Carabids are important natural biocontrol agents for pest regulation in agricultural landscapes. Their role in the ecosystem is related to functional traits, which are themselves filtered by both the degree of habitat disturbance and the landscape composition and configuration that distribute ecological resources. Here we aim at sorting out the influences of habitat and landscape context on carabid traits in permanent grasslands and winter cereal crops (wheat or barley). We sampled carabids in adjacent grasslands and cereal fields in three agricultural plains of south-eastern France. We analysed the links between carabid traits and their occurrence in the studied habitats using regression models. We also characterised the influences of habitat and landscape context on trait distribution using multivariate analyses. Polyphagous species were more likely than others to be shared by both adjacent grassland and cereal fields. Granivorous carabids were strongly related to grasslands, while predatory and polyphagous species were more often captured exclusively in cereal crops when exclusive to one habitat. Small apterous carabids were more likely to be found in grasslands only. Concerning the influence of the landscape, polyphagous species were related to cereal crops surrounded by higher grassland coverage or lower compositional heterogeneity. Smaller carabids were more likely to be found in the vicinity of high grassland coverage, and apterous carabids in grassland-dominated landscapes. Grasslands thus not only provide resource and habitat complementation for generalist carabid species from neighbouring croplands, but they also host distinctive species showing particular traits. It is therefore important to maintain or restore grasslands in agricultural landscapes to support species and functional diversity in farmland.

Human activities, particularly those exacerbated by climate change, are major drivers of biodiversity change. While many human actions degrade biodiversity, some anthropogenic habitats can provide refuges for certain species, insects in particular. Research on the human impact on biodiversity remains uneven both geographically and taxonomically. In this study, nocturnal moth assemblages were compared across three habitat types (forest, riverbanks and olive groves) representing a gradient from natural to heavily human-altered environments in a semi-arid landscape of Morocco. Moths were systematically sampled across an altitudinal gradient ranging from 900 to 1600 m using automatic sugar-bait traps. We recorded 105 macroheteroceran species, most of which belonged to the families Noctuidae and Erebidae. The differences in moth assemblages among the studied habitats were statistically significant, with magnitudes comparable to those observed among the study sites. Altitude had a relatively weak influence on abundance and species richness. Olive groves exhibited the highest moth abundance and species richness, though they were dominated by common and widespread species. Forests supported a greater number of rare species, while riverbanks had lower abundance and species richness. In conclusion, while traditional agriculture can support species-rich insect communities in semi-arid landscapes, maintaining natural vegetation remains crucial, as forests, though less species-rich, still enhance overall moth diversity.

In the face of global warming, insects can employ various survival strategies. One possibility is that natural selection favors genetic combinations that are adaptive to this environmental situation. In some species, chromosomal inversions allow a particular combination of genes to be transmitted intact across generations, provided it is adaptive. Drosophila subobscura could therefore be considered a model species, given its rich chromosomal inversion polymorphism and its relationship with climate change. This polymorphism was studied in the Djerdap (Serbia) population in 2024, and its composition was found to have changed over time when the results were compared with those from 2001 and 2002. A significant decrease in 'cold' and an increase in 'warm' adapted inversions were observed when comparing 2001 and 2024. Also, the CTI (chromosomal thermal index) value for the whole karyotype in 2001 (0.162) was significantly different to that in 2024 (0.332) (adjusted p = 0.0084). Of the inversions studied, nine presented an observed frequency outside the interval expected assuming genetic drift. However, a change in agreement with global warming was detected in only five of these inversions, while the frequency of two 'non-thermal' adapted inversions also increased. Finally, an evolutionary rate was calculated by dividing the difference in frequency between 2024 and 2001 by the number of years that had elapsed. The values obtained for the 'cold', 'warm' and 'non-thermal' adapted were -0.0030126, 0.0030148 and -2.609 × 10^-6, respectively. These values are lower than those previously reported for the Apatin (Serbia) population.

