Trap crops are used for pulling the pest load from the main crops toward themselves. Here, we report a switching by a polyphagous pest, Spodoptera litura, from trap crop castor to main crop eggplant during its mid-larval development. In the eggplant–castor mixed field, adults oviposit exclusively on castor. However, 3rd and 4th instar castor-grown larvae migrate to eggplants. Host choice assays for

Larval frass in herbivorous lepidopterans is mainly composed of plant-derived material and microbes from the gut. Despite the fact that frass from conspecific larvae repels female moths in Spodoptera littoralis from oviposition, the role of frass volatiles on larval foraging behavior is largely unknown. Here, we show that larvae of S. littoralis walk upwind to larval frass volatiles in a wind tunnel

Despite of the efficacy of heteropteran predators in biological control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), the high costs of their production due to the use of expensive factitious prey limit their wider use. Therefore, studies on their adaptability against fluctuations of prey supply may offer valuable inputs for optimal use of prey in their rearing. Here, we present a detailed

Halyomorpha halys is an Asian pentatomid that has recently invaded several countries worldwide, where it has become a severe pest. Classical biological control focused on the scelionid egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus appears to be the most promising long-term solution. However, non-target risks need to be included in cost/benefit analyses. Physiological host range tests were conducted by offering

Detecting the number of invasions is crucial to understanding the process of invasion and perhaps the success of some invasive pest species. Detecting multiple invasions can be difficult using partial mitochondrial COI, however, due to lack of variation. To examine the post-invasion history of Bemisia argentifolii (also called B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 and B biotype) in Australia and test

Carlina acaulis root essential oil (EO) is one of the most potent mosquito larvicides (LC50 < 2 ppm). This EO is mainly composed of carlina oxide (> 90%). Poor water solubility and rapid degradation from UV light and oxygen in the environment limit the real-world use of this EO. Herein, we developed nanocarrier-based formulations, namely micro- and nanoemulsions (ME and NE, respectively) containing

Unlike fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms, lanternflies (Insecta: Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) do not produce visible (400–700 nm) lights as their common name might suggest. However, they can be captured by thermal cameras at long wavelength infrared (8–14 μm). In this study, we tested infrared thermography as an innovative way to detect spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), a newly discovered

The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia is being developed as a tool to suppress mosquito populations and their transmitted pathogens, with successful field trials in multiple countries having resulted in efforts to scale up the capacity to mass-produce mosquitoes for release. However, major challenges exist to achieving this goal, including concerns that mass-reared mosquitoes will adapt to laboratory

The whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) complex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are serious agricultural pests that cause severe losses to vegetable, ornamental and fiber crops, including potato plants, mainly as a vector of economically important viruses. Among the most important viruses affecting potato is tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) (Closteroviridae: Crinivirus), which is semi-persistently transmitted

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is one of the most successful invasive pest ants in the world. We evaluated ylang ylang oil, an essential oil of fragrant yellow flowers of the tree, Cananga odorata, in our effort to search for attractants and repellants for S. invicta management. The results showed that ylang ylang oil elicited clear dose dependent EAG (electroantennography) responses

The invasive pest fall armyworm (FAW) has posed significant threats to Chinese agriculture since first reported in 2019, but it is still unclear exactly how the magnitude and distribution of threats vary between Chinese provinces. Here, we calculated the total potential cost of FAW to each of 31 Chinese provinces and identified the provinces posing the greatest threat to the rest of China. We found

The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, is an insect pest of soft-skinned fruit, native to Eastern Asia. Since 2008, a world-wide dispersal of D. suzukii is seen, characterized by the establishment of the pest in many Asian, American and European countries. While the potential for invasion of continental Africa by D. suzukii has been predicted, its presence has only been shown for

Native to the northeast USA, highbush blueberry is a crop domesticated for close to 100 years and that has been selected mainly for high yields and bigger fruit. We hypothesized that, due to domestication and associated agronomic selection (i.e., cultivation practices), cultivated blueberries differ from their wild ancestors in fruit volatile emissions, affecting the response of a frugivorous pest

Long-lasting insecticide-treated netting (LLIN) has begun to be used in agricultural product protection. We investigated the effect of a deltamethrin-incorporated LLIN on three stored product insects, red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), and rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.). Long-distance repellency was assessed in a wind tunnel for adults

