The gut microbiota of dung beetles comprises bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Most studies have only considered the bacterial element and focused on differences between species reared in the lab. This study considered microorganisms from the gut of Trypocopris pyrenaeus and concentrated on differences among wild individuals of an alpine Italian population. We revealed remarkable interindividual variation in the taxonomic composition of microbiota. Core taxa were few, while individuals harboured many exclusive taxa. Therefore, considering only a few individuals to describe the microbiota of a species is not sufficient. The study also revealed that the nMDS ordination of individuals based on prokaryotes was different from that based on fungi, meaning that both groups should be considered in microbiota analyses and that one microbic group cannot be considered a surrogate of the other. We identified many functions potentially provided by the microbiota and found the taxonomic richness of prokaryotes to be positively correlated with their functional richness. The analysis of the functions potentially provided by these microorganisms confirmed that the gut microbiota, in addition to being essential for the health of their host, may also contribute to the effective functioning of the ecosystems of which dung beetles are part.

Spodoptera frugiperda, a worldwide pest, can feed on 353 crops species, including corn, rice, and sorghum. It is highly adaptable to various environments. Heat shock protein 90 kDa (Hsp90) plays a crucial role in the environmental adaptation of insects. To explore the role of SfHsp90 genes coding for Hsp90 proteins in the high temperature and insecticides stress resistance of Spodoptera frugiperda, we identified the complete complementary DNA sequences of two SfHsp90s. Both of them were expressed at different developmental stages and tissues in S. frugiperda. The expression levels of the SfHsp90s were significantly upregulated when exposed to durations of extreme temperature (45°C) and lethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate (LC₁₀ and LC₂₀). The viability of S. frugiperda under 45°C and emamectin benzoate stresses was examined. The mortality rate of S. frugiperda was significantly increased when subjected to 45°C and emamectin benzoate after knockdown of SfHsp90s by RNAi. These results suggest that SfHsp90s are essential for the resistance of S. frugiperda to high temperature and emamectin benzoate stresses.

Marquis R.J. & Koptur S. (eds) 2022: Caterpillars in the Middle. Tritrophic Interactions in a Changing World. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, xx + 642 pp. ISBN 978-3-030-86687-7. Hardcover. Price EUR 42.79.

After immunizing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae using Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt) bacteria, we compared expression patterns across the whole genome. Compared to a control group treated with PBS buffer, the group immunized using Bt showed significant differences in the expression patterns of 2,312 genes. Similarly, the group immunized using E. coli showed significant differences in the expression patterns of 2,251 genes compared to the control. The groups immunized with E. coli and Bt both showed overexpression of genes involved in the extracellular region, serine-type endopeptidase activity, and neuropeptide signaling pathways, including genes related to the Toll pathway. In other words, the immune response of black soldier flies involves the simultaneous expression of innate immunity-related genes, irrespective of the type of bacteria. This is determined to be because, rather than showing a specific immune response, the flies depend on responding rapidly based on high expression levels.

In this paper data on the number of follicles in testes and the number of ovarioles in ovaries of planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) are summarised and discussed. Fulgoromorpha include about 14,000 described species belonging to 21 families distributed throughout the world. The number of follicles is known for 186 species, 123 genera and 17 families, and the number of ovarioles is known for 52 species, 44 genera and 11 families. Almost 80% of the species studied belong to the families Dictyophar­idae, Delphacidae, Issidae, Cixiidae and Achilidae. The number of follicles per testis and ovarioles per ovary varies within similar ranges, from 2 to 30 and from 3 to just over 30, respectively. The predominant number of follicles is 6, which is found in more than one third of the species and in almost all of the families studied. This number is considered as an ancestral trait for Fulgoromorpha. In each family, the ancestral number can vary both upwards or downwards, probably due to either polymerization or oligomerization. In the more basal families, a decreasing trend clearly predominates, whereas an increasing trend predominates in the more advanced families. As for the numbers of ovarioles, they tend to vary within families, with rare exceptions (e.g., Dictyopharidae), but that is probably due to the lack of data.

