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Island faunas exhibit some of the most iconic examples where similar forms repeatedly evolve within different islands. Yet, whether these deterministic evolutionary trajectories within islands are driven by an initial, singular divergence and the subsequent exchange of individuals and adaptive genetic variation between islands remains unclear. Here, we study a gradual, repeated evolution of low-dispersive highland ecotypes from a dispersive lowland ecotype of Calosoma beetles along the island progression of the Galápagos. We show that repeated highland adaptation involved selection on multiple shared alleles within extensive chromosomal inversions that originated from an initial adaptation event on the oldest island. These highland inversions first spread through dispersal of highland individuals. Subsequent admixture with the lowland ecotype resulted in polymorphic dispersive populations from which the highland populations evolved on the youngest islands. Our findings emphasize the significance of an ancient divergence in driving repeated evolution and highlight how a mixed contribution of inter-island colonization and within-island evolution can shape parallel species communities.

The sacred datura plant (Solanales: Solanaceae: Datura wrightii) has been used to study plant-herbivore interactions for decades. The wealth of information that has resulted leads it to have potential as a model system for studying the ecological and evolutionary genomics of these interactions. We present a de novo Datura wrightii genome assembled using PacBio HiFi long-reads. Our assembly is highly complete and contiguous (N50 = 179Mb, BUSCO Complete = 97.6%). We successfully detected a previously documented ancient whole genome duplication using our assembly and have classified the gene duplication history that generated its coding sequence content. We use it as the basis for a genome-guided differential expression analysis to identify the induced responses of this plant to one of its specialized herbivores (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Lema daturaphila). We find over 3000 differentially expressed genes associated with herbivory and that elevated expression levels of over 200 genes last for several days. We also combined our analyses to determine the role that different gene duplication categories have played in the evolution of Datura-herbivore interactions. We find that tandem duplications have expanded multiple functional groups of herbivore responsive genes with defensive functions, including UGT-glycosyltranserases, oxidoreductase enzymes, and peptidase inhibitors. Overall, our results expand our knowledge of herbivore-induced plant transcriptional responses and the evolutionary history of the underlying herbivore-response genes.

The worldwide distributed subfamily of rove beetles Silphinae contains two well‐established tribes, based on both morphological and molecular data. The relationships within the tribe Nicrophorini have been mostly resolved; however, the tribe Silphini still lacks a robust phylogeny. Thus, here we resolved the phylogeny of the tribe based on 42 species of the 114 known species, using five molecular markers. Heterotemna tenuicornis Brullé clustered as sister to Silpha tristis Illiger, making the subgenus Silpha Linnaeus paraphyletic. Consequently, Heterotemna Wollaston is considered a junior subjective synonym of Silpha Linnaeus; requiring the following combinations: Silpha (Silpha) britoi (García & Pérez), comb. nov., Silpha (Silpha) figurata Brullé, comb. rest., and Silpha (Silpha) tenuicornis Brullé, comb. rest. Our estimate of the phylogeny agrees with current generic limits except it revealed that the genus Aclypea Reitter arose from within the genus Silpha, thus making the latter paraphyletic. Some ambiguity remains regarding the confidence of this finding; therefore, we refrain from synonymizing Aclypea until further study. Furthermore, it includes biogeographical information for each genus, which estimates the history of distributions of the Silphini across the Australian, Neotropical, and Oriental regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern bark beetle, Ips duplicatus, is an emerging economic pest, reportedly infesting various species of spruce (Picea spp.), pine (Pinus spp.), and larch (Larix spp.) in Central Europe. Recent climate changes and inconsistent forest management practices have led to the rapid spread of this species, leaving the current monitoring strategies inefficient. As understanding the molecular components of pheromone detection is key to developing novel control strategies, we generated antennal transcriptomes from males and females of this species and annotated the chemosensory proteins. We identified putative candidates for 69 odorant receptors (ORs), 50 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 25 gustatory receptors (GRs), 27 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), including a tetramer-OBP, 9 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and 6 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). However, no sex-specific chemosensory genes were detected. The phylogenetic analysis revealed conserved orthology in bark beetle chemosensory proteins, especially with a major forest pest and co-habitant, Ips typographus. Recent large-scale functional studies in I. typographus chemoreceptors add greater significance to the orthologous sequences reported here. Nevertheless, identifying chemosensory genes in I. duplicatus is valuable to understanding the chemosensory system and its evolution in bark beetles (Coleoptera) and, generally, insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eukaryotic genomes exhibit a dynamic interplay between single-copy sequences and repetitive DNA elements, with satellite DNA (satDNA) representing a substantial portion, mainly situated at telomeric and centromeric chromosomal regions. We utilized Illumina next-generation sequencing data from Adalia bipunctata to investigate its satellitome. Cytogenetic mapping via fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed for the most abundant satDNA families. In silico localization of satDNAs was carried out using the CHRISMAPP (Chromosome In Silico Mapping) pipeline on the high-fidelity chromosome-level assembly already available for this species, enabling a meticulous characterization and localization of multiple satDNA families. Additionally, we analyzed the conservation of the satellitome at an interspecific scale. Specifically, we employed the CHRISMAPP pipeline to map the satDNAs of A. bipunctata onto the genome of Adalia decempunctata, which has also been sequenced and assembled at the chromosome level. This analysis, along with the creation of a synteny map between the two species, suggests a rapid turnover of centromeric satDNA between these species and the potential occurrence of chromosomal rearrangements, despite the considerable conservation of their satellitomes. Specific satDNA families in the sex chromosomes of both species suggest a role in sex chromosome differentiation. Our interspecific comparative study can provide a significant advance in the understanding of the repeat genome organization and evolution in beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Belgian Salpingidae are small elongated or long-oval beetles measuring 1,5 to 5,2 mm. They are usually glossy black or brown, sometimes with a reddish-brown head and pronotum. Larvae, as well as imagos, live behind the bark of dead deciduous and coniferous trees and in the galleries of bark beetles. This small beetle family counts about 350 species worldwide. In Europe, 19 species are known. In this article, the 11 Belgian species are discussed with attention to their breeding trees and their distribution. Not much is known about their way of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blister beetle Epicauta atomaria (Germar) (Coleoptera: Meloidae) is a phytophagous