In a globalized world, parasites are often brought in contact with new potential hosts. When parasites successfully shift host, severe diseases can emerge at a large cost to society. However, the evolutionary processes leading to successful shifts are rarely understood, hindering risk assessment, prevention, or mitigation of their effects. Here, we screened populations of Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic

Host detection and parasitism by egg parasitoids involve host chemical recognition, spatial overlapping, and the ability to overcome physical barriers. Within the context of importation biological control, we examined the potential of Gryon gonikopalense (Hym.: Scelionidae), against the stinkbug pest, Bagrada hilaris (Hem.: Pentatomidae). Bagrada is invasive in the Americas where it negatively impacts

The utilization of the most prevalent endosymbionts Wolbachia spp. to tackle insect-borne viral diseases is growing rapidly. Understanding how and how often Wolbachia establish in a local population is fundamental to replacement releases but remains unclear. Previous models make the prediction of poor performance of Wolbachia at low frequencies that contradicts the natural ubiquity of those endosymbionts

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) have a repertoire of defensive behaviors against insect predators and parasitoids that includes kicking, twitching, walking away and dropping off the plant. These defensive responses, which are most effective when aphids receive early warning of an approaching predator, are often initiated before the predator reaches the aphid. Although described before, the process of

There is increasing concern about the toxic effects of chemical pesticides on human health and the environment. Many alternatives, however, are viewed as impracticable or inefficient for agricultural needs. Here, a sustainable, environmentally friendly strategy was designed for the control of major rice insect pests (i.e. Nilaparvata lugens, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis and Chilo suppressalis) with minimal

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) attacks apparently healthy trees, and more effective tools for surveying and monitoring them are needed. To better understand how the beetle recognizes and locates its hosts, we compared adult feeding on and orientation to cut branches of Acer negundo (a preferred host), Salix matsudana, Ailanthus altissima and Pinus bungeana, and found that adults

Many rodent-borne pathogens can be transmitted via their ectoparasites to humans and can cause severe zoonotic diseases (e.g. plague, tick-borne encephalitis, typhus). Managing relevant ectoparasites in rodents may reduce human infection risk. The purpose of this laboratory study was to screen potential insecticides for their palatability to commensal rat species and their efficacy against fleas and

Managed honey bees have suffered severe seasonal losses for most of the past 30 years, while at the same time there is a growing need for food crop pollination. Parasitism by Varroa destructor plays a key role in explaining these losses as this parasite directly damages honey bees by feeding on them and by vectoring an array of viruses while doing so. Pyrethroids like tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin

The use of entomopathogenic fungi for pest control is gaining increasing attention. These fungi act as contact biological insecticides but also via endophytic colonization of targeted crops. In addition, the joint use of entomopathogenic fungi and natural enemies hold potential in many pest control programs. Here, we evaluated in vitro and in planta multitrophic interactions among the endophytic fungus

The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicatus (Eichhoff), is an ambrosia beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) infesting avocado branches Persea americana Mill. in North America, South Africa and Israel. Field experiments were conducted with attractive quercivorol traps and repellents on trees to develop push–pull control methods. PSHBs were collected over the summer from multiple-funnel

The current study investigates the fitness cost associated with phosphine resistance in the rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), a problematic pest in the stored commodities that has developed strong resistance to fumigant phosphine. Three characterised insect strains: the susceptible (Ref-S), the strongly resistant (Ref-R), the introgressed resistant (Intro-R) and a segregating

The Vip3A, a vegetative Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene, has been introduced into many Cry maize and cotton varieties that can manage the recently occurred Cry1/Cry2 resistance in Noctuidae pests including Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) in the USA. A seed blend refuge has been used for providing susceptible insect populations for Bt maize resistance management. Four field trials were deployed in this study

Recently, resistance to diamide insecticides has been reported in various lepidopteran pests, including Spodoptera exigua. Six field populations and a local population were tested, and results revealed high levels of diamide resistance. We selected a diamide-resistant strain, showing LC50 values 28,950- and 135,286-fold higher than those of a susceptible strain against chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide

Climate is a critical factor considered in predicting the potential distributions of species. However, the distribution of susceptible host plants is another important constraint in retrospective and predictive analyses of invasive insect pests, particularly for wood-boring insects. In the present study, we first modeled the geographic distribution of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis

Invasive alien species have environmental, economic and social impacts, disproportionally threatening livelihood and food security of smallholder farmers in low- and medium-income countries. Fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive insect pest from the Americas, causes considerable losses on maize to smallholder farmers in Africa since 2016. The increased use of pesticides to control

