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The white grub, Diaprepes abbreviatus L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a significant pest of yam tubers and the second cause of tuber rot in Haiti. Larval feeding inflicts severe damage to tubers, leading to notable losses due to decreased tuber quality, reduced marketability and increased susceptibility to secondary parasites and pathogens. This study examined the influence of planting and harvesting dates on the vulnerability of yam tubers to white grub infestation and the resulting tuber quality across 24 farmers' fields. At harvest, we assessed the level of tuber infestation, white grub density and the tuber quality index. The results indicated that 85% of grub populations were found in fields planted on the traditional date. In addition, 69.5% of tuber damage occurred in early‐planted fields with fewer tubers damaged (30%) when harvested early. In contrast, in fields planted 30 days after the traditional date, the harvest date did not affect tuber infestation and damage by the pest. Overall, both planting and harvest dates impacted the quality grade of yam tubers. Delayed planting by 30 days and early harvesting (34th–38th week after planting) improved the marketability of yams. These findings highlight the importance of optimising planting and harvest schedules to better manage white grub infestation and enhance the marketability of yam tubers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Location Method Results Conclusions The Hemiptera is the fifth‐largest insect order but among non‐native insect species is approximately tied with the Coleoptera as the most species‐rich insect order (Hemiptera comprise 20% more species than in world fauna). This over‐representation may result from high propagule pressure or from high species invasiveness. Here, we assess the reasons for over‐representation in this group by analysing geographical, temporal and taxonomic variation in numbers of historical invasions.Global.We assembled lists of historical Hemiptera invasions in 12 world regions, countries or islands (Australia, Chile, Europe, New Zealand, North America, South Africa, South Korea, Japan and the Galapagos, Hawaiian, Okinawa and Ogasawara Islands) and border interception data from nine countries (Australia, Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, Hawaii, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, USA mainland and South Africa). Using these data, we identified hemipteran superfamilies that are historically over‐represented among established non‐native species, and superfamilies that are over‐represented among arrivals (proxied by interceptions). We also compared temporal patterns of establishments among hemipteran suborders and among regions.Across all regions, patterns of over‐ and under‐representation were similar. The Aphidoidea, Coccoidea, Aleyrodoidea, Cimicoidea and Phylloxeroida were over‐represented among non‐native species. These same superfamilies were not consistently over‐represented among intercepted species indicating that propagule pressure does not completely explain the tendency of some Hemiptera to be over‐represented among invasions. Asexual reproduction is common in most over‐represented superfamilies and this trait may be key to explaining high invasion success in these superfamilies.We conclude that both propagule pressure and species invasiveness are drivers of high invasion success in the Sternorrhyncha suborder (aphids, scales, whiteflies) and this group plays a major role in the exceptional invasion success of Hemiptera in general. The high historical rates of invasion by Sternorrhyncha species provide justification for biosecurity measure focusing on exclusion of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the origin of novel morphological traits is a long‐standing objective in evolutionary developmental biology. We explored the developmental genetic mechanisms that underpin the formation of a textbook example of evolutionary novelties, the cephalic horns of beetles. Previous work has implicated the gene regulatory networks associated with compound eye and ocellar development in horn formation and suggested that horns and compound eyes may influence each other's sizes. Therefore, we investigated the functional significance of genes central to visual system formation in the initiation, patterning, and size determination of head horns across three horned beetle species. We find that while the downregulation of canonical eye patterning genes reliably reduces or eliminates compound eye formation, it does not alter the position or shape of head horns yet does result in an increase in relative horn length. We discuss the implications of our results for our understanding of the genesis of cephalic horns in particular and evolutionary novelties in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blister beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae) are currently subdivided into three subfamilies: Eleticinae (a basal group), Nemognathinae, and Meloinae. These are all characterized by the endogenous production of the defensive terpene cantharidin (CA), whereas the two most derived subfamilies show a hypermetamorphic larval development. Here, we provide novel draft genome assemblies of five species sampled across the three blister beetle subfamilies (Iselma pallidipennis, Stenodera caucasica, Zonitis immaculata, Lydus trimaculatus, and Mylabris variabilis) and performed a comparative analysis with other available Meloidae genomes and the closely‐related canthariphilous species (Pyrochroa serraticornis) to disclose adaptations at a molecular level. Our results highlighted the expansion and selection of genes potentially responsible for CA production and metabolism, as well as its mobilization and vesicular compartmentalization. Furthermore, we observed adaptive selection patterns and gain of genes devoted to epigenetic regulation, development, and morphogenesis, possibly related to hypermetamorphosis. We hypothesize that most genetic adaptations occurred to support both CA biosynthesis and hypermetamorphosis, two crucial aspects of Meloidae biology that likely contributed to their evolutionary success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), especially Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, are promising candidates for biological control of Popillia japonica larvae. Thus, there is a need to study native strains to ensure biological agents adapted to specific environmental conditions to improve their effectiveness in field applications. This work aimed to test the pathogenicity of five Azorean isolates of H. bacteriophora strains to third‐instar larvae of P. japonica under laboratory and semi‐field conditions. All EPNs were able to quickly infect larvae with LT50's ranging between 3.66 and 4.54 days in controlled laboratory conditions. The semi‐field experiment consisted of an EPN application in buried tubes containing five larvae each in May and October. After 15 days, larvae were recovered and confirmed for nematode parasitism. In May, Az29, Az148, Az170, and Az171 displayed a mean of 37% infected larvae per tube. In contrast, EPNs showed a lower infection ability during the experiment in October, and only Az148 maintained the number of parasitized larvae, with a proportion of 40% of infectivity. The results suggest that native EPNs, like Az148, could be better adapted to climatic and edaphic conditions to control P. japonica larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential biodiversity maps (PBMs) allow the identification of areas with different potential for conservation, to support political decisions about the management and protection of biodiversity. As these maps are seldom constructed for inconspicuous species, we proposed to develop PBMs for species belonging to the Geadephaga (Coleoptera), which is a group of beetles that contributes as predators for pest suppression and other ecosystem services in forest ecosystems. Given that human activities are reducing forest integrity, we consider that it is crucial to recognize how diversity patterns of Geadephaga are related to degraded forests. We developed these maps for the Geadephaga associated with subantarctic forests considering diversity measures of species richness, specificity, and rarity to establish spatial relationships between each diversity measure and different levels of forest integrity, and to identify potential hotspots and suggest conservation priorities. Results showed a latitudinal pattern of decrease in scores on richness and specificity from north to south, but a patchy pattern of species rarity across the region. Outcomes also show that areas with high scores of diversity measures are overlapped with degraded forest, and that hotspots have a low spatial overlap between them. In this work, we provide for the first time regional PBMs at a relatively high spatial resolution of three different diversity measures for Geadephaga that inhabit subantarctic forest. These maps constitute tools that allow not only to recognize potential diversity patterns of these insects, but also to offer valuable information to be used in conservation decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary One of the advanced field in 5G cellular networks is the Massive Multiple‐Input‐Multiple‐Output (MIMO), which creates a massive antenna array by offering numerous antennas at the destination. This grows as a hot research topic in the wireless sectors as it enhances the volume and spectrum usage of the channel. The spectral efficiency (SE) is maximized using the abundant antennas employed by MIMO using spatial multiplexing of consumers, which needs precise channel state information (CSI). The SE is affected by both pilot overhead and pilot contamination. To mitigate the contamination and to estimate the suitable channel for communication, an efficient strategy is introduced using the proposed Namib Beetle Aquila optimization (NBAO)_Deep Q network (DQN). Here, the optimal pilot location is identified by employing NBAO, which is an integration of Namib beetle optimization (NBO) and Aquila optimizer (AO). Moreover, DQN is introduced to determine the suitable