pest of various agricultural crops, especially in Amaranthaceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae. Currently, this insect is managed through the spraying of synthetic insecticides that cause serious human health and environmental damage. To reduce the use of synthetic insecticides, the integrated pest management (IPM) programs for other crop pests rely on the use of semiochemical compounds, such as pheromones, kairomones, and allomones, to manipulate the insects' behavior to prevent crop damage. However, studies on semiochemical compounds related to E. atomaria have never been carried out. For this reason, the aim of this study was to explore the chemical communication of E. atomaria. This includes the existence of (i) a sex and/or an aggregation pheromone, (ii) attractant volatile kairomones from host plants, and (iii) repellent volatile allomones from non‐host plants. Tests were carried out using olfactometers and an experimental arena. First, olfactometer tests failed to show the existence of volatile sex and/or aggregation pheromones of these insects. Second, olfactometer and experimental arena tests failed to demonstrate attraction of E. atomaria via volatile kairomonal compounds from host plants (chard, bell pepper, and cock's‐eggs). However, olfactometer tests showed that non‐host plants of E. atomaria (thyme and lavender) emit allomonal volatile compounds with repellent activity. This work represents a first step toward the elucidation of the chemical ecology of E. atomaria and suggests that volatiles from non‐host plants help shape the host preferences of these insects. Those volatiles could be used as a "push" component in a "push–pull" strategy against this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) beetle, Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), and its phytopathogenic fungal symbiont (Fusarium euwallaceae Freeman et al.) threaten commercial and urban tree species worldwide. This pest–fungus complex has been newly discovered in the commercial deciduous fruit industry (Western Cape, South Africa), where its effect is still unknown. This study explored the impact of PSHB infestation on fruit quality and plant water‐use efficiency (WUE) – as indicated by carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios – of commercially cultivated Packham's Triumph pear trees within the first year of invasion, as well as changes in phenotypic plasticity (trait expression range). The impact of PSHB infestation is currently most evident in fruit quality traits, with a clear distinction between the control and most densely attacked tree categories. Fruit and leaf traits showed high variation and a significant change in phenotypic plasticity. Increased PSHB attack density was associated with smaller, duller‐toned, sweeter fruit at the time of harvest and data tended towards reduced plant WUE. Producers can expect significant variation in fruit quality and plant WUE even in hosts without branch dieback, visible plant stress or extensive beetle breeding, especially in orchards where infestations persist beyond the first year. These findings necessitate additional research to describe the long‐term impact, examine the threat to other deciduous fruit crops and cultivars and assess the need for adapted management or harvesting methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach to supplying foods and feeds that are high in protein has emerged in the form of insect farming. Insect‐farmed food may also serve as part of a sustainable diet for humans. The mealworm Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is the most widely consumed insect worldwide. In this study, 10 larval diets were tested in the laboratory to determine their suitability for mass‐feeding mealworms at 28 °C and 60–65% r.h., in a completely randomized design. Various larval diets had a significant impact on the biological features of T. molitor. The larvae, pupae, and adults were greater on diets containing wheat bran alone and wheat bran in combination with maize and porridge. Larval mortality was significantly higher (60.7%) on a diet with porridge alone, compared to a control diet, followed by diets with porridge in combination with barley (55.6%) or maize (50.6%). Sex ratio was also affected by the tested larval diets. Female hatch (65%) was higher than male hatch (35%) on diet containing wheat bran alone as compared to all other diets. The findings contribute to optimizing mealworm rearing practices for sustainable food production and promote the potential use of mealworms as a viable protein source – especially livestock diets based on mealworm reared on wheat bran show promise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intricate interplay between evolutionary and demographic processes has frequently resulted in complex patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity in alpine lineages, posing serious challenges to species delimitation and biodiversity conservation planning. Here we integrate genomic data, geometric morphometric analyses and thermal tolerance experiments to explore the role of Pleistocene climatic changes and adaptation to alpine environments on patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in diving beetles from the taxonomically complex Agabus bipustulatus species group. Genetic structure and phylogenomic analyses revealed the presence of three geographically cohesive lineages, two representing trans‐Palearctic and Iberian populations of the elevation‐generalist A. bipustulatus and another corresponding to the strictly‐alpine A. nevadensis, a narrow‐range endemic taxon from the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southeastern Iberia. The best‐supported model of lineage divergence, along with the existence of pervasive genetic introgression and admixture in secondary contact zones, is consistent with a scenario of population isolation and connectivity linked to Quaternary climatic oscillations. Our results suggest that A. nevadensis is an alpine ecotype of A. bipustulatus, whose genotypic, morphological and physiological differentiation likely resulted from an interplay between population isolation and local altitudinal adaptation. Remarkably, within the Iberian Peninsula, such ecotypic differentiation is unique to Sierra Nevada populations and has not been replicated in other alpine populations of A. bipustulatus. Collectively, our study supports fast ecotypic differentiation and incipient speciation processes within the study complex and points to Pleistocene glaciations and local adaptation along elevational gradients as key drivers of biodiversity generation in alpine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosalia funebris (RFUNE; Cerambycidae), the banded alder borer, is a longhorn beetle whose larvae feed on the wood of various economically and ecologically significant trees in western North America. Adults are short-lived and not known to consume plant material substantially. We sequenced, assembled, and annotated the RFUNE genome using HiFi and RNASeq data. We documented genome architecture and gene content, focusing on genes putatively involved in plant feeding (phytophagy). Comparisons were made to the well-studied genome of the Asian longhorned beetle (AGLAB; Anoplophora glabripennis) and other Cerambycidae. The 814 Mb RFUNE genome assembly was distributed across 42 contigs, with an N50 of 30.18 Mb. Repetitive sequences comprised 60.27% of the genome, and 99.0% of expected single-copy orthologous genes were fully assembled. We identified 12,657 genes, fewer than in the four other species studied, and 46.4% fewer than for Aromia moschata (same subfamily as RFUNE). Of the 7,258 orthogroups shared between RFUNE and AGLAB, 1,461 had more copies in AGLAB and 1,023 had more copies in RFUNE. We identified 240 genes in RFUNE that putatively arose via horizontal transfer events. The RFUNE genome encoded substantially fewer putative plant cell wall degrading enzymes than AGLAB, which may relate