We studied a population of the regionally endangered marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia inhabiting a system of loosely connected dry calcareous grasslands in sub-Mediterranean Slovenia. Our goal was to set the basis for a long-term monitoring of this butterfly in four meadows using mark-release-recapture (MRR). We determined its demographic parameters, dispersal, behaviour and utilization of nectar plants in different quality patches. Total population size was estimated to be approximately 347 males (95% confidence interval: 262-432) and 326 females (95% confidence interval: 250-402), with an unbiased sex ratio. The average lifespans were 6.3 and 8.6 days, respectively. Daily population sizes followed a parabola with marked protandry. Both sexes were relatively highly mobile with both occasionally moving over half a kilometre. The spatial distribution of animals seemed to be associated with patch size, host plant densities and nectar sources, resulting in much higher population densities in the largest patch. Adult behaviour differed between the sexes, with females resting more and flying less than males. Behaviour also changed during daytime and with the progression of the season. Adults were confirmed to be opportunistic feeders, since as many as ten nectar sources were detected. We conclude that demographic parameters differ greatly among regions and habitats, thus conservation aims should be planned accordingly. Although the population studied is apparently in good condition, there are threats that may hamper the long-term persistence of the species in this area: succession, intensification of mowing and overgrazing.

The true bug Oxycarenus lavaterae has spread northwards through Europe from the Mediterranean at the beginning of the 21st century. Temperature and photoperiod in particular countries are important for the prediction of further spread. The timing and conditions for the termination of winter diapause in Bulgarian and Czech populations of O. lavaterae were determined. The progress in diapause development in the Bulgarian population was monitored by changes in the duration of the pre-oviposition period under long day (18L : 6D) conditions, which decreased gradually from October to June from 98 to 10 days at 20°C and 62 to 9 days at 25°C. There was no change in the photoperiodic response around the winter solstice in December/January, as is recorded for many other temperate insects. Instead, most overwintering females of O. lavaterae transferred to the diapause-promoting short-day photoperiod (12L : 12D) at 25°C did not start to oviposit even though they lived up to one year. The percentage of females that oviposited under short day conditions gradually increased from December to May, but only reached approximately 50% at most. In the Czech Republic, the number of individuals observed resting in overwintering aggregations on tree trunks gradually decreased up to early June. This bug seems remain in diapause until lime trees flower and their seeds become available.

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.

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 intensification of agriculture in olive groves, especially the modification or elimination of spontaneous vegetation, alters the relationships in arthropod communities and reduces their interactions and ecosystem services. This study was carried out in nine olive groves in which there was either a planted cover crop, spontaneous cover crop or bare ground. The interactions of ground-dwelling, canopy and flying arthropods in trophic webs were calculated for each olive grove soil management regime at the family level taking into consideration their different functional traits: feeding guilds, specific agricultural traits and trophic level. Olive groves with spontaneous cover had trophic webs with a higher number of plausible links between arthropod families and a more balanced distribution of specimens among trophic levels compared to those with planted cover and bare ground. There was a similar number of arthropod families consisting of both pests and their natural enemies in the planted cover regime, while olive groves with bare ground had simpler trophic webs. The complexity of plausible trophic links was greater in olive groves with spontaneous plant cover despite the similar values for family richness in the three-olive grove soil management regimes. Qualitative values (such as functional traits) were more diverse in agroecosystems with spontaneous plant cover in which there were more sources of food.

In widely distributed insects, some life-history traits are conserved across the whole distribution range and are considered species-specific while other such traits differ geographically. This interplay of geographic variation and phenotypic conservatism is poorly understood even in relatively well-studied model species. Furthermore, a careful study may reveal that conventionally stable traits, such as the lower temperature threshold for development and the sum of degree-days, are both geographically variable and environmentally plastic. We studied how photoperiodic conditions and temperature jointly affect immature development, adult body size and wing polymorphism in two populations of the firebug from the opposite latitudinal margins of this species' range. All the three traits rarely clearly differ under short-day and long-day conditions or between north and south. Instead, we find prevalent temperature-by-photoperiod and temperature-by-origin interactions, which emphasize that it is not only the absolute values of these traits but the degree of their temperature-dependence, or thermal plasticity, that varies in time (in response to seasonal changes in day length) and in space (along latitudinal gradients). These results indicate that caution should be exercised when extrapolating any life-history traits in P. apterus beyond the season when and the location where these were measured. In particular, the use of a constant lower temperature threshold coupled with a constant sum of degree-days is likely to oversimplify the diversity of current and projected phenological patterns in this species.

