Neotropical Entomology最新文献

Biological invasions pose significant threats to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human well-being. Urban areas are particularly prone to biological invasions as high levels of human activity and connectivity enhance the arrival of alien species, and some characteristics of these areas (e.g. disturbance levels and reduced thermal variability) facilitate their establishment. Here, we study the establishment and distribution of the highly invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), in Bariloche, a Patagonian city ~1000 km away from its native range, using a citizen science approach, complemented by outdoor ant sampling. Our findings confirm its establishment as an urban pest within a small downtown area and suggest it has not spread into surrounding urban or semi-natural habitats. However, ongoing urban development and climate change might facilitate its spread in the future. Through citizen science records, we also found other ants (including the invasive Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus, 1758), reported for the first time in the region) behaving as indoor pests in parts of the city where L. humile was not detected. This study highlights the value of citizen science in detecting invasive alien species and its added benefit of monitoring indoor pests that might otherwise go unnoticed using outdoor surveys and emphasize the need for coordinated management strategies from different stakeholders to address these invasions.

This study evaluated the environmental impact of an insect biofactory that produces biological agents for controlling stored product pests. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the production of eggs and larvae of the natural host Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller, 1879) and its parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836). We proposed the reuse of feed within the larval production process of E. kuehniella and compared the resulting environmental impacts with those of conventional chemical control using phosphine. The assessment was performed using SimaPro 9.5.1.2 software and the Environmental Footprint 3.1 method, covering 16 damage categories. Experimental data from the UNISC Biofactory were used to construct the life cycle inventory, which encompasses energy consumption, material inputs, and waste generation. Additional scenarios assessed the reuse of larval diet residues and compared the environmental performance of H. hebetor with phosphine, a conventional fumigant. The results indicated that the main environmental impacts are associated with electricity consumption and the larval diet composed of wheat flour and yeast. The reuse of residual diet reduced impacts in acidification and land use categories, whereas new feed showed better performance in climate change and particulate matter formation. The comparison between biological and chemical control showed lower environmental impacts with H. hebetor in all categories except water use. Overall, biological control using H. hebetor proved to be an environmentally favorable alternative or complement to chemical agents. Process optimization, energy efficiency, and integration of renewable sources may further reduce the environmental footprint of insect biofactories at larger scales.

Insects in tropical regions are subject to pronounced seasonal fluctuations in rainfall and temperature. A notable example is Baronia brevicornis, a panchronic butterfly species endemic to Mexico. Its reproductive season begins with the onset of the rainy period, which triggers the emergence of adults. Males exhibit four distinct color morphs, while females display three. To assess adult abundance, sex ratios, morph proportions, and wing size variation, we monitored a population of B. brevicornis during mating seasons (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024). In addition, we experimentally investigated the effects of prolonged diapause and pupal survival. Our findings indicate a male-biased sex ratio. Morph frequencies and wing sizes in both sexes exhibited temporal variation. Adults emerged following one to two years of pupation when no water was provided during the first year. However, the proportion of individuals successfully emerging after two years was significantly lower than in those emerging after a single year. Our model suggests that accumulated precipitation, rather than temperature, plays a critical role in the probability of detecting adult butterflies. The optimal threshold (~ 70-150 mm) may be an adaptive strategy to cope with unpredictable rainfall, enabling individuals to postpone emergence when precipitation levels are insufficient to sustain host plants and nectar resources. Nevertheless, the potential fitness costs associated with prolonged pupation must be considered.

The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (1972), commonly known as RIFA, is considered one of the world's 100 most invasive and threatening pest species. It is particularly notorious for its rapid expansion into new territories and its severe impacts on agriculture, nurseries, public infrastructure, and urban green areas. Due to its aggressive nature and broad ecological adaptability, RIFA poses significant challenges to human activities and ecosystems. Consequently, substantial research efforts have been directed toward both eradication in infested areas and the prevention of its spread into new regions. Core management strategies include quarantine measures and chemical, biological, and physical control methods, each with specific advantages and limitations. This article aims to underscore the global importance of RIFA, provide a comprehensive review of current control approaches, and analyze the challenges and opportunities associated with their implementation. The findings reported in the literature reviewed are intended to support the development and application of sustainable, site-specific Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and adaptive strategies for long-term control. Future efforts should prioritize predictive modeling of invasion pathways, genomic tools for resistance management, and enhanced biocontrol integration to address climate-mediated range expansions.

