The striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is one of the destructive generalists of water-oat Zizania latifolia and is difficult to control. Resistance monitoring and new pesticide screening require large quantities of the same instar larvae, which is very important to develop sound integrated pest management (IPM). Acute identification of larvae is crucial to mass screening larvae and improvement of breeding efficiency (especially by improving replacement rates of food residue and feces) is important to guarantee larval adequacy in the lab, and they are prerequisites to ensure accuracy of bioassay results. Therefore, the present study focuses on the larval morphology of C. suppressalis, and some differences found are promising diagnostic characters for separating 1^st to 6^th instar larvae: the head widths, body lengths, brindles on the pronotum, stripe shapes, pigmentations, black spots on the head capsule, crochets amounts, and arrangements on abdominal prolegs. Novel food residue and feces replacement substrates based on polycarbonate tubes were developed. The transfer rate and larval mortality rate were calculated to evaluate the performance of C. suppressalis larvae under different transfer substrates (i.e., polycarbonate tubes, hair brush, placing fresh pulps on the bottom of the residual pulps, pick off by forceps, docking bottleneck). Larvae transferred by the new substrates (i.e., polycarbonate tubes) showed the best performance among the substrates. These results indicated that larval C. suppressalis adapted well to the new substrates, and the substrates could serve as a viable alternative to traditional substrates for transfer. The acute identification and optimization of the breeding system for the C. suppressalis supplies a very important tool for pest management research.

Fipronil (coach) has shown toxic activity against numerous insects. We tested the biological and biochemical effects of fipronil (phenylpyrazole) against Spodoptera littoralis pupae. The toxicity of various coach insecticide concentrations (2, 4, 6 and 8%) against both unirradiated and irradiated full grown pupae of S. littoralis with substerilizing dose 100Gy was assessed using the pupae spraying technique. The findings demonstrated that as concentrations in either irradiated or unirradiated pupae increased, the percentage of treated pupae that emerged reduced. Male and female emergence and adult lifespans decreased as pesticide concentrations increased, and the lifespan of adults developed from irradiated pupae was less than that of unirradiated adults. To evaluate biological activity, males from treated pupae were mated with normal females. Four groups were organized; normal adults, male resulted from pupae treated with LC50, male resulted from 100Gy irradiated pupae and male resulted from treated and irradiated pupae. The least number of hatched larvae, larval duration and percent pupation were in the LC50 with irradiated pupae (100Gy) group. Biochemical study revealed that a highest significant catalase activity was found in the case of treatment at LC50 with irradiated pupae (100Gy). This was in contrast to glutathione-s-transeferase (GST) which showed significant decrease in the case of treatment with LC50 with irradiated pupae (100Gy). In general, the combination of gamma radiation and coach could be utilized as integrated program to control S. littoralis.

Ant-plant interactions are ever-green classics in the field of biotic interactions. Myrmecotrophy is an exemplary act of nutritional mutualism employed by myrmecophytic and non-myrmecophytic plants using ants as an alternative strategy of nutrient acquisition, especially in mineral-scare environments. Plants provide the symbiotic ants with food and specialized nesting cavities called domatia and the ants contribute to the plant′s nutrition through debris, carcasses, and organic matter deposits. Ants supply a notable number of macronutrients, including limiting nitrogen and carbon to plants as a byproduct. Mutualistic ants to leaf-cutting ants can facilitate nutrition cycling across the plant kingdom from ferns to huge trees. In addition to the riveting fact of an unusual association of carnivory and myrmecotrophy, fungi involved in tripartite mutualism, quantification of urea in ant feces and the foliar uptake of nutrients from ant droplets are discussed. Ultimately the role of tiny foragers extends from pest-managing insects to plant-nourishing insects in modern agriculture. However, nutrient transfer is not always involved in ant-plant interactions, and different ant species have varying nutritional effects on plants.