channel and metrics, such as bit error rate (BER) and normalized mean square error (MSE) is used for evaluation. The normalized MSE channel estimation is utilized to mitigate the effects of pilot contamination. Additionally, designed NBAO + DQN have attained a value of 0.0006 and 0.0005 for BER and normalized MSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Location Taxa Methods Results Main Conclusions Aquatic‐terrestrial transition zones contain features essential for many species that often benefit wetland biodiversity. Shallow flood‐zone areas and reed beds are indicative of natural wetland habitats; however, how such features affect the native arthropod biodiversity in constructed wetlands is scarcely investigated. We asked how these shoreline features, as well as wetland shoreline properties and grazing management, influence riparian arthropod diversities and habitat specializations.Constructed wetlands, Sweden.Araneae, Coleoptera, Diptera.Taxonomic‐, phylogenetic‐ and trait diversities, along with habitat specialist species richness, were measured in riparian spiders, beetles and selected Diptera in 68 constructed wetlands in two regions of Sweden. We ran structural equation models to estimate direct and indirect effects from shoreline slope, flooded grassland, reed areas and grazing management on group diversities, and used multivariate models to determine drivers on habitat specialist species richness.Flooded grassland and reed area, along with shoreline slope influenced arthropod diversities, and responses differed between arthropod groups and diversity metrics. Spider trait diversity was greater in wetlands with larger flooded grassland areas, whilst beetle trait diversity was reduced. Spider phylogenetic diversity was greater in wetlands containing larger reed areas and in wetlands with steeper shorelines. However, species richness in predatory flies was greater in wetlands with more gentle shorelines. Grazing management had limited effects on arthropod diversities; however, species richness in wetland specialist and generalist predatory dipterans was greater in the absence of grazers in wetlands with greater flooded grassland areas.As requirements vary considerably among arthropods, care must be taken when constructing and managing wetlands to benefit arthropod biodiversity. The present results suggest wetlands with a varied shoreline, albeit with greater proportions of flood areas, or multiple adjacent wetlands with varying shores in a wet landscape and a mild grazing regiment, would accommodate a more diverse arthropod fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infestations of ambrosia beetles in the tribe Xyleborini (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) are associated with economic losses to horticultural trees due to branch die‐back and tree death. Ethanol is a key attractant used for monitoring flight activity. Trapping experiments were conducted in woodlots in Ohio, USA, and Veneto, Italy, to characterize the effect of ethanol release rate on captures of Anisandrus maiche, Xyleborinus saxesenii, Xylosandrus crassiusculus and Xylosandrus germanus. In Ohio (2019, 2020 and 2021) and Italy (2021), traps were baited with centrifuge tubes that were modified to achieve ethanol release rates of 0.1–13.2 g/day. In Ohio (2022), traps were baited with varying quantities of manufactured lures to achieve release rates of 0.02–1.4 g/day. There was no consistent relationship between ethanol release rate and trap captures for the modified centrifuge tubes. In nine of sixteen analyses, traps baited with the centrifuge tubes releasing ethanol at 1.1 g/day or higher collected more A. maiche, X. saxesenii, X. crassiusculus and X. germanus than traps baited with centrifuge tubes releasing 0.1 g/day. In contrast, the manufactured lures releasing 0.1–1.4 g/day attracted more A. maiche, X. saxesenii, X. crassiusculus and X. germanus than lures releasing 0.02–0.05 g/day. This comprehensive study provides important insights into monitoring tactics for ambrosia beetles along with implications for optimizing ethanol‐baited traps as part of a ‘push‐pull’ strategy whereby repellents are used to ‘push’ beetles away from vulnerable trees and attractants are used to ‘pull’ them into annihilative traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological plasticity may be induced by altering host plants and commonly it is sex‐specific in phytophagous insects. It is hypothesized that stress in insects caused by a host shift leads to morphological changes and developmental destabilization, which may be identified by fluctuating asymmetry. We performed reciprocal transplant experiments in eight replicated populations of the seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) adapted to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Fabaceae) as its ancestral host and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L., Fabaceae) as a suboptimal host. Using methods of geometric morphometrics we assessed the effects of the short‐ and long‐term host shift on size and shape variation of beetles of both sexes. We also tested the hypothesis that fluctuating asymmetry is lower when the beetles develop within seeds of the ancestral host. Our results showed that females respond more plastically related to their body size and shape of the abdomen, particularly during a short‐term host shift, suggesting that females have a greater importance in maintaining the population on a new host. The level of fluctuating asymmetry is lowest in males that have evolved for generations on bean indicating that they have the most canalized development, so we suggested that symmetry in A. obtectus is maintained by sexual selection. Even if the beetles are adapted to a suboptimal host over many generations, they stabilize their development after returning to the ancestral host. Our work indicates that host shifts may change morphological aspects of the beetles in a sex‐specific manner and consequently influence their developmental trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predaceous diving beetle adults scavenge for carrion in freshwater habitats. We identified two scavenging strategies used by adult Dytiscus sinensis Feng (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) to locate and consume food at the bottom of water when needing to surface for air store renewal: dine‐in then relocate the food (dine‐in strategy) and carry the food to the surface (take‐away strategy). In 5‐cm‐deep water, a higher proportion of individuals successfully located food within an 8‐min test window than in 25‐cm‐deep water. Their latencies to locating food did not differ among depths. Dytiscus sinensis adults preferred the take‐away strategy in 5‐cm‐deep water and a higher proportion of them adopted the dine‐in strategy in 25‐cm‐deep water. Further, a 10‐cm‐deep test showed that the success rate or efficiency of relocating food did not increase with the experience of locating it the first time. This might explain why D. sinensis preferred the take‐away strategy in shallower water, in which it had lower risks of losing the food. The present study revealed a direct bottom‐up benefit for dytiscids foraging in shallower water where finding and securing food were easier. Our findings demonstrate that the surfacing requirement of dytiscid adults was reflected in foraging strategies with depth‐dependent preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are important biocontrol agents that are considered generalist predators, although some tribes, such as Scymnini, are specialized in predation of sucking pests, such as mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies. However, prey preference or pre‐imaginal conditioning may occur as coccinellids are subjected to large‐scale rearing. Thus, predator–prey interaction may be an outcome of conditioning to prey stimuli. To evaluate possible pre‐imaginal conditioning, population lines were created for the lady beetles Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant and Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant), each fed for at least eight generations the mealybugs Ferrisia dasylirii (Cockrell) or Planococcus citri Risso (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Next, the behavioral response of these coccinellids was measured in arenas treated with prey volatiles or footprints, regarding walking time, walking speed, walking distance, and residence time. Finally, food preference between prey species was measured in laboratory and semi‐field conditions on infested cotton plants. Conditioned coccinellids responded similarly to volatiles released by either prey species offered. Furthermore, there were no changes in predator behavior towards footprints of either prey species. Both predator species consumed more P. citri in all tests, regardless of rearing prey indicating no pre‐imaginal conditioning. These results suggest that rearing prey may not affect the predator behavior, and both coccinellid species are effective in the biological control of mealybugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted on citrus and avocado trees in north‐western Morocco between February 2023 and April 2024 to detect scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) and their associated natural enemies. A total of 55 orchards in seven provinces were studied. The Florida red scale, Chrysomphalus aonidum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diaspididae) was found on leaves at two sites: a moderate infestation in one citrus orchard and one specimen on an avocado tree. This work is the first record of the scale insect on avocado in Morocco, and the first morphological description of C. aonidum from the country, based on 100 adult females mounted on microscope slides. Chrysomphalus aonidum is not causing economic damage in citrus or avocado orchards in Morocco. Two ectoparasitoid wasps (Aphytis melinus DeBach and Aphytis sp.; Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), and three predatory beetles (Rhyzobius lophanthae Blaisdell, Chilocorus bipustulatus Linnaeus, and Clitostethus arcuatus Rosso; Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), were found associated with C. aonidum on citrus leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to place newly discovered fossil taxa (Palaeosymbius gen. nov. with P. groehni and P. mesozoicus spp. nov.) from the mid‐Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar, we investigated the relations of extant and extinct lineages of the coccinellid group of Coccinelloidea with emphasis on the family Anamorphidae. We assembled a taxonomic sampling of 34 taxa, including 15 genera and 19 species of Anamorphidae, the most comprehensive sampling of Anamorphidae at the generic level in a phylogenetic analysis. A morphological dataset of 47 characters was built as well as a molecular alignment of 7140 bp including fragments of eight genes (12S, 16S, 18S, 28S, COI, COII, H3 and CAD). Five anamorphid and one endomychid species were sequenced for the first time and added to the dataset. We performed parsimony‐based analysis of the morphological dataset and Bayesian inference analysis of the combined matrix (morphological plus molecular data). Our results confirm that Palaeosymbius belongs to Anamorphidae and represents the oldest known member of this family so far. Among Anamorphidae, Symbiotes (with extant and known Eocene species) was recovered as the most probable closest relative of Palaeosymbius. Our morphological studies additionally revealed the presence of probable glandular openings in the anterolateral corners of the pronotal margins in Asymbius sp. and Anamorphus sp., representing the first report of secretory openings in the family Anamorphidae. Similar openings are found in other cucujiform beetles such as Cryptophagidae and Boganiidae with possible defensive purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the rapid and ongoing anthropogenic changes impacting ecosystem functions and their interplay with biodiversity, there is a growing focus on assessing insect functional diversity. This emphasis helps to unravel key roles of insects on ecosystem processes and to identify the assembly mechanisms that regulate species coexistence.The ecological functions of phytophagous scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) have been relatively unexplored, and potential functional traits are scattered throughout the literature. Species within this group exhibit diverse lifestyles, forms and sizes. They exploit various resources such as decomposing wood, foliage, roots and flowers, with a small subset identified as predators. Although many of their representatives are significant agricultural pests, information on their contributions in natural ecosystems has not been consolidated.This study reviews the ecological functions potentially carried out by phytophagous scarab beetles and proposes functional traits to be incorporated into studies of functional diversity. Through this, the goal is to integrate the scattered information, stimulate the generation of questions that go beyond classical ecological theory and contribute to advancing our knowledge of their ecosystem functions, as well as the foundations for understanding community structure. We propose to use trophic groups to define functions such as bioturbation, organic matter decomposition, biological control and potential pollination.A simplified list of functional traits was obtained by conducting correlation analyses using a trait matrix from a region in northern Colombia. This represents a significant advance for the study of traits within the framework of functional ecology, applicable to territorial planning and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of diversity has been a significant challenge in the field of conservation biology. Presently, there exists a limited understanding of the spatial distribution of passalid beetles within decomposing logs, as well as their distribution in microhabitats such as the cortex, heartwood and trunk–soil interface. Moreover, there is a scarcity of studies that delve into the temporal distribution patterns of passalid beetles. We evaluate the effect of seasons of the year and microhabitats on the distribution of passalid in an Altitudinal Atlantic Forest. More specifically, the effects of the period of the year and microhabitats were analysed on an assemblage scale and population structure scale. Collections were actively conducted monthly, during dry and rainy seasons, and distinct microhabitats of logs (tree cortex, heartwood and trunk–soil interface) were sampled. We discovered passalid galleries within 235 logs, housing a total of 785 individuals representing nine species across six genera and two tribes. Within the three examined microhabitats, the heartwood and cortex harboured the majority of individuals. In contrast, the trunk–soil interface microhabitat displayed reduced diversity and abundance and the absence of indicator species, exhibiting a distinct community structure compared with the others. The dry season stood out with a greater number of individuals, underscoring the influence of precipitation on passalid activity in this study. Our study contributes to understanding the ecological dynamics of these insects and evaluating their resilience to current landscape transformations on the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological control practitioners are required to demonstrate that candidate agents are not only safe for release, but will establish widely in their new range with a significant impact on the target weed.We conducted this study in quarantine to provide insight into the impact and distribution of the root‐feeding flea beetle Heikertingerella sp. (Chrysomelidae), released in early 2023 against the invasive tree Tecoma stans (L.) (Bignoniaceae) in South Africa. We studied the effects of low and high beetle densities on plant growth and biomass, and F1 progeny production by the beetle.There were significant reductions in plant growth and biomass accumulation in the beetle‐exposed plants, relative to the controls. P1 adults damaged significantly more leaflets, with significantly higher F1 progeny production, at high beetle densities.The MaxEnt model predictions suggested that most of South Africa is climatically highly suitable for Heikertingerella sp., particularly along the southern and eastern coasts where the weed is most prevalent. Only the inland regions of the Northern Cape Province, depicting the driest and hottest part of the country where the weed does not occur, were predicted to be unsuitable for Heikertingerella sp. The beetle's thermal physiology, as determined by its critical thermal minimum and maximum temperatures and lower and upper lethal temperatures (LT50), suggests tolerance to temperature extremes in at least four of the eight provinces that fall within the range of T. stans in South Africa.Our results further justify the release of Heikertingerella sp. in areas predicted as suitable in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species are one main driver of biodiversity loss and can cause severe economic costs. Effective management of such species requires early detection of colonising individuals, but this is often hampered by biological or economic constraints.Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1896), an Australian Eucalyptus defoliator beetle, is an invasive alien species that has spread to the Americas, Asia and most recently Europe.We analyse the expansion of T. sloanei in the Iberian Peninsula both at regional and local scales, study its phenology and relative abundance, and explore the use of nest boxes for early detection.The species is spreading steadily, and the area potentially affected has increased dramatically in a few years. Both adults and larvae were observed between June and November, suggesting the occurrence of several overlapping generations. More than 300 individuals were found aggregated behind single nest boxes.We conclude that the installation and monitoring of nest boxes or similar structures (e.g., cork boards) can facilitate early detection of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrilus cuprescens (Ménétries, 1832), the rose stem girdler, is a Palearctic Buprestidae (Coleoptera) pest of Rosa and Rubus species. Its introduction and consequent spread across North America may now make it the most widely distributed Agrilus species, globally.No evidence reviewed indicated A. cuprescens was present in North America long before it was first reported on Rosa in New Jersey, USA, in 1913. The species incrementally progressed westward, reaching the Pacific coast in Washington, USA, 101 years later. Future spread is most likely within the northern Canadian prairies and the Pacific Northwest regions. Its presence in the latter region poses a contemporary threat to epicentres of Rubus production in both the United States and Canada. As of 2022, confirmed spread within the region extended nearly to the Canadian border in Washington and the southern Willamette Valley in Oregon.The most comprehensive, foundational investigations of A. cuprescens in North America were conducted in the late 1930s and early 1940s in New York, USA, and in Utah, USA, during the late 1950s and early 1960s following damaging outbreaks on Rubus. Ongoing research in the Pacific Northwest is attempting to refine information on this pest as it progresses towards naturalization within a new North American ecological and agricultural context.This review aggregates and clarifies the geographical progression, biological understandings and management of this species in North America, which has been fraught with a convoluted history of misidentifications, and varying degrees of consideration given to it as a pest of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest management practices creating small‐scale forest edge habitats in managed forests have substantial impacts on the formation of beetle assemblages. In 2021, we conducted research in a managed oak woodland in Central Slovakia using three flight interception traps (FITs) to study beetle assemblages. Two FITs were installed at the forest edge, facing both, the clearing and the closed‐stand forest, while the third FIT was positioned 100 m within the closed‐canopy forest. We employed a novel methodological approach, which involved separately collected subsamples within the