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Due to the strong nonlinearity and large torque ripple of switched reluctance motor, a cascaded fractional order PID sliding mode control system is designed. Considering the difficulty of parameter adjustment caused by the complexity of the system, the optimization technology using dung beetle optimizer is introduced to optimize the designed cascaded controller and control the speed and torque ripple. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed cascaded controller, a control model is built in MATLAB/Simulink, and compared with whale optimization algorithm, particle swarm optimization, sparrow search algorithm to verify the response effect of the cascaded controller. A cascaded double PID controller is also built for comparison to verify the effectiveness of fractional order PID sliding mode controller. The results show that the cascaded fractional order PID sliding mode controller optimized by dung beetle optimizer is better than another cascaded double PID controller, produces the minimum torque ripple, and has better speed response and stability. The torque ripple of motor is suppressed. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dung beetle primarily feeds on the feces of herbivorous animals and play a crucial role in ecological processes like material cycles and soil improvement. This study aims to explore the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota of Catharsius molossus (a renowned dung beetle originating from China and introduced to multiple countries for its ecological value) and exploring whether these gut microbes are transmitted vertically across generations. Using 16S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequencing techniques, we described the diversity and composition of gut microbes in C. molossus from different localities and different developmental stages (Egg, young larvae and old larvae). We discovered that the diversity of gut microbiota of dung beetles varied obviously among different geographical localities and different developmental stages, and we also discussed the potential influencing factors. Interestingly, the microbial community structure within the brood balls is more similar to male dung beetle than to that of females, which is consistent with the observation that the brood ball is constructed by the male dung beetle, with the female laying egg in it at the final step. This unique breeding method facilitates offspring in inheriting microbial communities from both the mother and the father. Initially, the larvae's gut microbiota closely mirrors that of the parental gift in these brood balls. As larvae grow, significant changes occur in their gut microbiota, including an increase in symbiotic bacteria like Lactococcus and Enterococcus. Analysis of the gut bacteria of adult dung beetles across various localities and different developmental stages identified nine core genera in adults, contributing to 67.80% of the total microbial abundance, and 11 core genera in beetles at different developmental stages, accounting for 49.13% of the total. Notably, seven genera were common between these two core groups. Our results suggest that Parental gifts can play a role in the vertical transmission of microbes, and the abundance of probiotics increases with larval development, supporting the hypothesis that "larval feeding behavior occurs in two stages: larvae first feed on parental gifts to acquire necessary microbes, then enrich symbiotic microbiota through consuming their own feces." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movement plays a crucial role in animal behavior. However, despite the prevalence of uneven terrains in nature, many movement studies are conducted in arenas with smooth substrates. This discrepancy raises questions about the ecological validity of such experiments. To address this gap, we investigated the effect of rough substrates on movement properties using the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) as a model organism. Our findings revealed significant variations in movement behavior between rough and smooth substrates. Notably, beetles traveled longer distances on smooth surfaces compared to sandpaper and loose sand. Moreover, variations in step size were influenced by substrate treatment, with the highest values observed on sand and sandpaper treatments. The proportion of time spent standing still also showed sensitivity to substrate conditions. The interaction between substrate properties and beetle sex further influenced several movement properties. Even the spatial configuration of rough and smooth areas in the arena had an impact on beetle movement, with areas along the arena perimeter exhibiting a stronger effect. These results highlight the impact of uneven terrain on beetle movement, underscoring the importance of considering environmental conditions when designing experimental setups. Here, this refers to the substrate on which animals move, but it may refer to other conditions, such as the test arena size and shape, temperature, humidity, and illumination. Failure to account for these background environmental