Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata最新文献

Paranthrene diaphana Dalla Torre and Strand (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) is a diurnal clearwing moth that has become a notable pest in various regions of Iran, particularly in Tehran. This species poses significant threats to trees in Salicaceae, including weeping willow, Salix babylonica L., and the genus poplar, Populus. This study investigates the behaviors of P. diaphana, specifically its attraction to phenylacetaldehyde, acetic acid, and inflorescence essential oils of Rosa damascena Mill (Rosaceae). The assessment was conducted using a wind tunnel and a Y-glass tube olfactometer to observe the insect's reactions. Additionally, the attraction of P. diaphana to flowers of R. damascena was evaluated in controlled cage experiments. Essential oil compounds from R. damascena were also identified during this research. The findings revealed that both virgin and mated females, as well as virgin males, exhibited attraction to the essential oils of R. damascena and phenylacetaldehyde. Notably, mated individuals were significantly more drawn to these substances compared with virgin ones. Furthermore, the attraction to R. damascena essential oils and phenylacetaldehyde was notably enhanced under light conditions. Compounds identified within the essential oils of R. damascena include phenylethyl alcohol (a precursor of phenylacetaldehyde), beta-citronellol, benzene, 1,2-dimethoxy-4-(2-propenyl), hexadecanoic acid, 6-octadecenoic acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z), 8-octadecenoic acid, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid. The presence of phenylacetaldehyde is likely a significant factor contributing to the attraction of P. diaphana to R. damascena essential oils. Lastly, further research is warranted to explore the potential of using phenylacetaldehyde and R. damascena as bait and trap plants for monitoring and managing the population of P. diaphana in field conditions.

Plant-infesting insects require specific environmental conditions to ensure successful development and survival. Rhagoletis suavis (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) develops within and around their walnut host as larvae and pupae, despite the allelopathic qualities of juglone in walnut fruit. We investigated whether components of the walnut fruit affected fly survival by subjecting larvae to four developmental substrate treatments: vermiculite and water, vermiculite combined with ground dry walnut husk and water, vermiculite and walnut husk-soaked water, and vermiculite combined with ground dry walnut husk plus walnut husk-soaked water. We measured survival across three life stage transitions: from larval emergence to pupation, from pupation to post-overwintering, and from post-overwintering to adult eclosion. We showed that the use of ground walnut husk with water in the substrate environment yielded a higher rate of survival compared with control conditions. We also found that ground dry walnut husk had higher moisture retention and a lower pH, which may aid survival compared with the other substrate conditions that contained walnut. The results of this study give insight into our understanding of how the environmental conditions experienced by plant-infesting insects during development, including host plant chemicals, moisture, and pH, can affect survival.

Utilizing the phototaxis of insects in controlling pests may accidentally eliminate natural enemies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the phototactic behaviour of Propylea japonica Thunberg (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). First, we explored P. japonica responses to seven monochromatic light sources ranging from 365 to 655 nm. Along the tested light spectrum, the highest response was elicited at 365 nm (ultraviolet), followed by 465 and 525 nm. Subsequently, we examined the combined influence of wavelength and intensity on insect responses. When 365 nm light intensity is 10 lx, the phototactic response is reduced. However, the selective preference for 365 nm increased with increasing light intensity. Finally, the behavioural responses to light intensities ranging from 1 to 5000 lx (365 nm) and observed a clear preference for higher light intensity (1000 to 5000 lx). Our results suggest that light intensity plays a more important role than wavelength in mediating the phototactic behaviour of P. japonica in various light environments. This research can contribute to designing novel light traps for insect pests that avoid collecting their natural predators.

Pupation is a critical developmental stage for Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) (black soldier fly, BSF) in mass-rearing systems, directly influencing adult emergence and reproductive output. This study evaluated six substrate types (sand, wood shavings, topsoil, vermiculite, spent larval substrate, and potting soil) to assess the effects of moisture level and compaction on pupation success, adult emergence, and mortality. Substrate performance varied according to physical properties, including dry matter content, bulk density, and water-holding capacity. Moist substrates consistently outperformed dry ones, with optimal pupation observed at 10% moisture. Although adult emergence was highest at 40% moisture, elevated moisture levels increased the risk of mold formation in some substrates. In general, 10% moisture achieved not only high percentages of pupation and adults but also reduced mortality while avoiding the risk of mold growth. Mild compaction had no adverse effects on larval development or emergence, suggesting that moderately compacted substrates could be reused to enhance cost efficiency in production systems. Among all tested materials, spent larval substrate emerged as the most practical and economical option due to its availability and effectiveness.