Sericulture is an agro-based industry that concentrates mainly on raising silkworms for the intent of producing silk. Apart from yielding lustrous silk fabrics, the industry generates a chain of by-products that can be utilized for realizing higher economic gains. Secondary products include unused mulberry leaves, root and wood biomass, mulberry fruits, mulberry plant waste, left over bedding material from rearing houses, larval litter or excrements, unused pupae, pierced and discarded cocoons, superseded cocoons and chrysalids, waste moths, reeling and thread wastes, etc. Processing of sericultural wastes and by-products can considerably elevate the income of farmers beyond the primary activity of producing silk cocoons and raw silk. The intermediates in the seri-farming enterprise can serve as biologically active resources with suitable applications in field of pharmaceutical, cosmetic industry, compost, vermicompost, organic fertilizers and plant growth regulators, paper and cellulose industry, textile manufacturing industries, organic food and confectionary industry and bioprospecting. Apart from serving as a plant with high phyto-remediation potential, by-products of mulberry cultivation, can be effectively managed to generate bio-fuels. Also, attempts to harness the nutraceutical aspects and dietary benefits of serigenous insects should be addressed to combat high-risk diseases as COVID-19. Thus, the present review focusses on diversification of seri-resources or by-products for multitude of uses to gain remuneration and tap the income generation potential of the sericultural sector broadening its sustainability.

Bark beetles feed and breed between the bark and the wood of various tree species. Pityophthorus micrographus (Curculionidae, Scolytinae), a small size Euro-Asian bark beetle species living in branches and twigs of fir and spruce trees, is most likely confused with P. pityographus. This misidentification leads to highly incorrect ecological conclusions dealing with occurrence and spreading in the scientific literature. In order to verify the range of P. micrographus in Central Europe, faunistic data on the occurrences of P. micrographus were obtained by compiling the first author′s distribution data, literature excerpts and physical specimens of beetles in museum collection. In Central Europe, P. micrographus has been documented in a total of 41 localities in six countries. However, since 2000, the species has only been detected in seven localities in three countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. This study revealed that P. micrographus is a boreal species whose range extends into native boreal forests in northern Poland. Furthermore, we show that the species occurs in southern Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia, either in natural spruce forests in the mountains or inversion sites with native or introduced spruce species.

Chlorfenapyr, a commonly used insecticide, poses significant ecological risks to non-target organisms such as the silkworm (Bombyx mori), vital for the sericulture industry. This study investigates the effects of various chlorfenapyr concentrations on silkworm rearing efficiency, mortality rates, and physiological performance. Laboratory bioassays were conducted to establish baseline susceptibility and determine the LC50 values through larval and leaf dip methods. Results demonstrated a consistent decline in the Effective Rate of Rearing (ERR) as chlorfenapyr concentration increased, from 96.24% in controls to 0.89% at 10 ppm. Mortality rates rose sharply, from 3.76% to 99.11%, with 0.01 to 10 ppm concentration of chlorfenapyr and LC50 (48.88% and 53.96%) reached between 0.3-0.4 ppm. Assessments revealed significant reductions in larval weight, cocoon weight, and silk productivity, indicating adverse impacts on silkworm development and silk yield. The findings highlight the critical need for sustainable pest management practices in sericulture to protect silkworm health and maintain productivity. This study emphasizes the necessity of reevaluating chlorfenapyr use in sericultural practices to mitigate its detrimental effects on vital ecological species.

This study aimed to reveal the relationship between the damage rate and the adult population of Cherry slugworm, Caliroa cerasi (L.) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), which is an important pest in sour cherry cultivation. Adult and pre-adult periods of the Cherry slugworm were the main materials used in this study. In addition, yellow sticky traps to attract adults, stereomicroscopes, and lancets were used. Studies were conducted in 11 orchards, including 6 orchards in Çayırlı district and 5 orchards in Central Erzincan district. The study results showed that there was a relationship between the damage rate of the Cherry slugworm and the adult population. In both years there was a very high and positive correlation (r = 0.99 - 0.943*, p = 0.01) and a linear relationship between mean damage rate and total adult density.

The toad bug, Gelastocoris oculatus (Fabricius, 1798), is reported for the first time from Connecticut and Minnesota, U.S.A. These records extend the known geographical distribution for the species. New data for multiple US states is also provided.