to the longer-lived plant-feeding adults of the latter species. The RFUNE genome provides new insights into cerambycid genome architecture and gene content and provides a new vantage point from which to study the evolution and genomic basis of phytophagy in beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the effort required to construct them, the microenvironmental conditions they impose on the family and their indirect influence on posthatching care, nests play a key role in influencing family life. We combined experimental evolution with cross-fostering experiments on laboratory populations of Nicrophorus vespilloides to investigate three ways in which the nest can contribute more broadly to parental investment. We used replicate populations of N. vespilloides that had evolved for 42 generations under contrasting regimes of care. Populations were either able to supply posthatching care ('Full Care') or prevented from supplying any posthatching care ('No Care'). Research on these populations has previously shown that the No Care populations evolved to build rounder nests, more rapidly, by Generation 14. Here we found (1) larvae raised by Full Care parents on nests prepared by parents from the No Care population did not attain a higher mass by the end of larval development than larvae in other treatments. However, we did discover that (2) cross-fostering nests between families consistently reduced larval mass, and to a similar extent whether nests were cross-fostered between or within the populations. We suggest that cross-fostering disrupted the chemical environment on and around the nest since we found no evidence that (3) nests mediate interactions between males and females. The duration of paternal care was consistently shorter than the duration of maternal care, and even shorter for males from the No Care populations than males from the Full Care populations. Nevertheless, the duration of male care did not predict variation in duration of female care. In short, although the nest is the substrate for burying beetle family life, we found little evidence that it had evolved divergently in our experimental populations to influence parental investment. • Do nests contribute to offspring performance, independent of posthatching care? • We evolved lab populations of burying beetles with and without posthatching care. • Brood performance was reduced when nests were switched between families. • Switching nests between populations did not worsen brood performance. • Chemical or microbial cues might cause broods to perform best in their home nest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purposeful manipulation of biological control programs, such as timed releases of biological control agents, can be ephemeral and difficult to expand into new areas impacted by the targeted invasive plant. Integration of chemical ecology through attractive semiochemical lures to aggregate biological control agents to un-colonized areas can help mitigate this challenge. The invasive air potato vine, Dioscorea bulbifera L., is native to Asia and Africa with invasive infestations in the southeastern United States, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico. In 2011, a host specific biological control agent, Lilioceris cheni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was introduced to manage D. bulbifera. Synthetic and racemic blends of previously identified attractive herbivory induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), ocimene and farnesene, were first evaluated for antennal response through electroantennography, then deployed as potential attractive lures in field conditions. Electroantennogram results validated the ability of adult male and female L. cheni to detect the two compounds. When used in field conditions, adult L. cheni beetles showed increased response to plants with ocimene and farnesene lures compared to control plants. The chemically enhanced lures increased L. cheni adult densities on D. bulbifera plants in the field compared to control plants. Plants with higher densities of L. cheni had greater direct herbivore feeding damage and observed cupped leaves, indicating the presence of oviposition and future larval development. The information gathered in this study indicated that the use of attractant semiochemical lures to purposefully aggregate and direct movement of biological control agents can improve the efficacy of invasive plant biocontrol programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cetoniidae (Coleoptera), known as flower and fruit beetles, form a diverse group, feed on nectar, pollen, plant exudates, and are highly attracted to fermented fruits. To evaluate their diversity in natural and agricultural areas, traps baited with fermented fruits are used. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various types of fruit used as bait, with or without the addition of sugarcane juice to accelerate fruit fermentation, on the assessment of Cetoniidae diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado. The study was conducted in two conservation units in Brasília (DF, Brazil). Two experiments were conducted, the first aiming to select the most attractive fruits (banana, pineapple, mango, grape, or cagaita), and the second to verify whether there is interference of sugarcane juice in the fruit fermentation process and, consequently, in the attractiveness to Cetoniidae. The chemical profiles of the types of bait were evaluated by identifying and quantifying the main volatile organic compounds released by the fruit traps. Insect collections were conducted weekly using fruit‐baited traps for 1 month, without interruption. We found that the diversity estimate of Cetoniidae was higher for banana‐based baits relative to grape and cagaita fruit, but not relative to pineapple, mango, and sugarcane juice. Additionally, no increase in attractiveness was observed with the addition of sugarcane juice to banana, pineapple, and mango bait. Most compounds in the fruit extracts belong to alcohol, ester, and terpene functional groups. Our results suggest that banana, pineapple, mango, and sugarcane juice, used alone, may be used for Cetoniidae diversity studies, and that banana bait seems to be the most suitable for Cetoniidae collection in the Cerrado, because it enables the collection of a high diversity of species and also of species considered rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filtering processes across environmental gradients can structure patterns of trait variation within communities. The community‐weighted mean (CWM) is a metric that is commonly used to indicate the directionality of such filtering processes and the optimal adaptive strategy of taxa within community. Proximity to the CWM indicates higher fitness, and deviations from this optimal value result in changes in the relative abundances of coexisting species. We investigated patterns of intraspecific trait variation in four coexisting carrion beetle species (Coleoptera: Silphidae) across elevational gradients. The study was conducted in temperate forest ecosystems with distinct natural vegetation zones ranging from 950 m to 1700 m above sea level. Of the 12 traits measured, we found that intraspecific variation ranged from 34% (body length) to 100% (ratio of elytra length, head length and head width to body length) and accounted for a larger proportion of variation than interspecific variation in 7 traits. For most traits, trait range, which indicates the niche breadth of species at a given elevation, was positively correlated with relative abundance. The CWMs of traits associated with long‐distance dispersal decreased with elevation, whereas those associated with microhabitat use showed the opposite trend. Soil temperature influenced tibia length after controlling for the effects of species identity, but soil water content had no effect on trait variation. Patterns of variation in body width and thorax width of two beetle species supported the CWM‐optimality