conditions may result in inadvertently examining the interaction of the tested animals with these conditions, rather than focusing on the effect of the treatments applied in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Notomicrus traili species group (Coleoptera: Noteridae) is a lineage of aquatic beetles distributed throughout South America and extends into Mexico and the West Indies. Previous research has revealed a species complex within this group, with multiple distinct clades sharing overlapping distributions and lineages attributed to N. traili and the closely related Notomicrus gracilipes recovered as polyphyletic. Here, we perform targeted capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to examine relationships and patterns of evolution within the N. traili group. First, we use short‐read whole‐genome sequencing of four noterid genera to design a noterid‐specific UCE probe set (Noteridae 3.4Kv1) targeting over 3400 unique loci. Using this probe set, we capture UCE data from population‐level sampling of 44 traili group specimens from across the Neotropics, with an emphasis on the Guiana Shield where distributions of several putative N. traili group populations overlap. We subject the resulting data matrix to various trimming and data completeness treatments and reconstruct the phylogeny with both concatenated maximum likelihood and coalescent congruent methods. We recover robust phylogenetic estimates that identify several phylogenetically distinct clades within the traili group that share overlapping distributions. To test for the genetic distinctiveness of populations, we extract single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from UCE alignments using a chimeric reference method to map UCE‐enriched reads and examine patterns of genetic clustering using principal component analyses (PCAs) and STRUCTURE. Population genetic results are highly concordant with recovered phylogenetic structure, revealing a high degree of co‐ancestry shared within identified clades, contrasting with limited ancestry sharing between clades. We recover a pattern consistent with repeated diversification and dispersal of the traili group in the Neotropics, highlighting the efficacy of a tailored UCE approach for facilitating shallow‐scale phylogenetic reconstructions and population genetic analyses, which can reveal novel aspects of coleopteran phylogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes the use of a leader white shark optimizer (LWSO) with the aim of improving the exploitation of the conventional white shark optimizer (WSO) and solving the economic operation-based load dispatch (ELD) problem. The ELD problem is a crucial aspect of power system operation, involving the allocation of power generation resources to meet the demand while minimizing operational costs. The proposed approach aims to enhance the performance and efficiency of the WSO by introducing a leadership mechanism within the optimization process, which aids in more effectively navigating the complex ELD solution space. The LWSO achieves increased exploitation by utilizing a leader-based mutation selection throughout each generation of white sharks. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm is tested on 13 engineer benchmarks non-convex optimization problems from CEC 2020 and compared with recent metaheuristic algorithms such as dung beetle optimizer (DBO), conventional WSO, fox optimizer (FOX), and moth-flame optimization (MFO) algorithms. The LWSO is also used to address the ELD problem in different case studies (6 units, 10 units, 11 units, and 40 units), with 20 separate runs using the proposed LWSO and other competitive algorithms being statistically assessed to demonstrate its effectiveness. The results show that the LWSO outperforms other metaheuristic algorithms, achieving the best solution for the benchmarks and the minimum fuel cost for the ELD problem. Additionally, statistical tests are conducted to validate the competitiveness of the LWSO algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We investigated the mining mode of insect feeding, involving larval consumption of a plant's internal tissues, from the Middle Jurassic (165 million years ago) Daohugou locality of Northeastern China. Documentation of mining from the Jurassic Period is virtually unknown, and results from this time interval would address mining evolution during the temporal gap of mine–seed plant diversifications from the previous Late Triassic to the subsequent Early Cretaceous.Plant fossils were examined with standard microscopic procedures for herbivory and used the standard functional feeding group–damage‐type system of categorizing damage. All fossil mines were photographed and databased.We examined 2014 plant specimens, of which 27 occurrences on 14 specimens resulted in eight, new, mine damage types (DTs) present on six genera of bennettitalean, ginkgoalean, and pinalean gymnosperms.Three conclusions emerge from this study. First, these mid‐Mesozoic mines are morphologically conservative and track plant host anatomical structure rather than plant phylogeny. Second, likely insect fabricators of these mines were three basal lineages of polyphagan beetles, four basal lineages of monotrysian moths, and a basal lineage tenthredinoid sawflies. Third, the nutrition hypothesis, indicating that miners had greater access to nutritious, inner tissues of new plant lineages, best explains mine evolution during the mid‐Mesozoic. See also the Commentary on this article by McLoughlin & Santos, 242: 2391–2393. