Viticulture in Samos Island, Greece, has unique characteristics due to diverse altitudes, slopes, and landscapes, impacting plant protection, yields, and wine quality. These conditions complicate management, particularly for the island's numerous smallholdings, affecting operational costs and potentially compromising wine quality. With 2000 vineyards covering 1,100 ha and producing 5,500 tn of wine annually, improved management practices are important. The Prec-WINE-Farm project aims to develop and implement precision agriculture applications for Samos’ viticulture sector. During the project, we created an integrated, real-time Geographic Information System (GIS), which was accessible via internet and mobile devices, supporting viticultural activities. This GIS integrates three mobile applications: (1) a plant protection module for monitoring the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), populations, with potential expansion for bacterial and fungal disease monitoring and targeted spraying; (2) a production traceability system with input–output mapping; and (3) an information platform for producers providing real-time data on plant protection, harvesting, and other key activities. Comprehensive user training accompanied the application's deployment, focusing on both the software and good farming practices, with emphasis on pest management. This initiative aims to (1) enhance the safety and health of wine products; (2) optimize farm input costs; (3) provide detailed cultivation documentation through the WebGIS, visualizing farm spatial characteristics and producer practices; and (4) strengthen the unique identity of certified Samos wines. In this study, we present the methodology developed in the context of the Prec-WINE-Farm project, as well as the results of the first year of its implementation, focusing on the sustainable management of the European grapevine moth.

Analyzing patents related to Lamiaceae-derived materials offers a robust framework for assessing the state of the art in their agricultural use, particularly for biocides and pest repellents targeting entomological pests. These patents highlight key trends and innovations, including the development of natural compounds that are effective against pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and beetles, as well as technologies like microencapsulation and synergistic applications with other natural compounds. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of patent families associated with biocides and pest repellents derived from plant materials, focusing on the Lamiaceae family. By leveraging Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) codes, the research identifies key trends in patent activity, botanical diversity, and technological applications. The analysis spans over 150 years, revealing distinct phases of innovation. Key CPC codes, representing more than 8% presence among the analyzed patent families, highlight the dominance of materials from the Magnoliopsida (dicotyledonous plants) and Liliopsida (monocotyledonous plants) classes, particularly the Lamiaceae family, with thyme, rosemary, and peppermint as primary examples. Other significant plant families include Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae, Poaceae, and Aloeaceae, among others. The findings emphasize the increasing focus on natural, sustainable solutions for pest management, aligning with global trends in eco-friendly agricultural practices and climate change adaptation. Specifically, the results underscore the strategic role of plant-based compounds in addressing vector-borne diseases transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes (e.g., malaria and dengue) and enhancing agricultural productivity through improved crop protection and yield. This study also highlights the technological and geographical distribution of innovation, with significant patent activity observed in regions such as Europe, North America, and Asia. These insights offer valuable guidance for stakeholders in academia, industry, and policy-making to foster further development in sustainable pest management and agricultural innovation.

Fireflies, often regarded as the jewels of nature, play a vital role in ecology, medicine, and culture. However, they are currently threatened globally, and minimal ecological research on them has been conducted. This study focuses on the diverse distribution of fireflies, their floral associations and faunal relationships, and the myths surrounding them in Kanger Valley National Park, Jagdalpur, and Chhattisgarh, India. For data collection, we utilized stratified transect random sampling, with specimens being obtained through net-sweeping and hand-picking. We examined the relationship between fireflies and various plant species for resting, courtship, and mating, while considering secondary parameters such as the humidity, temperature, altitude, and moon phase. Our documentation of faunal relationships indicates that bush cricket frogs exhibit attraction to the bioluminescence that is produced by fireflies; however, they tend to avoid consuming them. A questionnaire was also administered to understand the cultural significance of fireflies among Indigenous tribal communities in the area. The research identified a single firefly species, Abscondita perplexa, during the observation period, revealing various morphs that were previously misidentified as Abscondita terminalis and Abscondita chinensis. Fireflies are seen as indicators of a healthy environment and are known by various names among local Indigenous communities, such as "chirkup minal" in the Dhurwa community. Understanding their bio-ecology can aid in the development of techniques for research and ecotourism, as well as enhance conservation efforts for these important species.

