Agasicles hygrophila, a leaf-feeding Chrysomelid beetle, was introduced into China in 1986 as a biological control for Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligatorweed), a noxious perennial invasive weed. However, Hunan’s Ag. hygrophila populations decrease suddenly during summers (at high temperatures), leading to the inefficient control of alligatorweed. To investigate this phenomenon, herein, the effects

Establishing in the right location is particularly important for larval insects. Lepidopteran females are generally selective when choosing oviposition sites to ensure the best survival for their offspring. Unlike most social and shelter-building Lepidoptera, egg batches of the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis & Schiffermüller (1775) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae), are oviposited

The cabbage whitefly Aleyrodes proletella L. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a serious pest of vegetables and horticultural crops and invaded Xinjiang in northwestern China in 2013. In 2016, the author observed a whitefly population “Loaded” type which was different from the typical A. proletella in the morphology of eggs, nymphs, pupae and adults. This phenomenon has not been previously documented. The

Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important pest of numerous horticultural and agricultural crops in Taiwan. Orius strigicollis (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is a predator with high predation capacity against many pests of legumes and flowers. We used the age-stage, two-sex life table method to integrate the life table data with the predation rate of O. strigicollis

Bioinsecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis toxins can be a safe alternative to chemical pesticides currently used to control Spodoptera exigua (Hübner; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)–a worldwide, polyphagous pest species. However, only a few B. thuringiensis proteins have been proven effective against S. exigua and currently used B. thuringiensis bioinsecticides are not efficient in control of this pest–therefore

To assess the potential of Asobara japonica Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as a biological control agent for the invasive Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), key biological traits were evaluated: preference and suitability of different host ages, relative performance on two host species (D. suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster Meigen), female life-time fecundity and egg

Gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) comprise a diverse family of small nematoceran flies. While most species are phytophagous, the family also includes predatory species, and endoparasitoids. Endoparasitic species have been reared from aphids and psyllids. We discovered parasitoid-infected weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in nests on mango trees in coastal Kenya

The genera Oliveria (Apiaceae), Thymus and Satureja (Lamiaceae) encompass important medicinal and aromatic plants of Iran, which contains noteworthy amounts of essential oils (EOs) that are worthy of exploitation on an industrial level, including pesticide formulation development. In this study, the efficacy of five EOs obtained from O. decumbens, T. daenensis, S. sahendica, S. khuzistanica and S.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that is of great concern in the agroecosystem, because of its toxicity to plants and herbivores. Previous research has suggested that populations of herbivorous insects can be affected by Cd, via disrupting tri-trophic interactions comprising plants, herbivores, and predators. However, there is less understanding of the direct effects of dietary Cd on the life history

Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville eggs have become an important host for rearing Trichogramma and are the preferred host for mass production of Trichogramma dendrolimi Mausumura, a widely used natural enemy in pest control practices. However, the effects of fertilization of host eggs on their mass production remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated parasitism and biological parameters for T. dendrolimi

The egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura is one of the most widely used agents in sustainable crop protection to manage many lepidopteran pests in China, especially via inundative releases. It has been used as an important biocontrol agent in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for the control of the plum fruit moth Grapholitha funebrana Tr. However, accurate knowledge of the parasitoid’s

The White Peach Scale (WPS), Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) is one of the most damaging armored scale insects as it is a pest of various crops, including ornamental plants and fruit trees. In France, P. pentagona has become one of the main threats towards blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L.), especially in Burgundy, the Loire Valley and the Rhône-Alpes where the cultivation of blackcurrants

Arthropod biological control agents are at risk due to climate change, since heat stress negatively impacts their life history traits. Here, we investigated ontogenetic variation of thermal sensitivity in an important whitefly predator, Serangium japonicum Chapin (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). In particular, we evaluated the impact of heat shock on survival rate, development, and reproduction of S. japonicum

