Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as Asian citrus greening, is a devastating citrus disease associated with ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), a pathogen transmitted by Diaphorina citri. This psyllid species is of Asian origin, and since the mid-2010s has been recorded in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Benin, and Ghana, while CLas is present in Ethiopia and Kenya. HLB is also vectored by Trioza erytreae, a psyllid species indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. Monitoring, early detection, and timely identification are needed to manage the vectors, and consequently HLB. Currently, psyllid identification is expensive due to the use of yellow sticky traps and the need for specialists for time-consuming screening of traps and species identification. Therefore, we aimed to develop a laboratory-based, artificial intelligence (A.I.)-driven diagnostic tool for citrus psyllid pests, while accounting for native non-pest Diaphorina species, on yellow sticky traps. We deployed 544 traps across multiple citrus growing areas within South Africa, Reunion Island, and Mauritius, between December 2021 and September 2023. The traps were collected and inspected for D. citri, native South African Diaphorina species, and T. erytreae. Traps with any of the target psyllid species were photographed using a digital RGB camera, which were annotated highlighting those species. The annotated images were processed and augmented to develop and train five YOLOv8 models using a 7:2:1 training, validation, and testing ratio. Models YOLOv8s and YOLOv8m show promise for rapidly identifying psyllids to permit faster implementation of control methods. Both models achieved a mean average precision of 0.85, taking 6.7 seconds and 12.7 seconds, respectively, to process a two-sided trap. These models showed potential for the initial screening of yellow sticky traps to identify those needing verification of psyllid presence.

For parasitoid wasps, nutrition is crucial to ensuring their survival and reproductive success. Nevertheless, the accessibility of nutritional sources, particularly plant nectar, may fluctuate significantly within agricultural environments. This variability may impact the fitness of parasitoids and consequently their effectiveness in pest control. The egg parasitoid Gryon aetherium Talamas (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) is a promising candidate as a biological control agent against the painted bug Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae), a pest that was not recorded in Chile (South America) until 2016. Consequently, its recent invasion has renewed the interest in its biological control, especially in conservation biological control (CBC), as an effective and sustainable approach to managing this pest. Since the effectiveness of G. aetherium depends on its survival and conservation within agroecosystems, the provision of flowers as food resources (nectar) constitutes a sugar-rich food source to increase its fitness. In Chile, Coriandrum sativum L., Petroselinum crispum (Mill.), Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Apiaceae), Lobularia maritima (L.) (Brassicaceae) and Pelargonium hortorum Bailey (Geraniaceae) were effectively tested in the field to attract and support the natural enemies of different cabbage pests. In this study, we evaluated the potential of these selected flowers to enhance the performance of the parasitoid G. aetherium under laboratory conditions using water as the control. Our results demonstrate that G. aetherium exhibited increased survival when provided with C. sativum and P. crispum flowers compared to F. vulgare, L. maritima, P. hortorum and water, respectively. Moreover, the fecundity and emergence rates were similar across all of the flower treatments but were significantly reduced when exposed to water. Furthermore, a female-biased sex ratio was observed in the flower treatments. This information may be applied to enhancing the floral diversity in agroecosystems through “ecological engineering”, ultimately improving the effectiveness of conservation biological control.

Biodiversity is a key aspect conditioning the resilience of agroecosystems. Landscape complexity favours the abundance and diversity of several groups of beneficial insects in olive groves and disfavours the abundance of the damaging olive fly, Bactrocera oleae, and the olive moth, Prays oleae. In addition to beneficial and harmful Dipterans, canopy-dwelling flies in olive groves have a role in the sustainability of the agroecosystem by providing alternative prey to important predators. The abundance and family richness of Dipterans was studied in the olive-growing area of southeastern Madrid, Spain, in 15 olive groves representing a landscape complexity gradient. Flies were sampled in the spring of two growing seasons by means of yellow sticky traps, and the landscape structure was characterised using composition and configuration indices calculated using Fragstats in ArcGIS.

Dipterans belonging to 32 families were recorded, with Chloropidae and Sciaridae being the most abundant. Some families with predatory or parasitoid behaviour were observed, such as Syrphidae, Dolichopodidae, and Tachinidae. No strong landscape effects were detected. The area of the olive groves (CAO) around the groves sampled had a slight negative effect on both the abundance and family richness of Diptera, a pattern that followed the effect of landscape structure on beneficial insects. However, a negative effect of the Shannon's evenness index (SHEI) was detected, which more closely followed the pattern described for harmful insect pests. Thus, Dipteran populations in olive canopies appear to be quite stable in different landscape contexts, without strong dependence on resources outside the olive groves, although different families are likely to have different behaviours. This ensures the presence of alternative prey for predators, contributing to biological control of pests and therefore to the resilience of the olive grove agroecosystem.

