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.

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 Black Sea coast in Romania. We present initial data on the overall complex assemblage of native and non-native sarcosaprophagous Diptera at this site and highlight important knowledge gaps. Given its forensic relevance and potential health risks, further investigations into its distribution, ecology, and invasion pathways in Europe are required, particularly as climate change may support its continued expansion into Central Europe.

Chemical defence in insects is an increasingly popular subject of research and has the potential for providing unexplored compounds with unknown properties for drug and repellent discovery, so the secretions of various species of insects are currently being studied, and new ways of collecting these secretions are being sought. Silica gel and activated carbon were used as absorbents to collect the sprayed defensive secretion of Eurycantha calcarata. Using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, 49 compounds were identified, including 19 carboxylic acids, nine esters, ten alcohols, five hydrocarbons, and other organic compounds. The most abundant two compounds from each group were: hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, 9-hexadecenoic acid octadecyl ester, hexadecanoic acid tetradecyl ester, octacosanol, triacontanol, tridecane, and tetradecane. Silica gel turned out to be a better absorbent because it captured more compounds than the activated carbon. The mass of the absorbent did not affect the quality of the analyses. This paper is the first describing the volatile secretions emitted by phasmid representatives that originate from abdominal structures rather than the glands on prothorax. The presented results of the analyses and the known properties of the detected compounds give grounds for the conclusion that these secretions are of importance for defence in this species of phasmid.

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.

Eaton E.R. 2021: Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford, v+256 pp. ISBN 9780691211428. Hardcover. Price USD 29.95.

This study aimed to determine the diversity of species of predators attacking scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Serbia. Over a four-year period, at 25 locations and on 25 host plants infested with 16 species of Coccidae, a total of 18,050 predators were collected and reared. Among them, were 16 species belonging to 7 families and 5 insect orders (Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Neuroptera). Six species, Harmonia axyridis, Hippodamia variegata, Propylea quatuordecimpunctata, Forficula auricularia, Deraeocoris ruber and Oxycarenus lavaterae, were recorded for the first time feeding on coccid pests in Serbia and O. lavaterae was first recorded being zoophagous. The most common species was Exochomus quadripustulatus, which was recorded feeding on all 16 species of soft scale insects, while the dominant species was Anthribus nebulosus, with a total of 17,385 individuals collected and reared on five species of soft scale. Considering the potential of the predators as biocontrol agents for suppressing scale insects, the data obtained indicate the need to understand predator diversity, which is one of the prerequisites for using these predators for controlling coccid pests.

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.

Marshall S.A. 2023: Hymenoptera. The Natural History & Diversity of Wasps, Bees & Ants. Firefly Books, Richmond Hill, ON, 638 pp. ISBN 978-0228103714. Hardback. Price CDN 95.00.

Evans A.V. 2023: The Lives of Beetles: A Natural History of Coleoptera. Princeton University Press, Oxford, 288 pp. ISBN 978-0-691-23651-3. Price USD 35.00.

Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) is a highly destructive and polyphagous insect pest of great economic importance. It develops throughout the year and the larvae are non-diapausing. Little work has been done on the time taken for food to pass through the gut of S. littoralis. Thus, this study on starving and well fed last instar larvae of S. littoralis aimed to determine the effect of temperature and photoperiod on the time taken for a meal to pass through the gut, defecation and digestion. The results indicate that it depended on temperature, photoperiod and hunger. The time that elapsed between a larva being fed and the production of the first faecal pellet, which is a measure of the time it takes for food pass to pass through the gut (SFP), differed significantly at different temperatures and photoperiods. The SFP was longer at 15°C than at 30°C. At 20°C and under a short photoperiod, SFP was very much shorter than under a long photoperiod (18L : 6D). In addition, at 20°C, the time to defecation was significantly longer under a photoperiod of 12L : 12D than under continuous light. In all the tests > 95% of the larvae produced four faecal pellets per meal. The digestibility values varied significantly in the different tests. This study offers new insights into the passage of food from the crop to the rectum at different temperatures and photoperiods. This might help in understanding the adaptability of S. littoralis and may also help in controlling this important pest.

