Anthropogenic activities contribute to more volatile weather conditions, including more frequent heat waves of higher intensity and longer duration. Heat waves may have the potential to change the distribution patterns of pest species, which may relate to the effects of high temperatures on fertility. This study determined the reproductive consequences associated with exposure to heat waves for the marula fruit fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Heat waves were represented by five consecutive days of temperatures 5 – 7°C higher than the optimal temperature for development. Female and male C. cosyra, were exposed to four separate temperature treatments (25°C as the control; and 31°C, 34°C and 37°C as heat waves) to evaluate the effects of each temperature on survival over five days (n = 50 for each sex and temperature). Thereafter, females and males exposed to the same temperatures were paired with untreated individuals of the opposite sex to mate (n = 50 for each sex and temperature). This was repeated five times and mating propensity, mating latency, fecundity and fertility were recorded. Heat wave temperatures did not reduce survival when compared with the control. Sex and temperature had no effect on mating propensity. A decrease in mating latency occurred as temperatures increased, with both treated sexes mating slightly earlier at 34°C. Heat-treated females had significantly lower fecundity and fertility than untreated females paired with heat-treated males. Females mated with heat-treated males did not suffer decreased fecundity relative to the control, but fertility tended to decline with temperature. In conclusion, C. cosyra females were more susceptible to increasing heat wave temperatures than males. Results also indicated that fecundity and fertility were the reproductive traits mostly affected in C. cosyra when exposed to heat waves. This research could help to derive more accurate distribution predictions for C. cosyra in a changing climate.

Okra is the most commonly cultivated vegetable crop in India throughout the year. The inhabitation of insect pests is considered to be a major impediment in okra cultivation. The leafhopper Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida is considered to be the foremost important insect pest causing severe yield loss. In the present agrarian scenario, the use of resistant varieties serves as an alternate mode of pest management with no further cost and environmental hazards. Considering the significance of host plant resistance, the present research was carried out to profile elemental composition in selected okra-susceptible and -resistant genotype leaf samples using EDAX. Major nutrients viz., nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, were also analyzed by adopting standard procedures; it was found that the nitrogen and phosphorous contents were high in highly susceptible genotypes, while they were low in moderately resistant genotypes. From correlation studies, it was found that a significant and positive correlation with the leafhopper population was recorded in nitrogen content (r = 0.872), while a non-significant positive correlation was registered in phosphorous content (r = 0.737). A strong negative and significant correlation was recorded with potassium content (r = -0.971) and leafhopper numbers. Among other elements, Si content was at its maximum in the moderately resistant genotype AE 65, which showed a negative correlation with the leafhopper population. Thus, the elemental composition of leaves may have an impact on leafhopper population. Therefore, this study aids in the development of the resistant crop development programme.

Italy is increasingly a hotspot for honey bee pests and predators, facing threats from Varroa destructor (1981), Aethina tumida (Small Hive Beetle, SHB) (2014), invasive Vespa velutina (2012), and the expanding native Vespa orientalis (2018). Adding to these concerns, Tropilaelaps spp. are emerging as a potential new threat to European beekeeping.

Tropilaelaps mercedesae mites, established since 2021 in Russia’s Krasnodar region and more recently in Georgia’s Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region (2024), pose significant challenges due to their rapid reproductive cycle and lack of effective control options. Unlike in Asia, where Tropilaelaps is well known, European beekeeping differs in hive management and honey bee species, requiring tailored surveillance and mitigation strategies.

Infestations spread quickly through direct contact between bees and the movement of infested bees or brood. Left undetected, mite populations grow rapidly, causing high hive mortality and acting as vectors for honey bee viruses.

The presence of exotic pests in Italy highlights the need for proactive measures. With Varroa, SHB, and Tropilaelaps all regulated under the Animal Health Law (EU 2016/429), Italy already faces three of the four listed honey bee diseases (EU 2018/1629). Key challenges include identifying effective surveillance methods, developing veterinary medicinal products (currently unavailable in Italy), and refining hive management techniques for containment and control.