Large veteran trees are key structures sustaining biodiversity in wooded landscapes. Many organisms associated with such trees are, however, also able to inhabit suitable trees with smaller diameters or other surrogate habitats. Understanding the mechanisms behind the importance of veteran trees and the conditions enabling veteran tree specialists to exploit smaller trees might help conservation efforts targeted at the diverse and highly endangered biota associated with veteran trees. To investigate this, we studied local patterns in the exploitation of trees by a veteran tree specialist, the great capricorn beetle (Cerambyx cerdo), at three sites with different soil characteristics, namely floodplain, dry-sandy and dry-rocky sites, where this beetle exploits oaks of large (~1.5 m), medium (~0.75 m) and small (~0.25 m) diameters, respectively. We recorded the presence and number of exit holes made by C. cerdo on each tree and related these to the characteristics of the trees: their diameters, openness of the canopy around them and their state of health. The probability of occurrence and the number of exit holes increased with tree diameter, canopy openness, and decreasing tree health, but these relationships differed considerably among the study sites. In dry conditions, trees of small diameters were more likely to be exploited by the beetle than in the floodplain. The number of exit holes, on the other hand, was a function of tree diameter, with large trees sustaining more beetles and thus acting as larger habitat patches. The species of oak affected the probability of exit hole presence as the sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and pedunculate oak (Q. robur) were preferred over Turkey oak (Q. cerris). The slope orientation also affected the presence of exit holes as trees on slopes with either an eastern or northern orientation were not exploited by the beetle. This study revealed a high level of between-site variability in the tree characteristics relevant to predicting the occurrence of C. cerdo, mainly with respect to diameter. Therefore, while the general patterns of habitat use and the fundamental niche of this beetle are well known, survival and protection of local populations is dependent on site-specific characteristics. The realized niche of this beetle must therefore be carefully considered when planning conservation management for a particular site. The results also signify that at some sites, small trees can, at least temporarily, substitute for scarce large trees if the state of their health is managed using proper conservation measures.

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.

Subterranean ants play a critical role in soil ecosystems, yet their cryptic lifestyle and the challenges associated with their sampling hinder comprehensive understanding of their biodiversity. This study examines the seasonal dynamics of subterranean ant communities in a cork oak forest in northwestern Morocco. We employed an adapted soil-washing method. that enabled the collection of 1,318 individuals from 17 species, of which 41.18% were identified as hypogaeic. The analysis revealed significant differences in community composition across seasons, with summer exhibiting notably higher species richness and worker abundance. Non-hypogaeic ants showed strong positive correlations with temperature and negative correlations with rainfall, while hypogaeic ants exhibited weak and non-significant responses to climatic variables, likely due to their ecological specialization. These results suggest that climatic factors distinctly influence ant subgroups and highlight the ecological relevance of subterranean ants in soil biodiversity. The study underscores the importance of tailored sampling methodologies for capturing the diversity and dynamics of these often-overlooked communities.

Saproxylic beetles are a key component of forest biodiversity and important indicators of forest naturalness, dead-wood continuity and habitat quality. Floodplain forests with old oak stands are among the most species-rich forest ecosystems in Europe, yet data on saproxylic beetle assemblages from such habitats remain scarce in south-eastern Europe. In this study, saproxylic beetles were investigated in three floodplain forest communities within Kopački rit Nature Park (eastern Croatia) using flight-intercept, pitfall and aerial attractant traps during the 2014 vegetation season. A total of 64 saproxylic beetle species from 14 families were recorded. Species richness and abundance were highest in oak-hornbeam forests, intermediate in poplar forests and lowest in willow-dominated stands, which nevertheless supported structurally distinct assemblages. Diversity indices and ordination analyses revealed a strong gradient in community structure from oak-dominated to willow-dominated floodplain forests. Flight-intercept traps were the most efficient sampling method, whereas other trap types provided complementary information on habitat-specific taxa. Several species listed on the European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles were recorded, including the Natura 2000 species Lucanus cervus and Cucujus cinnaberinus. Of particular importance was the detection of Rhysodes sulcatus, which triggered targeted faunistic surveys that confirmed its presence at additional Croatian localities and led to its formal inclusion in the Croatian Natura 2000 species list. Although the data were collected in 2014, they provide a valuable baseline for assessing saproxylic beetle diversity in natural floodplain forests and for the development of national Natura 2000 monitoring programmes. The results highlight the exceptional conservation value of Kopački rit as one of the best-preserved floodplain forest systems in the Continental biogeographical region.