We compared the performance of three entomological LED lamps that differed in intensity and wavelength composition by using them to catch 2257 individuals of 161 species and 11 families of nocturnal Lepidoptera in two grassland habitats (dry grassland and orchard meadow). The study was carried out in June and July 2020 in the Jenzig conservation area (Jena, Germany, 50°56´12˝N, 11°37´37˝E). In each habitat, we sampled three microhabitats that were either exposed, moderately sheltered or sheltered. Data were analysed using generalized linear mixed models. A lamp with high radiant flux (LepiLED maxi: 1.34 W mixed radiation) attracted 37% more moths and 5% more species than a lamp with a lower radiant flux (LepiLED mini: 0.55 W mixed radiation). The maxi lamp also attracted 17% more moths and 6% more species than the same lamp with UV radiation only (LepiLED maxi switch UV mode: 0.59 W). However, the maxi lamp only performed significantly better in exposed microhabitats, whereas the UV lamp performed similarly in the sheltered and moderately sheltered sites. The number of individuals caught in the dry grassland habitat was greater than in the orchard meadow (1288 vs. 969), whereas the number of species was similar in both habitats (120 vs. 128). Higher numbers of individuals were caught in the moderately sheltered sites than in the sheltered and exposed sites (935 vs. 773 vs. 549). The same trend was seen in the number of species (119 vs. 113 vs. 110). The communities of moths caught by traps with different lamps were similar. We conclude that light-trapping is a robust method that delivers comparable results even when different lamps are used. The use of several weak lamps is more efficient and results in larger catches than the use of a single strong lamp.

Sourakov A. & Warren Chadd R. 2022: The Lives of Moths: A Natural History of Our Planet's Moth Life. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford, vii+288 pp. ISBN 978-0-691-22856-3. Hardcover. Price USD 29.95.

The proteome profiles of the cuticle and haemolymph of two strains of the Chinese Oak silk moth A. pernyi, with cyan and yellow coloured bodies, were compared in order to identify the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) that determine the differences in the colouration of the two strains. A total of 324 DEPs, including 124 up-regulated and 200 down-regulated proteins, were identified in the cuticles of the cyan and yellow coloured individuals, and 286 DEPs including 79 up-regulated and 207 down-regulated proteins in the haemolymph of the cyan and yellow coloured individuals. Several DEPs associated with the colour of larvae of A. pernyi were screened, including an ommochrome-binding protein, juvenile hormone esterase, protein yellow, L-dopachrome tautomerase yellow-f2 and fumarylacetoacetase, the expression levels in the cuticle and haemolymph of the yellow larvae were higher than those in the cyan coloured larvae, indicating their possible roles underlying the colouration of the yellow larvae of A. pernyi.

The regulation of the development of the male reproductive organs in insects is still an open question. Although the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, has been extensively examined, there is little information on the effects of phase and pheromones on the development of the male reproductive organs. This study clarified the association of these two factors with reproductive development (length or width of each organ) of the testis, testicular follicles, accessory glands, and seminal vesicles in this locust. The width of the follicles and width and length of the accessory gland mass are significantly associated with phase (solitary or gregarious). Developmen of all reproductive organs is age dependent as these organs developed in the adult stage. The development of follicles and accessory glands (width) in males in the first two weeks of adulthood was promoted by exposing them to pheromones from mature adults, but not from nymphs. These results indicate the incidence of male reproductive development is associated with phase and affected by pheromones.

The effectiveness of two biological control agents, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and the entomopatho­genic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against nymphs and adults of Neophilaenus campestris (Hemi­ptera: Aphrophoridae) was determined under laboratory conditions. First, different nymphal stages of N. campestris were presented to different larval stages of C. carnea. Second, the effect of the foam produced by N. campestris nymphs on the larvae of C. carnea predation was evaluated. Finally, four concentrations of a wild strain of B. bassiana, BbGEp1, were sprayed on plants in order to determine their lethality for adults of N. campestris. Second and 3rd-instar larvae of green lacewing larvae are capable of capturing and killing 3rd and 5th-instar nymphs of N. campestris. The percentage of 3rd-instar lacewing larvae that killed nymphs was significantly higher than that were killed by second-instar larvae. Second-instar larvae killed significantly more 3rd-instar nymphs than 5th-instar nymphs. Third instar lacewing larvae killed an average (± SEM) of 1.50 ± 0.31 5th-instar nymphs and 2nd-instar larvae killed very few nymphs. Spittlebug foam reduced, but did not prevent predation. The lethality of the entomopathogenic B. bassiana BbGEp1 used against adults of N. campestris was characterized by an LC₅₀ value of 1.61 × 10⁶ conidia/mL and LT₅₀ of 3.63 days at 1 × 10⁷ conidia/mL. The present study provides new and valuable data on the activity of two promising biological control agents of vectors of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Further research is needed to confirm the results presented here and on the cost effectiveness of using these control agents as alternatives to synthetic insecticides for preventing the further spread of X. fastidiosa in Europe.

