Annual review of entomology最新文献

Recent studies using metatranscriptome sequencing have revealed a diversity of viruses associated with insects. Researchers have used various approaches to establish patterns of transmission of insect-specific viruses and have shown that insects often harbor viruses that are inherited from parents to offspring. It remains unclear, however, whether heritable viral symbioses can be understood in the same ecological and evolutionary framework that has been established for bacterial symbiosis. We review studies showing beneficial and pathogenic effects of heritable viruses on their hosts, and we discuss additional ways that heritable viruses shape insect evolution. We also compare bacterial and viral symbiosis and review ways that this emerging field can be used for biocontrol of pests and insect-borne pathogens. Heritable viruses are a key part of the ecology and evolution of insects. A framework for studying symbiosis between insects and these microbes is important for a comprehensive understanding of insect biology.

Herbivorous insects can shape the epidemiology of disease in plants by vectoring numerous phytopathogens. While the consequences of infection are often well-characterized in the host plant, the extent to which phytopathogens alter the physiology and development of their insect vectors remains poorly understood. In this review, we highlight how insect-borne phytopathogens can promote vector fitness, consistent with theoretical predictions that selection should favor a mutualistic or commensal phenotype. In doing so, we define the metabolic features predisposing plant pathogens to engage in beneficial partnerships with herbivorous insects and how these mutualisms promote the microbe's propagation to uninfected plants. For the vector, the benefits of co-opting microbial pathways and metabolites can be immense: from balancing a nutritionally deficient diet and unlocking a novel ecological niche to upgrading its defensive biochemistry against natural enemies. Given the independent origins of these tripartite interactions and a number of convergent features, we also discuss the evolutionary and genomic signatures underlying microbial adaptation to its dual lifestyle as both a plant pathogen and an insect mutualist. Finally, as host association can constrain the metabolic potential of microbes over evolutionary time, we outline the stability of these interactions and how they impact the virulence and transmission of plant pathogens.Updated on December 8, 2025.

Aphelinids are minute parasitoids belonging to the wasp superfamily Chalcidoidea. Typical hosts of Aphelinidae include soft-bodied Hemiptera, such as aphids, scale insects, and whiteflies, but some species are oophagous or hyperparasitic on other parasitoids. The family currently contains 37 genera and approximately 1,500 species, although the latter is a gross underrepresentation of their true diversity. The bionomics of Aphelinidae was last reviewed 40 years ago. Since then, phylogenomic analyses and high-quality taxonomic works have clarified relationships between and within different lineages of Aphelinidae, and knowledge of their interactions with their environment and hosts has increased considerably. In this review, we summarize this research, with an emphasis on the recognition, morphology, systematics, biology, genomics, and economic importance of aphelinids as biological control agents. Finally, we present future issues regarding this important family of parasitoids.

Several phytohormones have been detected in whole-body analyses of insects and in their salivary glands, saliva, and frass. More comprehensive surveys are needed to develop a clear picture of their distribution and abundance in insects, but cytokinins, auxin (indole-3-acetic acid), and abscisic acid appear to be widespread in insects. Other phytohormones, such as salicylic acid, jasmonates, gibberellins, and brassinosteroids, have also been reported, but a full assessment of their distribution and abundance in insects requires further study. Exogenous phytohormones provided by herbivorous insects likely alter source-sink nutrient dynamics in their host plants, modulate host-plant defenses, lead to the induction of plant galls and the vascularization of galls connecting them to the host plant, lead to the development of green islands, and can alter anthocyanin biosynthesis, which in the sun may make galls red.

Millennia after the advent of pesticides and nearly eight decades into the widespread use of synthetic compounds, the role of such chemicals in modern society remains pivotal, despite persistent concerns over human and environmental safety. Rather than declining, pesticide use continues to expand, with shifting priorities regarding compound selection and application strategies. The growing prominence of biopesticides broadens pest management options but complicates the evaluation of their side effects. Additionally, evolving pesticide use patterns-including the increasing reliance on mixtures-introduce further complexities, as compound interactions and their effects on exposed organisms require closer scrutiny. Although pesticide risk assessment is a relatively young and evolving field, its progress remains hindered by misconceptions, biases, and oversimplifications. This review integrates ecotoxicology and stress biology into a conceptual framework to address these challenges, advocating for more precise and dynamic approaches to pesticide risk assessment.