The effects on biological traits and population parameters, as well as the induction of detoxification enzyme activity and gene upregulation were determined following exposure of S. furcifera to sublethal and lethal concentrations (LC₁₀, LC₃₀, LC₅₀, LC₇₀) of flupyradifurone. In F₀, flupyradifurone did not significantly affect fecundity or adult developmental period, but cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity was significantly induced by LC₃₀, LC₅₀, LC₇₀, and more than ten P450 genes (e.g., CYP6AX3, CYP6CW4, CYP418A2) were upregulated across concentrations, supporting the predicted detoxification response. In F₁, consistent with a transgenerational effect, parental exposure at LC₅₀ and LC₇₀ significantly prolonged development (1st, 3rd, and 5th instars), increased total preoviposition period (TPOP) and mean generation time (T), and reduced the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ). Fecundity remained unaffected. Together, these results indicate that flupyradifurone can suppress S. furcifera population growth via transgenerational impacts on development and demography while concurrently inducing P450-mediated detoxification. These findings suggest that flupyradifurone is a valuable tool but should be deployed within integrated pest management: rotate with different modes of action, limit consecutive applications, and combine with non-chemical tactics and resistance monitoring to preserve long-term efficacy.

The economic importance of pollinators is widely recognized, with bees playing a key role in crop pollination. However, agricultural intensification has reduced natural habitats, negatively affecting pollinator populations. Understanding local bee communities is essential, particularly in crops near natural areas. Colored pan traps (blue, yellow, and white) are a common method for sampling bees, but few studies have evaluated how different trap colors attract different bee taxa. Moreover, most studies have not directly related these spectral properties to differences in bee captures. We assessed the influence of pan trap color on bee sampling in organic tomato crops in Ibirité, Brazil, adjacent to a Natural State Park. Pan traps of three colors were randomly distributed and checked every 24 h from June to August. Trapped bees were identified, and the spectral reflectance of each trap color and tomato flowers was measured using a spectrophotometer. The hexagon model for trichromatic vision was used to estimate how bees perceive these colors. We sampled 185 bees from 30 species and 20 genera. Bee abundance and richness varied significantly among trap colors. Species richness was highest in yellow traps, while abundance was greatest in blue traps. White traps captured two exclusive species not found in other colors. Halictinae bees were predominantly attracted to yellow traps, whereas Apinae bees preferred blue and yellow traps. Our findings indicate that trap color significantly affects bee sampling efficiency, and using a combination of three colors increases species richness and abundance, enhancing the effectiveness of bee monitoring.

Ants have long been recognized as key plant partners, given the high number of mutualisms historically documented between both groups. While their ecological roles are well-documented, ants as flower visitors remain understudied in the Atlantic Forest, a world's biodiversity hotspot. Here, we present firsthand records of ant-flower interactions, diversity, and network structure, and characterize the plant community visited by ants in two Atlantic Forest remnants. Fieldwork was conducted from April 2019 through May 2022 in two different vegetation physiognomies, the Mixed and the Dense Ombrophilous Forest, located respectively in the municipalities of Colombo and Morretes, in Paraná state. Using focal-plant methodology, we documented 32 ant species visiting flowers of 71 plant species. The most frequent flower visitors from each forest type were Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862 (Mixed Forest) and Brachymyrmex heeri Forel, 1874 (Dense Forest) and most of the plant species visited by ants were native trees or shrubs with small flowers. Network analysis revealed similar network topologies across both vegetation types, with significantly low nestedness and intermediate modularity, as opposed to the expected predominantly nested architecture of mutualistic systems. Despite remarkable sampling effort and richness of observed plant species (n = 352), sampling coverage did not surpass 35% in both forests, indicating numerous undiscovered interactions. Future studies could increase sampling and conduct pollen experiments to gain deeper insight into ant-flower interactions. Given tropical ecosystem degradation and pollinator decline, our findings underscore the need for further research on ants as flower visitors, highlighting their role in ant-plant mutualisms in humid tropical forests.