Researchers have been interested in honey bee, Apis mellifera L., venom for many years, but the previous studies focused mainly on its pharmacological properties and the factors affecting its production and chemical content were less well evaluated. This research aims to investigate the potential effect of the method of collecting bee venom on its chemical content. To achieve this, brass, steel, aluminium and copper wire conductors were used. This research was carried out at Van YYU Beekeeping Application and Research Centre, where the venom was collected dry on glass plates from 16 Caucasian F1 honey bee colonies. The quantity produced and its composition in terms of melittin, apamin and phospholipase A2 were determined after storage. Duncan and LSD Multiple Comparison tests on the amounts of venom collected using aluminium, copper, steel and brass wires for conducting electricity, revealed it was 21.03 ± 3.50, 15.08 ± 0.32, 22.38 ± 6.35 and 30.35 ± 3.66 mg, respectively. Although these values differed significantly (p < 0.05), the chemical content of the bee venom was the same. The colour of the venom was associated with the material of the electrical conductor used. It was concluded that it would be beneficial to carry out further studies using more colonies along with using residue analysis.

The initial stages of diapause induction - as summer gives way to autumn - involve a process of time measurement in which the duration of daylength (or nightlength) is determined by a photoperiodic 'clock' based upon the circadian system. In many insects so far examined, a photophase of sufficient duration and illuminance resets a photoperiodic oscillator to a constant phase equivalent to the beginning of the 'subjective night' (Circadian time, CT 12 h) whereupon it proceeds to measure nightlength in a clock of the external coincidence type. A possible exception may be found in the linden bug, Pyrrhocoris apterus, which - in laboratory studies using relatively low light intensity - suggests that daylength is measured rather than the night. Earlier studies of photoperiodic responses (pupal diapause induction) in the flesh fly Sarcophaga argyrostoma, however, showed that 'weak' or short light pulses giving rise to Type 1 phase response curves could be converted by increasing light intensity to Type 0 responses that phase set the oscillation to the beginning of the subjective night (CT 12 h) whereupon it could begin to measure the night. Based upon these data it is therefore suggested that the photoperiodic clock in P. apterus might also measure nightlength if the bugs were exposed to photophases of higher irradiance simulating daytime exposure to the light intensity experienced by these diurnally active insects in their natural environment.

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.

The progress in constructing a DNA barcode library for German Diptera as published by Morinière et al. (2019, Mol. Ecol. Resour. 19: 900-928) is appraised from a dipterists' perspective. The coverage of the diversity of German Diptera in terms of barcode index numbers (BINs) and identified barcodes is analysed and visualized in simple diagrams. The influence of the project setup, methodology and/or systematic effects on the emerging numbers and trends is elucidated and extensively discussed. In addition, the documentation on the species identification methods in the database is assessed. Based on this evaluation, four ways for improving the future development, utility and reliability of this DNA database and similar projects in general are identified: (1) Sample the collections of experts. This results in a greater and more reliable coverage within a limited time frame, as opposed to random collecting and relying on a posteriori identification. (2) Give priority to medically, agriculturally or ecologically important families. Addressing these gaps will meet the most pressing needs of the community and serve as a good advertisement for the usefulness and wide applicability of the DNA barcode library. (3) Allocate resources to recruiting established experts as opposed to trainees. The fact that half of the recovered BINs remained unidentified mostly results from the insufficient involvement of experts (and expert time). (4) Appropriately document the morphological identifications by experts in the database. This will allow to assess the reliability of DNA-based identifications and to prioritize conflicting identifications within a BIN accordingly.