ecotone using FITs differentiated as ‘ecotone inwards’ and ‘ecotone outwards’ to capture distinct directional movements at the edge. We recorded 5.997 beetle specimens, encompassing 417 species across 284 genera and 58 families. We found that the species diversity and abundance of beetles were not significantly different between the FITs. However, the species composition was significantly different. The partial detrended canonical correspondence analysis suggests that these compositional differences might be closely associated with the distribution of trophic guilds, indicating varied responses to habitat modifications induced by forest edge creation. The results of our study showed that phloephagous, saproxylophagous, xylomycetophagous, xylophagous and zoophagous beetles exhibited a positive association with the forest edge, while mycophagous, phytophagous and saprophagous groups were distinctly associated with the closed‐canopy forest. Our analyses indicated that the ‘ecotone outward’ part of forest edges of managed forest may attract higher number of trophic groups, while the ‘ecotone inward’ part of the forest edge hosted high abundances of phloephagous and xylomycetophagous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animal species have movement abilities. Behavior is important for evolutionary ecology because animal movement leads to dispersal, migration, search for food and mates, and escaping from enemies. However, individual differences in movement activity are found within a population. This phenomenon can be affected by various factors, one of which is suggesting that higher moving activity has fitness cost, whereas lower moving activity has benefits. Animal movement may also affect reproduction (e.g., resource allocation tradeoff between movement and reproduction as well as intra‐ and intersexual selection). Although many previous studies have investigated the relationship between movement and reproduction, less attention has been paid to walking movement. In this study, previous studies that investigated the relationship between movement and reproduction were reviewed using the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, a model insect in behavioral ecology and genetics. Several previous studies suggest that beetle walking is strongly associated with male and female reproductive traits. In recent years, empirical studies on the correlation between walking and other traits have increased, particularly in T. castaneum. Although this species can fly and walk, the movement is often discussed without discriminating between flight and walk. Differences in modes of movement may affect the correlation between movement and other traits; thus, discussing each mode of movement separately is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius), also known as the cowpea beetle or pulse beetle, is the most important pest of stored cowpea. The beetle causes both qualitative and quantitative losses in the grains, all of which result in low crop yields. The objective of this work was to investigate the insecticidal effect of rose essential oil (REO) on adult Callosobruchus maculatus in terms of mortality and oviposition. In addition, the viable mesophilic aerobic bacteria of C. maculatus were evaluated, and surface molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps were examined to determine the interaction domains of the bioactive components of REO. The interaction mechanism between the AChE enzyme (PDB ID: 6XXY, 4EY6, 4EY7 and 6O4W) and the REO components was investigated using the molecular docking method. The highest mortality of 92.40 ± 0.03% was obtained at 16 μL within 72 h of exposure. Higher concentrations of the essential oil decreased the laying performance of C. maculatus. A significant decrease of 91.33% in the number of eggs laid was observed. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) results showed that the major constituents of Rosa damascena Miller essential oil (REO) were citronellol (46.15%), geraniol (16.19%), nonadecane (8.80%) and nerol (7.43%). Treatments of 4, 8, 12 and 16 μL of REO significantly reduced the viable mesophilic aerobic bacteria of C. maculatus samples compared with the control. It was found that the most effective binding was between the REO components and the 4EY7 protein, with binding energies ranging from −6.9 to −8.9 kcal/mol. Although the major component of REO was citronellol (46.15%), the best interaction was observed with farnesol isomer B (0.80%). Overall, these results suggest that REO has the potential to control C. maculatus as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochamus alternatus is one of the most important borers of conifers and the main vector of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of pine wilt disease. It causes massive death of pine trees and seriously affects the health of forest ecosystems. Traditionally, adults or larvae are identified by morphological or molecular methods. However, diagnosing M. alternatus larvae at different instars collected from forests is expensive and time‐consuming. Non‐destructive molecular diagnostic protocols are, therefore, being developed to detect biological traces (i.e. exuviae, excreta) and to determine the distribution and spread of this pest. In this study, based on the alignment of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences of M. alternatus and other insect species, we designed the primer pair of Mal‐SF/Mal‐SR and probe of Mal‐P for M. alternatus. TaqMan probe‐based qPCR was developed to identify the occurrence of M. alternatus in forests by amplifying the DNA samples obtained from its adult, larva, frass, excreta and exuviae. The amplification results were very effective. The lowest amount of M. alternatus DNA that could be detected with a Cq of 31.93 in the mixed samples was 0.64 pg, showing very high sensitivity. This assay can easily identify M. alternatus from other non‐target wood‐borer species using its frass and exuviae, providing a new diagnostic protocol for monitoring the occurrence and distribution of M. alternatus in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resolving a robust phylogeny of an organismal group is often hindered by the limited availability of samples suitable for genomic or transcriptomic sequencing. Even for lineages of notable importance in evolutionary ecology, our phylogenetic comprehension remains largely unsatisfactory due to the challenges of acquiring samples across the clade. The long‐horned beetle genus Anoplophora Hope exemplifies such a group, globally renowned for two invasive pests—the Asian long‐horned beetle and citrus long‐horned beetle—which have inflicted significant damage to deciduous hardwood forest in North America and Europe. In contrast to the two temperate pests, the remaining 50 species in the genus inhabit subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, where most species are only infrequently encountered. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogeny of Anoplophora using a PCR‐based target enrichment museomics approach. As a case study of employing PCR‐generated custom probes, we demonstrate the robustness and cost‐effectiveness of this in‐house method in successfully acquiring sequence data from historical specimens. Through extensive sampling of Anoplophora using museum specimens, we reveal a non‐sister relationship between the two temperate species and provide evidence for addressing taxonomic conundrums. Our biogeographical analyses indicate that the adaptation of the two temperate species occurred independently during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene after the establishment of temperate forests in East Asia in the late Miocene. Our findings highlight the importance of comprehensive phylogenetic inference in understanding the patterns and processes of these beetles' adaptation to temperate forests and lay the groundwork for investigating the genetic mechanism underlying life in the cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niche theory predicts that ecologically similar sympatric species should show differentiation in at least one of the main niche dimensions (time, space, and/or food). Here, we combined observations of breeding timing, nest site selection, and diet (the latter determined using DNA metabarcoding) to analyze the niche overlap and differentiation between two sympatric secondary cavity‐nesting birds, the Japanese Tit Parus minor and the Yellow‐rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia. The results showed that (1) there were significant differences in the first egg laying date, length of the egg laying period, incubation date, and hatching date between tits and flycatchers, and the breeding time of flycatchers peaked later (about 30 days) than that of tits; (2) the two species had a large overlap in nest site selection, although the canopy coverage and shrub density of flycatchers were significantly higher than those of tits; and (3) the niche overlap in diet was minimal, with both species heavily relying on Lepidoptera (39.6% and 63.7% for tits and flycatchers, respectively), but with flycatchers consuming significantly higher percentages of Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera than tits. The results indicate that these two sympatric secondary cavity‐nesting species have significant niche differentiation in breeding time and diet, but little differentiation in nest site selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetles have a remote evolutionary history dating back to the Carboniferous, with Mesozoic fossils playing a pivotal role in elucidating the early evolution of extant families. Despite their exceptional preservation in amber, deciphering the systematic positions of Mesozoic trogossitid‐like beetles remains challenging. Here, we describe and illustrate a new trogossitid‐like lineage from mid‐Cretaceous Kachin amber, Foveapeltis rutai Li, Kolibáč, Liu & Cai, gen. et sp. nov. Foveapeltis stands out within the Cleroidea due to the presence of a significant large cavity on each hypomeron. While the exact phylogenetic placement of Foveapeltis remains uncertain, we offer a discussion on its potential affinity based on our constrained