hypothesis; however, patterns of trait variation in body width and thorax length of another species showed an opposite trend. Our study identifies several traits that can be highly variable within carrion beetle species. Such high levels of intraspecific trait variation may enable populations to adapt across a wide range of elevations and vegetation types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemoreception is crucial for insect fitness, underlying for instance food-, host-, and mate finding. Chemicals in the environment are detected by receptors from three divergent gene families: odorant receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs), and ionotropic receptors (IRs). However, how the chemoreceptor gene families evolve in parallel with ecological specializations remains poorly understood, especially in the order Coleoptera. Hence, we sequenced the genome and annotated the chemoreceptor genes of the specialised ambrosia beetle Trypodendron lineatum (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) and compared its chemoreceptor gene repertoires with those of other scolytines with different ecological adaptations, as well as a polyphagous cerambycid species. Results: We identified 67 ORs, 38 GRs, and 44 IRs in T. lineatum ('Tlin'). Across gene families, T. lineatum has fewer chemoreceptors compared to related scolytines, the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei and the mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae, and clearly fewer receptors than the polyphagous cerambycid Anoplophora glabripennis. The comparatively low number of chemoreceptors is largely explained by the scarcity of large receptor lineage radiations, especially among the bitter taste GRs and the 'divergent' IRs, and the absence of alternatively spliced GR genes. Only one non-fructose sugar receptor was found, suggesting several sugar receptors have been lost. Also, we found no orthologue in the 'GR215 clade', which is widely conserved across Coleoptera. Two TlinORs are orthologous to ORs that are functionally conserved across curculionids, responding to 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) and green leaf volatiles (GLVs), respectively. Conclusions: Trypodendron lineatum reproduces inside the xylem of decaying conifers where it feeds on its obligate fungal mutualist Phialophoropsis ferruginea. Like previous studies, our results suggest that stenophagy correlates with small chemoreceptor numbers in wood-boring beetles; indeed, the few GRs may be due to its restricted fungal diet. The presence of TlinORs orthologous to those detecting 2-PE and GLVs in other species suggests these compounds are important for T. lineatum. Future functional studies should test this prediction, and chemoreceptor annotations should be conducted on additional ambrosia beetle species to investigate whether few chemoreceptors is a general trait in this specialized group of beetles. [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]

Simple Summary: This study addresses global food security by highlighting the challenge of protecting food losses from insect damage. To find effective low-risk ways to manage these pests, we assessed the avoidance of the red flour beetle, a common pest in stored grains, to essential oils. Through various experiments in the laboratory, we investigated the beetles' behavioral response to different scented oils. While no definitive repellent was identified, this study sheds light on factors influencing insect behavior and the need for further research in behaviorally based management tactics such as avoidance. Ultimately, this work aims to develop strategies to protect stored grains, contributing to global food security efforts. Background: Food security is an increasingly pressing global issue, and by 2050, food production will not be sufficient to feed the growing population. Part of global food insecurity can be attributed to post-harvest losses, including quantity and quality losses caused by stored-product pests like insects. It is thus timely to find management strategies to mitigate these losses and counteract food insecurity. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a global stored-product pest with a wide range of food sources, was used in this study to assess repellency to a selection of essential oils. Methods: Multiple behaviorally relevant methods were used to determine the efficacy of the essential oils in assays to pinpoint the most promising repellents. Experiments were used to assess individual and group behaviors with or without airflow and examined the behavioral variation in distance moved and the time spent away from the oil. Results: It was found that exposure to essential oils and conditions of experimentation considerably influenced T. castaneum's behavioral response, but a clear candidate for repellency could not be chosen based on the collected data. Conclusions: Follow-up research is needed to pinpoint repellents for integrated pest management practices to protect grains from stored-product pests and to justify their use in and around commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetles represent the most diverse group of living organisms on Earth, yet there has been very little in the way of using beetle distributions in bioregionalization exercises. Here, we combine several small data sets for beetle distributions in South Africa to produce a list of morphospecies and to analyze their presence within twenty geographic units spanning the entire country. We find a diversity of fine scale assemblages in the east, but also a disjunction between the western arid/winter-rainfall and eastern summer-rainfall half of the country, which is in line with several previous studies based on diverse groups of animals and plants. We recommend the use of the increasing citizen science data sets in studying biogeographic patterns in groups such as beetles, which have so far received limited attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbulent Tertiary and Quaternary history of Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus has had a strong impact on its biota, resulting in unusual patterns of speciation, diversification, and dispersal. Our study reveals the Late-Tertiary diversification and biogeographic history of Mniophila , a Western Palaearctic endemic moss-inhabiting flightless flea beetle distributed across Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus. We assembled samples across the whole range of the genus except Crimea. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis, we found that the diversification of Mniophila started in the Balkan Peninsula, and was followed by at least two independent colonizations of other parts of Europe. The Ponto-Caucasian species are all descendants of a single colonization from the Balkans, followed by species' radiation. The Mniophila beetles are, therefore, one of the first-known cases of the colonization of the Caucasus from Europe. We integrated our DNA data with morphology, allowing us to uncover the cryptic diversity of Mniophila and to revise its European species. We describe Mniophila haveli sp. nov. from the Carpathians and Balkans, M. wroblewskii Wańkowicz, 1880 from Central Europe and the Balkans is restored as a valid species, and M. bosnica Apfelbeck, 1914 is newly recognized as a Dinaric endemic. We reveal an exceedingly large distribution range for M. muscorum (Koch, 1803), which is unusual for a flightless beetle. [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]