The responsibility for maintaining colony health and biosecurity lies with beekeepers, but a science-based strategy is urgently needed. Managing Varroa, SHB, and invasive wasps demands integrated pest management and coordinated monitoring. Addressing the absence of approved Tropilaelaps treatments in Italy is critical to safeguarding European apiculture.

During the Jurassic period, the Hemiptera were a diverse, abundant, and adaptable group of insects. This period saw the diversification of numerous lineages, which continue to exist as crown groups in the present day.

The Jurassic European entomofauna represents one of the most significant Mesozoic faunas. The fossil sites in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and England contain fossils of insects (and other organisms) that originated from the surrounding mainland areas or offshore islands. The degree of preservation varies considerably. In the majority of cases, only isolated wings are present, although in a few localities, complete specimens have been recovered.

The Coleorrhyncha (Hemiptera) are characterised by their minute size, yet they yield a wealth of data. It is an excellent model group, demonstrating the morphological response to changing environments and the direction of Hemiptera evolution. The collection includes specimens that are exceptionally well preserved, as well as those that are severely damaged or of questionable taxonomic value. The majority of diagnoses are based on straightforward characteristics of the forewings, including their individual states and combinations thereof. It is therefore evident that a more detailed recognition and understanding of the features in question is crucial for their study.

The rapid fossilisation process allows for the observation of well-preserved specimens with fine details. We took advantage of this fact through examination with SEM and EDS and morphometric analysis. Over 150 fossils were subjected to analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDS (Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy) were employed for macro-scale investigations of colour remnants of cuticles, spinulations, and other previously unidentified minutiae within Coleorrhyncha. The findings of this study revealed novel microfeatures of the pronotum, mesonotum, head, and genital plates. Macrosculptural patterns exhibited variation between the taxa, rendering them useful for taxonomic purposes.

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, which is an exotic parasite in Europe, has been present in Calabria since September 2014 and recently (re)emerged in northeastern Sicily, necessitating updates to Italy’s national surveillance plan. The surveillance plan, led by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with IZSVe and regional authorities, aims to protect apiculture and prevent the beetle’s spread. Key components of the annually updated plan include the following:
i) Randomized surveillance: Structured clinical inspections of stationary apiaries in low-risk areas are carried out, stratified by region and considering the beekeeping heritage. This approach targets a 2% expected infestation prevalence (EP) with a 95% confidence level (CL), encompassing a significant sample of apiaries per macroarea (North, Central, and South Italy).
ii) Targeted surveillance: Focused inspections of high-risk apiaries, identified based on criteria such as inter-regional nomadism, biological material introduction, or processing facilities receiving extra-regional supers (5% EP, 95% CL), are conducted.
iii) Adapted surveillance and implementation of sentinel hives to monitor the evolution of the epidemiological situation in Calabria and Sicily and beetle circulation near known infestation zones and high-risk borders are carried out.
Standardized clinical protocols ensure consistent diagnostic accuracy, with regional and national data being centralized for epidemiological analysis. Sentinel hives, inspected biweekly, provide independent, reliable data. The outcomes of this surveillance inform containment measures, including protection zones, movement restrictions, and enhanced epidemiological investigations.
In case A. tumida is detected, protocols mandate sample collection and notification to authorities, with diagnostic confirmation by the National Reference Center for Beekeeping. These measures align with EU regulations, emphasizing control rather than apiary destruction.
This comprehensive surveillance plan integrates clinical inspections, risk-based targeting, and sentinel monitoring to safeguard Italian apiculture, highlighting inter-agency collaboration and strategic adaptability in response to evolving epidemiological challenges.

Introduction: Trogoderma granarium larvae severely damage stored commodities, but their resistance to common insecticides like deltamethrin and phosphine is a growing concern. Our previous research showed bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and their combinations to be effective alternatives at low concentrations which may pose no threat to health and the environment. This study investigates the impact of these neurotoxic insecticides on the digestive enzymes and phosphatases of T. granarium larvae to uncover their secondary mechanisms of toxicity on nutritional physiology and xenobiotic detoxification.

