EJE, vol. 122 (2025)

Prey of selected epigeic velvet spiders (Araneae: Eresidae)Original article

Milan TŮMA, Jiří KRÁL, Martin FORMAN, Luboš PURCHART, Yael LUBIN, Stano PEKÁR

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 219-227, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.027  

The natural prey of spiders has been studied in only a few species, which limits our understanding of their role in ecosystems. Eresid spiders often have a hidden lifestyle; thus, their ecology is still poorly understood. Here we investigated the natural prey of four species of ground-dwelling eresid spiders from Israel - Adonea fimbriata, Dorceus fastuosus, Eresus sp., and Loureedia annulipes - and one (Eresus kollari) from Central Europe. In the last species, we studied the prey in more detail: we compared the natural with the potential prey and investigated prey acceptance using six prey types (Blattodea, Coleoptera,...

Distribution patterns and species richness of Notodontidae (Lepidoptera) in the Iberian PeninsulaOriginal article

Fernando DE JUANA, João NUNES, José Luis YELA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 210-218, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.026  

The current spatial distribution patterns of organisms result from both historical and contemporary environmental factors, which can be challenging to identify. Previous approaches to the distribution of Palearctic and Iberian Notodontidae require revision. This study, based on the presence data of each species within 100 × 100 km UTM grid squares across the Iberian Peninsula, represents a first step in this direction. Of the 38 Notodontidae species reliably recorded from the Iberian Peninsula, 7 exhibit a Cantabrian-Pyrenean distribution pattern, 5 extend beyond this region to cover all of Galicia and northern Portugal, 7 are spread throughout the...

Exploring behavioural plasticity in the nesting biology of Megachile sculpturalis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) and its role in invasion successOriginal article

Manuela GIOVANETTI, Laura ZAVATTA, Sergio ALBERTAZZI, Simone FLAMINIO, Rosa RANALLI, Laura BORTOLOTTI

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 198-209, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.025  

The success of animal species is shaped by a combination of ecological conditions and behavioural plasticity, with the latter being particularly crucial for the spread of invasive species. Megachile sculpturalis (Apoidea: Megachilidae), an East-Asian solitary bee introduced to France and subsequently spreading across Europe and North America, provides a case study. While its distribution is well-documented, the behavioural traits driving its success remain poorly understood. Our study aimed to explore behavioural patterns associated with its nesting cycle and potential expansion. In 2020, we conducted focal observations of individually marked...

Localization of SNAP-29 and Syntaxin 6 in the brain of Bombyx moriOriginal article

Fumika TORYU, Yuto SAITOH, Kengo KANAMARU, Katsuhiko SAKAMOTO, Yuichi UNO, Tomohide UNO

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 189-197, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.024  

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are a family of small conserved eukaryotic proteins that mediate fusion between organelles and the plasma membrane. Prior to fusion, complementary SNAREs, such as syntaxin, synaptosome-associated protein (SNAP), and synaptobrevin, assemble between membranes with the aid of accessory proteins that provide a scaffold to initiate SNARE zippering, pulling the membranes together, and mediating fusion. SNAP-29 and Syntaxin 6 from Bombyx mori were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using affinity chromatography. We then produced antibodies against SNAP-29,...

Effect of local and exotic origin of Asteraceae seeds on their consumption by ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)Original article

Alois HONĚK, Martinková ZDENKA, Stano PEKÁR

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 184-188, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.023  

Prior familiarity of carabid beetle populations with seeds of a plant species might result in a preference for locally available species, either due to evolutionary adaptation or learning. Rejection of exotic species might favor the survival of the exotic species due to enemy release. In adults of two Carabidae species, Pseudoophonus rufipes (DeGeer) and Harpalus affinis (Schrank), we investigated the consumption of seeds of the local (growing inside the distribution range of experimental carabid individuals) Asteraceae species Taraxacum officinale and Crepis biennis, and the exotic (growing outside this area) Asteraceae...