phylogenetic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Gorteria diffusa has elaborate petal spots that attract pollinators through sexual deception, but how G. diffusa controls spot development is largely unknown. Here, we investigate how pigmentation is regulated during spot formation.We determined the anthocyanin composition of G. diffusa petals and combined gene expression analysis with protein interaction assays to characterise R2R3‐MYBs that likely regulate pigment production in G. diffusa petal spots.We found that cyanidin 3‐glucoside pigments G. diffusa ray floret petals. Unlike other petal regions, spots contain a high proportion of malonylated anthocyanin. We identified three subgroup 6 R2R3‐MYB transcription factors (GdMYBSG6‐1,2,3) that likely activate the production of spot pigmentation. These genes are upregulated in developing spots and induce ectopic anthocyanin production upon heterologous expression in tobacco. Interaction assays suggest that these transcription factors regulate genes encoding three anthocyanin synthesis enzymes.We demonstrate that the elaboration of complex spots in G. diffusa begins with the accumulation of malonylated pigments at the base of ray floret petals, positively regulated by three paralogous R2R3‐MYB transcription factors. Our results indicate that the functional diversification of these GdMYBSG6s involved changes in the spatial control of their transcription, and modification of the duration of GdMYBSG6 gene expression contributes towards floral variation within the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the significance of saproxylic beetle species for ecosystems, the investigation of fine‐scale population genetics within the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, remains notably limited. Because of their limited dispersal distances and habitat fragmentation, high genetic structure and low genetic diversity are expected in its populations.To evaluate the impact of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and structure, we examined 150 specimens of L. cervus from three sites in western Poland: two forest stands and one stand located in an Oak avenue. We utilised 19 microsatellite DNA loci for this examination.Results of neighbour‐joining analysis and principal coordinates analysis, values of differentiation indexes (G'ST, D(Jost) and FST) and rare/private allele frequencies indicated weak genetic differentiation among individuals collected from the tree sites. A spatial component to the genetic structure was identified through STRUCTURE (LOCPRIOR), isolation by distance tests and spatial autocorrelation analysis. The genetic diversity remained relatively high (HE: 0.49–0.51), with no inbreeding observed and no significant differences in mean relatedness among individuals from sampling sites.Limited genetic differentiation between the individuals of L. cervus from the investigated sites may result from a lag time since fragment isolation, unrestricted gene flow and marker/sample size limitations. Though weak, the significant differentiation between two of the sites may be linked to environmental differences and distance. Genetic data support treating individuals from forests as a single management unit. Non‐invasive sampling suffices for genetic studies, but achieving balanced sampling is crucial for precise historical demography estimates of endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent progress in beetle palaeontology has incited us to re‐address the evolutionary history of the group. The Permian †Tshekardocoleidae had elytra that covered the posterior body in a loose tent‐like manner. The formation of elytral epipleura and a tight fit of elytra and abdomen were important evolutionary transformations in the Middle Permian, resulting in a tightly enclosed subelytral space. Permian families were likely associated with dead wood of gymnospermous trees. The end‐Permian extinction event resulted in a turnover in the composition of beetle faunas, especially a decline of large‐bodied wood‐associated forms. Adephaga and Myxophaga underwent a first wave of diversification in the Triassic. Polyphaga are very rare in this period. The first wave of diversification of this suborder occurs in the Jurassic, with fossils of Elateriformia, Staphyliniformia and Cucujiformia. The Cretaceous fossil record has been tremendously enriched by the discovery of amber inclusions. Numerous fossils represent all major polyphagan lineages and also the remaining suborders. Improved analytical methods for documenting and placing extinct taxa are discussed. Different factors have played a role in the diversification of beetles. The enormous number of species associated with flowering plants, and timing and patterns of diversification in phytophagous lineages indicate that the angiosperm radiation played a major role in beetle macroevolution. Moreover, the evolution of intimate partnerships with symbionts and the acquisition of novel genes—obtained from fungi and bacteria via horizontal gene transfers—facilitated the use of plant material as a food source and were key innovations in the diversification of plant‐feeding beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Pacific distribution of coastal aleocharines has been explained as the result of either dispersal or vicariance. The rove beetle genus Psammostiba is a marine littoral group that occurs on the Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere. We performed phylogenetic analysis of Psammostiba using molecular characters (4685 bp) to investigate their biogeographic patterns. The data were analysed using parsimony, Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods. Model‐based analyses showed the same pattern of Psammostiba species relationships, but parsimony analysis yielded different species relationships for the unresolved clade of Psammostiba. According to the reconstruction of the ancestral areas, both vicariance (two events) and dispersal (one event) have played roles in shaping its current distribution. Biogeographical analyses suggest that the common ancestor of Psammostiba occurred widely along the Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere and underwent vicariance events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, insects have been used as samplers of vertebrate diversity by assessing the ingested‐derived DNA (iDNA), and dung beetles have been shown to be a good mammal sampler given their broad feeding preference, wide distribution and easy sampling. Here, we tested and optimized the use of iDNA from dung beetles to assess the mammal community by evaluating if some biological and methodological aspects affect the use of dung beetles as mammal species samplers. We collected 403 dung beetles from 60 pitfall traps. iDNA from each dung beetle was sequenced by metabarcoding using two mini‐barcodes (12SrRNA and 16SrRNA). We assessed whether dung beetles with different traits related to feeding, nesting and body size differed in the number of mammal species found in their iDNA. We also tested differences among four killing solutions in preserving the iDNA and compared the effectiveness of each mini barcode to recover mammals. We identified a total of 50 mammal OTUs (operational taxonomic unit), including terrestrial and arboreal species from 10 different orders. We found that at least one mammal‐matching sequence was obtained from 70% of the dung beetle specimens. The number of mammal OTUs obtained did not vary with dung beetle traits as well as between the killing solutions. The 16SrRNA mini‐barcode recovered a higher number of mammal OTUs than 12SrRNA, although both sets were partly non‐overlapping. Thus, the complete mammal diversity may not be achieved by using only one of them. This study refines the methodology for routine assessment of tropical mammal communities via dung beetle 'samplers' and its universal applicability independently of the species traits of local beetle communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygraphus proximus Blandford (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), a non‐aggressive bark beetle, has caused mortality of Abies spp. in Western Siberia, Central Asia, European Russia as well as Japan. Removing dead trees (e.g. salvage logging) and thinning stands are considered one of the best practices to reduce the risk of bark beetle outbreaks. However, salvaging or removing dead and thinned trees requires significant effort. Thus, to determine whether cutting trees into shorter logs would reduce P. proximus infestation, we exposed A. sachalinensis logs of various lengths on the ground in a forest stand. The attack density of P. proximus significantly decreased with shorter log lengths. It can be concluded that cutting into short logs and leaving them on the ground are effective practices to reduce the chance of P. proximus host location and outbreaks after natural disturbances and thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small hive beetle Aethina tumida (SHB) Murray,1867, is an invasive bee pest that is expanding its range across Latin America, parts of Australia and the Philippines, and is now established in two regions in Italy. However, despite multiple recent introductions, there is scant information about the dynamics of the initial stages of colonization of the SHB and this knowledge gap could impact management and quarantine strategies decisions for many countries. This note describes the monitoring strategies and the patterns of SHB establishment in a previously SHB‐free apiary on the island of Oahu, Hawaii in 2010–2011. The weekly hive inspections, conducted over a ten‐month period, showed that beetle prevalence increased slowly at the apiary level, and adult beetles were more commonly found (87.9%) inside the oil traps that were placed inside the hives between the outermost frames of the hive. There were relatively few "free roaming" beetles detected at this point and they were more often found on the side frames and underneath the cover of the hive, not on the floor of the hive. The results also suggest that in the early stages of colonization careful visual inspections of the frames of each colony had relatively low detection success when compared to oil traps. Our results support previous modelling studies that suggest the need to inspect a high proportion of colonies per apiary (>80%) to ensure a 5% detection rate during the initial stages of invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution and population fluctuations of insect pests facilitates the development of effective control strategies for a given crop. Conotrachelus psidii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important guava pest; however, no sampling plans are available for its management. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to (i) determine the spatial distribution pattern of C. psidii adults and (ii) develop a sequential sampling plan for pest control in guava crops. Evaluations began at 120 days after pruning and were performed weekly. To sample C. psidii adults, a white tarp was placed under the plants, covering the entire canopy. Plant branches were then shaken to dislodge the adult insects on the tarp, which were then identified and counted. Using the data obtained in each sampling, dispersion indices were determined and tests of adjustments to the theoretical Poisson and negative binomial frequency distributions were performed. The calculated dispersion indices revealed that the individuals in the studied populations exhibited aggregated dispersion. Notably, only four samples showed adjustment to the Poisson distribution, whereas 18 samples showed adjustment to the negative binomial distribution in the field, confirming the aggregated pattern of the population spatial arrangement. The sequential sampling plan developed for C. psidii revealed the maximum and minimum numbers of sample units expected for decision‐making as 45 and 15, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Dendroctonus valens along with its symbiotic fungi have caused unprecedented damage to pines in China. Leptographium procerum, its primary symbiotic fungus, facilitates the invasion and colonization of the pest, thereby aggravating ecological threats. Assessing shifts in the niches and ranges of D. valens and its symbiotic fungus could provide a valuable basis for pest control. Here, we conducted niche comparisons between native and invasive populations of D. valens. Then, we employed standard ecological niche models and ensembles of small models to predict the potential distributions of D. valens and L. procerum under climate change conditions and to estimate areas of overlap. RESULTS: The niche of invasive population of D. valens in Chinese mainland only occupied a limited portion of the niche of native population in North America, leaving a substantial native niche unfilled and without any niche expansion. The suitable regions for D. valens are predicted in central and southern North America and central and northeastern Chinese mainland. The overlap with the suitable regions of L. procerum included eastern North America and the central and northeastern Chinese mainland under historical climatic scenarios. The regions susceptible to their symbiotic damage will shift northward in response to future climate change. CONCLUSIONS: Projected distributions of D. valens and its symbiotic fungus, along with areas vulnerable to their symbiotic damage, provide essential insights for devising strategies against this association. Additionally, our study contributes to comprehending how biogeographic approaches aid in estimating potential risks of pest–pathogen interactions in forests within a warming world. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term experiments are critical for understanding ecological processes, but their management comes with unique challenges. As time passes, projects may encounter unavoidable changes due to external factors, like availability of materials, affecting aspects of their research methodology. At the Kellogg Biological Station Long‐Term Ecological Research Site, one of the many National Science Foundation‐funded long‐term research stations, a three‐decade project recently experienced a supply‐chain‐induced change in insect sampling methodology in their lady beetle observation study. Since 1989, lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) have been sampled weekly over the growing season using yellow sticky cards. In 2021, the original sticky traps were discontinued by the manufacturer and replaced with a similar, but not identical trap. We conducted a 3‐year study while the new traps were phased in to examine how the trap change would impact the observed biodiversity patterns at the site. We examined community metrics and individual taxa captures to examine within‐year and between‐year differences in performance between the card types. Overall, we noted several small but statistically detectable differences in capture patterns between the two trap types. After accounting for other sources of variation, we observed a difference in Shannon diversity of insects captured on the two card types, but not richness or abundance, for the overall insect community. Yet, these differences were dwarfed by the magnitude of difference observed between years within card types. For individual taxa, similar patterns held: between trap differences could be detected statistically, but the number of differences in capture rate between trap types was less than the number of differences observed for the same trap, between years. Thus, we conclude that while subtle changes in methodology could impact data produced in long‐term experiments; in this case, the magnitude of this change is smaller than other factors such as time and plant treatment. However, if sustained changes in the capture rates of focal taxa are observed, future data users may use our observations to specifically quantify and correct for these shifting patterns related to the protocol change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are benefits to being a generalist, the majority of herbivorous insects are diet specialists. This raises the question whether the ability to reproduce on various host plants hides an unknown ecological optimum. Our study investigated the existence of such an ecological optimum in the fungus‐farming ambrosia beetle, Xyleborinus saxesenii Ratzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).We hypothesised that X. saxesenii may exhibit higher fitness in specific hosts that are particularly abundant in their respective regions. To test this hypothesis, we bred X. saxesenii from a broadleaved forest population in semi‐artificial media mimicking either a coniferous or a broadleaved host‐tree species. As trade‐offs between different traits can occur, we examined various aspects of the life history, social behaviour and fungal symbionts of X. saxesenii.We found that dispersing females did not exhibit any preference, and that the host tree did not have any impact on life history parameters or larval and adult behaviours. The fungal community associated with the species was made up of identical fungal species, albeit with different relative abundances between host trees. Our findings indicate that X. saxesenii does not exhibit a specific adaptation to the most abundant host trees in its native habitat. However, we identified significant effects of laboratory breeding on life history traits, social behaviour and adult dispersal.This generalism in host use in combination with inbreeding mating system may be the main drivers of the invasion success of the Eurasian X. saxesenii, which is currently among the most prevalent and widely distributed ambrosia beetle species worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dark pigmentation of adults resulting from cold exposure during development is ubiquitous among insects. Yet the costs associated with the developmental plasticity of melanisation have been explored only for a handful of species.We explored two hypotheses relating to colour plasticity of insects. First, if melanin pigments are costly to synthesise and require allocation of resources, increased melanisation should be negatively associated with performance traits (the cost hypothesis). Second, given the positive association between melanisation and immune responses or desiccation resistance in some species, melanisation and performance may co‐vary positively (the positive covariance hypothesis). Furthermore, given the typical differences in reproductive effort and activity between females and males, we expect these performance–melanisation relationships to differ between sexes.We assessed whether temperature‐induced melanisation of the globally invasive beetle Harmonia axyridis f. succinea (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was related to standard metabolic rate and flight performance while accounting for developmental temperature and family affiliation.Melanisation explained little variation in standard metabolic rate at most temperatures tested (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C). For flight performance and after the cold‐rearing regime, lighter coloured female beetles had increased flight speed compared with darker females, whereas the opposite was found in males. In addition, in warm‐reared beetles, darker individuals had lower mean flight speeds.The results suggest that at least some flight performance costs are associated with developmentally induced melanisation, supporting the cost hypothesis. Disparities in these relationships between males and females suggest that the drivers underlying variation in melanisation differ between sexes. Importantly, variation in melanisation was more acute for females reared in the warm regime compared with equally treated males and to cold‐reared individuals. We propose new directions to test hypotheses pertaining to the maintenance of colour variation and performance between sexes in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceutorhynchinae Gistel are a diverse weevil subfamily of almost worldwide distribution and considerable economic importance. Nevertheless, the classification of Ceutorhynchinae and their phylogenetic relationships are not yet fully resolved. Here, we sequenced the mitogenomes of 54 ceutorhynchine species. Phylogenetic analyses by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were performed on a dataset of 