Surface treatments are specific insecticides that can be applied as pre-bin treatments and across a wide range of areas such as cracks and crevices, as well as the floors and walls of processing and storage facilities. The efficacy of surface treatments is affected by the type of surface, temperature, sanitation, and chemical formulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate three insecticides on metal and concrete surfaces to control six species of stored-product insects. Metal and concrete surfaces were constructed in the bottom of a 62 cm² plastic Petri dish. EverGreen© (active ingredient (a.i.), pyrethrin), Centynal EC™ (a.i. deltamethrin), and Sensat™ (a.i. spinosad), were applied at their label rates, and water was used as a control. Ten adults of one species, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), or Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), were added to individual treated areas (n=5), along with ~500 mg of feed, and held for seven days. Adult beetles were observed after one, three, and seven days for the number of live, affected (those exhibiting uncoordinated movement or twitching or unable to walk) and dead beetles. Among all species, longer exposure to the treated surfaces resulted in increased mortality. Among all treatments, the percent survival (live + affected adults) was highest on concrete compared to metal for all species. Tribolium castaneum and T. confusum were the most tolerant species. Contact insecticides are an important component of a comprehensive integrated pest management program for controlling and preventing infestations. Understanding the impacts of surfaces on efficacy will provide pest management professionals with information to help them apply targeted applications within highly diverse post-harvest supply-chain storage and processing environments.

Termites are eusocial keystone insect species that feed on wood matter and plants to obtain cellular energy. Certain invasive wood-feeding isopteran termite pests such as Coptotermes (Rhinotermitidae), Macrotermes, Odontotermes and Microtermes species (Termitidae) have caused immense damage to eucalyptus forests in Malaysia, Australia, India, China and Africa due to their increased sensitivity to wood decomposition under warming temperatures, leading to global economic losses. The traditional forest pest management strategies have failed to curb these termite infestations, thereby urgently calling for the deployment of novel methods. A detailed understanding of termites' adaptation and physiology at the molecular level would aid in the development of future management measures utilizing molecular tools such as RNA interference (RNAi). In this study, we have selected the drywood termite, Incisitermes schwarzi (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae), to investigate how these specific termites survive during their voracious feeding on spruce and birch deadwood in a drywood habitat. To understand their wood digestion response and the detoxification behavior of the natural toxins present in deadwood, we conducted a gene expression analysis in different life stages and different tissues. The differential gene expression (DGE) analysis across developmental stages and tissue types revealed multiple gene families related to wood detoxification, wood digestion, the growth and development of the termites and their eusocial behavior and adaptation to biotic- and abiotic-stress-causing agents. Further, to understand the RNAi susceptibility/resistance of the termites, we identified RNAi machinery genes and explored their expression dynamics across the different life stages and tissues in the drywood termites. The differentially expressed genes identified through this study could help in improving our understanding of termites' adaptation to their lignocellulosic habitats and could serve as excellent putative targets for RNAi-based termite management.

Hymenoptera are among the dominant insects in terrestrial ecosystems, in number of species, number of individuals and even biomass. They perform vital ecological functions for ecosystems, such as pollination and natural biological control. The present study aimed to discuss the use of Hymenoptera fauna as a bioindicator of environmental quality in areas with different percentages of riparian vegetation. To this end, insect gatherings were carried out between November and December 2016, by installing Malaise traps in riparian zones of 12 streams, located in the Alto Uruguai region, in Rio Grande do Sul, with different percentages of vegetation. These were classified into natural, intermediate and impacted riparian zones. A total of 1,363 Hymenoptera were collected, belonging to 22 families. Ichneumonidae, Braconidae and Vespidae were the most representative families. The natural riparian zones had greater abundance and greater richness (709 specimens and 20 families, respectively). Meanwhile, in the impacted riparian zones, only 206 specimens belonging to 10 families were collected. ANOVA showed that abundance and richness differed significantly between riparian zones. Pearson's Linear Correlation showed that the percentage of vegetation in the drainage area is correlated with the abundance and richness of families. Redundancy Analysis indicated that Braconidae and Vespidae were influenced by the percentage of vegetation in the drainage area. The results of this study indicate that the percentage of vegetation in the drainage area affects the abundance and richness of the Hymenoptera fauna, showing that this group is an important bioindicator of environmental integrity.

Parnassius apollo L. is a widespread species that inhabits various regions of Europe, and in Italy, it can be found in the Alps, in the Apennines, and in the isolated mountain ranges of Sicily. Its Alpine populations are abundant and not currently threatened, whilst Apennine populations are strongly fragmented and in decline. The reasons for the decline of this butterfly may be different, such as anthropic disturbances and climate change, but reforestation, which has considerably reduced the open environments suitable for its survival in several areas within its European range, could also play a major role. Its larvae feed on few genera from the Crassulaceae family (e.g., Sedum, Jovibarba, Rhodiola, and Sempervivum), but Sedum is recognised as its main larval foodplant. The adults feed on nectar obtained from a variety of plants depending on their geographic range. With the aim of understanding the trophic network of one of the most isolated Italian populations of Parnassius apollo, field surveys were performed in the Aspromonte National Park, South Italy. Observations were carried out weekly in two areas where the presence of adults was abundant. In detail, the botanical species visited by the adults, the duration of their trophic activity, the number of other pollinators present on flowers, and the abundance classes of flowering species were recorded. The results highlighted that P. apollo adults foraged on a limited number of species, the most abundant of which belonged to the families Asteraceae and Campanulaceae. In addition, the observations showed that P. apollo adults preferred flowers from the same plants as those visited by several other pollinators (i.e., bees and other butterflies). This study highlighted the feeding preferences and floral resource use of P. apollo in an isolated southern Italian population and provided insights into its trophic interactions and potential conservation needs.