Here, a comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of three species of tenebrionid beetles: Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio, is presented. This paper also contains a review of the cytogenetic information for each species and adds new data. The male karyotype of both T. molitor and Z. morio is 2n = 18 + Xy_p, with large heterochromatic blocks in the pericentromeric regions of all chromosomes. The male A. diaperinus karyotype is 2n = 18 + X0, also with heterochromatic pericentromeric regions in all chromosomes. The location of the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) differs in each species: in A. diaperinus, it is located on the smallest pair of autosomes, while in T. molitor, it is on two pairs of autosomes and both sex chromosomes. In contrast, it is exclusively located on the X chromosome in Z. morio. Telomere analysis revealed that all species have TCAGG repeats in their telomeres, but lack the canonical TTAGG insect telomeric motif. In addition, a study of the distribution of satellite DNA and composition revealed that each species has a main satellite DNA family forming the pericentromeric heterochromatin. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of each of these satellites did not produce hybridization signal in the other two species, indicating a divergence in repetitive DNA composition among them. This study adds to the understanding of chromosomal organization, heterochromatin distribution and repetitive DNA dynamics in tenebrionid beetles and sheds light on their cytogenetic diversity and evolutionary significance.

Ultraviolet B (UV-B) is a significant environmental factor affecting insect development, survival, and reproduction. DNAJ proteins are molecular chaperones found ubiquitously in insects that are crucial for their adaptation to environmental stresses. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of DNAJ genes in the response of Myzus persicae to UV-B stress. Herein, we identified six DNAJ genes in the aphid M. persicae, a devastating agricultural pest. We analyzed their expression profiles at different stages of development, in different tissues and for various durations of UV-B exposure. The expression levels of MpDNAJC30, MpDNAJC11, MpDNAJC2, and MpDNAJC3 were highest in wingless adults, while MpDNAJC9 and MpDNAJC17 were highest in second- and third-instar nymphs, respectively. Six MpDNAJs had higher expression levels in the epidermis and embryos, and lower levels in the head. Additionally, the expression levels of all genes increased significantly under different durations of UV-B exposure. Knockout of the DNAJ genes using RNA interference caused a significant decline in the survival rate, weight, body length, and body width of M. persicae exposed to UV-B radiation. Our research provides valuable insights into the stress response mechanisms of M. persicae, highlighting the importance of DNAJ genes in mediating their adaptation to UV-B stress.

Intensive use of pesticides is among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, especially of insects. Here, field concentrations of chemical synthetic pesticides were measured in soil and carabid beetles in a vineyard (VP) and olive grove (OP), in two consecutive years. The aim was to determine if active ingredients in pesticides applied in the field accumulate in carabids and how this correlates with treatment intensity. Carabids and soil samples were collected at a vineyard and olive grove in Zadar County in Croatia, soil in 2018 and 2019 and carabids in 2019. Both were under integrated pest management (IPM), with a total of 34 pesticides applied, between January and August in the two years of this study. Using LC-MS/MS, a broad range of pesticides, mainly fungicides, was detected in the soil and carabids. In soil samples, boscalid (0.047 mg/kg), mandipropamid (0.08 mg/kg), fluopyram (0.09 mg/kg), cyprodinil (0.09 mg/kg) and tebuconazole (0.13 mg/kg) were detected in the highest amounts. In addition, nine substances were detected in carabids, with valiphenalate (0.048 mg/kg), difenoconazole (0.051 mg/kg) and azoxystrobin (0.064 mg/kg) in the highest concentrations. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) indicated the accumulation of valiphenalate, metalaxyl-M, spiroxamine and difenoconazole in carabids. Data measured directly in the field revealed the accumulation of pesticides in carabids, which indicates they could be good bioindicators in IPM and contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of pesticides in Mediterranean agroecosystems.

Parasitoids of different species frequently develop in the same host, a phenomenon referred to as "multiparasitism". Although the outcomes of multiparasitism have been well-documented in the literature, the underlying mechanisms, particularly the substances injected by a female parasitoid along with her egg(s) into a host during parasitism, remain relatively unexplored. Previous work on parasitoids associated with the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) has shown that the larva of the solitary parasitoid Hyposoter ebeninus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) has a higher survival but a longer development time when competing with the gregarious parasitoid Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In this study, we hypothesize that the maternal factors injected by C. glomerata are responsible for the effect on the performance of H. ebeninus larvae. This hypothesis was tested using P. brassicae caterpillars first parasitized with H. ebeninus and then injected with C. glomerata maternal factors, or parasitized by both parasitoids. Our results suggest that C. glomerata maternal factors are at least partially responsible for the reduction in H. ebeninus developmental mortality (likely through effects on the immune response of the host caterpillar), but does not seem to affect its development time. We discuss these results and the current knowledge of maternal-factor-mediated parasitoid interactions.