13 protein‐coding and two ribosomal genes. All analyses recovered three well supported clades A–C. A principal component analysis shows that codon usage differs considerably between these clades, indicating a compositional asymmetry in ceutorhynchine mitogenomes. This increased the challenge of resolving the early relationships among the three clades. The resolution of the later diversification was more robust, and the resulting topologies were largely compatible with each other and with the current taxonomic classification. Exceptions are the genera Micrelus Thomson, which is transferred from the tribe Ceutorhynchini to Egriini Pajni and Kohli (new position) and Amalus Schoenherr, which is transferred to Phytobiini Gistel (new position). Amalini Wagner 1936 is a junior synonym of Phytobiini Gistel 1848 (syn. n.). Coeliodini Lacordaire (new status), a tribe previously regarded as junior synonym of Ceutorhynchini, is re‐established. Our analyses also clarified the difficult assignments of taxa to the tribes Scleropterini Schultze and Phytobiini. All taxa with the ability to jump as adult beetles belong to clade B, which comprises the tribes Cnemogonini Colonnelli, Hypurini Schultze, Mecysmoderini Wagner and Phytobiini. With dense taxon sampling and appropriate analytical methods, mitogenome data provide a phylogeny well suited to improve the traditional classification of this neglected and species‐rich taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random Forest algorithm was used to predict on‐field presence probability of rape stem weevil in France as a function of climatic and landscape variables, based on a long‐term and multisite data set. A first version of the model included a set of 342 variables. A variable selection procedure was used to retain only the 15 most influential variables without significant drop in predicting performances. Most retained variables were temperature related and results showed that the sum of maximum daily temperature above 9°C during the week preceding observation was the predictor with the largest influence on rape stem weevil occurrence. This model reached a mean AUC of 0.77 and outperformed some other published models. As such, this model can help farmers to precisely time insecticide application. It has been integrated in a decision support system freely available in the Terres Inovia (French applied agricultural research and development institute dedicated to oilseed crops) website. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movement plays a crucial role in animal behavior. However, despite the prevalence of uneven terrains in nature, many movement studies are conducted in arenas with smooth substrates. This discrepancy raises questions about the ecological validity of such experiments. To address this gap, we investigated the effect of rough substrates on movement properties using the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) as a model organism. Our findings revealed significant variations in movement behavior between rough and smooth substrates. Notably, beetles traveled longer distances on smooth surfaces compared to sandpaper and loose sand. Moreover, variations in step size were influenced by substrate treatment, with the highest values observed on sand and sandpaper treatments. The proportion of time spent standing still also showed sensitivity to substrate conditions. The interaction between substrate properties and beetle sex further influenced several movement properties. Even the spatial configuration of rough and smooth areas in the arena had an impact on beetle movement, with areas along the arena perimeter exhibiting a stronger effect. These results highlight the impact of uneven terrain on beetle movement, underscoring the importance of considering environmental conditions when designing experimental setups. Here, this refers to the substrate on which animals move, but it may refer to other conditions, such as the test arena size and shape, temperature, humidity, and illumination. Failure to account for these background environmental conditions may result in inadvertently examining the interaction of the tested animals with these conditions, rather than focusing on the effect of the treatments applied in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Notomicrus traili species group (Coleoptera: Noteridae) is a lineage of aquatic beetles distributed throughout South America and extends into Mexico and the West Indies. Previous research has revealed a species complex within this group, with multiple distinct clades sharing overlapping distributions and lineages attributed to N. traili and the closely related Notomicrus gracilipes recovered as polyphyletic. Here, we perform targeted capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to examine relationships and patterns of evolution within the N. traili group. First, we use short‐read whole‐genome sequencing of four noterid genera to design a noterid‐specific UCE probe set (Noteridae 3.4Kv1) targeting over 3400 unique loci. Using this probe set, we capture UCE data from population‐level sampling of 44 traili group specimens from across the Neotropics, with an emphasis on the Guiana Shield where distributions of several putative N. traili group populations overlap. We subject the resulting data matrix to various trimming and data completeness treatments and reconstruct the phylogeny with both concatenated maximum likelihood and coalescent congruent methods. We recover robust phylogenetic estimates that identify several phylogenetically distinct clades within the traili group that share overlapping distributions. To test for the genetic distinctiveness of populations, we extract single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from UCE alignments using a chimeric reference method to map UCE‐enriched reads and examine patterns of genetic clustering using principal component analyses (PCAs) and STRUCTURE. Population genetic results are highly concordant with recovered phylogenetic structure, revealing a high degree of co‐ancestry shared within identified clades, contrasting with limited ancestry sharing between clades. We recover a pattern consistent with repeated diversification and dispersal of the traili group in the Neotropics, highlighting the efficacy of a tailored UCE approach for facilitating shallow‐scale phylogenetic reconstructions and population genetic analyses, which can reveal novel aspects of coleopteran phylogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many species often show male–male combat for mating opportunities and resources within the species. Sexual selection through this radical combat leads to the evolution of males with exaggerated traits used as weapons, such as horns or mandibles, that often result in victory during combat. However, heterospecific interaction due to errors in species identification has often been observed, which results in decreased mating opportunities within the same species and fewer fertilized eggs. Males with exaggerated weapons may show dominance in resource acquisition over males without weapons and may decrease the reproductive success of the latter due to competition between the two. However, few studies have examined heterospecific interaction focusing on males with or without weapons. In this study, we investigated the effects of the male weapon on reproductive traits in heterospecific interaction in two species: the broad‐horned flour beetle (Gnatocerus cornutus), in which males have exaggerated weapon traits; and the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), in which males have no weapon traits. Both species are closely related and use the same food resources. G. cornutus males interfered with the resource acquisition and reproductive opportunities of T. castaneum by attacking T. castaneum. The reproductive success of T. castaneum decreased when they cohabited with G. cornutus males. These findings show that male weapon traits, which are important for sexual selection within the same species, can also greatly influence reproduction in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the extant staphylinid genus Vicelva Moore & Legner, V. rasilis sp. nov., is reported from mid‐Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. Vicelva rasilis is distinguishable from extant members of Vicelva by the smoother dorsal surface of head, pronotum and elytra, less prominent median projection of clypeus, unnotched mesal edge of mandibles, semiglabrous antennomere 6, and longer tarsomere 1. The pollen‐containing coprolite attached to the beetle and the crystals within the beetle body provide valuable information about the biology and taphonomy of the fossil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Costa Rica emerged from the seas as a new geological territory during the Miocene as an insular archipelago. It later became part of a continental area once it became a segment of Central America. Two dung beetle genera that colonized this new territory from South and North America, Canthidium and Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), are here studied, in the first analysis of a volcanic paleo‐archipelago, colonized from its emergence, and then later becoming terra firma. To assess their biodiversity distribution patterns, we analyzed the effect of biogeography, ecosystem origins, and body size on their altitudinal distribution patterns in three geographic basins of Costa Rica. Based on 32 years of collecting representing more than 158,000 specimens from 1017 localities, we undertook Generalized Linear Models of the two dung beetle genera to assess the effects of biodiversity and biogeographical distribution patterns. Canthidium and Onthophagus species ranged from 0 to 3000 m a.s.l., with an abrupt diversity decline at altitudes above 1500 m. Endemic species tended to show a higher altitudinal mean with a narrow altitudinal band distribution than non‐endemic dung beetle species. Although there was a trend of decreasing species body size with the increase in altitude, such a trend depended on the distribution pattern of the species group. This possible insular‐mediated endemicity mechanism has generated baffling biodiversity levels, considered the highest