The first successful Eucalyptus stands were planted in Israel in 1884. This tree genus, particularly E. camaldulensis, now covers approximately 11,000 ha and constitutes nearly 4% of all planted ornamental trees. Here we review and discuss the information available about indigenous and invasive species of insects that develop on Eucalyptus trees in Israel and the natural enemies of specific exotic insects of this tree. Sixty-two phytophagous species are recorded on this tree of which approximately 60% are indigenous. The largest group are the sap feeders, including both indigenous and invasive species, which are mostly found on irrigated trees, or in wetlands. The second largest group are wood feeders, polyphagous Coleoptera that form the dominant native group, developing in dying or dead wood. Most of the seventeen parasitoids associated with the ten invasive Eucalyptus-specific species were introduced as biocontrol agents in classical biological control projects. None of the polyphagous species recorded on Eucalyptus pose any threat to this tree. The most noxious invasive specific pests, the gall wasps (Eulophidae) and bronze bug (Thaumastocoris peregrinus), are well controlled by introduced parasitoids. Potential entomological hazards of Eucalyptus in Israel are most likely to originate from the Australian insect fauna.

We studied assemblages of carabids in eight similar habitats, five in Slovakia and three in Serbia. The ground beetles were caught by pitfall traps from February 2015 until November 2016. We compared the incidence of Carabidae in floodplain forests and ecotones alongside the River Danube in Slovakia and the Rivers Tisza and Begej in Serbia. We determined their association with anthropogenic effects,diversity of plants in the different vegetation layers, cover of vegetation layers (herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees), area of forest stands, circumference of forest stands, distance to forest edge, age of forest stands, depth of leaf litter and physico-chemical properties of soil and leaf litter (conductivity, pH, relative content of H, C, P and N). In total, 2,495 adult individuals of 110 species of carabids were collected. The total epigeic activity of the carabids was significantly and positively associated with the number of species of plants in E₃ vegetation layer and the relative content of N, and negatively with the cover of the E₁ layer. Species richness was significantly positively associated with the number of species of plants in the E₃ layer and the pH of leaf litter, but an opposite trend in evenness.

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 were generally similar, with changes in the expression of genes encoding digestive proteases and defense-related proteins, particularly those involved in peritrophic matrix protection and regeneration. However, SKTI elicited a more robust activation of defense signaling pathways, suggesting a stronger ability to trigger protective responses. This may explain the greater efficacy of GORE-2 in inhibiting proteolysis and reducing caterpillar survival potentially involving both amino acid starvation signaling and broader perception mechanisms developed to detect soybean-derived deterrents. As a mimetic tripeptide, GORE-2 may engage these pathways less efficiently. Notably, genes associated with detoxification and oxidative stress were more highly expressed in response to GORE-2, highlighting an additional advantage of using synthetic or mimetic protease inhibitors.

Queen larvae of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) are fed with royal jelly, a glandular secretion produced by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honey bees. The necessary consistency of royal jelly is dependent on a protein-sterol complex (MRJP1₄/apisimin₄/24MC₈). At low pH, this complex forms fibrillar structures, which increase the viscosity of royal jelly. While the proteins in this complex are produced in the hypopharyngeal gland, the low pH is achieved by the secretion of the mandibular gland, which contains fatty acids. It is shown for the first time that fibril formation of MRJP1₄/apisimin₄/24MC₈ is not only induced by low pH via a buffer system, but also by the addition of the major fatty acid 10-hydroxy-Δ²-decenoic acid (10-HDA) of the mandibular gland secretion. This result further substantiates that fibril formation of the MRJP1₄/apisimin₄/24MC₈ complex only occurs after mixing the hypopharyngeal and mandibular gland secretions.

Diet is one of the most important factors affecting the growth and lifecycle of Tenebrio molitor L. The chemical and nutritional properties of the diet of mealworms are well studied whereas its physical properties are almost neglected. This work aims to study the effects of four different particle sizes (0-0.8, 0.8-2, 2-3 and 3-4 mm) of four different feeds (wheat bran, chicken feed pellets, grounded corn kernels and alfalfa dried pellets). Four-week-old larvae were reared on the experimental substrates for four to six weeks depending on the feed. Our results indicate that particle size can significantly influence larval growth and that particles smaller than 2 mm improve larval growth on all feeds except alfalfa pellets. The maximum larval weight was slightly different for wheat bran (12%) when comparing particle sizes smaller than 2 mm with greater than 2 mm but increased up to 70% when corn kernels were used as feed. Significant differences were found between the different feeds for growth rate, larval weight and variability in larval weight. The larvae that reached an average weight of 100 mg the fastest were those reared on wheat bran followed by chicken feed and corn kernels. Larvae reared on alfalfa pellets did not reach an average weight of 60 mg. The variability in larval growth was lowest when fed wheat bran followed by chicken feed and alfalfa pellets, and the highest variability was recorded when fed corn kernels. In conclusion, both the type (wheat bran, chicken feed and corn kernels) and particle size (< 2 mm) of the feed were important determinants of larval growth.