Complementary roles of agricultural and natural habitats in supporting moth diversity in semi-arid landscapes of MoroccoOriginal article

Nidal FETNASSI, Stênio Italo Araújo FOERSTER, Erki ÕUNAP, Mohamed GHAMIZI, Toomas TAMMARU

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 173-183, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.022  

Human activities, particularly those exacerbated by climate change, are major drivers of biodiversity change. While many human actions degrade biodiversity, some anthropogenic habitats can provide refuges for certain species, insects in particular. Research on the human impact on biodiversity remains uneven both geographically and taxonomically. In this study, nocturnal moth assemblages were compared across three habitat types (forest, riverbanks and olive groves) representing a gradient from natural to heavily human-altered environments in a semi-arid landscape of Morocco. Moths were systematically sampled across an altitudinal gradient ranging from...

Host plant specialization and bioturbation by the Amazonian cicada Orialella aerizulae (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)Original article

Erin M. RIVERA GROVES, Adrian FORSYTH, Edwin E. JURADO ROJAS

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 164-172, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.021  

Adult cicadas in temperate zones are known for their synchronized, loud emergences after spending years underground as nymphs feeding on xylem sap. In contrast, the nymphal stage - where cicadas spend most of their lives - remains poorly understood, especially in the Neotropics. Spatial and host plant relationships between Amazonian cicada nymphs and host trees are virtually unknown, limiting our understanding of the ecological roles of cicadas in Amazonian forests. Here, we present the first detailed spatial ecology study of nymphs of Orialella aerizulae, a species that builds conspicuous turrets. Using systematic mapping and quantification...

Overwintering survival of adults of Aedes albopictus and Aedes cretinus (Diptera: Culicidae) in a sheltered microclimate in northern Attica, GreeceOriginal article

Athanasios GIATROPOULOS, Chrisanthos LYMPEROPOULOS, Ilias KIOULOS, Antonios MICHAELAKIS, Georgios BALATSOS, Dimitrios PAPACHRISTOS, George KOLIOPOULOS

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 154-163, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.020  

The mosquito species Aedes cretinus, which is native to Greece, has become increasingly scarce following the invasion of the highly competitive and widespread Aedes albopictus. The ability of mosquitoes to survive low winter temperatures plays a pivotal role in their population dynamics of the next season. In this study, we investigated the overwintering capacity of Ae. albopictus and Ae. cretinus adults under semi-field, sheltered microclimatic conditions in the northern area of Attica, Greece, during the winter of 2023-2024. Our findings revealed that 11% of Ae. albopictus females and 21.1% of Ae. cretinus...

Aposematic potential of ultraviolet-visible blue fluorescence in larvae of a cyanogenic zygaeniid moth Eterusia aedea (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae)Original article

Ruri SHIMMURA, Atsushi ISHIHARA, Reika NISHIO, Hideshi NAKA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 149-153, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.019  

Some insects deter predators by sequestering toxic compounds and displaying aposematic coloration. The subfamily Chalcosiinae (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae) is known for the vivid larval coloration and cyanogenic glycoside secretion by larvae and adults. However, the larvae of a Chalcosiinae moth, Eterusia aedea, exhibit a subdued reddish-brown appearance, which does not visually signal toxicity. In this study, we report that E. aedea larvae and their secreted mucus emit strong blue fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) light. Fluorescence analysis of the mucus revealed a peak emission at 446.0 nm, a purplish-blue wavelength. Given that avian...

Book review: Rüppell G. & Hilfert-Rüppell D. 2024: Dragonfly behavior: Discovering the dynamic life of an ancient order of insects.Book review

Ola FINCKE

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 147-148, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.018  

Rüppell G. & Hilfert-Rüppell D. 2024: Dragonfly behavior: Discovering the dynamic life of an ancient order of insects. Springer-Verlag GmbH, Berlin, Heidelberg, xx + 229 pp., 290 colour photos, 30 black-and-white illustrations. ISBN 978-3-662-70233-8 (hardback), 978-3-662-70234-5 (e-book). Hardcover price EUR 28.07.