worldwide per unit area. Costa Rica is an expanse represented by a geographic overlap of two or more temporally disjunct areas and is not part of a natural transition zone. The effect of the insular Miocene origin of Costa Rica still pervades today, reflected by different insular syndromes shown by the dung beetle fauna. The importance of geological origins in generating biodiversity seems to have been an underrated criterion for conservation biology practices and should be considered ex officio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We investigated the mining mode of insect feeding, involving larval consumption of a plant's internal tissues, from the Middle Jurassic (165 million years ago) Daohugou locality of Northeastern China. Documentation of mining from the Jurassic Period is virtually unknown, and results from this time interval would address mining evolution during the temporal gap of mine–seed plant diversifications from the previous Late Triassic to the subsequent Early Cretaceous.Plant fossils were examined with standard microscopic procedures for herbivory and used the standard functional feeding group–damage‐type system of categorizing damage. All fossil mines were photographed and databased.We examined 2014 plant specimens, of which 27 occurrences on 14 specimens resulted in eight, new, mine damage types (DTs) present on six genera of bennettitalean, ginkgoalean, and pinalean gymnosperms.Three conclusions emerge from this study. First, these mid‐Mesozoic mines are morphologically conservative and track plant host anatomical structure rather than plant phylogeny. Second, likely insect fabricators of these mines were three basal lineages of polyphagan beetles, four basal lineages of monotrysian moths, and a basal lineage tenthredinoid sawflies. Third, the nutrition hypothesis, indicating that miners had greater access to nutritious, inner tissues of new plant lineages, best explains mine evolution during the mid‐Mesozoic. See also the Commentary on this article by McLoughlin & Santos, 242: 2391–2393. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Tree hollows support a specialised species‐rich fauna. We review the habitat requirements of saproxylic (= deadwood dependent) invertebrates which occupy tree hollows. We focus on studies quantifying relationships between species occurrence patterns and characteristics of tree hollows, hollow trees, and the surrounding landscape. We also explore the processes influencing species occurrence patterns by reviewing studies on the spatio‐temporal dynamics of populations, including their dispersal and genetic structure. Our literature search in the database Scopus identified 52 relevant publications, all of which were studies from Europe. The dominant taxonomic group studied was beetles. Invertebrates in hollow trees were often more likely to be recorded in trees with characteristics reflecting a large amount of resources or a stable and warm microclimate, such as a large diameter, large amounts of wood mould (= loose material accumulated in the hollows mainly consisting of decaying wood), a high level of sun exposure, and with entrance holes that are large and either at a low or high height, and in dry hollows, with entrances not directed upwards. A stable microclimate is probably a key factor why some species of saproxylic invertebrates are confined to tree hollows. Other factors that are different in comparison to downed dead wood is the fact that hollows at a given height from the ground provide shelter from ground‐living predators, that hollows persist for longer, and that the content of nutrients might be enhanced by the accumulation of dead leaves, insect frass, and remains from dead insects. Several studies have identified a positive relationship between species occupancy per tree and the amount of habitat in the surrounding landscape, with a variation in the spatial scale at which characteristics of the surrounding landscape had the strongest effect over spatial scales from 200 to 3000 m. We found empirical support for the extinction threshold hypothesis, which predicts that the frequency of species presence per tree is greater if a certain number of trees are aggregated into a few large clusters of hollow trees rather than distributed among many small clusters. Observed thresholds in species occurrence patterns can be explained by colonisation–extinction dynamics, with species occupancy per tree influenced by variation in rates of immigration. Consistent with this assumption, field studies suggest that dispersal rate and range can be low for invertebrates occupying tree hollows, although higher in a warmer climate. For one species in which population dynamics has been studied over 25 years (Osmoderma eremita), the observed population dynamics have characteristics of a “habitat‐tracking metapopulation”, as local extinctions from trees occur possibly because those trees become unsuitable as well as due to stochastic processes in small populations. The persistence of invertebrate fauna confined to tree hollows may be improved by prolonging the standing life of existing hollow trees. It is also important to recruit new generations of hollow trees, preferably close to existing larger groups of hollow trees. Thus, the spatio‐temporal dynamics of hollow trees is crucial for the invertebrate fauna that rely upon them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pupal‐adult eclosion process of holometabolous insects, the old cuticle is shed and replaced by a completely different new cuticle that requires tanning and expansion, along with extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In vertebrates, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a class of zinc‐dependent endopeptidases, play key roles in regulating the ECM that surrounds cells. However, little is known about these extracellular proteinases available in insects. The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, is a widespread invasive parasite of honey bees. In this study, 6 MMP homologs were identified in the SHB genome. RNA interference experiments showed that all 6 AtMmps are not required for the larval‐pupal transition, only AtMmp2 was essential for pupal‐adult eclosion in SHB. Knockdown of AtMmp2 resulted in eclosion defects and wing expansion failure, as well as mortality within 3 d of adult eclosion. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that knockdown of AtMmp2 significantly increased expression of the Toll and Imd pathways, chitin metabolism, and cross‐linking (such as the pro‐phenoloxidase activating cascade pathway and the tyrosine‐mediated cuticle sclerotization and pigmentation pathway). These data revealed evolutionarily conserved functions of Mmp2 in controlling adult eclosion and wing expansion, also provided a preliminary exploration of the novel function of regulating Toll and Imd pathways, as well as new insights into how MMPs regulate insect development and defense barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is highly capable of serving multiple users at similar times and frequencies. The power allocation (PA) is widely considered as a main factor in NOMA for efficient communication. Here, the application of multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) is added to NOMA to fulfill demands of enriched spectral efficiencies and extra user data. In this research, the Ladybug Beetle Honey Badger Optimization (LBHBO) is proposed for efficient PA in MIMO‐NOMA. Initially, the received signals from the user are modulated for amplitude and frequency. Then, user grouping is conducted by fuzzy local information c‐means (FLICM) clustering followed by using PA done by proposed LBHBO. This power is then moved to the transmitter and then to the channel estimation process. Moreover, cyclic prefix (CP) removal is carried out that tends to discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Finally, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) demodulation is performed for reallocated output. Furthermore, LBHBO is formed by combining Ladybug Beetle Optimization (LBO) and Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA). The performance offered by the LBHBO‐PA with maximal values with energy efficiency (EE) of 25.38 Mbits/s, sum rate of 1.29 Mbits/s, and achievable rate of 100.47 Mbits/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termites are key components of tropical ecosystems, particularly in the Cerrado biome, where they dominate animal biomass and play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and soil formation. Their abundance and nutritional value make them primary food sources for various Cerrado animals, influencing predator diversity and several ecological interactions. Additionally, termite mounds serve as essential shelters for a wide range of fauna, aiding in thermoregulation and providing refuge from harsh environmental conditions, including wildfires. In this scenario, termitaria survival, diversity, and availability have several effects on the Cerrado fauna ecology. We present novel insights into the interaction between Actinobolus beetles and epigeous termite mounds in the Cerrado. Our field observations revealed Actinobolus beetles utilizing termite mounds for feeding and reproduction in several localities of Cerrado. These beetles access the inner portion of the termitaria, where the colony nest is located and protected by the termitaria's harder external layer and their larvae consume the termite nest structure. Actinobolus attack leads to partial or complete destruction of the colony and the creation of large hollows inside the mounds, causing deep changes in its structure. Despite the defensive mechanisms of termites, Actinobolus larvae thrive within the nest and likely ingest termites' eggs, nymphae and adults. Furthermore, we found that the Actinobolus capsule are made of faecal pellets, instead of termitaria debris. We suggest that the interaction between Actinobolus beetles and epigeous termitaria impacts the role of termitaria in providing microclimate regulation, food and shelter for Cerrado fauna, likely having poorly understood effects on the conservation and management of Cerrado ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]