Methods: In the present study, 48 hours of exposure to LC₂₀ (ppm) of bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and their combinations (3:1 and 1:3 bifenthrin:chlorpyrifos) were used to investigate the enzymatic responses of fourth and sixth instar T. granarium larvae. The study utilized both insecticide-susceptible (Lab-S) and deltamethrin-resistant (GUW) populations. Biochemical analyses were conducted to assess the activities of digestive enzymes (lipase, invertase, trehalase, amylase, and protease) and phosphatases (acid and alkaline phosphatase) in the exposed larvae.

Results: Exposure to bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and their combinations significantly (p ≤ 0.05) elevated the specific activities of lipase, invertase, trehalase, amylase, and acid phosphatase in comparison to control (untreated) in both susceptible and resistant populations of T. granarium larvae. The treatments decreased protease activity significantly. Alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased significantly in GUW larvae, but increased significantly in Lab-S larvae, except for some treatments that decreased activity in sixth instar Lab-S larvae.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and their combinations at low LC₂₀ levels can affect the digestive physiology of T. granarium larvae, potentially leading to impaired growth and increased mortality. These results have implications for the development of novel pest management strategies targeting digestive enzymes and phosphatases, and provide further evidence for safe and effective use of chlorpyrifos at low concentrations, minimizing environmental and health risks while maintaining its pest control efficacy.

The diversity of life and the complexity of ecosystems are rooted in cyclicity—an order that ensures the functioning of biological processes. In various industries that utilize natural resources, it is crucial to consider the characteristics of natural cyclicity and make corresponding forecasts. In our study, we approached this task by analyzing the cyclicity of long-term numerical series of insects. As a model species, we selected a widespread species of the ground beetle family, Pterostichus montanus. From 1988 to 2020, we conducted quantitative surveys from May to September at 14 stationary sites located along a 30-kilometer transect stretching from the shore of Lake Baikal to a mountain peak of the Barguzinsky ridge. Simultaneously, we recorded average the monthly air temperature and total monthly precipitation.
For the visualization and interpretation of the long-term series, we used spectral analysis and elements of fractal geometry, specifically Pareto histograms, which rank factor categories in descending order and allow us to identify the most significant factors influencing the entire process. These methods enabled us to detect cycles and determine the most important factors affecting the abundance of ground beetles.
In the long-term series of the model species, we identified eight cycles of varying strength. The most pronounced were the two-year cycles associated with the cyclicity of atmospheric precipitation (p = 0.001) and the three-year cycles determined by temperature regimes (p = 0.001). Longer cycles with a frequency of 8-11 years were of secondary importance (p = 0.1). We also found that the abundance of this species does not decrease with increasing altitude. Favorable conditions for the abundance of ground beetles include a pronounced litter layer, moderate light, and moisture. The studied species primarily coordinates its population dynamics with the cyclicity of meteorological parameters, highlighting the importance of studying cyclicity and its impact on natural ecosystems.

Introduction: Kinzelbach (1971) established the genus Coriophagus based on the type-species Halictophagus zanzibarae Bohart, 1962, in the family Halictophagidae, of the order Strepsiptera. To date, 16 species of Coriophagus are known. Most of them are restricted to the Gondwanan countries (Kathirithamby 2023). In this study, an integrative taxonomy of a new species in the genus is made. A cladistic analysis of the genus Coriophagus using the discrete morphological characters to hypothesise a possible phylogeny is also conducted. A revised world key to the adult males of Coriophagus is also designed to accommodate the new taxon.

Methods: One adult male was captured in Dudhia, Darjeeling, West Bengal, with the aid of an open light trap and preserved in absolute alcohol for DNA analysis. A small sample of tissue was cut from the underside of the thorax of the specimen for sequencing (outsourced). The rest of the specimen was mounted on a glass slide following the phenol–balsam technique of Wirth and Marston, 1968, for traditional taxonomy. The cladistic analysis of 16 species including the new one (as ingroup) was performed, considering two species, Halictophagus prominens Roy & Hazra and Tridactylophagus sufflatus Hui, Mukherjee & Hazra, as an outgroup. Analysis was carried out using TNT 1.5 (Goloboff & Catalano 2016).