This study presents a preliminary checklist of spider species inhabiting Kumbalanghi Island, Kerala, India, and examines their diversity across residential and mangrove habitats over the course of a year from 2020 to 2021. A total of 80 spider species, distributed among 16 families and 52 genera, were documented. The dominant families were Araneidae and Salticidae, each comprising 15 species. Residential areas exhibited the highest species diversity, with 58 species spanning 45 genera and 15 families, while mangrove habitats harboured 41 species across 27 genera and 13 families. Spiders were categorized into six functional groups: orb weavers, foliage runners, ground runners, ambushers, space web builders and stalkers. For quantifying and comparing species diversity across both habitats, rarefaction and extrapolation (R/E) sampling curves were used and the frequencies of guilds were compared using Chi² test. The tranquil environment of the island, coupled with diverse niches such as mangroves, rice fields, and various plant communities, supports a relatively rich spider fauna. However, these habitats face significant threats from anthropogenic degradation. Thus, this study not only documents the spider diversity but also highlights the imminent challenges to island biodiversity and suggests potential conservation strategies for future protection efforts.

The tropical crane fly Atypophthalmus umbratus is gradually being mentioned in new locations around the world, but many aspects of the species′ biology remain unclear. In greenhouses of the Botanical Garden of P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia, Atypophthalmus umbratus probably occured since at least 2014 according to photo documentation, with the species identity confirmed by samples taken since 2018. More detailed data on 125 adults were obtained using various monitoring methods in the years 2014 – 2023. This fly, mostly rarely seen during the year, can occasionally be very numerous. Its abundance is probably related to the occurrence of predators, to the frequency of changing the substrate and to different regimes of biological or chemical control against pests, which is specific for individual greenhouses. Adult insects have been observed resting on flower pots or greenhouse surfaces, feeding on various plant or animal excreta, and being caught as prey by spiders or insectivorous plants. Despite previously published assumptions about the development of larvae among algae in the aquatic environment, some imagoes in this study were captured after rearing from soil substrate samples from potted plants. In two trials with capturing hatched imagoes, the counted ratios were 120 - 130 individuals per 1 m², or 630 - 1300 individuals per 1 m³ of substrate in flowerpots. The imagoes gradually flew out of from the substrate samples over the course of more than 3 months, so it seems that the preimaginal stages of A. umbratus can persist in the soil for a long time and can be easily transported, e.g. just with potted plants. Two larvae feeding on dead organic matter were directly observed. These records would explain the wide distribution of this species not only in the tropics and subtropics, but also the distant isolated occurrences in greenhouses at higher latitudes.

This study aimed to standardize a DNA extraction protocol for honey bees, assess molecular diversity using microsatellite markers, and evaluate morphological diversity in honey bees. The modified DNA extraction protocol was successful in isolating high-quality genomic DNA from different body parts of Apis species. This DNA was suitable for PCR-based applications, including microsatellite marker-based genetic analysis. Morphological examination of the honey bee species revealed distinct variations, enabling the identification of the three Apis species based on measured characters. We present a simplified and efficient DNA extraction protocol for honey bees, which is recommended for genomic and microsatellite analysis. Additionally, morphological diversity analysis provides a reliable method for species identification, contributing to the understanding of honey bee diversity.

The phoretic association between the pseudoscorpion species Lustrochernes minor and the fruit beetle Cotinis mutabilis is recorded for the first time, the small arachnids were found under the elytra of beetle. This phoretic association represents the first report for the family Scarabaeidae. Furthermore, this is the first documented occurrence of L. minor in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Photodynamic therapy uses photosensitizers that are activated by absorption of certain light wavelength resulting in generation of singlet oxygen (free radical) which are toxic to tissues and cells. The present study was performed to compare the efficacy of photodynamic action of alizarin against Spodoptera littoralis unirradiated and F1 irradiated larvae. Alizarin dye affected S. littoralis unirradiated larvae and F1 irradiated larvae but the effect was more pronounced in F1 irradiated larvae. Mortality exhibited a positive correlation to the concentration of photoactive dye. Carbon was the most abundant element in body tissue of untreated larvae and F1 larvae (both untreated and treated with LC50 alizarin). The least abundant element in the controls, larvae treated with LC50 and F1 larvae+LC50 alizarin was silicon, while in F1 larvae it was chloride (Cl). Therefore, it could be concluded that the combination of alizarin and gamma radiation caused lethal physiological disturbance in the larvae.