During the last two decades, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) has resurged to become a common urban pest. Insecticide sprays are commonly used to manage this pest. However, most of the available insecticide sprays registered for bed bugs are not very effective due to insecticide resistance. Bed bugs are considered one of the most difficult urban pests to control. There is strong interest in developing novel, effective insecticide materials to combat widespread bed bug infestations. Isocycloseram is a novel insecticide in the class isoxazoline that shows excellent efficacy and selectivity against invertebrate pests. We evaluated the direct spray and residual efficacy of two 0.1% isocycloseram formulations ina laboratory against four insecticide-resistant field strains of common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) on three surfaces (fabric, vinyl tiles, and unpainted pinewood). Their efficacy was compared with five commercial insecticides including Demand CS (0.03% γ-cyhalothrin), Temprid FX (0.05% imidacloprid and 0.025% β-cyfluthrin), Crossfire (0.4% clothianidin, 0.01% metofluthrin, and 1.0% piperonyl butoxide), Bedlam Plus (0.4% Cyclopropanecarboxylate, 1.0% N-Octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide, and 0.05% imidacloprid), and PT Phantom II (0.5% chlorfenapyr). Both isocycloseram 45 SC and 400 SC formulations were the most effective among the tested insecticides. The isocycloseram 45 SC formulation caused faster mortality than the 400 SC formulation. Four hours of exposure to 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1% isocycloseram 45 SC residue on porous and non-porous surfaces caused 100% bed bug mortality after 3-4 days. Exposure to 30 d aged 0.1% isocycloseram 45 SC residue for 4 hours still caused 100% mortality, compared to 0-73% mortality by the five commercial insecticides. Isocycloseram is a highly effective compound for controlling resistant C. lectularius populations

The northern provinces of Iran along the Caspian Sea coast, with their favorable climate and ample water resources, host extensive rice fields that are vital to both local livelihoods and the national economy. Chilo suppressalis, a major pest species, is estimated by the Agricultural Organization of Gilan province to cause a 30–50% reduction in crop yield and a decline in product quality. Despite its significance, the potential impact of climate change on this pest has not been thoroughly studied in Iran, leaving a critical knowledge gap. In this study, we address this gap by projecting the future distribution of C. suppressalis under two climate change scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) for the year 2070. The results confirm the pest’s current widespread presence in the rice fields of Golestan, Mazandaran, and Gilan provinces, aligning with recorded data from the Agricultural Organization. However, projections indicate a sharp decline in the species' spread in eastern Mazandaran and Golestan, with a shift toward western regions. Conversely, Gilan province is predicted to experience both stability and an expansion of suitable habitat for the pest. As C. suppressalis is highly sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations, preferring a range of 25–32 °C, these distribution shifts are consistent with expected climate impacts. To mitigate potential economic losses, it is imperative to implement proactive management strategies to address this issue promptly.

Emerging diseases associated with Candidatus Liberibacter have become increasingly significant in recent decades. Devastating diseases such as Zebra Chip and Huanglongbing, caused by Ca. L. solanacearum (CLsol) and Ca. L. asiaticus (CLas), respectively, are leading to substantial economic losses in agriculture worldwide. Ca. Liberibacter is a phloem-restricted bacterial genus that, as far as currently known, is naturally transmitted exclusively by psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea). The South American potato psyllid Russelliana solanicola Tuthill (Psyllidae), recognized as a potential vector of Ca. Liberibacter, feeds on a diverse range of plants from families such as Solanaceae, Apiaceae, and Asteraceae, including both cultivated and non-cultivated species. The hybrid approach, integrating metagenomic and metataxonomic methods, enabled the discovery of a novel association between Ca. Liberibacter sp. and R. solanicola. This was achieved through shotgun sequencing utilizing Illumina technology and amplicon sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technology. Subsequent phylogenetic, genomic, and functional analyses enabled a comprehensive initial characterization of the bacterium. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that Ca. Liberibacter sp. associated with R. solanicola forms a distinct clade closely related to Ca. L. americanus and Ca. L. europaeus, sharing 98% sequence identity. This clade diverges from other species, including CLsol, CLas, and C. L. africanus. Metagenomic analysis recovered 81 contigs with high assembly consistency (90.1% coarse, 89.6% fine) and an N50 value of 168,363 bp. Functional annotation identified 205 protein-encoding genes with assigned functions and 176 protein-encoding genes without functional assignments, highlighting both known and unexplored aspects of its genomic repertoire. The phylogenetic relationships, combined with the identified genomic and functional characteristics, open the door to understanding the potential ecological role of this association and future implications, especially considering the polyphagy of R. solanicola. This research is ongoing and remains crucial for understanding its role in uncovering novel bacterial species and ecological associations.

Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) compressus is a common species in South Asia. Its natural range includes Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and due to human activity, it has managed to settle in parts of East Asia and Africa. Here, we provide the first record of C. compressus from Sofia, where we found and collected a group of specimens. We determine the probability that they will successfully "integrate" into the country and adapt to our climatic areas, even in the presence of a queen (as was not established), which is very unlikely. However, we do not rule out such a possibility because of global climate change. The subgenus Tanaemyrmex, in which C. compressus is also classified, has four representatives that can be found in Bulgaria. These are C. aethiops, C. ionius, C. samius, and C. universitatus. The most common is C. aethiops, which is found in almost all xerothermic meadows and pastures, where it can often be seen collecting honeydew from aphids on plants. The other three species also prefer warmer habitats but have a limited range in the country.