Rhyzopertha dominica is a pest that uses trypsin-like serine protease enzymes to hydrolyse the proteins in the cereal grains on which it feeds. The present study reveals for the first time that that there are both glycosylated and non-glycosylated serine proteases. The progeny of R. dominica reared on the grain three varieties of wheat were used to fractionate their trypsin-like serine proteases using Concanavalin A affinity chromatography. The albumin fractions from the wheat cultivars used in this study were subjected to size exclusion chromatography to fractionate the albumin inhibitors that are highly specific for the serine protease activity of R. dominica. Kinetic and thermodynamic assays were used to differentiate both types of enzymes. In general, the catalytic efficiency values V_max/K_m for glycosylated proteases were higher, indicating that glycosylation increases the affinity for the substrate. Inhibition assays using wheat albumins revealed that the glycosylated enzymes had higher K_i values, indicating a low affinity for the inhibitors than the non-glycosylated enzymes. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that glycosylation increases the activation energy Ea improving the serine proteases' catalysis. Thus it is likely that R. dominica uses glycosylated proteases in order to optimize the hydrolysis of cereal proteins and nullify the action of wheat grain protease inhibitors and increase its chances of survival.

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.

Ivo Hodek, who was well-known for his professional work on ladybirds (Coccinellidae) and insect ecophysiology, as well as a teacher or mentor of many entomologists, and the longest serving editor of the European Journal of Entomology died on June 11, 2021, shortly after his ninetieth birthday. Because of his important contribution to the development of European Journal of Entomology, the editorial board decided to dedicate a special virtual issue of the journal to his memory.

Spiders are the most abundant naturally occurring predators in vineyards and play a crucial role in natural pest control. However, vineyards are frequently sprayed with fungicides, which can harm spider communities. Fungus-resistant grape varieties can drastically reduce this fungicide input. The spiders on grape vines that were sprayed with a variable number of fungicide applications in 32 vineyards in different landscapes in Southwestern Germany were recorded. Vineyards received between 0 and 14 fungicidal sprays of varying toxicity (cumulated hazard quotients for honeybee up to 6). The majority of spiders benefited from a reduction in the number fungicide sprays, particularly Dictynidae, Philodromidae, Theridiidae and Thomisidae. Overall, space web weavers, orb web weavers and ambush hunters were most strongly affected by the frequency and toxicity of fungicide applications. The response of spiders to the landscape were highly variable and included both positive and negative effects of the percentage cover of woodland. In conclusion, reducing the cumulative hazard of fungicides by reducing the number of fungicide applications is a key element in fostering spiders in vineyards.

We review the cicada genus Auritibicen Lee, 2015 based on the description of ten new species: A. aethus sp. n., A. daoxianensis sp. n., A. pallidus sp. n., A. rotundus sp. n., A. curvatus sp. n., A. purus sp. n., A. parvus sp. n., A. gracilis sp. n., A. septatus sp. n. and A. lijiangensis sp. n. Auritibicen shikokuanus (Kato, 1959) is confirmed to be a synonym of Auritibicen kyushyuensis (Kato, 1926). Diagnoses and descriptions, along with illustrations of the structure of male genitalia, are provided for all Auritibicen species. The systematics of Auritibicen is elucidated using both morphological and molecular characterization. Thirty-five morphological characters of the 24 species of Auritibicen and one outgroup taxon, Chremistica ochracea (Walker, 1850), were scored. Morphological phylogenetic analyses reveal the relationships among related species of Auritibicen, which are supported by a number of morphological characters. The mitochondrial gene fragments of Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) of 11 species of Auritibicen and two outgroup Lyristes species were analyzed and yielded identical robust phylogenetic trees. The phylogram based on a Bayesian analysis of both morphological and molecular data is similar to the ML/BI topologies based only on the molecular data. The molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that species of Auritibicen are structured phylogeographically, with related species clustered into three lineages. The divergence time estimated based on molecular data indicates that the divergence of Auritibicen from Lyristes occurred during the Miocene, and the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of Auritibicen evolved during the Pliocene. However, the time when the main divergence events of species of Auritibicen occurred was the Pleistocene. From the combination of the phylogeny and updated geographical distributions, we infer that the center of distribution of Auritibicen could be Southwest China (e.g., Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces), from where species of this genus spreaded northeastwards to Shaanxi, Hubei and other provinces along the Qinling and Daba Mountains, then further northeastwards to Hebei Province in China and also to Far East Russia, the Korean Penisula, and Japan.