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

Concerns about insect decline have motivated the monitoring of terrestrial arthropods, often using Malaise traps. Since the types of Malaise trap vary widely, it is essential to understand the differences in the resulting number and composition of the arthropod catch. In this study, we compared the performance of two types of Malaise trap in capturing arthropods for biodiversity monitoring and ecological studies. We placed Bartak and SLAM traps in a paired design at increasing distances from a forest edge in vineyards in southwestern Germany. We measured arthropod biomass and used metabarcoding for species identification. Bartak traps caught 7.5 times higher biomass, but only 1.5 times more species compared to the SLAM traps. There was a significant difference in species composition, whereby highly mobile flying insect species, such as those in the order Diptera, strongly dominated the Bartak traps and ground-dwelling arthropods were better represented in SLAM traps. With increasing distance to the forest edge, species richness decreased similarly in both trap types. Our study shows that differences in trapping efficiency must be taken into account when comparing results from different, and that trap types can be chosen according to the focus of each study. Nevertheless, both trap types were able to detect the biodiversity pattern in our landscape in a similar way.

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.

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are a family of small conserved eukaryotic proteins that mediate fusion between organelles and the plasma membrane. Prior to fusion, complementary SNAREs, such as syntaxin, synaptosome-associated protein (SNAP), and synaptobrevin, assemble between membranes with the aid of accessory proteins that provide a scaffold to initiate SNARE zippering, pulling the membranes together, and mediating fusion. SNAP-29 and Syntaxin 6 from Bombyx mori were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using affinity chromatography. We then produced antibodies against SNAP-29, and Syntaxin 6 of Bombyx mori in rabbits, which were used for immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that the expression of SNAP-29 was restricted to neurons in the pars intercerebralis (PI) and dorsolateral protocerebrum (DL) of the brain. The amount of SNAP-29 in the brain increases with hunger. Syntaxin 6 was restricted to neurons in the PI, the central complex (CX) and ventro-median protocerebrum (VP). SNAP-29 co-localized with SNAP-25 and Syntaxin 1A in the PI, and with Syntaxin 1A in the DL. Syntaxin 6 co-localized with SNAP-25 and Syntaxin 1A in the PI and with SNAP-25 in the CX. Bombyxin-immunopositive neurons of the brain occurred in SNAP-29 and Syntaxin 6-IRs. PTTH- and period-immunopositive neurons of the brain occurred in SNAP-29-IRs. Syntaxin 6 is present in EH secretory neurons of the brain.

Prey animals employ masquerade to avoid recognition by visual predators by developing a resemblance to inedible objects in their environment. Phytophagous flea beetles seem to resemble models of their own manufacture. While feeding they cause light- or dark-coloured hole-like damage on the leaves of their host plants that resembles the beetle's body in colour and size. Resemblance to the model and the frequency of the model can influence the efficiency of masquerade. To examine masquerade efficiency in light- and dark-coloured beetles, we evaluated their survival benefits from resembling feeding damage in the field. This was done by using two species of beetle of different colour as prey and a jumping spider as the predator. Dark-coloured species were more likely to avoid predation when they were placed on a background with damage similar in colour to their body, whereas increased survival was not recorded for light-coloured species. The extent of the feeding damage of 34 light- and dark-coloured species of beetle was compared. Variation in the extent of the damage was associated more with host plant taxa than beetle body colour. These results indicate that the efficiency of masquerade can vary among beetle species and/or phenotypes.

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.