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial invertebrates are highly important for the decomposition of dung from large mammals. Mammal dung has been present in many of Earth's ecosystems for millions of years, enabling the evolution of a broad diversity of dung‐associated invertebrates that process various components of the dung. Today, large herbivorous mammals are increasingly introduced to ecosystems with the aim of restoring the ecological functions formerly provided by their extinct counterparts. However, we still know little about the ecosystem functions and nutrient flows in these rewilded ecosystems, including the dynamics of dung decomposition. In fact, the succession of insect communities in dung is an area of limited research attention also outside a rewilding context. In this study, we use environmental DNA metabarcoding of dung from rewilded Galloway cattle in an experimental set‐up to investigate invertebrate communities and functional dynamics over a time span of 53 days, starting from the time of deposition. We find a strong signal of successional change in community composition, including for the species that are directly dependent on dung as a resource. While several of these species were detected consistently across the sampling period, others appeared confined to either early or late successional stages. We believe that this is indicative of evolutionary adaptation to a highly dynamic resource, with species showing niche partitioning on a temporal scale. However, our results show consistently high species diversity within the functional groups that are directly dependent on dung. Our findings of such redundancy suggest functional stability of the dung‐associated invertebrate community, with several species ready to fill vacant niches if other species disappear. Importantly, this might also buffer the ecosystem functions related to dung decomposition against environmental change. Interestingly, alpha diversity peaked after approximately 20–25 days in both meadow and pasture habitats, and did not decrease substantially during the experimental period, probably due to preservation of eDNA in the dung after the disappearance of visiting invertebrates, and from detection of tissue remains and cryptic life stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Tree hollows support a specialised species‐rich fauna. We review the habitat requirements of saproxylic (= deadwood dependent) invertebrates which occupy tree hollows. We focus on studies quantifying relationships between species occurrence patterns and characteristics of tree hollows, hollow trees, and the surrounding landscape. We also explore the processes influencing species occurrence patterns by reviewing studies on the spatio‐temporal dynamics of populations, including their dispersal and genetic structure. Our literature search in the database Scopus identified 52 relevant publications, all of which were studies from Europe. The dominant taxonomic group studied was beetles. Invertebrates in hollow trees were often more likely to be recorded in trees with characteristics reflecting a large amount of resources or a stable and warm microclimate, such as a large diameter, large amounts of wood mould (= loose material accumulated in the hollows mainly consisting of decaying wood), a high level of sun exposure, and with entrance holes that are large and either at a low or high height, and in dry hollows, with entrances not directed upwards. A stable microclimate is probably a key factor why some species of saproxylic invertebrates are confined to tree hollows. Other factors that are different in comparison to downed dead wood is the fact that hollows at a given height from the ground provide shelter from ground‐living predators, that hollows persist for longer, and that the content of nutrients might be enhanced by the accumulation of dead leaves, insect frass, and remains from dead insects. Several studies have identified a positive relationship between species occupancy per tree and the amount of habitat in the surrounding landscape, with a variation in the spatial scale at which characteristics of the surrounding landscape had the strongest effect over spatial scales from 200 to 3000 m. We found empirical support for the extinction threshold hypothesis, which predicts that the frequency of species presence per tree is greater if a certain number of trees are aggregated into a few large clusters of hollow trees rather than distributed among many small clusters. Observed thresholds in species occurrence patterns can be explained by colonisation–extinction dynamics, with species occupancy per tree influenced by variation in rates of immigration. Consistent with this assumption, field studies suggest that