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.

Body mass is an important morphological trait, which is associated with the physiology and ecology of insects. In the past, estimates of body mass were often based on general mathematical equations in which body mass was related to linear measurements of anatomical structures. For example, in female bees, estimates of dry body mass are expected to follow a non-linear relationship (power function) with the distance between the tegulae on their thorax, also known as the intertegular distance (ITD). Nonetheless, a major group of bees not included in previous studies are the Neotropical orchid bees of which mostly males are collected. We investigated whether a similar non-linear relationship is also the case for male orchid bees and we found positive evidence as the relationship can be represented by a power function providing reliable estimate of dry body mass. This is particularly important for estimating dry body mass of individuals stored in collections.

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 number of records of Acrida ungarica in novel habitats and in places where the species was considered extinct, has markedly increased in recent years. We hypothesized that the newly revealed occurrences, on the northern margin of the species range, were not due to an increase in survey effort, but rather a result of the warming climate in the Carpathian Basin. We studied the occurrence data of Acrida ungarica and the intensity of Orthoptera surveys over the period of 2002-2022 in 1,840 6 × 5.5 km grid cells of the Central European Flora Mapping System. As background variables, we included macroclimatic data and the vegetation cover of the main potential habitats. The number of grid cells containing A. ungarica was significantly higher than the corresponding increase in cells surveyed for orthopterans and the presence of sand and salt steppe habitats, respectively. Furthermore, from 2012 to 2022, significant increasing trends were revealed in effective heat summation above 10°C in the summer months. That the increase in the known distribution of A. ungarica is unrelated to the rise in survey intensity indicates that the species distribution seems to be increasing, making it one of the winners from global warming. At the same time, regional rising levels of disturbance (highway networks, large fallow areas) can contribute to the successful horizontal expansion of a species related to open habitats and this species tolerance of disturbance.

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.

The diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is affected by urbanization, habitat fragmentation and disappearance of native mammals, which result in changes in the quality and availability of food, and resources for nesting. We evaluated the diversity, distribution of species in different trophic guilds and foraging strategies, and temporal variation in abundance of dung beetles in an urban fragment of Cerrado in a Federal District of Brazil. This study was conducted at the Experimental Station of Biology (EEB) of the University of Brasília (UnB), Federal District, Brazil. Fortnightly, between October 2012 and September 2013, Scarabaeinae were collected using baited (human faeces, pig meat, or banana) and unbaited pitfall traps. Aspects of the dung beetle assemblage were evaluated, including species richness and abundance, feeding habits and foraging strategies. A total of 614 individuals were collected, which included eight species belonging to seven genera and four tribes. Dichotomius carbonarius (Mannerheim, 1829), a generalist species, dominated the assemblage, indicating that it is adapted to living in fragmented and urbanized areas. As regards feeding habits, Eurysternus caribaeus (Jablonsky & Herbst, 1789) was considered to be strictly coprophagous, Coprophanaeus cyanescens (d'Olsoufieff, 1924) copronecrophagous and D. carbonarius a generalist. Most species were classified as paracoprids, which accounted for 75% of the species collected. Regarding the attractiveness of the bait, the highest numbers of individuals and species were recorded in pitfall traps baited with human faeces. A high abundance of Scarabaeinae was recorded in the first half of the rainy season (October-December) with 98.2% of the individuals collected in this period. The urban area studied harboured a low number of species with high abundance of a few species.