Cercopidae, or spittlebugs, are xylem-feeding insects with significant economic impacts on pasture and sugarcane production in the Neotropics. Despite their importance, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of research trends on this group. This study presents a scientometric and integrative review of the literature of Cercopidae research conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2001 to 2022. Using the Web of Science database, 154 articles were selected and analyzed for bibliometric patterns, thematic focus, and taxonomic coverage. The results revealed modest but consistent publication output over time, with Brazil accounting for the majority of studies. The most frequent research themes were agrisciences and ecology, particularly involving pest species of the genera Mahanarva Distant, 1909, Aeneolamia Fennah, 1949, and Deois Fennah, 1949. Studies in systematics encompassed the greatest species diversity, whereas other thematic areas showed limited taxonomic coverage. The majority of articles did not specify taxonomic identification procedures, raising concerns about data reliability. In summary, our findings reveal a clear bias toward economically important species and highlight thematic segregation among research areas. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and improving taxonomic rigor are essential for advancing the understanding of Neotropical spittlebug diversity and for developing sustainable management strategies.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding transcripts that regulate various biological processes in many species, including insects. Some lncRNAs have been found to be associated with insecticide resistance. In this study, 4177 lncRNAs between the susceptive strain (RP-S) and the imidacloprid-resistant strain (RP-R) in Rhopalosiphum padi by transcriptome sequencing were recognized, including 2401 intergenic lncRNAs, 970 intron lncRNAs, and 806 antisense lncRNAs. Two hundred fifty-eight differentially expressed lncRNAs were observed, including 77 lncRNA transcripts that were upregulated, while 181 lncRNA transcripts were downregulated in RP-R compared to that in RP-S targeting 628 differentially expressed mRNAs. They could be involved in imidacloprid resistance by modulating the expression of 11 P450s, 2 CCEs, 6 UGTs, and 14 ABC transporters. Furthermore, quantitative PCR (qPCR), RNA interference (RNAi), and imidacloprid bioassay analyses demonstrated that overexpressed lnc8676, lnc36817, and lnc48853 were involved in imidacloprid resistance. This study provided comprehensive information on the lncRNAs profile and provided evidence that lncRNAs play a key role in conferring insecticide resistance to R. padi and have significant potential to be used as targets for pest control strategies.

The Curculionoidea superfamily consists of approximately 62,000 species worldwide and 1700 species in Türkiye. These species are considered highly specialized phytophagous insects. Some are agricultural and forest pests, while others contribute to weed control or help detect desertification. Therefore, understanding the abundance and diversity of native Curculionoidea species across different ecosystems, as well as designing and implementing specific measures to prevent or manage their damage, is essential. In this study, we investigated the species composition, abundance, and diversity of the Curculionoidea community in various ecosystems distributed across the eastern Black Sea and northeastern Anatolia of Türkiye from 2010 to 2013. A total of 5580 individuals belonging to 32 species across two families were collected (2798 in 2010, 704 in 2011, 1314 in 2012, and 1764 in 2013). Of these, 3350 belonged to Curculionidae (1890 males; 1460 females) and 2230 belonged to Rhynchitidae (1180 males; 1050 females). The highest levels of abundance and diversity of Curculionoidea were observed during the early summer period, followed by the summer and autumn periods, respectively. Among the different ecosystems, the agroecosystem (fruit orchards) exhibited a higher abundance of Curculionoidea in the early summer, while the forest ecosystem (forest plants) showed higher diversity (H') during both the early summer and summer periods. This study enhances our understanding of Curculionoidea biodiversity in Türkiye and provides a foundation for conservation planning and integrated pest management strategies in vulnerable ecosystems.