Background: The described dataset contains occurrence records of invertebrate specimens deposited at the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine, Lviv, Ukraine (SMNH NASU). It combines diverse taxonomic groups, mostly belonging to the class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda, that were selected as prioritised for digitisation in war conditions. Selected specimens were ascertained as those being the most vulnerable to hostilities and requiring virtual preservation. Such virtual preservation is essential in the war realities as collection can be lost or damaged at any moment, resulting in a significant retrospective biodiversity data gap. At the same time, collection virtualisation and its deposition on the internet grant remote access to scientists who cannot visit it in person due to the war. Moreover, we believe that the mobilisation of the data from the Ukrainian collections and their publication online are essential for the integration of Ukrainian research facilities into a global scientific biodiversity pool. New information: A total of 3,660 occurrence records mobilised in 2023-2024 from the collection of invertebrates of the SMNH NASU, were published. This dynamic dataset will be continually supplied by new records during further digitisation work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban expansion is an important cause of biodiversity loss due to habitat destruction involving the replacement of the natural environment with anthropic infrastructure. However, recent studies suggest that the harmonious growth of cities could allow the persistence of biological diversity within them. Thus, some cities, especially those that contain remnant forests that preceded their expansion, could harbor high levels of biodiversity. These remnant forests, i.e., urban natural forests (UNFs), are refuges for native species, providing suitable habitat conditions for population stability. However, traditional ecological studies have focused on natural and planted forests, so our knowledge of ecological dynamics in UNFs is still limited. Here, we explore the suitability of a temperate UNF for saproxylic beetles. These beetles are deadwood-dependent, highly diverse trophic groups that commonly inhabit natural forest ecosystems. However, saproxylic beetle diversity has been understudied in urban forest ecosystems. We analyzed the species richness, abundance, and seasonal variation of saproxylic beetles, including their most important trophic guilds, associated with urban forests. For this purpose, we monitored standing dead trees monthly between December 2019 and December 2022, using trunk window (flight interception) traps in the UNF Arboretum of Valdivia, Chile. Additionally, we measured qualitative and quantitative habitat attributes to evaluate the preferences of these insects in the UNF. We used generalized linear models as statistical methods to estimate saproxylic beetle habitat preferences. We collected 1273 individuals, belonging to 43 families and 195 saproxylic species/morphospecies. We found that diversity and abundance were strongly influenced by seasonality and the degree of decomposition of deadwood, with increased diversity and abundance in warmer months and highly decomposed trees. Our data show that UNF Arboretum harbor a high diversity of saproxylic species and are therefore suitable habitats and that the factors that regulate these assemblages are homologous to those of natural forests. Finally, our research provides evidence useful for the establishment of conservation and management practices to promote high diversity in UNFs, for example increasing the deadwood volume and quality of the habitat for saproxylic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are a significant predator group that plays a role in agricultural contexts. They serve as important biocontrol agents against several agricultural pests. However, there is limited information available about how ladybirds' populations are regulated by their natural enemies and habitat perturbation. In this study, we evaluated ladybird communities associated with natural and managed areas during the agricultural cycle of 2018 (June–September). We identified seven ladybird species; the most abundant species were Hippodamia convergens (70% individuals) and Cycloneda sanguinea (20% individuals), followed by the exotic species Harmonia axyridis (3.33% individuals), while Paranaemia vittigera, Coleomegilla maculata, Brachiacantha sp., and Olla v-nigrum represented less than 3% each. Ladybirds were more abundant in agricultural fields than in natural habitats. We identified several natural enemies associated with the collected ladybirds, including parasitoids (Dinocampus coccinellae, Hymenoptera: Braconidae), ectoparasitic Acari (Coccipolipus sp., Podapolipidae), and nematodes (Mermithidae). However, none of the natural enemies affected more than 10% of the ladybirds, so natural enemies do not appear to be exerting substantial control over their populations. Our results corroborated that ladybirds can efficiently thrive in anthropogenic habitats in Mexico and therefore may represent good biocontrol agents for agriculture. It is important to consider the ecology of agriculturally important ladybirds in programs for integrated pest management. This includes factors contributing to the mortality of ladybirds, including their natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threatens species and ecosystems globally, including forest ecosystems that support rich invertebrate diversity. Saproxylic beetles, that depend on old-growth trees and deadwood, are facing increasing pressure. Consequently, conserving these beetles has become a priority for EU Member States. We developed ensemble species distribution models for five saproxylic beetles for current and three future time horizons under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and two Global Circulation Models. We used a systematic conservation planning approach to assess the effectiveness and resilience to climate change of the Romanian Natura 2000 network for saproxylic beetles while identifying areas for prospective protected area expansion to meet EU conservation targets. Our study revealed that under all scenarios and time horizons, the saproxylic beetles may lose over 80% of their suitable habitat and restrict their distribution to higher elevations. According to the conservation prioritization analysis, we found that, when considering 30% of the landscape as being protected, an average of 85% of species distribution is retained within priority areas overlapping the Carpathian Mountains, while for the current protected area coverage (18% of Romania's terrestrial area), the existing Natura 2000 network does not perform satisfactorily, with only ~ 30% of the saproxylic species distributions falling within the network. Our results corroborate previous findings on saproxylic beetle range shifts and contractions due to climate change. Furthermore, our findings question the effectiveness of the current Natura 2000 network, as it is currently inadequate for protecting these species. To achieve the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 of protecting at least 30% of the EU's territory, we advocate the expansion of the Natura 2000 sites to future suitable saproxylic beetle habitats. [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]