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.

The Drosophila repleta group is one of the most widely used model systems for studying adaptation and speciation. Traditionally, five subgroups are recognized within the repleta group: fasciola, hydei, mercatorum, repleta and mulleri. A sixth subgroup, inca, was the last to be defined. The inca species subgroup includes three species: Drosophila inca, Drosophila huancavilcae and Drosophila yangana, all of which are endemic to Ecuador and Peru. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies have been inconclusive regarding the geographic location, time and mode of diversification of lineages within the repleta group. By applying a phylogenetic and biogeographical analysis of 54 taxa belonging to the repleta, nannoptera, atalaia and virilis groups, the aim of this study was to: (1) determine the relationships between the inca subgroup and the other five subgroups within the repleta group, (2) improve the unresolved branching and low supports of the early divergent lineages in the repleta group phylogeny and (3) estimate the geographic and temporal context of the early divergence within the repleta group. Based on these findings, it is proposed that the Drosophila repleta group first diversified during the mid-late Miocene, most likely following the uplift of the Northwestern Andes.

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.

Saproxylic organisms play a key role in a variety of forest ecosystem functions, which result in an increase in overall forest productivity and biodiversity. At present, dead wood is frequently removed from exploited forests. Estimating the effect of current forest management on biodiversity, and what gain in biodiversity would result from implementing restoration programs, requires the use of standardized sampling protocols. These protocols need to be suitable for use in different sampling areas and cost effective. In this paper, we developed, tested, and optimized a method for sampling saproxylic insects during a single visit to a sample site (i.e., the "grab-and-go" method). In the spring of 2011, we collected samples of downed decaying small and medium diameter wood debris in two Italian beech forests: Sega di Ala (Alps) and Vallombrosa (Apennines). We used ex situ emergence traps in the laboratory to collect the beetles emerging from the wood sampled. At both sites, the minimum number of wood samples that resulted in a satisfactory description of the saproxylic beetle assemblage was 20. Wood moisture, mean diameter, and geographical location were significantly associated with the beetle assemblages. We discuss the implications of using the "grab-and-go" method in large-scale forest monitoring programs. In this context, we recommend collecting at each site twenty 50 cm-long samples of wood lying on top of the litter, with a diameter of 12 ± 2 cm, cortex cover < 50%, and at Hunter's stage of decay class 2.

In some regions of Argentina and Brazil, the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) causes significant damage to crops. An efficient integrated management program requires knowledge of pest population dynamics, dispersion patterns, sexual and oviposition behaviour, and adaptive landscape. The present study combined simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers and morphometric datasets in order to analyse the population structure and infer the oviposition resource use strategy of the females. Infested guava fruits were collected from nine wild trees in Tucumán, Argentina, and a total of 140 adult A. fraterculus were recovered. These were then measured for six morphometric traits and 89 of them were genotyped for eight SSR loci. Genetic variability estimates were high (expected heterozygosity = 0.71, allelic richness = 12.5), with 8 to 20 alleles per locus. According to Wright's F-statistics estimates, the highest proportion (83%) of genetic variation occurred within individuals while variance between and within fruits were similar (≈ 8.5%). Analysis of the cryptic genetic structure based on SSR using different approaches, namely discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and sparse non-negative matrix factorization (SNMF), yielded results consistent with the occurrence of two clusters with virtually no admixture. Average kinship between individuals which had emerged from the same fruit (0.07) was lower than that expected for full-sib families. Univariate and multivariate analyses of phenotypic data showed 54-66% of variance among individuals within fruits and 34-46% among fruits. The comparison between phenotypic (P_ST) and molecular (F_ST) differentiation identified wing width and length as possible target of positive selection. The average kinship and high genetic variation within fruits, together with the highly significant genetic differentiation among fruits, supports the hypothesis that each fruit was colonised by about three ovipositing females. The results also indicate that females were able to disperse widely from the emergence site before mating and starting oviposition activity.