The Oriental latrine fly Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) has arrived in Eastern EuropeShort Communication

Alexandru-Mihai PINTILIOAIE, Silviu PETROVAN

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 141-146, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.017  

The Oriental latrine fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is a rapidly expanding species, likely to become one of the most widely used species in forensic entomology in the near future, as it is currently recorded on every continent except Antarctica. In Europe, it has been confirmed only from a few Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain and Malta), together with the closely related and also expanding Chrysomya albiceps. Our study confirms that Chrysomya megacephala has arrived in Eastern Europe, with adult individuals of both sexes recorded during surveys and trapping in a nature reserve along the...

How long do diapause pupae of Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) store photoperiodic information?Original article

Katsuhiko SAKAMOTO, Yuichi EGI

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 137-140, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.016  

Pupal diapause in the Chinese oak silkmoth (Antheraea pernyi) is maintained under short-day (SD) photoperiods but is terminated when pupae are exposed to long-day (LD) photoperiods for a specific number of days. This process suggests that pupae can count or retain memory of the number of LD days experienced. In this study, we investigated how long diapause pupae retain photoperiodic information acquired during LD exposure. Diapause pupae were first reared under SD conditions and then exposed to LD for 8 days - an insufficient duration to terminate diapause. Following this, the pupae were placed back under SD for 7, 14, or 21 days, and subsequently...

Differential gene expression reprogramming in the midgut of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) triggered by an SKTI-derivative tripeptide protease inhibitor compared to the natural SKTI proteinOriginal article

Eulálio GUTEMBERG DIAS DOS SANTOS, Neilier RODRIGUES DA SILVA JÚNIOR, Marco Aurélio FERREIRA, Ian DE PAULA ALVES PINTO, Monique DA SILVA BONJOUR, Pedro Marcus PEREIRA VIDIGAL, Elizabeth Pacheco BATISTA FONTES, Maria Goreti ALMEIDA OLIVEIRA, Humberto Josué OLIVEIRA RAMOS

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 119-136, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.015  

The velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis, is one of the major insect pests causing defoliation in soybean crops. Alternative strategies have been explored to reduce insect damage, including the use of protease inhibitors (PIs) that act as anti-nutritional factors. The tripeptide GORE-2, designed based on the soybean SKTI PI, exhibits enhanced protease inhibitory activity and reduces caterpillar survival. To investigate the molecular response to these PIs, we analyzed gene expression profiles using RNA-Seq. Both SKTI and GORE-2 induced extensive transcriptional reprogramming in the midgut after 24 h of exposure. The response patterns...

Book review: Heraty J.M. & Woolley J.B. (eds) 2024: Chalcidoidea of the World.Book review

T. HOVORKA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 118, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.014  

Heraty J.M. & Woolley J.B. (eds) 2024: Chalcidoidea of the World. CABI, Wallingford, 840 pp. ISBN 978-1-80062-352-1. Price GBP 250.00.

Diet of adult ladybird beetle host modifies the postdiapause development of the parasitoid Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article

John J. OBRYCKI, Catherine A. TAUBER, Maurice J. TAUBER

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 111-117, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.013  

Our study showed that under natural conditions the rate and speed of postdiapause emergence by overwintering larvae of the endoparasitic wasp, Dinocampus coccinellae (Schrank) is enhanced when its ladybird beetle host Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer) receives a nutritious (proteinaceous) diet during late winter and early spring. Living aphid prey provided during April and May yielded the fastest rates of D. coccinellae postdiapause development, followed by an artificial protein/carbohydrate diet and flowering (pollen-producing) heads of dandelion. D. coccinellae development was slowest when hosts received only...

Impact of climate change on the potential distributions of two cicada species, Platypleura octoguttata and Lemuriana apicalis (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), in India and their conservation implicationsOriginal article

Babu SADDAM, Cong WEI

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 99-110, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.012  

The loss of habitat for numerous organisms due to climate change has significantly accelerated the rate of species extinction. Unfortunately, there have been no studies conducted on the impact of climate change and other factors on the distribution patterns of cicada species in India. In the present study, we investigated the current and potential future distribution of two cicada species, Platypleura octoguttata and Lemuriana apicalis, using environmental variables and occurrence data through maximum entropy modelling. The distribution ranges of both species show some similarities under the current climatic conditions. According to predictions...