In the landscape of the Dolomites, within the protected area of the Paneveggio - Pale di S. Martino Park in the Eastern Alps of Italy, a study was conducted to explore the distribution of carabid beetles. To achieve this, pitfall traps were placed along a 1000-m elevation gradient, following the bioclimatic gradient from spruce forests to the resilient pioneer vegetation in the extreme high-altitude environments. The research revealed that both community diversity and biogeographic diversity exhibited a clear correlation with the bioclimatic gradient. As one ascended to higher altitudes, the composition and distribution of carabid beetle communities shifted, reflecting the bioclimatic gradient. The chorological spectrum of the communities showed that Pleistocene paleoclimatic events provided the triggering factors affecting the postglacial recolonization of alpine ecosystems of the Dolomites region. Most of the sampled species displayed specific life strategies that enabled them to thrive in this harsh setting, responding to the selective pressures imposed by ecological factors. An extensive dataset encompassing the diversity of carabid beetles in these high-altitude domains was created. Given that the studied environments are widely distributed along the Italian Eastern Alps, the dataset serves a crucial purpose as it can be used as a reference for other research campaigns conducted in similar environments. Furthermore, it could act as a temporal benchmark for future researches on insects living in extreme environments, e.g. the Dolomites, or for comparing changes in climate that may be detected by future studies in the same geographic area.

The mosquito species Aedes cretinus, which is native to Greece, has become increasingly scarce following the invasion of the highly competitive and widespread Aedes albopictus. The ability of mosquitoes to survive low winter temperatures plays a pivotal role in their population dynamics of the next season. In this study, we investigated the overwintering capacity of Ae. albopictus and Ae. cretinus adults under semi-field, sheltered microclimatic conditions in the northern area of Attica, Greece, during the winter of 2023-2024. Our findings revealed that 11% of Ae. albopictus females and 21.1% of Ae. cretinus females were capable of overwintering, highlighting the importance of sheltered microclimates in enabling overwintering survival under low outdoor temperatures. In contrast, males of both species failed to overwinter. The winter survival ability of adults was significantly greater in Ae. cretinus than in Ae. albopictus, and this may account for the occurrence of Ae. cretinus in the cooler environments of vegetated and wooded locations in northern areas of the Attica region. Nevertheless, the ability of Ae. albopictus females to also overwinter under the same sheltered microclimatic environment may affect the potential of interspecific competition in these areas.

Buffer strips along small waterways that are adjacent to arable land are important for improving water quality and are common measures in agri-environmental schemes. To assess their contribution to arthropod species richness (alpha and gamma diversity) and differences in assemblages (beta diversity) we used pitfall traps to catch arachnids and ground beetles at 40 fields in four regions across Bavaria, Germany, during two or three one-week sampling periods in summer. A permanent vegetated buffer strip was present on 25 of the study fields, 15 were cropped to the field border adjacent to the waterway. Trapping was conducted in the riparian field border, the buffer zone (with or without an established buffer strip), the field edge about 15 m distant to the field border and in the field centre in 80 m distance. Results indicated that alpha and gamma diversity were lowest in the field centre, and the riparian field border had the highest species richness of arachnids. Alpha diversity of ground beetles and spiders was not enhanced in fields with a buffer strip and the buffer strip did not have significantly higher species richness than cropped fields at the same field position. In contrast for ground beetles a higher species richness was observed in the unbuffered field border. An indicator species analysis showed that most of this effect was due to spillover of eurytopic arable species from the neighbouring field. For ground beetle assemblages buffered riparian field borders showed a higher dissimilarity to the other sampled field positions than riparian field borders without an adjacent buffer strip. We conclude that the establishment of buffer strips altered the faunal composition within the buffered riparian field border habitat in summer. We discuss ecological consequences, such as increased beta-diversity and changes in competition, which make buffer strips an important component of the preservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.