Background: The rising demand for food production along with the concerns regarding the injudicious use of chemicals in pest management has paved way for the alternatives that could promise sustainable pest management. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt), a soil bacterium, is a potential biopesticide with its ability to produce crystal toxins that are insecticidal in nature. Main body: This article provides an insight into the diverse Bt toxins and their applications as biopesticides in pest management. The selective action of Bt towards target organism is based on its specific interactions with the insect gut receptors. The significance of Bt in the management of lepidopteran, coleopteran, hemipteran, dipteran and nematode pests of crops and livestock through its mode of action is extensively reviewed. Conclusion: Besides being a promising pest control option, the challenges faced through resistance development, variation in susceptibility across species and non-target effects of Bt are also discussed. Proactive approaches and multiple modes of action can mitigate this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most important insect pests of cotton, causing significant yield losses. This insect completes its life cycle only on the flower structures of some Malvaceae species, with cotton being its preferred host. However, during the cotton off‐season, the boll weevil enters a reproductive dormancy state, in tropical regions, with important alterations in their reproduction organs. During this period, a remaining insect population survives feeding on a variety of other food sources, but the insects do not reproduce. We hypothesized that these alterations in the insect's reproductive organs are associated with the nutritional levels provided by alternative food sources during the cotton off‐season. To test our hypothesis, we first investigated food sources that sustain insect survival for long periods, such as weed species and fruits of cultivated crops. Then, we evaluated how various food sources affect the reproductive organs and reproductive capacity of the boll weevil. Among the alternative food sources tested, insect longevity was highest on banana (Musa paradisiaca L.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), papaya (Carica papaya L.), milkweed (Euphorbia heterophylla L.), and lilac tasselflower (Emilia sonchifolia L.). However, only banana and mango resulted in greater longevity than cotton squares. Banana was the preferred food and resulted in the highest levels of nutrients in the insects. Additionally, insects previously fed on banana made more oviposition punctures on cotton squares than those fed only on cotton squares, which resulted in a significantly higher number of emerged adults. Histological analysis of the insects' reproductive organs showed that feeding on papaya resulted in morphological changes and testicle degradation. In conclusion, we present evidence that boll weevils fed on alternative food sources (other than cotton squares or similar‐quality food) display a nutritional imbalance, associated with substantial alterations in the reproductive tissues of this insect, which may trigger the reproductive dormancy state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are intentionally introduced to various regions out of their native ranges to perform fundamental functions, such as pest control, and some keep dispersing from introduction sites to become cosmopolitan and even invasive. The African horned dung beetle, Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), has been intentionally introduced on multiple continents to bury cattle dung and control livestock pests, but has naturally dispersed and became very abundant at various latitudes and elevations out of its native and original introduction ranges. This beetle has been considered invasive, but there is no direct evidence of its effects on displacing native species. As it is highly fecund, E. intermedius has been an important model in experimental studies performed in nature and in the laboratory in multiple fields. In evolutionary biology, it serves as a model for sexual selection, given the sexual dimorphism characterized by the presence of a horn in males which is correlated with individual condition and strength, and which is absent in females. In ecotoxicology, it has been studied regarding physiological mechanisms of responses to contaminants, population declines, and evolutionary responses to challenging toxic conditions. Given its importance in burying dung in cattle pastures, experiments have also determined environmental conditions that limit this ecological function. Despite being unique in its tolerance to a wide variety of stressors and environments, this species is sensitive to current conditions of global change, including warming and pollution. We identify the most promising questions to be solved in physiology, ecology, and evolution, for which E. intermedius would be an ideal study system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitrophic interactions are common in nature and play a major role in modulating life‐history traits in predatory insects. The sequestration of chemicals and the transfer of nutrients from one trophic level to a higher trophic level have been reported previously. However, the effect of cannibalism, which is prevalent in the food chain, has not been explored yet. In this study, we hypothesised that the varying nutritional condition of the victim would significantly influence the life‐history traits of adult Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). To test this hypothesis, we provided fourth‐instar individuals with first‐instar victims of varying nutritional quality for cannibalism. To create victims of varying nutritional quality, first‐instar victims were fed on high‐quality aphids [Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae)], low‐quality aphids (Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe) and conspecific eggs. The cannibalistic groups were tested against the control group, in which the fourth instars were provided with their natural prey, A. craccivora. Our results revealed a significant difference in the consumption of prey by the fourth instars between the diet groups, with the control group consuming the most prey. The developmental duration of fourth instars was not significantly influenced by the victims' diet or the amount of victims cannibalised. Furthermore, neither the victims' diet nor the amount of victims cannibalised affected the mating (time to commence mating and copulation duration) and reproductive parameters (egg viability and fecundity) in M. sexmaculatus. Cannibalism here might have compensated for the low‐quality victims, resulting in insignificant effects on the life‐history traits of M. sexmaculatus. Otherwise, given the short duration of the first instars and their potentially limited ability to sequester significant amounts of plant allelochemicals, it is possible that their diet did not affect the development, mating and reproductive attributes of the cannibals. Thus, the use of higher instars as victims may yield substantially different outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aerial insects are declining, yet monitoring wildlife in airspace is challenging. Aerial insectivores, which are themselves a declining guild, may be useful indicators for aerial insects. However, their use as indicators may be complicated if they differentially sample prey depending on foraging range, as predicted by central place foraging theory. We measured diet composition of purple martins (Progne subis (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Quebec by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) metabarcoding fecal samples collected from adults and nestlings and used GPS biologgers to measure foraging behaviour of the chick-rearing adults. Foraging range did not predict diet or diet diversity. The proportion of individuals with Diptera and Coleoptera detected in their diets was lower in developed and water habitats. Martins fed their nestlings soft-bodied insects (Diptera and Trichoptera) more often than they ate them themselves. As nestlings aged, they were fed more chitinous arthropods and less soft-bodied prey. As the proportion of different prey orders depended on habitat use and age, but not foraging distance, we argue that purple martin diet is a potential indicator of aerial insect community variation across space, but that interpretations may be complex as birds may sample different components of the aerial insect community during different life stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tonatia bidens is listed as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List. Our research, conducted in the Brazilian Caatinga dry forest between 2016 and 2022, aimed to shed light on the diet of this little-known species. Thirty-eight taxa were identified among insect remains beneath T. bidens' feeding perch. Notably, certain insects such as hawkmoths and cerambycid