dispersal rate and range can be low for invertebrates occupying tree hollows, although higher in a warmer climate. For one species in which population dynamics has been studied over 25 years (Osmoderma eremita), the observed population dynamics have characteristics of a “habitat‐tracking metapopulation”, as local extinctions from trees occur possibly because those trees become unsuitable as well as due to stochastic processes in small populations. The persistence of invertebrate fauna confined to tree hollows may be improved by prolonging the standing life of existing hollow trees. It is also important to recruit new generations of hollow trees, preferably close to existing larger groups of hollow trees. Thus, the spatio‐temporal dynamics of hollow trees is crucial for the invertebrate fauna that rely upon them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration of edible insects as sustainable alternative nutrient-dense sources such as nutraceuticals have attracted more and more global attention recently. However, research on wood borer beetles have largely been overlooked. This study assessed the entomo-chemical properties of Titoceres jaspideus (Cerambycidae) and Passalus punctiger (Passalidae), which are widely consumed in many African countries, including Kenya. The crude protein content of the beetle larvae ranged between 27.5–39.8 mg BSA/g. In comparison with those of cereals, amino acids such as lysine (7.9–9.9 mg/g), methionine (0.48–0.64 mg/g) and threonine (2.31–2.55 mg/g) were considerably high in the larvae. Methyl-5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenoate and methyl-9Z-octadecenoate were the predominant polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, respectively. High total phenols (>4.4 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (>3.6 mg QE/g) and anti-oxidative activities (>67%) were recorded for both larvae. This implies that increasing the consumption of wood-borer beetle larvae would positively impact the state of the natural environment and reduce the problem of malnutrition in the society. Thus, applying these strategies to develop insect food in a more familiar form can help to make insect-enriched foods more appealing to consumers, facilitating their widespread adoption as a sustainable and nutritious food source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jewel scarab Chrysina gloriosa is one of the most charismatic beetles in the United States and is found from the mountains of West Texas to the Southeastern Arizona sky islands. This species is highly sought by professional and amateur collectors worldwide due to its gleaming metallic coloration. However, the impact of the large-scale collection of this beetle on its populations is unknown, and there is a limited amount of genetic information available to make informed decisions about its conservation. As a first step, we present the genome of C. gloriosa , which we reconstructed using a single female specimen sampled from our ongoing effort to document population connectivity and the demographic history of this beetle. Using a combination of long-read sequencing and Omni-C data, we reconstructed the C. gloriosa genome at a near-chromosome level. Our genome assembly consisted of 454 scaffolds spanning 642 MB, with the 10 largest scaffolds capturing 98% of the genome. The scaffold N50 was 72 MB, and the BUSCO score was 95.5%. This genome assembly will be an essential tool to accelerate understanding C. gloriosa biology and help make informed decisions for the conservation of Chrysina and other species with similar distributions in this region. This genome assembly will further serve as a community resource for comparative genomic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe a high-quality genome assembly and annotation of the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The highest quality unmasked genome comprises 619 megabases (Mb) of chromosomal DNA, organized into 899 contigs, with a contig N50 score of 89 Mbps. The genome was assessed to be 96 % complete (BUSCO). Reconstruction of a whole-genome phylogeny resolved H. convergens as sister to the Harlequin lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis , and nested within a clade of several known agricultural pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine peptidases (SPs) of the chymotrypsin S1A subfamily are an extensive group of enzymes found in all animal organisms, including insects. Here, we provide analysis of SPs in the yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor transcriptomes and genomes datasets and profile their expression patterns at various stages of ontogeny. A total of 269 SPs were identified, including 137 with conserved catalytic triad residues, while 125 others lacking conservation were proposed as non-active serine peptidase homologs (SPHs). Seven deduced sequences exhibit a complex domain organization with two or three peptidase units (domains), predicted both as active or non-active. The largest group of 84 SPs and 102 SPHs had no regulatory domains in the propeptide, and the majority of them were expressed only in the feeding life stages, larvae