Brackish marshes resulting from embankments are a rare habitat in Europe and for which there is little knowledge of the entomofauna. There is an urgent need to document the insect diversity and its unique properties in the light of ongoing habitat losses. The current study focuses on snail-killing flies in the remaining Belgian brackish marshes, in particular the role of soil salinity in determining their diversity and how it compares with that in freshwater marshes. Snail-killing fly communities in brackish marshland were relatively species poor and clearly different from those in freshwater, yet species richness and abundance increased with decreasing soil salinity. We recorded no habitat-specific species, but Tetanocera arrogans was more abundant in brackish marshes. Malaise traps proved to be a successful and repeatable method of sampling sciomyzid communities, the species composition of which was strongly site-specific. We conclude that extant Belgian brackish marshes have poor to moderately rich snail-killing fly communities that lack unique species. Richness and abundance, however, increased as soil salinity decreased.

Annual crops are generally assumed to host simplified arthropod communities that depend on immigration from the surrounding landscape. Perennial, low-input crops such as olive groves are likely to depend less on immigration from other habitats, however, studies on the landscape ecology of perennial crops are scarce. This paper studies the assemblages of arboreal spiders in three types of habitats adjoining olive groves: woods, garigue and other cultivated olive groves in a traditional olive producing landscape. Spiders were sampled during summer and the three types of habitats were compared in terms of species, families and functional groups in order to determine differences in diversity and the potential for spider spillover. As is often reported for annual crops, olive groves had a lower alpha and beta diversity than more natural habitats in terms of species, with a strong dominance of a single species, Frontinellina frutetorum (C.L. Koch, 1834). Differences in diversity between olive groves and natural habitats were not significant at family or functional group levels. With the possible exception of orb weavers, this study indicates that the spiders that were common in olive groves did not occur at higher densities in habitats that were more natural. This indicates there is limited spillover between perennial crops and other late-successional habitats. The enhancement of spiders in olive orchards for pest control may thus depend more on local management than on the presence of semi-natural habitats as a source of immigration.

Carabid beetles are common inhabitants of agricultural fields where they encounter a variety of food options - including prey and weed seeds. The feeding behaviors of carabids are often influenced by the physical and chemical traits of prey and seed species, as such traits determine prey or seed species that are suitable for consumption. However, some carabid species may prey upon other carabids, complicating their role as beneficial insects due to consumptive (direct) and non-consumptive (indirect) intra-guild predation effects. The non-consumptive effects of intra-guild predation are expected to influence prey and seed foraging behaviors of carabids because those behaviors are likely to be adapted as a function of duration and intensity of predation risk. In this study, we wanted to explore the non-consumptive effects of the carabid intra-guild predator Pterosticus melanarius on mobility and feeding behavior of two carabid omnivores: Harpalus amputatus and Amara spp. Choice and no-choice feeding arenas coupled with a video system were used to study the responses of carabid beetles to the odor cues of P. melanarius. Odor cues left by P. melanarius caused H. amputatus to reduce its activity when canola seeds (Brassica napus) were offered in the feeding arenas. In contrast, P. melanarius cues did not cause H. amputatus to alter its mobility when freeze-killed fruit flies were offered in the feeding arenas, although this species did increase consumption of fruit flies under these cues. Amara spp. offered canola seeds increased their mobility and relative seed preferences when exposed to the odor cues of P. melanarius. Overall, our work shows carabid species do alter aspects of their foraging behavior under intra-guild predation risks, but this is unlikely to reduce their contributions to seed or prey biocontrol.

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.