Whilst common across the animal kingdom, the evolution of cannibalism remains poorly understood. Part of the problem is that the number of taxonomic groups in which the evolution of cannibalism has been studied in detail is limited, leaving us with only patchy data to explore trends across species. In this study, we consider within and between species variation in cannibalism in four species of seed bug with similar but not identical ecologies. Looking first at the influence of developmental stage on cannibalism, we show that cannibalism is generally most common in juvenile stages of these species, being especially pronounced in some cases early in life (when further dispersal is likely typically needed to locate host plants). Closer examination of one of these species, Spilostethus pandurus, suggests that cannibalism has evolved specifically as an adaptation to early life survival and not a general trait for starvation resistance across the lifetime. Cannibalism propensity was also observed to depend on early life experience of conspecifics in this species, suggesting a role for environmental variation in shaping this behaviour. These results highlight that if we are to understand trends in cannibalism across the animal kingdom, we must consider the ecological causes of variation in cannibalism within and between species.

We induced immune activation in mass rearing experiments in three insect species, i.e., Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer, 1773 (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe, 1886) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Lysosomal staining of immune cells was a little over 6% in the control group insects, whereas it ranged from 17-35% in insects immunized with Escherichia coli K12 or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The expression of attacin-like protein and defensin-like protein was also found to be upregulated at least 10-fold, and even up to 30-fold, from the third day of rearing in insects immunized with E. coli K12 or Bt. Non-immunized or immunized G. bimaculatus, H. illucens, and P. brevitarsis seulensis were freeze-dried and powdered, and these powders were then tested for protection against Pectobacterium carotovorum infestation. No inhibitory effects on P. carotovorum were observed when using all non-immunized insect powders or PBS. However, in the clear zone test treated with H. illucens powder at 10,000 ppm, an average size of 21.67 mm was observed. In a test using potato slices infected with P. carotovorum, we observed severe disease occurrence and potato weight loss in all non-immunized insect powders or PBS-treated groups. However, the group treated with H. illucens powder had the least potato weight loss. When tested on lettuce, the H. illucens powder-treated group revealed an approximately 10% increase in the fresh weight of lettuce, with both the dry weight and leaf area of lettuce increasing in comparison with those in the control group. Thus, our study proposes a novel method for the use of freeze-dried and powdered forms of insects immunized in mass rearing as effective functional fertilizers on a large scale that can also be effective in inhibiting microbial infections, overcoming the limitation of high production costs of such insect fertilizers using conventional methods.

Evaluating land management practices to best return landuse health and resilience is a growing interest in the face of rapidly declining worldwide invertebrate populations. American bison (Bison bison), a native megaherbivore, is well understood to benefit the natural cycle of vegetation growth and soil on the landscape. Activities of these native grazers has also been found to benefit specifically lepidopteran populations, but additional evaluation is needed. To assess this, we conducted lepidopteran and groundcover surveys within an oak savanna landscape located at the Sandhill Wildlife Area from 2014-2019, during spring and summer seasons. Bison grazing pastureland was delineated into four cover types including open grassland areas (other), shrubs and trees (shrubs), areas of exposed mineral soil (disturbance), and wallows resulting from disturbance as generated directly by American bison wallowing activities (wallows). A total of 60 plots (15 per cover type) were assessed for percent groundcover categories, recent presence of bison (indicated through bison chip counts), and observations of all lepidopteran species. Bison wallowing activities increased over the course of the study, with more wallows visible during spring season. Bison chips were highly separated from wallows, suggesting that bison graze and wallow in different areas. Lepidopteran family groups (Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, and Riodinidae, as well as grouped "moths" that were dominated by Geometridae) differed significantly across these areas of high and low disturbance. A total of 17 groups were observed, 13 of which were seen at least 3 times over the 10 surveys. Environmental predictors bison wallows, forbs, grass, nectar, and shrub cover were significantly associated with distribution of individual taxa. Bison wallows were significantly associated with lepidopteran family communities, while chips shaped trends in 6 groups identified to species, and vegetation types further significantly structured the community. Temporal trends captured significantly different community assemblages 2014-2019 and across seasons, with summer showing greater variation in families. Overall, this suggests that bison activities and resulting changes in groundcover impact habitat suitability and thus influence the abundance and distribution of lepidopteran family groups. A further assessment of bison influenced habitat features and breakdown of lepidopteran species units is needed to further understand how temporal bison activities may influence the habitat structure and subsequently the reliant lepidopterans within this ecotype and will be assessed in subsequent studies.