The vine mealybug (VMB), Planococcus ficus, is a major grapevine pest worldwide, whose chemical control is often unsatisfactory due to its cryptic behavior, insecticide resistance and high fecundity rate. Recently, increasing restrictions have been applied to insecticides used for managing VMB. This review discusses sustainable VMB management strategies in organic viticulture. Pheromone-mediated mating

The cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae is a notorious agricultural pest that specializes on plants of the Brassicaceae family, which are chemically defended by glucosinolates. By sequestering glucosinolates from its host plants and producing its own activating enzyme (myrosinase), this aphid employs a self-defense system against enemies paralleling that in plants. However, we know little about the

Longhorn beetles are commonly moved among continents within wood packaging materials used in trades. Visual inspections carried out at points of entry often fail to detect exotic longhorn beetles as infested materials may have little or no sign of colonization. Black-colored traps baited with pheromones and host volatiles are thus used to improve chances of detection. Here we tested whether existing

Integrated pest management relies on insect pest monitoring to support the decision of counteracting a given level of infestation and to select the adequate control method. The classic monitoring approach of insect pests is based on placing in single infested areas a series of traps that are checked by human operators on a temporal basis. This strategy requires high labor cost and provides poor spatial

Introduced biological control agents are used to suppress populations and reduce the damage caused by many exotic herbivorous insects in New Zealand pasture. Understanding the dispersal behaviour of a recently introduced biocontrol agent in its new environment is important as it helps biocontrol practitioners make decisions on the number and location of future releases. In this study, a monitoring

Formula, Equation 2 and the table 3 are published incorrectly in the original publication of the article. The correct version of the article is given below

Irradiated Queensland fruit flies (Bactrocera tryoni) used in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programmes are marked with fluorescent dyes to distinguish them from wild flies when recaptured in monitoring traps. However, coating sterile pupae with powdered dyes can reduce emergence rates and fly quality and can sometimes produce insufficiently certain discrimination through inadequate coating or because

Niche separation between competing species is a central issue in ecology. As two of the most important pests worldwide of cereal production, Rhopalosiphum padi primarily dominates stems and basal leaves of wheat plants, whereas Sitobion avenae is common on the upper leaves and ears. Here, we investigated this microniche separation by considering effects of food resources and microclimates on the behavior

Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) of insect growth and development is a promising measure for pest control in practice; the feasibility of disarming insect detoxification of toxic phytochemicals via HIGS of insect detoxification enzymes remains largely unexplored. In this study, a HIGS system was applied to interfere with glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene expression in brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata

Tuta absoluta is a devastating invasive pest worldwide, causing severe damage to the global tomato industry. It has been recorded recently in the northwestern border areas of China, posing a significant threat to tomato production. It was presumed that the region's winter-related low temperatures would avert the alien species from successfully overwintering. In this study, the supercooling capacity

Resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides in Norway rats has been primarily explained by selection on the mutations in the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (Vkorc1) gene. Whether warfarin resistance can be induced independent of Vkorc1 mutations and its role in the acquirement of warfarin resistance is unclear. In this study, we screened susceptible Norway rats with a sublethal dose of

Sweetpotato weevil (SPW) pest management is challenging because the pest target is sub-terranean, so the application of pesticides is impractical and usually ineffective. Host plant resistance and the genetic transformation of sweetpotatoes to produce entomotoxic Bt proteins offer potential for environmentally benign pest control. Resistance can be conferred by naturally occurring hydroxycinnamic acids

The pollen beetle Brassicogethes aeneus is a serious pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in Europe. Management of this pest has grown difficult due to B. aeneus’s development of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, as well as the pressure to establish control strategies that minimise the impact on nontarget organisms. RNA interference represents a nucleotide sequence-based, and thus potentially

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a migratory polyphagous pest that causes major damage to economically important cultivated grasses, such as corn. Native to the neotropics in America but recently reported as an invasive pest in Africa and Asia, FAW imposes a serious threat to food security and sustainable crop productivity due to lack of effective management. In this study, the introduction

Symbionts participate in various physiological activities of their insect hosts, including detoxification metabolism. Emerging evidence has revealed that the bacterial symbiont Arsenophonus is involved in insecticide detoxification metabolism of Nilaparvata lugens, which harbors diverse symbionts. However, it is still unknown whether other bacterial symbionts have a functional role in this process

The spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, is an invasive pest causing significant damage to soft skinned fruits. Control of D. suzukii is critical since there is no tolerance for infested fruit in the market. While most insecticides control one or more D. suzukii life-stages (e.g., egg, larvae, and adult), the impact of insecticides that are toxic to immature stages is unclear on the

Unfortunately, the incorrect copyright was published in the original publication of the article.