beetles are agricultural pests with significant negative impacts on crops, including cassava, corn, tomato, papaya, and cashew plantations. These results underscore bats' crucial role in insect pest consumption, emphasizing the need for further studies to fully understand their diet and ecosystem contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astylus atromaculatus Blanchard is a native beetle of South America that feeds on pollen. During the summer of 2022–2023 in Argentina and Uruguay, an explosive infestation of these insects occurred in pastures in which ruminants were grazing. This was believed to be associated with a severe drought, which had significantly reduced the flowering of crops. Three farms in Uruguay and one in Argentina were visited to examine the flocks and perform autopsies. Affected sheep had watery diarrhea, anorexia, depression, and ruminal atony. The average morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates were 7.5%, 4.3%, and 68%, respectively. The main gross findings in all animals were in the jejunum; the serosa had multifocal hemorrhages, and the mucosa was necrotic and covered by a pseudomembrane. Microscopically, the mucosa had partial-to-complete necrosis of the lamina propria, as well as loss of villus and crypt epithelium with neutrophilic infiltration. Overlying the necrotic mucosa was a pseudomembrane of fibrin, cell debris, desquamated epithelial cells, degenerate neutrophils, and bacteria. Many specimens of A. atromaculatus were in all paddocks in which sheep grazed, as well as in the ruminal content of the autopsied animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• • At 19 − 34 °C, D. maculatus can complete the entire immature stage of development. • • The lower and upper developmental thresholds were 15.28 and 34.03 °C, respectively. • • The survival rate was the highest at 22 °C and the lowest at 34 °C. • • Body length, the widths of head capsule and pronotum were modeled over time. Necrophagous beetles are sometimes used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (PMI min) in the decay and remains stages of a corpse. Among these, the Dermestidae is one of the most common groups used and therefore has important research and application value. In this study, the developmental events of Dermestes maculatus de Geer, 1774, were recorded at six constant temperatures, and isomorphen diagrams were established. The thermobiological parameters were estimated using linear and non-linear models, and morphological indicators such as larval body length were measured. The results showed that the developmental duration of the whole immature stage decreased from 66.13 ± 8.58 days at 19 °C to 21.9 ± 2.01 days at 34 °C. The survival rate of the immature stages, especially the egg stage, varies greatly with temperature, with the lowest survival observed at 34 °C and the highest at 22 °C. The lower developmental threshold, the intrinsic optimum temperature, and the upper lethal developmental threshold obtained by the curvilinear Optim SSI models were 15.28 °C, 28.36 °C, and 34.03 °C, respectively. The body length, head capsule width, and pronotum width showed obvious growth patterns with larval developmental duration, which were characterized by equations and isomegalen diagrams. This study provides important basic data for the application of D. maculatus to estimate the PMI min in forensic entomology in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The research was conducted with meticulous attention to detail. The study aimed to discern the food precedence and investigate the various life stages of Tribolium castaneum. The research was carried out in two flour media, wheat (Triticum indicum) and rice (Oryza sativa), at an average temperature of 30°C and 50% R.H. The study found that larval and pupal development time was comparatively faster in wheat flour (23 to 27 days) as compared to rice (33 to 37). Oviposition was observed higher in rice flour than in wheat flour. Instars were discerned as six and seven in wheat and rice flour, respectively. The pace of reproduction, development, and growth was higher in the warmer seasons from April till the start of September, especially in June and July, but with the cessation of all these activities in fall and cold seasons, even adult beetles were found dead in extreme cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a global threat to palm trees. Our study, which delves into the sexual dimorphism and morphometric variations among Red Palm Weevils in the Khairpur district of Sindh, Pakistan, has the potential to influence the development of effective and sustainable management strategies significantly. We collected 210 adult Red Palm Weevils, both males and females, from various palm tree habitats in Khairpur. We measured different body parts using calipers and compared the results between the sexes. The findings revealed clear sexual dimorphism in Red Palm Weevils of Khairpur, with females being larger. These morphometric variations provide valuable insights into the sexual dimorphism and physical characteristics of Red Palm Weevils in Khairpur, Sindh. This information can be directly applied in developing sex-specific control strategies, such as targeted trapping or biological control methods, to mitigate the impact of Red Palm Weevils on palm tree populations in the region. Our research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the species biology and aids in developing effective and sustainable management strategies for this economically significant pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of R.A.R.E - Association Roussillonnaise d'Entomologie is the property of Association Roussillonnaise d Entomologie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of R.A.R.E - Association Roussillonnaise d'Entomologie is the property of Association Roussillonnaise d Entomologie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The dung beetle fauna of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) and National Park in Bihar, India, was surveyed to document the diversity of this group. The landscape of VTR serves as an ecotone region where the lower Shivalik hills and the flood plains of the Gandak river meet, resulting in species that represent both overlapping landscapes. Fifteen species of genus Onthophagus (tribe Onthophagini) were collected using dung from various animals as bait. All these species were recorded for the first time from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar. Detailed illustrations of each species are provided to aid in the identification of Scarabaeoid beetles in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles play key roles in terrestrial ecosystems, contributing to many important ecosystem process and functions, such as nutrient recycling, parasite control and seed dispersal. Due to their tight associations with mammals and their responses to environmental change, they are also frequently used as environmental and biological indicators. Despite their importance, knowledge about dung beetles in Southeast Asia is limited. To address this information gap, we established a databasing project - “Mobilising data on ecologically important insects in Malaysia and Singapore” - funded by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). As part of this project, we compiled two extensive datasets – a sampling-event and occurrence dataset and a taxonomic checklist – for the dung beetles of Sabah, Bornean Malaysia. The sampling-event dataset documents 2,627 unique sampling events and 21,348 dung beetle occurrence records for Sabah. The taxonomic checklist includes 156 confirmed dung beetle species and 36 synonyms, totalling 192 records. These datasets have been made open access through the GBIF portal, which we hope will enhance the understanding of dung beetle taxonomy and their distributions in Southeast Asia.All data presented in this paper comprises of available information pertaining to the dung beetles of Sabah.

