Entomological Research最新文献

Early detection of wasp hives is crucial for mitigating their impact on native species, preventing agricultural damage, and improving pest control strategies. Traditional detection methods rely on ground surveys and sensor-based tracking of individual insects, which are often labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors because of environmental constraints. The integration of artificial intelligence and drone-based imaging has the potential to revolutionize ecological monitoring by providing scalable, efficient, and noninvasive methods for detecting wasp hives. However, research on AI-assisted hive detection remains limited, with most studies focusing on large-scale wildlife monitoring rather than small-object localization. Therefore, we propose a system for searching the candidate site of a wasp hive using a small drone. In the proposed system, a small drone is equipped with a camera and takes aerial images of the error range. Subsequently, three-dimensional (3D) modeling is performed on the captured images using a 3D surveying toolkit, and deep learning–based hive detection is performed on the completed 3D model to extract the GPS information of the detected target.

This study evaluates the effects of constant and fluctuating temperatures on the development, survival, and fertility of Myzus persicae, with an emphasis on understanding how thermal variability shapes its life history traits. Moderate temperature fluctuations (10 ± 5°C, 15 ± 5°C, 20 ± 5°C, and 25 ± 5°C) significantly enhanced developmental rates and reproductive success compared to constant conditions, demonstrating increased metabolic efficiency and adaptability under variable thermal environments. In contrast, extreme fluctuations (30 ± 5°C) imposed physiological stress, leading to delayed development, reduced survival, and decreased reproductive output, indicating limited tolerance of M. persicae to high thermal variability. A temperature-dependent model revealed an optimal range around 25°C for developmental efficiency and reproductive performance. Fertility peaked at 20 ± 5°C but was markedly suppressed at 30 ± 5°C, underscoring the detrimental effects of extreme thermal fluctuations on population growth. These findings suggest that moderate thermal variability may promote population expansion of M. persicae under favorable conditions, whereas extreme fluctuations could act as natural constraints, limiting its dynamics in warmer climates. This study provides critical insights into the adaptability of M. persicae to thermal variability, offering a framework for predicting its responses to climate change. However, the observed physiological limitations under elevated temperatures highlight the need for further field-based studies that incorporate ecological complexity. Such research will be essential to improve predictions of M. persicae population dynamics and to develop informed pest management strategies in agroecosystems experiencing increasing temperature fluctuations.

Forensic entomology is a sub-discipline of entomology concerning insects and arthropods with their relationship to criminal investigations. Most important that comes out of it is the finding of an exact time of occurrence of a dead body by estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI). Our study focused on blow fly pupae, which are some of the earliest insects to colonize decomposing bodies. The pupae of the blow fly have the longest development period in the blow fly life history, but we have trouble viewing the inside of the pupae because of the puparium. It is, therefore, a developmental internal X-ray imaging stage carried out to see if such a division experiment could reveal a difference in growth based on temperatures in two different temperatures. All experiments were recorded accurately with an indoor Wi-Fi camera. Finally, the sampling individual in 20 °C and 30 °C shows a significant difference at the developmental time of 10,640 min and 5470 min, respectively. As the internal developmental stage at two different temperatures, it distinctly delimited based on their morphological characteristics. The internal developmental stages, identified by morphological characteristics, were subdivided into four distinct phases, improving the precision of post-mortem interval estimation. In this study, we attempted to delimit the pupae into developmental instars based on internal development with the help of X-ray imaging. More economical and easier than those currently in use, such as anatomical and micro-computed tomography. However, it is followed by collecting data through additional experiments at various temperatures to apply this method into actuality.

Mosquito-borne diseases remain a significant health concern amidst current microbial outbreaks. Phytochemicals offer environmentally safe, biodegradable, and targeted pest management. Nanostructure lipid carriers (NLCs), a second generation of solid lipid nanoparticles, are gaining attention as potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Sesbania leaves, rich in fatty acids, phenolics, and terpenes, were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Magnetic nanoparticles (Se-NLC-MNPs) modified the surface of Sesbania extract, encapsulated in the NLC. The resulting nanoparticles were 129.2 and 218.5 nm in size, with zeta potentials of −6.20 and 43.9 mV, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed spherical and oval shapes. XRD patterns confirmed the successful decoration of the NLC with the magnetic nanoparticles. The Sesbania extract (Se) and its nanoparticle conjugates were tested for larvicidal efficacy against Culex pipiens and Musca domestica larvae, at doses ranging from 50 to 1500 ppm and 0.1 to 5 mg/mL. Se-NLC-MNPs showed higher larval mortality rates compared to their Se formulation extracts, achieving 100% mortality in third-instar larvae. Sesbania methanol extract contained more terpenes, fatty acids, and other organic compounds than the aqueous extract, making it more harmful to insect larvae. In terms of relative toxicity, Se-NLC-MNPs were more effective than Se-NLC. An in vitro cytotoxicity assay against the WI38 cell line indicated the cytotoxicity assay, suggesting the potential for these nanoparticles to develop into high-performance, environmentally acceptable therapeutics for mosquito-borne diseases.

Various miticides are being applied to apiaries to prevent mites. However, abuse of miticides could seriously damage bee health. To understand the physiological response of honey bees caused by inappropriate exposure to miticides, it is necessary to identify the marker genes whose expression alters in honey bees following exposure to miticides. Although quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is widely used for gene expression analysis, selecting appropriate stably expressed reference gene(s) across various conditions is essential for accurately determining target gene expression levels. Therefore, this study assessed the expression stabilities of 10 candidate reference genes (RPS5, RPS18, GAPDH, ARF1, RAB1a, PPI, PGK, SDH, TBP, and EF1) using C_q distribution and four algorithm programs (NormFinder, BestKeeper, geNorm, and RefFinder). Subsequently, we validated various normalization methods using each of the 10 reference genes and a combination of multiple genes by calculating the expression of the target gene (SOD2). Based on the various analysis methods used in this study, RPS5 is suggested as the most optimal reference gene for qRT-PCR analysis in honey bees under multiple conditions of miticide exposure.