The indiscriminate use of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides in agriculture and sericulture has led to the development of resistance in Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm, posing challenges to silk production and agricultural sustainability. This review explores the complex resistance mechanisms employed by silkworms, including genetic adaptations, metabolic detoxification, and microbial symbiosis. Advances in high-throughput sequencing, such as microarrays and RNA-Seq, have identified key detoxification enzymes, gut microbial communities, and gene expression networks involved in resistance. The role of microbial symbionts in enhancing pesticide resistance through gut-mediated processes is discussed, along with the physiological and developmental impacts of sublethal exposure to newer insecticides like tolfenpyrad. The sequencing of the Bombyx mori genome has been a major milestone, revolutionizing research in genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology, and offering insights into gene regulation under pesticide stress. Future strategies to improve pesticide resistance may involve microbiota manipulation, genetic engineering, and sustainable pest control practices. These insights not only have implications for sericulture but also provide broader applications for management of other lepidopteran pests.

The first report of Schizotetranychus approximatus Ehara on Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. from Indian subcontinent is supplemented with additional description providing a female-based identification key to the Indian species of Schizotetranychus. Unique chaetotaxy of idiosoma and legs distinguish S. approximatus from other known species of the genus. The very long dorsocentral setae exceed the base of consecutive setae, while short dorsolaterals are nearly half the length of consecutive setal bases. Tarsi III and IV each with a unique long sensory seta as long as the duplex seta of other legs.

Apple trees are some of the most important and valuable fruit crops in the world. Production of this crop is threatened by a number of pests. Comstockaspis perniciosa (San Jose scale) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) is one of the most dangerous pests for apple trees. In this study, surveys were carried out in apple orchards in 21 municipalities in the state of Khenchela, Algeria between January 2020 and April 2024, and the collection of information from the database of the Khenchela Direction of Agricultural Services (DAS), in order to compare with surveys. We report the first presence of San Jose scale on apple tree in the state of Khenchela (Algeria). The results also show that out of 21 municipalities, 14 had an outbreak of C. perniciosa. The survey revealed three new outbreaks in three municipalities (Baghai, El Hamma (Bazgatou) and El Mahmal) compared to the results of the Khenchela Agricultural Services Direction. It is important to note that the distribution of the outbreaks were not influenced by altitude. No work has been done on the presence and actual distribution of C. perniciosa in the state of Khenchela.

Larvae of an undescribed gall midge species were found in association with an economically important ornamental plant, Gaillardia pulchella from Belagavi district, Karnataka, India. Morphological characters of this new gall midge species have been described and named as Dasineura basavannii Vasanthakumar and Udikeri sp. nov. A segment of the Cytochrome Oxidase unit I (COI) mitochondrial gene was also sequenced. Information on important taxonomic characters is highlighted in this study. Careful monitoring and timely reporting on this new gall midge species is necessary to avoid any future outbreak.

Oxyopes gyirongensis Hu & Li, 1987 is recorded for the first time from India based on specimens collected from Himachal Pradesh. A short morphological description and photographic illustrations of the female habitus and copulatory organs are provided along with the updated distribution map of the species.

In forensic entomology, researchers utilize insects to determine the time of death, cause and location. This firearm-related study focused on two main objectives. The primary aim was to evaluate the relationship between the number of shots and gunshot residue (GSR) concentrations detected in larvae feeding on firearm-shot meat samples using Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). We also aimed to investigate the effect of GSR on the weights and lengths of larvae during feeding with GSR-containing meat samples. A short-barreled gun and 9x19 mm Parabellum-type bullets were used to produce gunshot residue on meat samples. Twenty-four pieces of meat were classified into four groups including control samples (n=3) (GSR0; larval feeding without shot), GSR1 (n=7) (larval feeding with one shot), GSR2 (n=7) (larval feeding with two shots), and GSR3 (n=7) (larval feeding with three shots). Lucilia sericata eggs were put into the bullet holes and incubated at 28°C temperature for 72 hours. After the incubation period, the third-instar larvae samples were collected, and 10 larvae samples were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry to detect Sb, Ba, and Pb concentrations. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA) in R software. Comparative results showed 0.817, 0.854 and 0.886 correlation coefficients for Sb, Ba and Pb, respectively, and significant increases in Ba and Pb concentrations were detected in larvae, depending on the number of shots, while developmental changes on lengths and weights were insignificant except GSR3. Simultaneous detection of Sb, Ba and Pb in larvae found in a crime scene contributes to the interpretation of firearm cases by considering other uncertainties.