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.

This study presents a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Aphonoides Chopard, 1940 in China, integrating morphological examination with molecular phylogenetics. As a result, we describe a new species, A. ouyue He & Wei, sp. n., from China, and synonymize A. aspidoid Zheng et al., 2021, syn. n. with A. japonicus (Shiraki, 1930). We also upgrade A. medvedevi alius Gorochov, 2007 to species status as A. alius Gorochov, stat. n., remove A. tessellatus Chopard, 1969, A. punctatus (Haan, 1844) and A. fuscirostris (Chopard, 1969) from the Chinese fauna, and provide the first description of the genitalia for A. wuyiensis Yin & Zhang, 2001. Molecular analysis of the COI gene (658 bp), including Aphonoides and Mistshenkoana Gorochov, 1990, reconstructs a phylogenetic tree confirming that both genera are monophyletic. The results also strongly support the current morphological classification of Aphonoides.

Latheticus oryzae Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a cosmopolitan secondary pest of stored products, yet it remains an understudied species. In this study we examined the courtship and mating sequence of L. oryzae, as well as the behavioral lateralization, exploring its influence on copulation success. Males of L. oryzae exhibited a left-biased tendency across various phases of mating (i.e., approach of the female, mounting, departure). The side of approach and departure significantly affected copulation success rates, in contrast to the mounting side. Left-biased L. oryzae males achieved higher mating success and demonstrated significantly shorter mate detection and copulation attempt durations compared to males of the other directions (back, front, and right). From a control perspective, the strong directional tendency of L. oryzae at the mating behavior may offer novel opportunities for pest management strategies that exploit lateralization-based disruptions. Overall, these findings establish the first comprehensive description of the mating procedure of L. oryzae and highlight the functional significance of behavioral asymmetries in the copulation success of stored-product pests.

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 loss of habitat for numerous organisms due to climate change has significantly accelerated the rate of species extinction. Unfortunately, there have been no studies conducted on the impact of climate change and other factors on the distribution patterns of cicada species in India. In the present study, we investigated the current and potential future distribution of two cicada species, Platypleura octoguttata and Lemuriana apicalis, using environmental variables and occurrence data through maximum entropy modelling. The distribution ranges of both species show some similarities under the current climatic conditions. According to predictions based on future climate scenarios, the distribution areas for P. octoguttata and L. apicalis are predicted to decrease to varying extents. However, the anticipated reduction of distribution areas for these two cicada species is different, indicating that both species have distinct responses to climate change. The changes in the distributional centroids show a consistent trend of moving in a north-westward direction across all future periods under the four climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP264, SSP370, and SSP585), except for SSP370 in the case of L. apicalis, which shows the direction of overall migration north-eastwards over time. The creation of a new protected area at the border of Bijnor District in Uttar Pradesh Province and Haridwar District in Uttarakhand Province would be greatly helpful in future for the conservation of these two species. Our findings highlight the impact of climate change on the distribution range of these two cicada species, offering valuable insights for conservation efforts in India.

Global warming has altered the distribution of several insect species, including those inhabiting aquatic environments and this range expansion may modify existing interspecific interactions by facilitating new encounters between species that were not originally sympatric. Global warming is highly likely to expand the distribution of Cybister tripunctatus lateralis (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) in Japan, leading to interspecific competition for food resources among congeneric species. In particular, Cybister larvae share similar feeding habits, suggesting that interspecific competition is likely to occur, although this has not yet been verified. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the microhabitat use and foraging abilities of the larvae of two species - C. tripunctatus lateralis with an expanded distribution area and Cybister brevis, a non-expanding species of similar body size. We compared (1) behavior quantified by visual scan census, (2) time taken to reach food, and the number of prey animals consumed by each species in the laboratory experiments. The results indicated that the behavioral patterns of the larvae tended to involve mainly perch and rest on the plants. There were no clear differences between the two species, although there were variations among the instars. There was no difference in the number of prey animals consumed by the two species; however, it was evident that C. tripunctatus lateralis reached the food earlier than C. brevis. Therefore, it is suggested that the two species utilize a common underwater microhabitat, and that C. tripunctatus lateralis has a competitive advantage over C. brevis in terms of food resources. However, further experimental verification and continued expansion of C. tripunctatus lateralis distribution trends should be carefully monitored, as reproductive habitats in the field differ and competitive advantages may depend on water temperature.