Allometric analysis provides an insight into the function and diversification mechanisms of body parts in organisms. The allometry and variability in size of various body parts of three hymenopteran species, Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard), Anisopteromalus quinarius Gokhman & Baur, and Heterospilus prosopidis Viereck, which are solitary ectoparasitoids of stored-product insect pests, were studied. The relationship between many of the traits measured and body size is negatively allometric, others were isometric, and none were positively allometric. The two species of Anisopteromalus were less variable in size than H. prosopidis and there were intersexual differences in both species of Anisopteromalus. Although the patterns in these differences are complex and difficult to interpret from an ecological perspective, based on information on their behaviour it is hypothesized that stabilizing selection is associated with the negative allometry of two traits: ovipositor length in at least two species and male leg length in both species of Anisopteromalus. This hypothesis is supported by the lower variability in the size of these body parts compared to other body parts examined in this study, which is typical of traits subject to stabilizing selection.

A study on the pollination of Ophrys fuciflora (Orchidaceae), which is not a native orchid of Japan, was carried out in a botanical garden in Japan, where the flowers attracted the solitary bee, Eucera nipponensis. Six male bees were observed visiting the flowers over a period of 8 h. The pollinia of O. fuciflora became attached to these bees and four were successfully transferred to the stigmas of nearby flowers. The present study verifies that a species of Ophrys can attract pollinators in Japan, which is at least 8,700 km far from their natural habitat. Thus, it is likely that species of Ophrys could potentially extend their distribution by forming new alliances with other species of bees.

Continuous cover forestry is a silvicultural system designed to mimic natural forest dynamics and maintain the structure of uneven-aged semi-natural forests. One of the key steps in this approach is to create small gaps in the canopy by logging small groups of trees or individual trees. In gap-cutting, the main goal is to determine the optimal shape and size of these gaps in order to ensure spontaneous natural regeneration of the major tree species in the canopy. Yet, it remains relatively unknown how various arthropods respond to such forestry practices. Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) play an important role as predators of various small invertebrates and their predators are mostly vertebrates. The interactions between carabids and their predators might change due to shifts in the distribution of patches of suitable habitat as a result of forest management. Here, the aim was to determine whether gaps in the canopy of two different sizes (small vs. large) and shapes (circular vs. elongated) can affect the predation pressure on large carabids in a Hungarian oak-hornbeam forest. Using 3D-printed decoys of the largest common carabid in the area, Carabus coriaceus, placed in each of the four gap treatments and control plots, the seasonal, diurnal, and treatment-specific aspects of predation pressure was estimated. This revealed no significant effects of any of the variables included in this study, which indicates that predation pressure in undisturbed controls located in closed forests and small canopy gaps did not differ significantly. Creating gaps in the canopy by felling few trees seems to be a good strategy for maintaining the forest ecological network with minimal disruption compared clear-felling large areas.

The lycid genus Ochinoeus, Kubecek, Bray & Bocak, 2015 is reviewed. The genus originally contained four species, three of which are from China: O. hainanensis Kubecek, Bray & Bocak, 2015, O. habashanensis Kubecek, Bray & Bocak, 2015, and O. xunyanbaensis Kubecek, Bray & Bocak, 2015. In this study, three new species are described from China, including O. guangxiensis sp. n., O. yunnanus sp. n., and O. xizangensis sp. n. All of the Chinese Ochinoeus species are illustrated with macrophotographs of their habitus and aedeagi. In addition, a distribution map and identification key to males of all species of Ochinoeus are provided.

The two-spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata, is polymorphic for elytral colour pattern. Whilst colour pattern polymorphism is complex, there are two predominant morphs: melanic and typical, which vary spatially in frequency. In the UK the melanic form has historically been most common in the industrialized North West of England. Evidence from industrial midland populations showed a decline in melanic frequency between 1960 and 1986 concordant with de-industrialization. We resampled the population of Merseyside in the North West of England, where the highest frequencies of melanic forms were historically observed, and compared our samples to data previously collected in 1962-1963. Data was consistent with a decline in frequency of melanics in the 60 year interval, but the melanic form was nevertheless still observed at around 30% frequency. We estimate the melanic allele has declined from 60-67% frequency to 13-18% frequency over the last 60 years, and that selection favouring the typical form has been of the order of 5-7% per generation. We note that selection against melanics in Wirral/Merseyside has been less strong than that observed in other Northern populations. We conclude that the decline in the melanic form is consistent with industrial thermal melanism as a primary factor driving melanism, but de-industrialization has not been sufficient to cause complete loss of the melanic allele in this location.