Result: The new species is named C. bulbous owing to its bulbous proctiger. The only species of the genus Coriophagus in the world is separated by an R₂ detached vein that is half as long and the same thickness as the R₃ detached vein, a unique irregular quadrilateral-shaped tarsomere I of the forelegs, and a unique spherical bulge on the edge of the proctiger from where the aedeagus arises. The genus Coriophagus has been recovered as a monophyletic group in this cladistic analysis.

Conclusion: India is a megadiverse country with three biodiversity hotspots. However, this country has not thoroughly been explored to determine the actual diversity of these enigmatic, often overlooked, obligatorily endoparasitic, endopterygote insects. The discovery of the new species has certainly enriched the species inventory of India vis-à-vis the world. The tentative phylogeny is likely to change upon finding out the other life stages of these species, incorporating their characteristics, as well as the discovery of more new species.

Pollinators and plants share complex and mutually beneficial relationships critical to ecological sustainability. The timing of some interactions is crucial; if pollinator populations are not synchronized with the blooming periods of flowers, plants may fail to reproduce, or pollinators may face starvation. Environmental challenges such as pollen scarcity can disrupt this delicate balance, prompting adaptive behaviors in pollinators. A recent study shows that pollen-deprived bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) bite tomato plants, and this accelerates flowering. We have replicated this bee behaviour, but are unable to replicate the plant response at a macro-level. As insect saliva facilitates digestion, maintains mouthparts, provides antimicrobial protection, and is able to bypass plant defences we are interested to determine whether pollinator saliva may play a role in mediating plant interactions and whether this can be used to identify molecular mechanisms that drive adaptive behaviors associated with plant--pollinator co-evolution. To unravel the association, we detail the salivary gland proteome of B. terrestris, analyze plant miRNAs and protein markers in the bee gut, use Florigen to determine whether the plants were already committed to flowering, analyze phytohormones in bee-bitten leaves, and establish a Raman microscopy system. Our data suggest that the plants are responding to these bee bites at a micro-level. To aid further research, we highlight the utility of Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy integrated with multivariate analyses to understand insect secretions through the differences in chemical composition of tissues (salivary gland, proboscis, and pretarsus) from two species of bumble bee (B. terrestris and B. hortorum). This analytical method required minimal sample volume and provided detailed spectral fingerprints for analysis. Unsupervised Principal Component Analysis revealed natural clustering in the dataset, while supervised Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis further classified the data based on known classes. Notably, chemical profiles remained conserved under nutritional stress.

Thrips (Thysanoptera) are major pests of fruit crops globally. In South Africa, Scirtothrips aurantii Faure (Thripidae) damages avocados and macadamias, reducing their yield and profitability. Understanding the spatial distribution of S. aurantii over time will enable the targeted application of control measures. Therefore, we aimed to document the seasonal changes in the abundance, diversity, and distribution of thrips to identify areas as hot spots (high-abundance) and cold spots (low-abundance). We sampled thrips in the Levubu region of Limpopo province, South Africa, using 150 yellow sticky traps deployed at monthly intervals between September and January in the avocado and macadamia production seasons of 2021/22 and 2022/23. Eight species of thrips were encountered, namely the Caliothrips sp., Frankliniella occidentalis, the Franklinothrips sp., Haplothrips gowdeyi, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, the Megalunothrips sp., S. aurantii, and Thrips tenellus. Across the entire area, S. aurantii was the most abundant in September, coinciding with avocado and macadamia flowering. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to map and symbolise the mean S. aurantii sticky trap catch. An optimised hot spot analysis was used to classify and summarise trap catches aggregated into a raster layer of 1×1 km (1 km²) through the use of zonal statistics and the minimum bounding geometry. Significant S. aurantii hot spots (with 90-99% confidence) were concentrated in the hot and dry regions of the eastern and northeastern parts of Levubu, whereas significant cold spots were concentrated in the colder and wetter areas in the northwest of the region. Non-significant areas of random variation in S. aurantii's abundance were mostly found in the central region. However, the hot spot and cold spot locations changed over the months and production seasons, suggesting the potential for local microclimates, topography, vegetation type, and plant phenology as drivers of S. aurantii's distribution and abundance.