Understanding the dispersal ability of invasive insects provides useful insights for developing effective management strategies. Historically, methods for marking insects for dispersal studies have been expensive, time‐consuming, labor‐intensive, and oftentimes ineffective, especially for woodboring beetles. Also, capturing or rearing insects requires human handling, which can alter behavior. Protein

We previously described a putative aggregation pheromone in adults of the sugar beet root maggot, Tetanops myopaeformis (von Röder) (Diptera: Ulidiidae), comprising nine compounds identified from males. Here, we conducted a series of experiments aimed at simplifying the blend of compounds necessary to achieve attraction as well as determining the dose that maximizes captures when formulated into an

Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the main pest of olive trees (Olea europaea L.), causing major damages in olive crops. Improvement of mass rearing is a prerequisite for the successful development of large‐scale sterile insect technique (SIT) applications. This can be achieved through the enrichment of artificial diets with gut bacteria isolates. We assessed the efficiency of three

The impact of drought stress on tripartite plant‐pathogen‐vector interactions constitutes a complex and largely understudied field of plant‐insect interaction. A number of studies explored these topics using aphid vectors of plant pathogens, but few have considered the interactions between drought‐stressed plants and pathogen‐transmitting psyllids. The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc)

Area‐wide integrated pest management (IPM) strategies against tephritid fruit flies include the release of fruit fly parasitic wasps in the target area. Mass rearing of parasitic wasps is essential for the efficient application of biological control strategies. Enhancement of fruit fly host fitness through manipulation of their gut‐associated symbionts might also enhance the fitness of the produced

The African edible bush‐cricket, Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), is an economically valuable insect in sub‐Saharan Africa. For its mass‐rearing, suitable diets that can sustain its performance need to be identified. This study aimed at finding inflorescence diets of 10 host plant species and their mixtures that result in the highest R. differens production. We reared newly

The adaptation of insects to environmental changes can constitute a crucial factor in their development and activity. The response of Cabera pusaria L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) caterpillars to high manganese (Mn) concentrations in the diet was studied. Birch leaves were treated by dipping in MnCl2.4H2O solutions, thereby achieving Mn contents of 370 (T0), 695 (T1), 3 198 (T2), and 6 302 mg kg−1 (T3)

The green blowfly, Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is a cosmopolitan species of great medical, veterinary, and forensic importance. In addition, their larvae are among the most promising agents for the bioconversion of low‐quality biomass, such as organic waste, into sustainable and nutritionally valuable proteins for farmed fish and poultry. Despite the considerable medical and

Black soldier fly [BSF; Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)] larvae are very effective in transforming low‐grade food waste into valuable high‐end proteins and fat, in intensive production facilities. The production output of this species is growing quickly, but upscaling brings risks to the health status of the reared insects. Until now, not a single major case of disease outbreak caused

We have been able to maintain a continuous culture of Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on a fully defined artificial diet at Reading, UK, for over 30 years, without any return to plants. Following multiple requests from aphid researchers, here we provide the details of our culturing method. Detailed instructions are given for rearing M. persicae on the diet. An improved recipe is included as well

The use of food industry by‐products in insect feeds has gained increasing attention recently. However, the understanding of how well the economically valuable edible insect Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) can grow and develop with plant‐based by‐product feeds is currently lacking. It is important to determine the nutritional requirements, especially protein demand, of this

Pre‐release packing and chilling reduce host‐searching ability of the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata used in the augmentative control of tephritid flies – J. Cancino, D. Mazariegos, C. Pérez, A. Ayala, F. Díaz‐Fleischer, R. Leal‐Mubarqui & R. Angulo (https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.12xxx)

In hymenopterans, males are normally haploid (1n) and females diploid (2n), but individuals with divergent ploidy levels are frequently found. In species with 'complementary sex determination' (CSD), increasing numbers of diploid males that are often infertile or unviable arise from inbreeding, presenting a major impediment to biocontrol breeding. Non-CSD species, which are common in some parasitoid

Ethanol occurs naturally in the decaying fruit in which many species of Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) breed, potentially generating selection for resistance to its toxic and sedating effects. Studies measuring mortality of flies exposed to a range of ethanol concentrations have shown that within Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, populations from temperate regions are more ethanol resistant than

Performance and body composition of insect larvae depend on quality and quantity of their diet, and on biotic factors such as larval density. We investigated the effect of dietary nutrient concentration and larval rearing density on survival, development, growth, and protein and fat contents of larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Neonate larvae were

We review RNA interference (RNAi) of insect pests and its potential for implementing sterile insect technique (SIT)-related control. The molecular mechanisms that support RNAi in pest species are reviewed in detail, drawing on literature from a range of species including Drosophila melanogaster Meigen and Homo sapiens L. The underlying genes that enable RNAi are generally conserved across taxa, although