COI barcodes for the identification of anthropophilic Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) from the Brazilian AmazonOriginal article

Emanuelle DE SOUSA FARIAS, Moises Thiago DE SOUZA FREITAS, Sanmya Silva DOS SANTOS, Jokebede Melynda DOS SANTOS PAULINO-ROSA, Luiz DE SOUZA COELHO, Jordam William PEREIRA-SILVA, James Lee CRAINEY, Claudia María RÍOS-VELÁSQUEZ, Felipe Arley COSTA PESSOA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 88-98, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.011  

The genus Culicoides is the best known of the family Ceratopogonidae. Hematophagous females of the genus typically feed on the blood of vertebrate animals and in the Brazilian Amazon often on the blood of human beings. Amazon region anthropophilic Culicoides bites can provoke allergic reactions and transmit Mansonella ozzardi as well as the Oropouche virus. Past integrated taxonomy studies, combining morphometric and molecular analyses, have revealed hidden disease vector biodiversity and cryptic species with epidemiological and disease control relevance and have provided new tools to assist with vector identification. For this...

Superparasitism and its effects on the fitness of the larval parasitoid, Coccygidium luteum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article

Patrick BESEH, Lakpo Koku AGBOYI, Benjamin MENSAH, John ABRAHAM

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 80-87, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.010  

The tendency of parasitoid wasps to oviposit in a previously parasitised host (superparasitism) has long been considered detrimental to their fitness, until recent evidence showed that it may be an adaptive strategy. The solitary koinobiont parasitoid, Coccygidium luteum, was observed to superparasitise the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, under laboratory conditions. This study was conducted to elucidate the oviposition choice between unparasitised and previously parasitised hosts by C. luteum and to determine the effect of superparasitism on progeny development and adult fitness, using fall armyworm larvae as hosts. In a...

Book review: Rákosy L. 2024: A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Romania.Book review

Z. FALTYNEK FRIC

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 79, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.009  

Rákosy L. 2024: A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Romania. Pelagic Publishing, London, 376 pp. ISBN 978-1-78427-477-1. Price USD 42.00.

Comparison of flight behaviour and flight morphology between perching Lycaena phlaeas and patrolling Zizeeria maha (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)Original article

Michio IMAFUKU

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 73-78, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.008  

Perching (territorial) and patrolling are recognised as mate-locating tactics adopted by male butterflies. It is said that males adopting the former fly fast with high acceleration, whereas those adopting the latter fly at continuous and lower speeds. However, no previous studies have demonstrated these flight properties using quantitative data. In the present study, the flight properties of two lycaenid species, the perching L. phlaeas and the patrolling Z. maha, were investigated based on three-dimensional analysis. Males of L. phlaeas had higher flight velocities and higher relative flight time than those of Z. maha....

Cloning and expression analysis of a detoxification enzyme BmmGSTo3 gene in wild silkworm, Bombyx mandarina (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)Original article

Ruonan LI, Enxi CHEN, Yuming ZHANG, Mengjiao WANG, Lin ZHU, Yixuan QIAN, Guodong ZHAO, Heying QIAN

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 65-72, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.007  

Bombyx mandarina is one of prevalent pests in mulberry gardens during summer and autumn, posing significant challenges to sericulture across China. Glutathione S-transferase (GST), a vital detoxification enzyme in insects, plays a crucial role in protecting organisms from DNA damage and oxidative stress. In this study, the GSTo3 gene, coding glutathione S-transferase of B. mandarina, was cloned and its physicochemical properties and structures were predicted using bioinformatics tools. The relative expression levels in various tissues and induced transcriptional levels were detected by using qRT-PCR. Results revealed a 99.17% sequence...