The genus Liriomyza Mik (Diptera: Agromyzidae) comprises a diverse group of leaf-mining flies that feed internally on plant tissues, with species ranging from host plant specialists to highly polyphagous pests. In this genus, Liriomyza trifolii, Liriomyza sativae, and Liriomyza huidobrensis have emerged as the dominant invasive species in China over the past three decades, causing extensive damage and complicating pest management efforts. Owing to having overlapping host ranges, these species frequently co-occur, resulting in intense interspecific competition and, in many cases, competitive displacement. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the invasion dynamics, species displacement processes, and ecological interactions of these three species. We highlight how interspecific competition, driven by variation in host preference, insecticide resistance, and climatic adaptability, has shaped species distributions and displacement outcomes. We also examine cryptic diversity within species, the importance of accurate diagnostics, and the limitations of current quarantine and management strategies. Finally, we discuss promising directions for integrated pest management, including the development of host plant resistance, the deployment of novel insecticides, and the application of molecular tools. By positioning Liriomyza as a model system, this review contributes to a broader understanding of invasive species ecology and offers guidance for the sustainable management of leafminers and other invasive agricultural pests.

Leaf-cutting ants, which comprise more than 50 species distributed from Patagonia to North America, build the largest nests among ants. Workers forage plant fragments to cultivate a symbiotic fungus inside underground chambers, which serves as the primary food source for the colony. While digging the nest, workers respond to local cues such as soil temperature, moisture, and CO₂ levels, resulting in the emergence of a nest architecture that provides a proper environment for fungus growth. Leaf-cutting ants have species-specific nest architectures, which evolved from a basal design consisting of a vertical tunnel and a few interconnected chambers. Some species developed, in addition, architectural innovations aimed at the control of both hygiene and nest climate, including waste chambers, ventilatory turrets, and a nest thatch. A fine-tuned climate control is achieved by the relocation of fungus gardens within the nest following the workers' environmental preferences and by nesting plasticity.

Bees are generally agreed to be the most important pollinators. Their pollination functions and services not only closely link to crop production and food security, but also underlie ecosystem health and stability. Unfortunately, bees face a combination of stressors such as land-use intensification and pesticide overuse, leading to declines and potential risks to human welfare. These facts underscore the urgent need for global research and action to protect bees and their pollination services. In this review, we examine the current understanding of pollinator bee diversity, function, and conservation in China. We discuss existing knowledge gaps, summarize the stressors affecting bees in China, and highlight their uniqueness when compared to advances in better-studied regions. We also provide insights into promising areas for future research, while advocating for more investments in the conservation of bees and their pollination services in China and Asia more broadly.

Historically, contact insecticides have played a major role in managing pests in postharvest stored commodities. Despite the availability of significant literature published over the past three decades, the current status and potential future use of contact insecticides are not known. In this review we synthesize the literature to identify reasons for the ongoing decline in the use of contact insecticides in postharvest commodity protection, and outline the challenges and opportunities for their future use by the grain industry. Development of resistance in major stored-product insect pests to conventional pesticides and the stricter regulatory requirements driven by consumer sensitivity to pesticide residues on food are discussed in detail to explain the limitations to their current use. We also highlight the strategic integration of currently available contact insecticides into a fumigation-dominated pest management program. We conclude by proposing several research aspects that may prompt their continued use by the grain industry in the near future.

Many insects' gut microbiota derive partly or wholly from environmental sources. These microbes may be transient, passing through in a matter of hours, days, a developmental stage, or a host generation. There is increasing recognition of the presence of transient microbes in the insect gut, but it is often assumed that these microbes are commensal and serve no function for their hosts. Here, we explore different definitions of microbial transience and review results from diverse insect systems showing that transience does not always preclude, and in some cases enables, important contributions of environmentally acquired microbes to host fitness. Moving past the assumption that microbes must always be tightly associated with a host to serve beneficial functions will help us develop a more accurate and nuanced understanding of the functions of the gut microbiota in insects and other animals.