The beetle family Cimberididae (pine cone weevils) consists of one extant subfamily, Cimberidinae, and two tribes, Cimberidini and Doydirhynchini, both limited in distribution to the Northern Hemisphere. Cimberidini comprise the genera Acromacer Kuschel, Cimberis Gozis and Pityomacer Kuschel and Doydirhynchini the genera Doydirhynchus Dejean and Lecontellus Kuschel. The larvae and adults of all known extant Cimberididae are palynophagous (pollen-feeding) in the male strobili of conifers of the genus Pinus (L.) (Pinaceae). We reconstructed the phylogeny of Cimberididae using data from 420 nuclear genes obtained via anchored hybrid enrichment. Our taxon sample included six species representing all described extant genera of Cimberididae except Pityomacer, which was unavailable for study. Most relationships in the resulting maximum-likelihood trees based on nucleotide and amino-acid sequence data were recovered with maximal bootstrap support. Both trees showed a monophyletic family Cimberididae, containing two clades corresponding to the tribes Cimberidini and Doydirhynchini. In Cimberidini, Cimberis was rendered paraphyletic by Acromacer bombifrons (LeConte). Notably, the internal and terminal branches of Cimberidini were very short compared to other parts of the tree. Generic relationships are discussed according to the phylogenetic results. To make the genus Cimberis monophyletic, we synonymize the names Cimberis Gozis, 1881 and Acromacer Kuschel, 1989 (syn. n.) and re-establish the combination Cimberis bombifrons (LeConte, 1876), proposed by Kuschel (1959). This study provides the first molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for the palynophagous weevil family Cimberididae.

Termite nests host diverse symbiotic arthropods (termitophiles), many of which exhibit specialized morphological and behavioral adaptations to life within termite colonies. While numerous beetle families include well-known termitophiles, an association with termites has not yet been recorded in the family Coccinellidae (ladybird beetles). Here, we report the discovery of Scymnus (Pullus) tshunsii Seki, Liang & Maruyama, sp. n., based on adults and larvae collected from nests of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder, 1934, in Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, with additional adults captured at light traps. Although the adult morphology is typical for free-living Scymnini, the larva exhibits a highly unusual, soft-bodied, glabrous body form closely resembling termite workers - an apparent case of convergent evolution also seen in termitophilous rove beetles, scarabs, and phorid flies. The stark contrast between adult and larval morphology suggests stage-specific adaptations, with larvae more intimately integrated into the termite nest environment. Collecting adults at light traps indicates nocturnal dispersal, likely to locate new host colonies. This discovery represents the first confirmed termitophilous ladybird beetle and indicates that termite nests may support previously unrecognized ecological associations within Coccinellidae.