Parental care is reported in several insect orders. Usually, it involves protecting eggs, burying them, moving a batch of eggs from place to place and feeding the larvae. Insect parental care is well developed in Heteroptera and is particularly widespread in the superfamily Pentatomoidea. The species best known for their maternal care belong to the subfamily Sehirinae (Cydnidae) and the genus Parastrachia (Parastrachiidae). There are no published data on parental care in species of the genus Dismegistus (the second genus within the family Parastrachiidae). This paper provides the first reports of females of species of Dismegistus carrying and guarding egg batches in the same way as species in the genus Parastrachia and certain Sehirinae.

The hemipteran infraorder Cicadomorpha (cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers and spittlebugs) comprises more than 30,000 described extant species in 3,783 genera, 13 families and 3 superfamilies: Cicadoidea, Cercopoidea and Membracoidea. Here, we summarize and discuss data on the number of testicular follicles in 103 species belonging to 84 genera and 9 families of Cicadoidea (Tettigarctidae and Cicadidae), Cercopoidea (Aphrophoridae, Cercopidae and Ischnorhinidae) and Membracoidea (Aetalionidae, Cicadellidae, Membracidae and Myerslopiidae), as well as the number of ovarioles in 65 species belonging to 56 genera of the same families, except for Tettigarctidae, Aetalionidae, and Myerslopiidae, for which no such data were available. Almost 83% of the species and 81% of the genera studied belong to the family Cidadellidae. In general, the number of follicles in Cicadomorpha ranges from 1 to "about 100 or more" per testis, and the number of ovarioles from 3 to over 70-80 per ovary. The highest numbers are characteristic of Cicadoidea and Cercopoidea, with significantly higher values in the former superfamily. In Membracoidea, both follicle and ovariole numbers vary within markedly narrower limits. Most taxa are dominated by testes each consisting of 6 follicles, and the ovaries each consisting of 6 ovarioles. These character states are considered ancestral for Cicadomorpha, and possibly for Auchenorrhyncha as a whole.

We previously demonstrated that two immune signaling pathways, Toll and IMD, were concomitantly activated in the model beetle Tribolium castaneum by challenges to their immune system by several species of microbes, including Gram-positive and -negative bacteria as well as yeast. This contrasts with the Drosophila immune system in which more specific pathway activation depending on the type of microbe is well established. We suggest that the activation of an indiscriminate immune pathway in T. castaneum is due in part to an unselective recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by the extracellular sensing modules of the two pathways. In order to obtain a more detailed understanding of the T. castaneum immune pathway, we investigated whether potential components of the T. castaneum IMD pathway, Caspar, DREDD and FADD, are involved in immune reactions triggered by microbial challenges. A sequence analysis of these three genes with the orthologues of other species, including insects, mouse and human, indicated that T. castaneum Caspar, DREDD and FADD functioned as immune signal transducers, which are usually induced by microbial challenges. However, these genes were not induced by microbial challenges. To establish whether these genes are involved in immune reactions, we used RNA interference-mediated knockdown of these genes to assess the microbial induction levels of the representative read-out antimicrobial peptide genes of the respective classes. The results indicated that these genes encode the canonical constituents of the IMD pathway of this beetle. DREDD and FADD influenced the induction of Toll-dependent antimicrobial peptide genes, providing novel crosstalk points between the two immune pathways, which appears to support indiscriminate pathway activation in T. castaneum. Furthermore, the phenotypes of DREDD or FADD knockdown pupae challenged by the two model bacterial pathogens correlated with AMP gene induction in the respective knockdowns, indicating that these intracellular factors contributed to antibacterial host defenses.