The described dataset contains occurrence records of invertebrate specimens deposited at the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine, Lviv, Ukraine (SMNH NASU). It combines diverse taxonomic groups, mostly belonging to the class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda, that were selected as prioritised for digitisation in war conditions. Selected specimens were ascertained as those being the most vulnerable to hostilities and requiring virtual preservation. Such virtual preservation is essential in the war realities as collection can be lost or damaged at any moment, resulting in a significant retrospective biodiversity data gap. At the same time, collection virtualisation and its deposition on the internet grant remote access to scientists who cannot visit it in person due to the war. Moreover, we believe that the mobilisation of the data from the Ukrainian collections and their publication online are essential for the integration of Ukrainian research facilities into a global scientific biodiversity pool.A total of 3,660 occurrence records mobilised in 2023-2024 from the collection of invertebrates of the SMNH NASU, were published. This dynamic dataset will be continually supplied by new records during further digitisation work.

Metaparasitylenchus hypothenemi is an endoparasitic nematode of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei. The nematode has only been recorded across a limited geographical range in coffee-growing areas of southeastern Mexico. Because of its confined geographical distribution, the effect of altitude, temperature, and mean annual precipitation on M. hypothenemi's presence/absence in the Soconusco region of Mexico was investigated. The geographical distribution of this parasite was predicted based on current data, using geographical information systems (GIS), the MaxEnt algorithm, and historical data to improve the prediction accuracy for other Neotropical regions. In Soconusco, the presence of this parasite is directly related to annual precipitation, especially in the areas with the highest annual rainfall (4000 – 4700 mm/year). Four species distribution models were generated for the Neotropical region with environmental variables for sites with parasite presence data, predicting a range of possible distribution with a high probability of occurrence in southeastern Mexico and southwestern Guatemala and a low probability in areas of Central and South America. Characterization of the abiotic habitat conditions suitable for M. hypothenemi development allows us to predict its distribution in the Neotropics and contributes to our understanding of its ecological relationship with environmental variables.

Abstract Background Chemoreception is crucial for insect fitness, underlying for instance food-, host-, and mate finding. Chemicals in the environment are detected by receptors from three divergent gene families: odorant receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs), and ionotropic receptors (IRs). However, how the chemoreceptor gene families evolve in parallel with ecological specializations remains poorly understood, especially in the order Coleoptera. Hence, we sequenced the genome and annotated the chemoreceptor genes of the specialised ambrosia beetle Trypodendron lineatum (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) and compared its chemoreceptor gene repertoires with those of other scolytines with different ecological adaptations, as well as a polyphagous cerambycid species. Results We identified 67 ORs, 38 GRs, and 44 IRs in T. lineatum (‘Tlin’). Across gene families, T. lineatum has fewer chemoreceptors compared to related scolytines, the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei and the mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae, and clearly fewer receptors than the polyphagous cerambycid Anoplophora glabripennis. The comparatively low number of chemoreceptors is largely explained by the scarcity of large receptor lineage radiations, especially among the bitter taste GRs and the ‘divergent’ IRs, and the absence of alternatively spliced GR genes. Only one non-fructose sugar receptor was found, suggesting several sugar receptors have been lost. Also, we found no orthologue in the ‘GR215 clade’, which is widely conserved across Coleoptera. Two TlinORs are orthologous to ORs that are functionally conserved across curculionids, responding to 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) and green leaf volatiles (GLVs), respectively. Conclusions Trypodendron lineatum reproduces inside the xylem of decaying conifers where it feeds on its obligate fungal mutualist Phialophoropsis ferruginea. Like previous studies, our results suggest that stenophagy correlates with small chemoreceptor numbers in wood-boring beetles; indeed, the few GRs may be due to its restricted fungal diet. The presence of TlinORs orthologous to those detecting 2-PE and GLVs in other species suggests these compounds are important for T. lineatum. Future functional studies should test this prediction, and chemoreceptor annotations should be conducted on additional ambrosia beetle species to investigate whether few chemoreceptors is a general trait in this specialized group of beetles.

Abstract Background The rising demand for food production along with the concerns regarding the injudicious use of chemicals in pest management has paved way for the alternatives that could promise sustainable pest management. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt), a soil bacterium, is a potential biopesticide with its ability to produce crystal toxins that are insecticidal in nature. Main body This article provides an insight into the diverse Bt toxins and their applications as biopesticides in pest management. The selective action of Bt towards target organism is based on its specific interactions with the insect gut receptors. The significance of Bt in the management of lepidopteran, coleopteran, hemipteran, dipteran and nematode pests of crops and livestock through its mode of action is extensively reviewed. Conclusion Besides being a promising pest control option, the challenges faced through resistance development, variation in susceptibility across species and non-target effects of Bt are also discussed. Proactive approaches and multiple modes of action can mitigate this issue.