Prey preferences and feeding-related behaviour of two Central European species of Scydmaeninae, Cephennium majus and Cephennium ruthenum, were studied under laboratory conditions. These beetles capture mites by using unique premental suckers and then penetrate the prey's cuticle by slowly scraping a hole with their short mandibles. A mechanism for interlocking the sides of beetle's labrum with closed mandibles was discovered, confirming that the predator's mouthparts can be tightly sealed around the penetration site, which enables them to inject digestive juices and ingest liquefied tissues of the prey through a tiny hole. The feeding behaviour of Cephennium can be divided into three phases: (i) attack and stabilization of the attachment site (4-5 min); (ii) penetration of the mite's cuticle (ca. 40 min); and (iii) feeding (several hours). Results of prey choice experiments using over 1200 identified mites belonging to 23 families of Oribatida (55 species) and 6 families of Mesostigmata (9 species) demonstrated that C. majus feeds mostly on members of the Oribatida: Phthiracaridae (72.07% of offered phthiracarids, 26.7% of eaten oribatids), Ceratozetidae (100% and 24.7%, respectively), Achipteriidae (95.59% and 21.7%) and Liacaridae (61.97% and 14.7%); C. ruthenum fed mostly on Phthiracaridae (48.68% and 41.6%), Achipteriidae (37.29% and 24.7%) and Ceratozetidae (82.35% and 15.7%). The entire feeding behaviour from attack to completion of feeding in C. majus took 2.00-10.37 h when eating oribatids ranging in body length from 0.34 to 0.70 mm. Interestingly, it took much longer for C. majus to kill ptyctimous Phthiracarus, body length 0.39-0.45 mm, than any non-ptyctimous oribatids, including the much larger (0.64-0.70 mm) Chamobates subglobulus. The two species of Cephennium differed greatly in their preference for eating Liacaridae due to their large size, which was acceptable for the larger C. majus, but at the edge of acceptability for the smaller C. ruthenum. Comparative analysis of mites eaten by all the studied species of Scydmaeninae resulted in a preliminary identification of morphological types of Oribatida acceptable and non-acceptable for ant-like stone beetles. The most readily accepted oribatids are typically subglobose, with a rigid cuticle, smooth or only shallowly and finely microreticulate surface of the idiosoma, covered with sparse setae or nearly asetose and with short or moderately long legs. In contrast, rejected mites have one or a combination of the following characters: body flattened, not subglobose; the cuticle relatively soft; idiosoma deeply sculptured or coarsely reticulate; legs long and spiny; the body covered with a protective crust of soil particles. Crotonioidea, Carabodidae, Damaeidae and Hermanniellidae seem to be particularly well-protected against scydmaenine predators.

The horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was first recorded in Europe near lake Ohrid in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 1985 since when it has spread throughout the whole of Europe. The reasons for its spread are well documented. The aim of this study was to assess the population density of the first generation of C. ohridella at eight sites in the urban area of České Budějovice, Czech Republic in two consecutive years. The density was estimated visually in terms of the damage done to horse chestnut leaves by C. ohridella larvae at each site during the vegetative season. The results revealed high variability in the mean percentage of the leaf area damaged ranging from 1.43% to 31.00% and from 0.26% to 23.40% in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The effect of site, year and interaction between these two factors were statistically highly significant. Spatial analysis revealed no autocorrelation in damage among sites indicating that the distribution of C. ohridella is random and not affected by the level of infestation at neighbouring sites. In autumn, samples of leaves were collected and the mortality of diapausing pupae of C. ohridella determined. It ranged from 12.50% to 25.82% and from 10.31% to 22.35% in 2012 and 2013, respectively. There was no significant effect of site and year and their interaction on pupal mortality. The leaf samples were then weighed and put into photo-eclectors, which were placed outdoors. Numbers of adults of C. ohridella and hymenopteran parasitoids that emerged in spring were recorded daily. There were statistically significant associations of the total number of adults that emerged from samples in spring with both site and year as well as their interaction. The number of moths that emerged was positively correlated with the damage done by the first generation of C. ohridella the previous year. Similarly, the total number of parasitoids that emerged was correlated with the number of moths that emerged. The implications of these findings for the optimization of C. ohridella control are discussed.

Temperature affects the distribution and success of Apis mellifera subspecies. To survive high temperatures in their natural habitats, unique adaptive traits have been evolved by various A. mellifera subspecies. A. mellifera jemenitica is a sub-tropical subspecies that is native to the Arabian Peninsula. It is one of the most thermotolerant A. mellifera subspecies and the only subspecies that can successfully survive long summers with daily temperatures exceeding 45°C in the Arabian Peninsula. In hot, dry conditions and short seasons, A. m. jemenitica can successfully establish its colonies. In this article, the different morphological, behavioural and physiological aspects of the thermal adaptation of A. m. jemenitica, which are its size, pigmentation, brood cell size, seasonal cycle, foraging behaviour, heat shock proteins and life genes are discussed. These aspects account for how A. m. jemenitica can withstand and survive the high summer temperatures on the Arabian Peninsula.