Conducting a repeat study of the presence of mound-building red wood ants (Formica rufa group) after a period of 30 years has rarely been done in Europe. From 1990 to 2020 such a study was done in an intensively used agricultural landscape with fragments of forest in the South-Eastern part of The Netherlands. In 1990, 280 nest mounds of three species of red wood ants and a hybrid were found in the forests and along forest edges. The highest occupancy was in forests of > 25 ha. The connectivity between the forest fragments mainly determined their presence. In 2020, only 160 nest mounds were found. The development of the colonies differed for Formica polyctena Förster, 1850 (slight decrease), F. rufa Linnaeus, 1761 (substantial increase) and F. pratensis Retzius, 1783 (strong decrease). The differences between the species in this highly fragmented landscape may be due to differences in their colonization strategies of either nest splitting or producing swarms of young queens. Furthermore, the analyses show that the type of environment (in a forest or along a forest edge) determines the probability of extinction or settlement. There is a need to undertake management measures to prevent the extinction of species of red wood ants in the area studied. These measures include creating small clearings in dense forests, reducing shading due to overgrowing shrubs or herbaceous plants, and creating buffer zones around intensively manured fields. More long-term monitoring is needed in Europe to compare the circumstances in different regions, detect trends and evaluate the effects of protection measures.

Non-native species pose a threat to native organisms. When non-native and native species are closely related, the former can often competitively exclude the latter. Many studies have focused on competitive exclusion of native insect species by non-native eusocial hymenopterans, including ants, hornets, paper wasps and bees. Although solitary species of wasps have been introduced in many regions, few studies have investigated the effects of these insects on their native congeners. We investigated competitive interactions between native and non-native solitary wasps belonging to the same genus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae: Anterhynchium). Specifically, we compared resource use and natural enemies of the native Anterhynchium flavomarginatum and supposedly non-native A. gibbifrons at a forest edge in Takasago, Hyogo, Japan, in June-October 2019, using trap nests (bamboo canes). Of 950 bamboo canes, 70 (7.4%) and 50 (5.3%) were used as nests by A. flavomarginatum and A. gibbifrons, respectively. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum produced two generations over the period studied, whereas A. gibbifrons produced only one. Although A. gibbifrons began nesting two weeks after A. flavomarginatum, the nesting period of A. gibbifrons overlapped that of the first nesting period of A. flavomarginatum. Nest architecture and the inner diameter of the canes used by both species were similar, suggesting potential competition for nesting resources. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum used larvae of 14 species of moths (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Pyralidae, Tortricidae) as food for their larval offspring, whereas A. gibbifrons used only a single species, Demobotys pervulgalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Prey species were exclusive to each wasp species, indicating no competition for this resource. Three parasitoid species, Macrosiagon nasutum (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae), Amobia distorta (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and Megaselia sp. (Diptera: Phoridae), attacked both Anterhynchium species. The percentage parasitism by Amobia distorta was higher for the native A. flavomarginatum. Anterhynchium gibbifrons may indirectly affect A. flavomarginatum via shared parasitoids.

Geographic distribution of the European mantis, Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) in Europe covers mostly southern and central Europe, but this species has recently shown a significant northward spread. First reports of M. religiosa in Lithuania were in 2008 and now these insects are distributed throughout this country. Information on the spread of M. religiosa in Lithuania between 2015 and 2020 are analysed in this paper. The spread of this insect in Lithuania and neighbouring countries can be related to changes in climate, in particular, the increase in average annual temperature and milder winters. Possible routes along which M. religiosa spread northwards based on an analysis of mtDNA sequences are presented.

Mate choice is one of the main components of sexual selection, with females usually considered to be the selective sex. Male status is an important factor that affects female choice and to a large extent female mating preference. Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is an important solitary ectoparasitic idiobiont parasitoid that attacks several fly species and thus can be used as a biological control agent. We explored the influence of male status on mate selection, fecundity and offspring sex ratio. The results show that (1) P. vindemmiae females prefer to mate with young and large males and tended to choose males with only one mating experience; (2) the age, body size and mating status of males did not significantly affect female fecundity; and (3) the proportion of male offspring was larger when females mated with older, small and more often mated males. These results show that P. vindemmiae females prefer to mate with young and large males that had mated few times, and that mating with these males results in a higher proportion of female offspring. In addition, this study also indicates the way of rearing P. vindemmiae that produce more female offspring for use as biological control agents.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins that can transport water and small molecules across cell membranes in organisms. In a previous report, we identified an AQP (SlAQP1) gene of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis. In the current study, we identify and characterize two more SlAQP genes and their developmental and tissues expression. Predicted amino acid sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that SlAQP2 is a glycerol channel belonging to the insect specific Eglp subfamily, whereas SlAQP3 is a water specific channel belonging to the Prip subfamily. SlAQP2 expression was detected mainly in the first four larval instars and adult males, whereas SlAQP3 was detected in all developmental stages. SlAQP2 gene expression was mainly detected in larval midgut and Malpighian tubules and adult male testes, whereas SlAQP3 was detected in all the tissues tested. RNAi mediated knockdown of each gene separately resulted in deleterious effects including larval and pupal mortality, deformed pupae and adults and prolonged development. Results were confirmed using qRT-PCR, which revealed downregulation of both genes after injection of larvae with gene specific dsRNA. Our results confirm the presence of Prip and Eglp AQPs in S. littoralis and suggest that Eglp has a role in male reproductive ability.