Vibrational pest management techniques involve the manipulation of the mating behaviour of the target species. Development of such techniques require a deep understanding of the pair formation process. Two types of bioassays were conducted to determine whether a vibrational disruptive approach could be used for Bactericera cockerelli. First, we conducted trials with either single individuals or pairs

The Nearctic leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus is known to be the main vector of Flavescence dorée phytoplasma (FDP), a serious disease of the grapevine in temperate European areas. Adult lifespan and oviposition rate were investigated under semi-natural conditions to assess potential fecundity of this species. Egg load was detected under field conditions in North Italy. Females lived longer than males

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, is one of the most important pests of corn crops in Northern China. From 2004 to 2015, a public financial support to biological control of the corn borer resulted in a significant increase in the cultivated area treated with Trichogramma dendrolimi parasitoid applications in corn field in the Jilin Province, in northeastern China. In the present study, we

The insect cuticle is a multifunctional shield providing shape stabilization and threat protection. It has a complex composition of cuticular components. Although cuticular melanization is essential and melanin spots are common for many insects, information about the connection between melanization and other cuticular components is limited. The ladybird Harmonia axyridis adults and pupae exhibit regular

Recent advances in insect-microbe interactions show that microbial associates can modulate the behaviors of their hosts, such as defensive or food choice behaviors. For phytophagous insects, host plant choice is of utmost importance, because most of them are specialized on a few plant species, which represent not only their food source but often their habitat and reproduction site. Therefore, identifying

This study deals with the effect of five constant temperatures (20, 25, 30, 32.5 and 35°C) on development, longevity, fecundity and survival of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) infesting white soft wheat flour. Temperature showed profound effects on immature development, and adult longevity. Egg hatching at 20°C took 13.58 d that is decreased to 3.26 d at 35°C. Larval developmental

The presence of weevils is a concerning problem surrounding stored rice that is not well controlled with available pesticides, and alternative solutions are demanded nowadays by industry. The introduction of natural enemies can be very effective in closed environments where the grain is stored. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the larval parasitoid, Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard)

Vibrational pest control techniques have been recently developed for several Hemiptera, suggesting that similar strategies could be applied to other species that emit vibrational signals. To evaluate the applicability of a control method for Philaenus spumarius, the vector of Xylella fastidiosa in olive orchards in Italy, we investigated its mating behavior and characterized the associated substrate-borne

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931), spotted wing drosophila (SWD), is one of the most serious pests of a wide range of soft-skinned fruit. After its arrival and spread in Europe, the number of insecticide applications to protect fruit increased. However, intensive use of insecticides poses serious concerns related to food safety issues, surge in pest resistance, and negative impacts on the environment

Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest which became a serious threat to stone and berry fruit production in Europe. Knowledge about the host range of this pest and the effect of the succession of available hosts over time is however lacking in vineyard landscapes. Our study aimed to evaluate the host range of D. suzukii throughout the year in a vineyard-dominated area. We assessed egg deposition and

In northern China, wheat aphids are widespread and pose serious threats to wheat crop yields. As parasitoids are important parasitic natural enemies of wheat aphids, their interactions with wheat aphids have received much attention. Traditional methods commonly cannot provide clear evidence of trophic links between primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids or multiparasitism. To overcome this problem

Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest which lays eggs in ripe fruits. Its short generation time, high fertility and wide host-range allow this species to cause important yield loss: from 40 to 100% in strawberries. Current chemical methods are not effective, and producers call for the development of biological alternatives. In this work, we aim at contributing to the development of a semiochemical-based

Aphids are one of the most challenging agricultural pests because they feed on many economic crops, and transmit pathogens including some plant viruses. The intimate associations between aphid and secondary bacterial symbionts are increasingly being recognised by significantly influencing host biology. However, related evidences, e.g., the relationship between the infected frequencies of symbionts