In many protected crops, augmentative biological control heavily relies on generalist predators, which continuous presence on the crop allows an early response to pest immigration and outbreaks. Persistence is possible by their ability to feed on alternative food, such as pollen, plant-provided or artificially supplemented. However, fitness is decreased when feeding on alternative foods, hindering

Thrips palmi (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important pest of vegetables, ornamentals, and legumes worldwide. Besides damage caused by feeding, it transmits several tospoviruses. Identification of T. palmi at an early stage is crucial in implementing appropriate pest management strategies. Morpho-taxonomic identification of T. palmi based on the adult stage is time-consuming and needs taxonomic expertise

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta, (SATP) is now a devastating pest worldwide of crops in the family Solanaceae. Most prior studies of SATP’s thermal biology were based on populations from tropical regions, and proved unsuitable for explaining its invasion of large areas of the Palearctic. A more holistic approach to the analysis of its thermal biology is essential background for developing

The presence of Sophonia orientalis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in mainland Portugal is reported here for the first time. Previous reports of S. orientalis in mainland Europe include only three detections in the Iberian Peninsula (Gibraltar, Andalusia and Catalonia). Species identification was confirmed both by morphological analysis of male genitalia and molecular analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome

Endosymbiotic association is frequent in insects, and endosymbionts influence a range of biological processes in these organisms. The endosymbiont–insect association and interdependence allegedly result from random selection where ecological trade-offs take place and usually differ between the involved species. Insect behavior is potentially affected by this association, but the focus in such studies

A sound IPM management for false codling moth (FCM), Thaumatotibia leucotreta, a devastating pest threatening horticultural production in Africa, is urgently needed. The compatibility of the dry conidia of virulent fungal isolate, Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 with FCM sex pheromone (Crytrack®) in the autoinoculation was assessed. The effect of the pheromone on the conidial germination was monitored

Flower strips can play an important role in agro-ecosystems by supporting populations of pests’ natural enemies, thereby enhancing biological control. However, few studies have considered enhancing habitat for natural enemies around greenhouses. We conducted a two-year field experiment to (i) identify potential flowering species enhancing natural enemy populations but not pest populations; and (ii)

The virulence factors (VF) that parasitoids use to regulate the growth and development of their hosts have potential as new events in transgenic plants. VFs are promising candidates for biotechnological exploitation and implementation of pest-control tools to meet the world’s demand for food in 2100, while sustainably increasing agricultural production. However, VFs have not been used in commercial

Abstract Xyleborine ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae: Xyleborini) are among the most important and destructive pests in forests, tree nurseries and plantations worldwide. Their cryptic lifestyle, fungal mutualism, inbreeding and broad host range have predisposed them to become remarkably successful invaders and colonize novel habitats across the world. The black timber bark beetle, Xylosandrus

Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) is a notorious pest in most rice-producing regions of Asia, and evidence of resistance of S. furcifera to various insecticides has been documented in many areas. Given that the risk of insecticide resistance has spread, prospective monitoring should be expedited. Diagnostic tools for the rapid and accurate assessment of insecticide resistance are urgently needed to implement

The rice striped stem borer (SSB), Chilo suppressalis Walker, and the rice yellow stem borer (YSB), Scirpophaga incertulas Walker, are two of the most damaging pests of rice plant, whose relative crop damage has changed in recent years. Here, we carried out experiments and surveys to understand the potential impact of field flooding on populations of these species. YSB had a consistently higher mortality

The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive pest native to Asia that has recently invaded Europe and the Americas. This pest can seriously compromise fruit production in infested crops and has a remarkable ability to invade new areas with a diverse range of environments. We report for the first time D. suzukii infestations in African crops. We

The Mediterranean basin thrives in native plant species are able to produce numerous derivatives that can be used for insect pest control. This article provides an up-to-date overview of the most important native plant species commonly found in this region that have a certain insecticidal value in vegetable crops. Regarding the insecticidal activity of extracts from selected native species, results