Spruce forests face many threats such as climate change and bark beetle outbreaks. Yet, bark beetle dynamics have a long co-evolutionary history strongly linked to spruce forest structural dynamics. Disturbed spruce forest sites resulting from bark beetle outbreaks therefore should not be regarded as degraded land, but as early successional stages following natural forest dynamics. Three post-bark-beetle disturbance sites and one closed-canopy site in the Bavarian Forest and Šumava National Parks were investigated with the focus on moth communities. The three disturbed sites had undergone different post-disturbance management regimes, with one being treated by salvage logging, while at the other two forest sites deadwood was kept in the forest. To avoid the spread of bark beetles, however, the bark of dead trees was either gouged or removed. The aim was to determine how many moths can be found at the undisturbed and disturbed forest sites and if differences in community composition can be explained by different management regimes. The results highlight that natural forest disturbance can increase moth diversity, especially by favouring species that are associated with open and shrub habitats. Many rare and endangered species benefit from bark beetle outbreaks, indicating that accepting natural forest dynamics is an important part of conservation management. Post-bark beetle management seems to have a minor effect on moth communities.

A new genus Amphignokachinia Brysz & Szwedo, gen. n. and species Amphignokachinia subversa Brysz & Szwedo, sp. n. of Achilidae (Hemiptera) planthoppers of the tribe Amphignomini are described. It is the second genus and first fossil representative of the tribe Amphignomini coming from the Cenomanian amber in Kachin State, Myanmar. Diagnosis of the tribe is revised and its position in respect of fossils in the family Achilidae is discussed.

Schintlmeister A. 2022: Notodontidae of the Indonesian Archipelago (Lepidoptera). Vol. 1. Brill NV, Leiden, xii+441 pp. ISBN 978-90-04-35424-1. Price EUR 153.70.

The multicoloured Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), is a widespread invasive ladybird. It is considered a top predator among the aphidophagous coccinellids in North America and Europe; thus, it is supposed to be free from predation pressure by other members of the guild. Our study aims to evaluate the stage-specific vulnerability of H. axyridis to intraguild predation (IGP) by the indigenous Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake and the invasive Propylea quatuordecimpunctata Linnaeus. We hypothesised that (1) H. axyridis stages will be less susceptible to IGP than the two other species, (2) vulnerability to IGP will decrease with the age of the larvae and (3) vulnerability to IGP will increase with increased weight difference between intraguild predator (IGPredator) and intraguild prey (IGPrey). Eggs, 1^st and 2^nd instars of H. axyridis were susceptible to IGP by both C. maculata and P. quatuordecimpunctata adults and larvae, but less vulnerable than the other beetles when facing the same IGPredator. Vulnerability to IGP for the three species was reduced with increased age of larvae and with decreased weight difference. Overall, H. axyridis was less vulnerable to IGP than the two other species, but the results confirm the fact that the status of IGPrey or IGPredator of H. axyridis will be determined by the stages of both species during the interactions.