The increase in air temperature and precipitation in recent decades has led to a rise in forest boundary in polar mountains, a reduction in low-temperature habitats, a decrease in the diversity of cold-adapted biota, and its displacement by thermophilic species. We investigated the current arthropod diversity and environmental conditions on peaks of the Khibiny mountain massif, which is the largest and most complex orography in the Kola Subarctic. The research was conducted at altitudes 1050–1090 meters above sea level, in the cold goltzy desert belt (GD), which is considered an analogue to polar deserts in the northern hemisphere. We used the standard 500 ml soil traps with formalin but applied a long-term trapping method for the first time in zoological studies on Khibiny peaks. The period of capture of arthropods was 60 days from July to September in 2023 (25 traps in five repetitions under the main types of vegetation and in bare rocky ground) and 90 days in 2024. As a result, 100 forest, polyzonal and boreal–montane arthropod species widespread in Holarctic and Palearctic were identified. Arctic, arctic–alpine and arctic–boreomontane species were rare, as is the case in the zonal and mountain tundras of Fennoscandia as a whole. Such boreal physiognomy of arthropod fauna on the peaks of the Khibiny Mts contrasts with local fauna on arctic coasts and sea islands, in which the proportion of arctic species reaches 40%. It is also contrasted with the flora of vascular plants, 65% of which is represented on the peaks of the Khibiny Mts by arctic species. These data help to understand the historical ways in which the Khibiny Mts were colonized after glacier retreat. The studies also revealed that such specific factors attracted forest arthropod species on Khibiny bare peaks, given the high atmospheric humidity, low soil acidity due to the physical weathering of alkaline rocks, and the good warming of substrates during the round-the-clock polar day.

Global warming and climate change have been recognized as key factors contributing to the decline in insect pollinator populations. Understanding how animals can quickly respond to temperature changes is essential for predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. An adequate microclimate is crucial for determining habitat quality for butterflies, particularly for the less mobile immature stages. Butterflies, like other insects, rely on behavioral thermoregulation, with some species being more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In this study, conducted at 33 selected localities in the Republic of Serbia, an assessment was carried out to determine the impact of key environmental variables on the abundance and species composition of butterflies. In total, 105 butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) were registered and analyzed during three seasons (spring, summer, and autumn) in 2022. To evaluate the effect of selected environmental and landscape variables on the abundance and species composition of butterflies, we used generalized linear models and canonical correspondence analyses (CCAs). To identify the most significant environmental variables influencing species composition and the abundance of butterflies, a “forward selection” analysis was conducted which showed a high dependence of the examined species on green cover and temperature. Furthermore, Van Dobben circles (t value biplots) were used to assess the significance of specific species' preference for temperature. The results showed that butterfly species which demonstrated preferences for lower values of temperature compared to other species were as follows: Erebia medusa, Melitaea arduinna, Melitaea trivia, Brenthis ino, Callophrys rubi, and Pseudophilotes vicrama. Two of these species are listed as strictly protected in the Republic of Serbia, and one is in the IUCN Nearly Threatened category in Europe. Given the results, species with preferences for lower temperatures may experience population decline in the future.

The melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae, is a major fruit pest in Bangladesh. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has proved effective in controlling the melon fly. One of the main challenges of SIT is that it is expensive to rear a large number of flies in the laboratory. Minimizing rearing cost without compromising reproduction capabilities is important. If the fly colony is maintained with a good dietary supplement, competitive adults could bring about an effective suppression in the field population. In the present study, we tried to identify the optimal diet by altering yeast sugar ratios in an artificial diet to maximize egg production in Z cucurbitae. The melon fly stock was housed in steel-frame cages covered with a nylon net, maintained at a temperature of 25±5⁰ C, a humidity of 65-70%, and 12:12 L: D at the fruit fly laboratory of the Institute of Food and Radiation Biology (IFRB), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Savar, Dhaka. The flies were provided with ad libitum food and water. We recorded the fecundity (no of eggs) of continuously mated females. Four feeds with varying yeast-to-sugar ratios were provided: F1 (0: 100, Y: S) (refers to sugar only), F2 (1.96: 98.04, Y: S), F3 (4.76: 95.24, Y: S), and F4 (25: 75, Y: S). The results revealed that diet significantly affected female fecundity. The mean fecundity of continuously mated females maintained on the four diet types, i.e., F1, F2, F3, and F4, was 125, 311, 380, and 492, respectively. Our study showed an increase in mean fecundity, as well as the highest fecundity, with an increase in the yeast-to-sugar ratio; fecundity was highest for the ratio of 25% and lowest for 0%. These results could be valuable for the population dynamics studies and mass rearing of Z. cucurbitae.