Feeding damage to seedling cotton and peanut inflicted by adult and immature thrips may result in stunted growth and delayed maturity. Furthermore, adult thrips can transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) to seedling peanut, which reduces plant growth and yield. The objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of inert particle films, calcium carbonate or kaolin, in combination with conservation

We investigated the environmental conditions that induce a flight response in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), including resource quality, temperature, relative humidity, and light. Over 72-h trial periods, we observed the proportion of individuals emigrating by flight to range from 0.0 in extreme heat or cold to 0.82 with starvation. Resource quality, presence

Behavioural responses of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a generalist, cell sap-feeding insect species with piercing-sucking mouthparts, after continuous exposure to two deterrent secondary plant compounds are investigated. We compared in choice assays on bean leaf discs, the settling, feeding, and oviposition preferences of F. occidentalis females that had no experience

Male sexual aggregations are a common territorial, mating-related or resource-based, behaviour observed in diverse organisms, including insects such as thrips. The influence of factors such as plant substrate, time of day, and geographic location on aggregation of thrips is uncertain, therefore we monitored the dispersion of male and female bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom)

Metabolomic analyses can reveal associations between an organism's metabolome and further aspects of its phenotypic state, an attractive prospect for many life-sciences researchers. The metabolomic approach has been employed in some, but not many, insect study systems, starting in 1990 with the evaluation of the metabolic effects of parasitism on moth larvae. Metabolomics has now been applied to a

The natural habitat of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is fermenting fruits, which can be rich in ethanol. For unknown reasons, temperate populations of this cosmopolitan species have higher ethanol resistance than tropical populations. To determine whether this difference is accompanied by a parallel difference in preference for ethanol, we compared two European and two tropical

The rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Carpocorini), though graminaceous, discriminates among its numerous host grass species. This could represent a feeding preference, it could be related to host suitability for growth and development. To clarify the role of host grass discrimination, two laboratory studies were conducted: (1) free-choice tests to evaluate preferences

Feeding and oviposition deterrence of three secondary plant compounds and their 1:1 blends to adult female Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and the potential for habituation of the thrips to the pure compounds and the 1:1 blends at various concentrations were investigated. In choice assays, we tested dose-dependent feeding and oviposition deterrence of the two fatty acid

Transmission plays an integral part in the intimate relationship between a host insect and its pathogen that can be altered by abiotic or biotic factors. The latter include other pathogens, parasitoids, or predators. Ants are important species in food webs that act on various levels in a community structure. Their social behavior allows them to prey on and transport larger prey, or they can dismember

Injuries frequently accumulate with age in nature. Despite the commonality of injury and the resulting impairment, there are limited experimental data for the effects of impairment on life history trade-offs between reproduction and survival in insects. We tested the effects of artificial injury and the resulting impairment on the reproductive costs and behavior of male medflies, Ceratitis capitata

Plant phenolics are generally thought to play significant roles in plant defense against herbivores and pathogens. Many plant taxa, including Solanaceae, are rich in phenolic compounds and some insect herbivores have been shown to acquire phenolics from their hosts to use them as protection against their natural enemies. Here we demonstrate that larvae of an insect specialist on Solanaceae, the tobacco

Reproductive data of individual insects are extremely hard to collect under natural conditions, thus the study of research questions related to oviposition has not advanced. Patterns of oviposition are often inferred only indirectly, through monitoring of host infestation, whereas the influence of age structure and several other factors on oviposition remains unknown. Using a new approach, in this

In natural systems, pre-adult stages of some insect herbivores are known to be attacked by several species of parasitoids. Under certain conditions, hosts may be simultaneously parasitised by more than one parasitoid species (= multiparasitism), even though only one parasitoid species can successfully develop in an individual host. Here, we compared development, survival, and intrinsic competitive

Fruit-feeding butterflies are among the longest lived Lepidoptera. While the use of pollen-derived amino acids by Heliconius butterflies has been interpreted as important for the evolution of extended lifespans, very little is known about the life-history consequences of frugivory. This issue is addressed by investigating effects of four adult diets (sugar, sugar with amino acids, banana, and moistened

Insect populations may differ in several life history traits, including behavioural ones such as sexual signalling. We tested whether male Mediterranean fruit fly (medlfy), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), populations obtained from geographically isolated areas exhibit differences in quantitative and qualitative aspects of male sexual signalling. Male sexual signalling was studied

Though traps are used widely to sample phytophagous insects for research or management purposes, and recently in aging research, possible bias stemming from differential response of individuals of various ages to traps has never been examined. In this paper, we tested the response of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) males and females of four ages (spanning from 1 to 40 days) to