and adults, presumably playing an important role in digestion. The remaining 53 SPs and 23 SPHs had different regulatory domains, showed constitutive or upregulated expression at eggs or/and pupae stages, participating in regulation of various physiological processes. The majority of polypeptidases were mainly expressed at the pupal and adult stages. The data obtained expand our knowledge on SPs/SPHs and provide the basis for further studies of the functions of proteins from the S1A subfamily in T. molitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pupal‐adult eclosion process of holometabolous insects, the old cuticle is shed and replaced by a completely different new cuticle that requires tanning and expansion, along with extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. In vertebrates, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a class of zinc‐dependent endopeptidases, play key roles in regulating the ECM that surrounds cells. However, little is known about these extracellular proteinases available in insects. The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, is a widespread invasive parasite of honey bees. In this study, 6 MMP homologs were identified in the SHB genome. RNA interference experiments showed that all 6 AtMmps are not required for the larval‐pupal transition, only AtMmp2 was essential for pupal‐adult eclosion in SHB. Knockdown of AtMmp2 resulted in eclosion defects and wing expansion failure, as well as mortality within 3 d of adult eclosion. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that knockdown of AtMmp2 significantly increased expression of the Toll and Imd pathways, chitin metabolism, and cross‐linking (such as the pro‐phenoloxidase activating cascade pathway and the tyrosine‐mediated cuticle sclerotization and pigmentation pathway). These data revealed evolutionarily conserved functions of Mmp2 in controlling adult eclosion and wing expansion, also provided a preliminary exploration of the novel function of regulating Toll and Imd pathways, as well as new insights into how MMPs regulate insect development and defense barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the formidable challenges posed by multiple jammers jamming multiple radars, which arise from spatial discretization, many degrees of freedom, numerous model input parameters, and the complexity of constraints, along with a multi-peaked objective function, this paper proposes a cooperative jamming resource allocation method, based on evolutionary reinforcement learning, that uses joint multi-domain information. Firstly, an adversarial scenario model is established, characterizing the interaction between multiple jammers and radars based on a multi-beam jammer model and a radar detection model. Subsequently, considering real-world scenarios, this paper analyzes the constraints and objective function involved in cooperative jamming resource allocation by multiple jammers. Finally, accounting for the impact of spatial, frequency, and energy domain information on jamming resource allocation, matrices representing spatial condition constraints, jamming beam allocation, and jamming power allocation are formulated to characterize the cooperative jamming resource allocation problem. Based on this foundation, the joint allocation of the jamming beam and jamming power is optimized under the constraints of jamming resources. Through simulation experiments, it was determined that, compared to the dung beetle optimizer (DBO) algorithm and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, the proposed evolutionary reinforcement learning algorithm based on DBO and Q-Learning (DBO-QL) offers 3.03% and 6.25% improvements in terms of jamming benefit and 26.33% and 50.26% improvements in terms of optimization success rate, respectively. In terms of algorithm response time, the proposed hybrid DBO-QL algorithm has a response time of 0.11 s, which is 97.35% and 96.57% lower than the response times of the DBO and PSO algorithms, respectively. The results show that the method proposed in this paper has good convergence, stability, and timeliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental changes affecting museums and historic properties will probably result in increased numbers of insect pests or new species. Databases such as WhatsEatingYourCollection (WEYC) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility have been used along with academic publications to predict such changes in the research presented here. The species mix in the WEYC database seems consistent across major London historic properties. Overall, common silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) are often reported, although in future there may be an increase in other species such as Ctenolepisma longicaudatum and Ctenolepisma calvum given their increased frequency. Dermestidae (carpet and furniture beetles) may benefit from wood with increasing moisture content, and although not especially abundant, Attagenus smirnovi (brown carpet beetle) and Reesa vespulae (skin beetle) may increase as they have done on the European continent. Tineola bisselliella, a damaging moth, has