Parasitoid wasps can parasitize many hosts in their lifetimes, but their level of parasitism varies with age. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the fitness of parasitoids at different times in their life. We clarified the reproductive strategy of Cotesia chilonis (Munakata) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) by studying the relationship between parasitic ability and factors, such as the upper longevity limit and events of exposure to hosts. Furthermore, we also studied the effects of the number of host exposures on the parasitic characteristics of offspring. We found that when host numbers were unlimited, the longevity of C. chilonis was significantly reduced compared to when parasitoids were not exposed to hosts. Besides, C. chilonis could survive and complete parasitization over six events of exposure to hosts (lasting up to 12 h each) over their lifetimes, and that the parasitization rate was higher in the first four events of exposures to hosts ranging from 77.5% to 92.5%. The body size of the female offspring (F₁) of parasitoids (P₁) with different bouts of parasitism varied and was positively correlated with the number of offspring in the following generation (F₂). Overall, the period within 12–24 h after eclosion of C. chilonis adults is most suitable for its mass rearing. For this age group, offspring had the highest quality indicators, including high fecundity, a high proportion of females in their progeny, and long lifespans. This study provides information on the reproductive pattern of C. chilonis useful for optimizing large-scale breeding of this parasitoid.

Phenotypic plasticity, the capacity of organisms to adjust to varying environments, could play various roles in the evolution of phenotype development. Host shift in phytophagous insects is a perfect setting for studying the interplay between plasticity of life history traits and the evolution of life history strategies on novel plant hosts. Utilizing the benefits of a long-term laboratory evolution experiment, we used populations of seed beetle [Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)] reared on three plant hosts [common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) R Wilczek), all Fabaceae] for more than 150 generations. Reciprocal transplant experiments on inbred lines derived from these populations enabled the assessment of both long-term changes in beetles' life history strategies and the alterations in their plastic capacity to adjust on diverse hosts. Our results demonstrate that seed beetle populations evolved distinct life history strategies, as well as different environmental sensitivity of life history traits. Beetles evolved on common beans showed stable pre-adult development within seeds of all three plant hosts but high variation in their reproductive output. On the other hand, populations adapted to chickpeas became specialized for development on chickpeas and constantly allocated more resources to reproduction. Populations evolved on mung beans were associated with high plasticity and variance in both larval survival and fecundity on all plant hosts, indicating the ongoing process of adaptation. This work is discussed in the context of how phenotypic plasticity induced by host shift can shape life history strategies, providing insights into the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of adaptation.

The species Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), known as the black soldier fly, is a decomposer of organic matter, capable of reducing industrial and urban waste. The compost generated can be used as an organic fertilizer in agriculture, and the larvae can also be incorporated into the feed of non-ruminant animals due to their high protein content. However, due to its saprophagous habit, oviposition requires environments with odors similar to those found in its natural habitat, which can pose a significant challenge in the mass rearing of this species. Therefore, this study aimed to test different attractants and determine the ideal number of egg collectors in a standard rearing cage. The following attractants were tested: (a) frass and water; (b) dead adult insects and water; (c) chicken feed, frass, dead adults, and water (MIX); (d) chicken feed and water; (e) fruits, legumes, and vegetables (FLV); and (f) control (no attractant). The efficiency of the treatments was measured based on the weight (g) of the eggs collected. The data were subjected to Shapiro–Wilk tests (normality) and Levene's tests (homogeneity of variances), followed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). The MIX attractant showed the best results regarding egg weight. Based on this, a second experiment was conducted using only the MIX attractant to evaluate different numbers of collectors per cage. The results indicated that the weight of eggs did not vary significantly between using one and five collectors, allowing the recommendation of using just one collector to optimize management in mass rearing systems.