The New World genus Mumetopia Melander, 1913 is redefined, redescribed and its relationships are discussed. Its Nearctic type species, M. occipitalis Melander, 1913, is revised with lectotype designation, redescribed and illustrated in detail, and its relationship, biology and distribution are treated using published and numerous new data. A new genus, Xerocomyza gen. n., is described for X. hansoni sp. n., an unusual species from high desert plains in Utah (U.S.A.), and its phylogenetic relationships are discussed: Xerocomyza is recognized as a separate lineage of Anthomyzidae most probably allied to the Carexomyza + Chamaebosca group clade (sensu Barber & Roháček, 2020, Arthropod Syst. Phylogeny 78: 69-109). Biology and distribution of X. hansoni are given on the basis of limited label data from type specimens.

We studied the vulnerable Scarce Large Blue butterfly (Phengaris teleius) population in loosely connected wet grasslands in southern Slovenia. Our goal was to understand the distribution and demographic traits of this population within the Seasonal Lakes of Pivka Nature Park (KP PPJ). From 2021 to 2022, we mapped suitable habitat patches in KP PPJ with the larval host plant Sanguisorba officinalis and host ant Myrmica spp. Out of eight identified potential patches, five were inhabited for at least one year. Our dispersal model, using an inverse-power function, indicated that all but one suitable patch could be connected by migrations of at least 1% of either sex, suggesting a metapopulation structure. The clustered habitat distribution (nearest neighbour index = 0.14) highlights the role of each patch as a "stepping stone" within the system. We also assessed demographic parameters in a subset of three patches: Klenik, Kalec, and Zagorje. In 2021, mark-release-recapture estimated the populations in two inhabited patches (Klenik, Kalec) at 197 males (95% CI: 159-265) and 315 females (95% CI: 205-525), showing a female-biased sex ratio (males : females = 1 : 1.6). We recorded a relatively long average life span (4.4 and 8.4 days for males and females, respectively) and a weak protandry, however about three-quarters of the population was present simultaneously, mainly in the largest patch (Klenik: > 85%). Recorded demographic traits (female-biased sex ratio, long lifespan, simultaneous peaks of both sexes, and high dispersal) support the persistence of this metapopulation. However, conservation efforts and a denser network of suitable patches are crucial to maintain its viability at this range's southern edge.

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.

The species of Ptilomera Amyot & Serville, 1843 from China are reviewed. Two new species, Ptilomera acutidentata sp. n. and Ptilomera valida sp. n., are described from Yunnan, China. Diagnoses and new distribution records are provided for four previously recorded species, i.e., Ptilomera burmana D. Polhemus, 2001, Ptilomera hemmingseni Andersen, 1967, Ptilomera hylactor Breddin, 1903, and Ptilomera tigrina Uhler, 1860. Photographs and line drawings of the habitus, diagnostic characteristics of both sexes, habitat and in-situ photographs are presented. A distribution map of Ptilomera in China is also provided.

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 species groups are reported in this geographical region. Eumerus caballeroi Gil Collado, 1929 is proposed as junior synonym of Eumerus nudus Loew, 1848 and the taxonomic status of Eumerus pauper Becker, 1921 is discussed. The first sequences of the 5´ region of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI-5´) of Eumerus subornatus Claußen, 1989 and Eumerus truncatus Rondani, 1868 were obtained and their systematic positions corroborated.

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 females nesting in an artificial bee hotel. Daily recordings, based on ethograms, tracked females' activity at the site. We identified key behavioural units related to nesting goals and analysed the frequency and abundance of actions associated with each marked nest. Our results highlighted the significant effort females devote to nest-related actions, with 50-68% of all behaviours focused on nest building, suggesting any strategy of dispersion should be investigated in this context. While a typical nesting sequence was identified, individual variability indicated plastic nesting responses. Notably, females demonstrated a strong tendency to quickly shift their efforts to new nests following closure or abandonment, even provisioning multiple nests simultaneously. This ability to manage several nests at once may be crucial for establishing populations in invaded areas by rapidly expanding nesting efforts across multiple new sites during a single reproductive season. Our findings emphasize the contribution of behavioural studies in understanding reproductive strategies that influence a species' ability to settle in new environments and expand its range.