invoked increasing concern over the last two decades and Cryptophagus spp. (fungus beetles) could mobilise fungal spores under a future climate more favourable to germination. Lyctus brunneus (powderpost beetle) may find future conditions favourable and attack sapwoods used in repairs. Furthermore, Reticulitermes flavipes (subterranean termite) is potentially an accidental import to the UK and may become more common given current temperatures are suitable for survival in well-drained loamy soils, and future climates would allow a presence in the north of England. Warmer conditions can lead to the presence of new species or a migration of species across the British Isles and their spread can also be encouraged through the loan of objects or on packing materials. Factors other than climate, such as changing indoor habitats, new food sources and novel uses of heritage venues can also encourage expanding insect populations. This article summarises these predicted changes in species distribution and outlines their potential threat to heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive mortality of susceptible spruce can be caused by spruce beetles at epidemic population levels, as in the ongoing outbreak in Southcentral Alaska. Although information on outbreak extent and severity underpins forest management and research, the data products available in Alaska have substantial gaps. Widely available high-resolution satellite imagery are a promising data source for detecting beetle kill because it is possible, though challenging, to identify individual trees. However, the applicability of automated deep-learning approaches for regional-scale mapping has not been evaluated. Here, we assess a deep convolutional network for mapping dead spruce in high-resolution (∼ 2 m) satellite imagery of Southcentral Alaska. The network identified dead spruce pixels across stand characteristics, achieving an average accuracy of 95%. To upscale to the stand scale, we mitigated overestimation of dead tree pixels at elevated severity by calibration. Stand-scale areal severity, the fraction of dead spruce pixels within a stand, was mapped with an RMSE of 0.02 at 90 m scale. The estimated severity exceeded 0.05 in fewer than 4% of the landscape, and approximately 90% of dead trees pixels were found in low-severity stands. Severity was weakly associated with stand-scale Landsat reflectance changes, a clear relation between SWIR reflectance change and severity only emerging above 0.1 severity. In conclusion, high-resolution satellite imagery are suited to automated mapping of beetle-associated kill at tree and stand scale across the severity spectrum. Such data products support forest and fire management and further understanding of the dynamics and consequences of beetle outbreaks. [Display omitted] • Automatic mapping of dead spruce trees in 2 m resolution satellite imagery. • Accurate stand-scale severity maps by calibrated upscaling. • Predominantly low to moderate severity, with most dead trees in low-severity stands. • Moderate-resolution images showed limited sensitivity to low-severity mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent outbreaks of European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) have destroyed huge amounts of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) forests in central and Northern Europe. Identifying the risk factors and estimating the damage level is important for strategic damage control. The risk factors of forest damage by spruce bark beetles have mostly been analyzed on the landscape scale, while the in-stand risk factors have been less investigated. This study aims at exploring the local-scale risk factors in a flat area with spruce-dominated forest in southern Sweden. The investigated factors include four abiotic factors, i.e., soil wetness, solar radiation, slope gradient, and aspect, and three biotic factors, i.e., the number of deciduous trees and trees that died from attacks in previous years that remained (TreesLeft) and removed (TreesRemoved) from the forest stand. We put up 24 pheromone bags in six stands attacked by bark beetle in the previous years, resulting in different numbers of infested trees in each plot. We explored in which microenvironment a pheromone bag resulted in more colonization, the impact radius of each factor, and the necessary factors for a risk model. The environmental factors were obtained from remote sensing-based products and images. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used with the environmental factors as the explanatory variables and the damage levels as the response variables, i.e., the number of attacked trees for the plot scale, and healthy/infested for the single-tree scale. Using 50 m and 15 m radius of the environmental factors resulted in the best fit for the model at plot and individual tree scales, respectively. At those radii, the damage risk increased both at plot and individual tree level when spruce were surrounded by more deciduous trees, surrounded by dead trees that had been removed from the forest, and spruces located at the north and east slopes (315°–135° of aspect, > 2° slope). Soil wetness, solar radiation, and remaining standing dead trees in the surrounding did not significantly impact the damage level in the microenvironment of the study area. The GLM risk model yielded an overall accuracy of 0.69 in predicting individual trees being infested or healthy. Our efforts to investigate the risk factors provide a context for wall-to-wall mapping in-stand infestation risks, using remote sensing-based data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivorous arthropods can induce their host to form structures where they shelter during unfavourable periods. The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), can spend the off‐season inside cotton plant structures, known as dry bolls, protected from pesticides, natural enemies and heat and desiccation on the soil surface, thereby increasing its survival and preserving its reproductive capacity. However, the relationship between the boll weevil and dry boll formation is not fully understood and requires further study. The formation and external and internal characteristics of dry bolls on cotton plants infested with different densities of boll weevils, and the emergence and survival of this insect from these structures, were evaluated. Compared with non‐infested control plants, plants infested with boll weevil formed almost twice as many dry bolls, which were 2.3 times heavier and with a diameter 1.7 times larger than those on non‐infested plants. Boll weevil infestation reduces the number of bolls and commercial mass of fibre + seeds, reducing productivity and increasing cotton harvest contaminants. However, dry bolls on non‐infested plants demonstrate that other factors are involved in their formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung odours are composed of a large number of different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Dung beetles are attracted to dung by olfactory cues, and their selection depends on the odorous VOCs emitted from this resource. The possible effects of ivermectin (IVM) on the chemical composition of dung volatile emissions and how this could modify its attraction to dung beetles have been debated for years.In this work, we analysed the possible effects of IVM on the VOCs emitted by cattle dung and the attraction of the dung beetle Ateuchetus cicatricosus Lucas, using behavioural bioassays.The results of the study showed that the chemical analyses of the dung volatile emissions from untreated cattle, treated cattle with IVM (200 μg/kg b.w.; collected at 7 and 14 days post‐administration) and dung spiked with IVM (100 and 500 μg/kg) were not significantly different. We detected a total of 44 VOCs among the treatments. The olfactometer bioassays showed no significant difference in the rates of attraction between different treatments.This study suggests that cattle dung does not experiment with a direct modification of the volatile compounds emitted, either via the digestive tract of cattle or by direct addition with IVM, ruling out the possible influence of any transformation product from the anthelmintic that could be present. In addition, a change in the microbiota of the digestive tract in cattle as a result of the mode of action of the drug is not supported. Further possible indirect effects are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species list of Dytiscidae of Iran has been composed using recently studied material and all literature data known to us. We report 139 species of Iranian diving beetles including one Dytiscus species of uncertain taxonomic position. Two species, Agabus amoenus Solsky, 1874 and Copelatus pulchellus (Klug, 1834) are recorded for the first time from Iran. For 57 species, new provincial records are provided. Twenty-two species and one genus have been excluded from the Iranian diving beetle fauna as based on misidentifications. The distributional pattern in Iran and preferred habitat (if available) are summarised for each species and discussed in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the life history of Laccophilus dikinohaseus Kamite, Hikida, and Satô, 2005 using laboratory rearing-based methods to contribute to future ex situ and in situ conservation. At 26 °C, each developmental stage had the following duration: egg, 6–7 days; first-instar, 3–5 days; second-instar, 3–5 days; third-instar in water, 7–18 days; landing to leaving the pupal chamber, 9–11 days; and total duration of the immature stages, 30–44 days. The total larval period was significantly longer than those of L. yoshitomii Watanabe and Kamite, 2018, L. kobensis Sharp, 1873, and L. hebusuensis Watanabe and Kamite, 2020. The maximum complete lifespan (egg to adult death) and adult lifespan (exiting the pupal chamber to adult death) were 792 and 762 days, respectively, indicating that L. dikinohaseus can live for more than two years after the adults exit the pupal chamber. Laccophilus dikinohaseus laid eggs not only in aquatic plants but also in driftwood and withered plants, suggesting a diverse oviposition substrate availability. This is the first study on the immature stages of L. dikinohaseus and lifespan of Laccophilus. We propose in