Non-crop plants are important for the fitness and abundance of coccinellids in conservation biological control. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of four frequently used non-crop plant species in habitat management, i.e., Vicia sativa (Fabaceae), Fagopyrum esculentum (Polygonaceae), Coriandrum sativum (Apiaceae) and Calendula officinalis (Asteraceae) on the longevity, prey consumption

Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) is an important natural enemy insect. Using fourth-instar larvae, we investigated whether changing temperature (5, 15 and 25°C) can enhance the cold tolerance of H. axyridis and determined optimal storage temperature conditions. Larvae were exposed to five altering temperature regimes:15/5 (15°C/12 h:5°C/24 h), 5/15/5 (5°C/12 h:15°C/12 h:5°C/24 h), 15/25/5 (15°C/12 h:25°C/12

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a serious pests of peach trees. It has traditionally been managed with insecticides, but social concerns on insecticides use claim for alternative control strategies. Aphids are attacked by many natural enemies, so the use of conservation biological control could be feasible. However, the existence of a wide array of natural

Plant invasions threaten global ecosystems and biodiversity. Climate warming greatly challenge the management of plant invasions by affecting plant-herbivore interactions. Plant volatiles are used as signals by herbivores to mediate interactions between plants and herbivores. However, it is unclear whether climate warming will affect the volatile emissions of invasive plants, and subsequently alter

Background: The integrated use of plant-derived volatile attractants and synthetic insecticides in attract-and-kill programs could provide a basis for selective and environmentally-acceptable pest management strategies with applicability for use against multiple pests. Ryanoid insecticide, chlorantraniliprole, has been found to present a potential for use in attract-and-kill strategies against the

The social environment (especially interactions with other conspecifics) experienced by animals is a key factor influencing their behaviour and even fitness. Traditionally intersexual interaction has been the main focus, whereas the costs of intrasexual interaction have not been adequately studied. In this study the influence of both intersexual and intrasexual interactions on the survival of both

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is the most damaging pest of olive crop in the main growing areas. The control of this pest is based on insecticides, but more sustainable strategies are needed to reduce negative impacts such as pesticide residues, development of insecticide resistance or effects on non-target organisms. In a three-year field study, the effectiveness

The presence of heterospecific neighbours can affect the amount of damage caused by insect pests to focal plants. However, how plant neighbours influence herbivore performance is poorly understood, in particular when they are closely related. We tested the independent and interactive effects of tree species identity and tree neighbour type (conspecific vs. heterospecific) on the performance of a major

As synthetic insecticides can have environmentally detrimental side effects, it is desirable to limit their use while still achieving good marketable yield. One approach is to apply pesticides only when needed, as determined by an action threshold (AT), defined as the number of pests per crop plant or damage intensity at which application is recommended. Another approach is to adopt alternative pesticides

In organisms, the energy allocated to different functions, such as between survival and reproduction, can vary according to biotic and/or abiotic constraints, resulting in trade-offs between associated life history traits. Life history strategies adopted by organisms depend notably on their position along the Capital-Income Breeder Continuum (CIBC). Resources invested into reproduction by pure capital

High plant biodiversity and landscape food provision stability is known to have a positive impact on biocontrol services provided by natural enemies. However, few studies have assessed how differential spatial and temporal crop richness actually impact biocontrol services, and notably how natural enemies may spill-over among crops. Within this framework, using a four-cage maze system under laboratory

Cicadas are prominent insects in the Mediterranean basin environments, including in olive orchards. The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited vector-borne plant pathogen that was introduced into southern Italy, causing significant losses of olive trees. Cicadas are xylem-sap feeders and potential vectors of X. fastidiosa; however, knowledge of their role in the transmission of this bacterium

The life table is a type of research tool that is frequently used in many studies involving population and community ecology. They are the basis for many comprehensive studies in pest management, pesticide resistance, predator-prey relationships, biological control, mass-rearing and harvesting of insects, plant resistance, etc. Because the morphology, physiology, survival, fecundity, and predation/consumption