This study investigates the influence of microenvironmental factors on carcass decomposition and insect colonization, emphasizing the detailed analysis of insect communities. The research involved placing two pig carcasses in contrasting environments: one in a sunlit open field and the other in a shaded forest area. Over 10 days, we observed variations in decomposition rates, with the carcass in the sunlit area decomposing faster than the one in the shade. This research applies Symbolic Aggregate approXimation to transform the daily measurements of carcass weight into symbolic sequences, enabling a comparison of temporal patterns in insect colonization and decomposition dynamics between the environments. Additionally, we utilized alpha and beta diversity assessments to explore the composition and behavior of the insect populations. Our findings revealed dynamic shifts in insect diversity in the sunlit area, marked by a rapid increase followed by a decline, contrasting with steadier, gradual changes in the shaded area. These shifts underscore the sensitivity of insect communities to subtle differences in sunlight and temperature exposure. Our study confirms the significant impact of these environmental factors on both decomposition rates and insect community dynamics, highlighting their potential to refine post-mortem interval estimations in forensic entomology. This enhances our understanding of how environmental conditions directly influence insect colonization, offering valuable insights for forensic applications.

In the web construction of the garden spider, Argiope bruennichi, the decoration known as the stabilimentum forms a zigzag band after completing the orb web. Based on ecological observations, the spider A. bruennichi was observed to consistently maintain an inverted posture on the stabilimentum of the web, with its position consistently fixed on the open side of the web. The stabilimentum of the spider web can be basically divided into a hub region and a band region; the hub region measures approximately 2.5 times the spider's body length, while the band region measures approximately 2.7 times the spider's body length. The hub silk is constructed after the formation of band silk from periphery towards the center, and that the silk in the hub and band regions originate from numerous pairs of aciniform gland spigots on the median and posterior spinnerets. Our fine structural analysis revealed significant differences in the silk morphological properties between stabilimentum band silk in closed and open sides. Particularly, the silks of the stabilimentum were found to be dried fibers less than 500 nm in diameter, devoid of adhesive substances commonly found in prey capture. Moreover, the zigzag band pattern of the stabilimentum silk fibers is expected to play a role in attracting prey animals through light scattering by forming light dispersion at various angles from the light source.

The tribe Gymnopleurini is a well-known group within Scarabaeinae, characterized by its diurnal ball rolling behavior. Although mitochondrial genomes have been reported for numerous Scarabaeinae species, those of Gymnopleurini remain unexplored. In this study, we document for the first time the mitochondrial genome sequences of two ball-rolling dung beetles, Gymnopleurus mopsus (Pallas, 1781) and Gymnopleurus geoffroyi (Fuessly, 1775), from the tribe Gymnopleurini and infer the tribe's position within Scarabaeinae, whose phylogenetic relationships remain largely unresolved. Their mitochondrial genomes are circular DNA molecules, 15,591 and 15,460 bp in size, respectively, and consist of 37 genes, with an identical gene order in Scarabaeinae. Mitochondrial phylogeny, based on the sequences of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) from 72 Scarabaeinae species, recovered monophyly of Scarabaeinae and a sister relationship between Gymnopleurus (Gymnopleurini) and Sarophorus. This finding is the first to suggest a potential sister relationship between two groups, but like previous studies, the lack of strong synapomorphic characters implies further phylogenomic analysis is needed to confirm their relationship. Notably, the monophyly of the Onthophagini + Oniticellini lineage was supported, reflecting its biogeographic history and highlighting the need for a taxonomic revision of this species-rich and cosmopolitan group, incorporating additional suprageneric groups. The mitochondrial genome information of two Gymnopleurini species, G. mopsus and G. geoffroyi, not only helps fill the gap in the missing mitochondrial genome data for the Gymnopleurini tribe but also contributes to future conservation efforts by providing insights into the genomic diversity and population structure of these two threatened species.

Various strains of entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium flavoviride are potential insect control agents. However, there are few systematic studies on their pathogenicity against larvae of pests in the family Scarabaeidae. This study evaluates the pathogenicity of M. flavoviride Ma130821 against larvae of Metabolus flavescens Brenske feeding on maize and tobacco, respectively, and examines the infection process and aspects of the host immunological response. The present results showed that M. flavoviride Ma130821 caused 76.67%–100.00% mortality of M. flavescens larvae within 18 days. When hyphal bodies infected the hemocoel of a host, this strain inhibited the normal protein metabolism through the consumption of protein nutrients and then activated the immunity by increasing the amounts of hemocytes. The infection also initiated the humoral immunity response by increasing the content and enzymatic activity of phenoloxidase (PO). After inoculation, the content and enzymatic activity of PO presented a significant increase and reached the peaks at 72 or 96 h after inoculation (HAI), indicating that immune responses of hemolymph in infected larvae were more intensive at middle/late stage of infection. However, the growth of hyphal bodies was not recognized by the host's immune system as invaders when they reached a high density. The amount of total hemocyte and the content and enzymatic activity of PO all decreased significantly. M. flavoviride Ma130821 appears to affect the larvae's immune system and results in decreased immunity. Our results demonstrate that M. flavoviride Ma130821, with high virulence to larval M. flavescens by immune responses of hemolymph, could be provided efficient entomopathogenic fungi for pest control.