Currently, there are two established alien ant species in Bulgaria. The Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Dolichoderinae) has a South American origin but can be found on every continent (except Antarctica). In Bulgaria, L. humile has been reported in Sofia, Varna, and Burgas. The pharaoh ant Monomorium pharaonis (Myrmicinae) can be defined as a synanthropic species. It has spread all over the world and mainly inhabits factories, hospitals, and homes. In the tropics, it can also nest outside buildings. In Bulgaria, M. pharaonis has been reported in Ruse, Shumen, Sofia, Svilengrad, Plovdiv, Malko Tarnovo, Varna, Obzor, Tsarevo, Burgas, Sozopol, and Ahtopol. This study is a part of the project under grant contract number KP-06-N61/6 – 14.12.2022.

Human transportation and agriculture have facilitated both the intentional and accidental introduction of species of organisms outside of their natural areal. While a significant portion does not survive at their new destination, historically, a large number of species have successfully established populations way outside of their natural distribution, and this number continues to grow. Some of them have proven to be detrimental to local ecosystems (invasive species), others, especially phytophagous ones, to human agriculture. Other species have not shown such adverse effects to their new environment, but a portion of them may exhibit such traits in the future. These factors highlight the importance that the monitoring of imports holds.

We provide the first record of Pandava laminata (Thorell, 1878) (Araneae: Titanoecidae) from the Balkans, as well as the first records of Hasarius adansoni (Audouin, 1826) (Araneae: Salticidae) and Neoclytus acuminatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Cerambicidae) from Bulgaria. In addition, new records of Acanalonia conica (Say, 1830) (Acanaloniidae) in the city of Sofia, of Reesa vespulae (Milliron, 1939) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) in Sofia and Plovdiv, and Cartodere nodifer (Westwood, 1839) (Coleoptera: Latridiidae) from Sofia are provided.

This study is a part of the Project “Monitoring the effects of global climate changes through qualitative and quantitative analysis of model animal groups in selected corridors of thermophilic fauna penetration in Bulgaria” (funded by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria under grant contract number KP-06-N61/6 – 14.12.2022).

Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) is the use of live maggots, mainly the larvae of Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae), to debride and stimulate the healing of chronic wounds, like diabetic ulcers. Despite its long history, dating back several centuries, the modern application of MDT remains scanty because of the limited commercial availability of medicinal maggots. One of the important challenges in rearing medicinal maggots is the unpleasant odor often arising from their rearing facilities, which has stood in the way of their wider use. Moreover, using raw meat may introduce pathogens that are difficult to eliminate, even with disinfection. This study aimed to devise an odor-free and safe method for the rearing of medicinal maggots in order to solve the major problem of odors in the rearing environment.

We established a colony of L. sericata and tested two substrates for egg-laying: a sterile protein substrate—Sondalis^® Standard Fibre—and chicken liver (the traditional substrate). The female maggots showed a strong preference for ovipositing on the protein substrate, which lacked the foul odor characteristic of the chicken liver. The eggs were surface-sterilized with a 0.5% NaOCl solution that successfully killed the bacteria and yeasts on the eggs' surfaces while maintaining a high hatchability rate. In vitro antimicrobial testing showed no significant effect on larval viability or their antimicrobial activity.

This study provides a dependable and odor-free approach to the mass rearing of medicinal maggots, thereby pointing to its potential in the eradication of unpleasant odors in rearing facilities. In addition, it emphasizes the need for health professionals to be trained in MDT to increase the treatment options for wound care.

The growing application of computer vision in species identification has significantly accelerated biodiversity data collection globally, and the ecologically and morphologically diverse group of exophytophagous caterpillars is no exception. However, many identification tools fail to incorporate critical aspects of a species' biology and ecological role within complex biotic and abiotic systems. This omission often compromises traditional knowledge preservation, contextual understanding, and the transfer of expertise inherent in classical identification keys. To bridge this gap, this study developed an interactive web application designed to enhance species identification and help link taxa to their ecological functions. Central to this work were three standardized data matrices encompassing morphological, ecological, and behavioral polyphenisms, constructed for 2,000 European exophytophagous caterpillar species, addressing 41 descriptive traits and several hundred character states. The matrices were developed through a combination of manual and semi-automated approaches, ensuring robust variability management and data consistency, while both crisp and fuzzy coding schemes were employed to accurately capture and replicate the expert identification process in a systematic format. This application features an intuitive filtering system that enables users to identify species efficiently while preserving the ecological context of each taxon. Beyond its practical utility, this tool supports biodiversity research and educational initiatives by integrating traditional taxonomic methods in contemporary data management, which can facilitate expert-to-user knowledge transfer and improve biodiversity literacy in an era of rapid environmental change.