Comparison of behavior and foraging ability between two congeneric species of large-bodied diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) larvae, a non-expanding species and a distribution-expanding speciesOriginal article

Taichi FUKUOKA, Shin-Ya OHBA, Masahide YUMA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 56-64, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.006  

Global warming has altered the distribution of several insect species, including those inhabiting aquatic environments and this range expansion may modify existing interspecific interactions by facilitating new encounters between species that were not originally sympatric. Global warming is highly likely to expand the distribution of Cybister tripunctatus lateralis (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) in Japan, leading to interspecific competition for food resources among congeneric species. In particular, Cybister larvae share similar feeding habits, suggesting that interspecific competition is likely to occur, although this has not yet been verified....

A general theory of the complex pronotum morphology of treehoppers in Smiliinae and its relatives (Hemiptera: Membracidae) and its applicability to other subfamiliesOriginal article

Kanta SUGIURA, Tensho TERANO, Haruhiko ADACHI, Jin HAGIWARA, Keisuke MATSUDA, Kenji NISHIDA, Paul HANSON, Shigeru KONDO, Yasuhiko CHIKAMI, Hiroki GOTOH

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 42-55, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.005  

Treehoppers are characterized by exaggerated and three-dimensionally modified pronotal structures, known as "helmets". The treehopper pronotum has been studied mainly in terms of taxonomic diagnosis for over a century. It has recently been used as a model for studying the origin of evolutionary innovation and morphological diversification. However, the interspecific correspondence of traits, i.e., homology of pronotal parts, remains ambiguous due to (1) the extreme diversity in pronotal morphology and (2) little comparative study focused on homology. These problems hinder tracing the evolutionary history of treehopper pronotal morphology. Here, we...

Fumigant toxicity of allyl isothiocyanate against phosphine-resistant populations of five major stored-grain insect pestsOriginal article

Sudhan SHAH, Rajeswaran JAGADEESAN, Manoj K. NAYAK

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 35-41, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.004  

Given the development of resistance in stored-grain insect pests to phosphine (PH₃), the grain industry is seeking alternative methods for effective pest and resistance management. We evaluated the efficacy of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a potential alternative fumigant against adults of phosphine-susceptible (PH₃-S) and resistant strains (PH₃-R) of five major grain insect pests, including Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens). Adult dose-mortality...

Diversity and systematics of the Ibero-Balearic Eumerus (Diptera: Syrphidae): Providing tools for species identificationOriginal article

Pablo AGUADO-ARANDA, Antonio RICARTE, Zorica NEDELJKOVIĆ, Scott KELSO, Jeffrey H. SKEVINGTON, María Ángeles MARCOS-GARCÍA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 13-34, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.003  

The syrphid genus Eumerus Meigen, 1822 is one of the most speciose in the world. In the Ibero-Balearic area (including Andorra and the Spanish side of the Pyrenees), recent taxonomic studies have increased the knowledge of Eumerus in Europe. A high taxonomic diversity together with a complex morphology make species identification difficult in this genus. The lack of updated and comprehensive tools to assist in the identification of species prompted the production of a dichotomous key to all Ibero-Balearic species of Eumerus and generation of DNA barcodes for ten species. In summary, a total of 37 species of Eumerus and nine...

Book review: Packer L. 2023: Bees of the World. A Guide to Every Family.Book review

M. RINDOŠ

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 11-12, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.002  

Packer L. 2023: Bees of the World. A Guide to Every Family. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 240 pp. ISBN 9780691226620. Price USD 29.95 / GBP 25.00.

Seasonal variation in endoreduplication and polyteny in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae): How does it contribute to adaptation?Original article

Volodymyr STRASHNYUK, Evgenij VAKULENKO, Yelyzaveta KOPTEVTSOVA

Eur. J. Entomol. 122: 1-10, 2025 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2025.001  

In temperate regions, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen, 1830) is subject to seasonal changes in natural conditions. Insects exhibit a wide range of adaptive responses to changes in the seasons. In this study, we focused on polyteny, which plays an important role in fruit fly development. Polytene chromosomes are the result of endocycles, a variant of the cell cycle based on endoreduplication. This phenomenon is the basis of postmitotic growth, which is caused by cell expansion. The purpose of the study was to investigate the seasonal dynamics of the levels of endoreduplication and polyteny in fruit flies obtained from the natural...