An inventory of the carabid fauna was carried out in two post-industrial areas in central Poland. The two areas studied were a heap of ash generated by a power station and a colliery spoil heap. In each area sites of different ages were investigated using pitfall traps over an eight year period from 2004 to 2011. At the end of this period each of the youngest sites was as old, or even older, than the next oldest site studied in each area. A pine forest growing on natural soil close to the ash heap was included as a reference study site. Changes were described in terms of the numbers of species and individuals, total biomass, Mean Individual Biomass of Carabidae (MIB) and the most frequently collected species. Indirect and direct gradient analyses were carried out in order to determine the environmental basis of the major pattern in variation and analyse the relationships with current environmental parameters. During the eight years of this study 5032 individuals of 84 species were collected. Numbers of individuals decreased significantly with the age of the sites on the ash heap and the MIB values increased significantly on both heaps. Changes in the most frequently collected species were more pronounced on the spoil heap, the study sites on which covered a time span of 26 years, than on the ash heap, for which the period was only 11 years. Characteristic species differed on the spoil and ash heaps and numbers of species were lower on the spoil heap. Despite differences in speed of succession at the sites studied, there was a tendency for the MIB to increase after about 9 to 16 years. Indirect and direct gradients analyses confirmed that the stage of succession (age of the study sites) was an important factor determining the carabid assemblages at the sites studied. The results of this study are important for the restoration and management of post-industrial areas.

Thrips palmi (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important pest of vegetables, ornamental plants and fruit crops. In addition to the direct damage caused by feeding, it transmits several tospoviruses. The absence of an in vitro assay system is a major bottleneck in investigating thrips-tospovirus interactions. The present study reports the establishment of a primary cell culture of T. palmi, which was initiated using embryonic tissue as an explant in modified Kimura's medium. Fibroblast-like cells began to be produced 3 h after tissue implantation and were the dominant cell type. They grew in size and number and covered most of the surface. This primary cell culture survived for 37 days providing sufficient time for analytical molecular studies on the replication of tospovirus and interactions with the vector components.

Intraspecific competition and food shortage due to high population density during early life can have a profound effect on adult fitness. Organisms often mitigate negative effects of high population density by adjusting resource allocation to adult morphological and life-history traits. In Lepidoptera with short-lived adults that do not feed, it is predicted that females developed from dense larval aggregations invest more in reproduction and traits linked to offspring survival. Here, we investigated the effects of larval population density on adult morphology and life-history traits in the female Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella by raising larvae at a range of population densities. Adults from high population density (16 larvae per g of food) had smaller head, thorax, and forewing compared to other densities. The allometric slope of forewing length with body mass did not differ among population densities, indicating no changes in adult wing morphology at high population density. However, we found that females emerged from larvae at high population density had bigger abdomens relative to body mass, indicating resource investment in reproduction, probably to mitigate the negative effects of crowding on egg production. Ovipositor length did not differ among population densities, indicating conservation of resources to structures with egg-laying function that affect offspring survival. Taken together, these results suggest that female E. kuehniella responding to high larval population density invest relatively more in reproduction, a life-history strategy that could alleviate negative effects of population density on fitness. This study also highlights the importance of a species' reproductive strategy in its adaptive response to environmental conditions, which is relevant to many capital breeders dependent on larval resources for reproduction.

The present study documents new records of winged insects collected from fragments of nests of the tropical fire ant Solenopsis virulens (Smith), using a trap, which is also described in detail. The emergence chamber consisted of a 5L opaque plastic container, a 50 ml transparent vial and a 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube. This trap captured 70 insects from 12 nests of Solenopsis virulens. They were classified into two orders, 13 families, 18 genera and 39 morphospecies. The most abundant order was Diptera, with nine families. The richest family was Cecidomyiidae, with 12 morphospecies, followed by Sciaridae with seven. Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, Chloropidae, Drosophilidae, Hybotidae, Phoridae and Psychodidae were also represented. Hymenoptera included a total of three families: Figitidae (Eucoilinae), Platygastridae (Scelioninae and Platygastrinae) and Diapriidae. Although the association of several genera (Diptera: 11/ Hymenoptera: 1) and families (Diptera: 1/ Hymenoptera: 1) with ant nests was recorded for the first time, it is likely that many of these insects are only fortuitous or temporary inquilines and not obligatory myrmecophiles. The trap described is also useful for catching insects that emerge from other substrates such as leaves, logs, galls, termite nests, etc. Furthermore, it could enable researchers to sample and further study important material in the laboratory and decrease the costs of sampling during field trips.