordon P. Smith, Kelsey Yule, Goggy Davidowitz, Judith L. Bronstein, Regis Ferriere
Summary: A study combining theory and a data-based model sheds light on how mutualisms evolve without extremely tight host fidelity and how ecological context affects evolutionary outcomes and vice-versa.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Deidra J. Jacobsen, Robert A. Raguso
Summary: The study reveals that plants use volatiles to attract pollinators while deterring herbivores, showing that vegetative and floral traits may interact to affect insect behavior. Pollinator behavior is likely influenced by leaf traits, and plant induction status plays a role in adult moth foraging and oviposition preferences.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael Garvey, Justin Bredlau, Karen Kester, Curtis Creighton, Ian Kaplan
Summary: Research in ecological immunology has shown that immune responses in insects may not always trade-off with other physiological functions when exposed to toxic plants. In the study of tobacco hornworms, it was found that while plant toxicity impacted insect growth, specific plant chemicals like nicotine actually stimulated the immune response. This highlights the importance of understanding the role of specific secondary metabolites in shaping immune responses in insects.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Viet Le, Benjamin Cellini, Rudolf Schilder, Jean -Michel Mongeau
Summary: Animals use body parts like tails to stabilize posture while moving at high speed. In flying insects, leg or abdominal inertia can affect flight posture. By studying the hawkmoth Manduca sexta, we found that torques generated by the wings and abdomen can interact and contribute to flight control. The abdomen torque is overall smaller than wing torque, but can have a significant effect at higher visual stimulus temporal frequency.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Christoph-Ruediger von Bredow, Yvette M. von Bredow, Tina E. Trenczek
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics of haemocytes formed and released by the haematopoietic organs of Manduca sexta using specific markers and identification methods. It was found that there may be a gradual differentiation of haemocytes within the organs, and the existence of prohaemocytes in both the circulation and the haematopoietic organs, with different characteristics depending on their origin. The ablation of the haematopoietic organs reduced the number of plasmatocytes and prohaemocytes, indicating a true larval haematopoietic function.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Mechanics
Liansong Peng, Tianyu Pan, Mengzong Zheng, Guanting Su, Qiushi Li
Summary: In this paper, a three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction simulation of flapping of a flexible wing is conducted. The aerodynamic performance of the flexible wing is analyzed by considering its spatial and temporal effects. The study concludes that the flexible wing can enhance both the average lift and aerodynamic efficiency. The spatial effects are mainly influenced by the wing's camber, while the temporal effects are mainly influenced by twist and bend. These findings provide insights into the aerodynamic effects of insect wing deformation and can guide the design of micro aerial vehicles' wings.
Article
Biology
Carina Lietz, Clemens F. Schaber, Stanislav N. Gorb, Hamed Rajabi
Summary: The study systematically investigated damping in insect wings for the first time, finding that different wing regions have almost identical damping properties, fresh wings have a higher damping ratio than previously thought, and flight muscles and hemolymph have almost no direct influence on wing damping.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christine H. Elliott, Conrad P. D. T. Gillett, Elliott Parsons, Mark G. Wright, Daniel Rubinoff
Summary: This study revealed that the Blackburn's sphinx moth experiences extremely low survival rates, primarily influenced by disappearance and predation, with the highest mortality rates observed during the egg stage. High apparent mortality rates were found across all developmental stages, indicating significant risks throughout the moth's pre-adult life cycle.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2022)