The field cricket, Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is edible and could be used to reduce malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the demand for cricket products is increasing, there is a need to find cost-effective ways of rearing this cricket using locally available and affordable sources of food. This study evaluated the feeding preferences of the field cricket S. icipe for 11 species of dayflowers (Commelina spp.; Commelinaceae), using no-choice and multiple-choice experiments in controlled environments. Leaf feeding rates and the nutrient content and phytochemicals of the plants were determined. The ANOVA results indicate significantly higher feeding rates when offered Commelina petersii and C. forskaolii, than Commelina sp. and C. purpurea in no-choice experiments. Multiple-choice experiments ranked C. petersii as the most preferred species followed by C. forskaolii and the two reference species, C. benghalensis var. benghalensis (non-hybrid variant) and C. benghalensis (hybrid variant). The Spearman correlation and PCA revealed positive significant associations between leaf feeding and Ca and NDF content of leaves and a negative significant association between Ca and NDF. A high Ca/low NDF content was recorded for C. petersii and a low Ca/high NDF content for C. purpurea. The beta regression analysis and a biplot identified six phytochemical constituents influencing leaf feeding: phenols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, saponins and anthraquinones. Phenols stimulate feeding by S. icipe on C. petersii and C. forskaolii, whereas the tannins and alkaloids in Commelina sp. and C. purpurea, acted as deterrents. Nutrient content and phytochemicals are two important factors determining the suitability of species of Commelina for the field cricket S. icipe. Based on the results of this study, the leaves of C. petersii are highly recommended as a source of food for the mass rearing of this field cricket (S. icipe) and boosting entomophagy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Maps and models of the distributions of animals and plants are important for assessing their current and future status. Such models rely on information on the environment and occurrence of species. While data on the environment are often easily gathered that on the occurrence of species is often tedious and expensive to collect. An easy way to gather data on species occurrences is to use online platforms such as GBIF or iNaturalist, which rely on the public. This data can be used to produce maps and develop models of the distributions of various animals, such as ants. Even though there are a few in depth studies on the distributions of ant species, knowledge of the distribution and status of many species is lacking. One such species is the widespread ant Manica rubida, which is currently not included in the international Red List. Here, data on the occurrence of M. rubida recorded in online platforms, literature and collected during a field survey were used to develop a map of its distribution and a species model, in order to evaluate its current status. A total of 611 occurrences were found and indicate that this species mainly occurs in the European Alps and other Eurasian mountain ranges. Records of most occurrences were obtained from online platforms and the number increased significantly over the last two decades and indicate this species occurs over an altitudinal range of 3000 m. The species model revealed that there are potential areas of suitable habitat for M. rubida in the Pyrenees, European Uplands, Pindus Mountains, Balkan Mountains and Pontic mountains. Currently, M. rubida does not seem to be threatened by climate change, but it is recommended that the monitoring of its distribution should be continued. This study reveals that data from online platforms can provide the information necessary for developing species models, which can be used to assess the current status and estimate the potential effect of climate change on a species and plan conservation strategies.

Populations of herbivorous insects are considered to be primarily regulated by natural enemies. However, little is known about the ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi. There is very little data on the diversity and prevalence of fungal pathogens in natural insect populations. In this study, the percentage mortality attributable to fungal pathogens for the immature stages of three noctuid moths feeding inside the stems of the herbaceous plant, Typha latifolia, were determined. The average percentage mortality caused by fungal pathogens was around 8%, with the value never exceeding 20% at any of the studied sites. As many as ten species of fungi were identified in the 52 infected larvae/pupae collected, this high diversity is consistent with the results of comparable studies. The prevalence of fungal infections did not correlate with host population density or performance of the host insects. This study contributes to the emerging generalisation that populations of insects commonly harbour diverse assemblages of pathogenic fungi, but with low overall prevalence. A significant contribution of these antagonists to regulating insect populations is unlikely.

This study investigated the association of environmental factors with insect richness and nested patterns in the distribution of species of insects on small islands (northeastern Algeria). Insect species on eleven (11) islands were sampled using pitfall traps, sweep netting and a Japanese umbrella. To explain patterns in insect diversity on small islands, a generalized linear model (GLM) was used to determine the association of the overall richness and that of the dominant orders of insects with environmental variables (altitude, surface area, isolation, plant richness and number of habitats). To determine the nestedness pattern on these islands, the online interface NeD was used to measure total matrix nestedness. Of the variables measured, only plant richness was associated with variations in the overall species richness and that of the five dominant orders. The overall number of insects and that of the five dominant insect orders were significantly nested in all null models except the very restrictive FF model. Plant richness accounted for the nested structure of the overall number of insects and that of the five dominant orders (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera). Surface area was also important in the nested structure of overall number of insects and that of the order Lepidoptera. The nestedness of the overall number of insects and that of the five dominant orders of insects, however, did not result from passive sampling and selective colonization. The most effective way of conserving overall number of insects and that of the five dominant orders of insects on the Algerian islands studied is to protect their plant richness and to maximize the overall number of species and that of Lepidoptera on these islands, conservation should concentrate on the largest islands.