situ conservation measures for L. dikinohaseus based on its findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate how four species of Cybister Curtis, 1827 and one species of Hydaticus Leach, 1817 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) detect food, insects were provided with dried sardines using traps made by a three-dimensional printer. More than 83% of the beetles found the sardine hidden in the trap. When the two traps were set in an aquarium—one contained a dried sardine before extraction with boiled water, and another contained a dried sardine after extraction—more than 90% of beetles were caught in the trap with the sardine before extraction. In contrast, less than 3% of beetles entered the trap with the sardine after extraction. No feeding preference was found between the sardines before and after extraction. A microwave Doppler radar was used to quantitatively detect the behaviour using broth extracted from the sardines, and the broth enhanced the food-searching activity. These results suggest that these beetles use smell to find food, and their searching activities are induced by smell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the first and third larval instars of Hydrocanthus levigatus (Brullé, 1837), including morphometric and chaetotaxic analyses of the cephalic capsule, head appendages, legs, last abdominal segment, and urogomphus. Larvae of this species have many dark dorsal maculae on the body, similar to those of H. socius Sahlberg, 1844 and H. debilis Sharp, 1882. First instar larvae of H. levigatus can be separated from those of H. socius and H. debilis by the following combination of characters: large size and seta TI5 somewhat longer than tibial length on mesothoracic and metathoracic legs. Conversely, the third instar of H. levigatus differs from those of H. socius and H. debilis in the greater number of secondary setae on the legs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetles of the genus Antherophagus are phoretic organisms that inhabit the nests of Bombus species. They migrate and colonize new nests using the same bumblebees as carriers. Although Antherophagus beetles from temperate Europe and North America are known to use some plant species to move between bumblebees, it is unknown which plants are used as transfer stations by neotropical Antherophagus. Here, we report for the first time how phoretic Antherophagus beetles of an undescribed species use the inflorescences of Chuquiraga jussieui to transfer between individuals of Bombus funebris in the páramos of Central Ecuador. Our observations are the highest records (at 4200 m asl) of a phoretic interaction performed so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportune detection of Anthonomus eugenii is a fundamental aspect of any management program to this pest. Yellow traps are the most common monitoring strategy, and its efficacy is related with the trap design and placement within crops. However, there's limited information on this. Two outdoor experiments were performed to determine the efficiency of traps with six different shapes (circle, square, diamond, ellipse, rectangle, and triangle) and seven frame colors (yellow, dark green, black, red, white, purple, and blue); seven to the traps placement at four orientations (North, South, East and West), five aside distances from the bed center (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 cm aside to the inter-bed space) and six heights (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and100 cm) on A. eugenii adults. There wasn't significant difference among shapes and orientations. Traps with yellow, dark green and black frames had the highest number of insects. For the aside distance, the plots were categorized according to their width as narrow (54–65 cm) and wide (71–81 cm), the highest insects caught was exhibited on traps at 0–20 and 0–40 cm, respectively. Regarding the traps height, they were classified according to their height as short (62–64 cm), medium (78–82 cm) and tall (90–92 cm), the highest insects caught was exhibited on traps at 20–40, 40–60, and 40–80 cm, respectively. Regression analyzes indicate that catches decrease as the traps are installed into the inter-bed space and above the canopy. This study provides novel information to improve outdoor programs to monitor A. eugenii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio cultivations are damaged by many pests such as beetles including several species that had a wide expansion due to climate change. We investigated the biodiversity of pistachio beetles and their parasitoids based on a barcoding approach. The trapping and rearing of insects present in pistachio branches showed the presence of seven species. These insects were identified using two molecular markers, the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the region (D2–D3) of the 28S gene of the nuclear ribosomal RNA operon. The obtained sequences allowed the identification of five species with an identity ≥ 97%. However, for the other two species, sequence identity did not exceed 93% and consequently their identification was limited to the genus level. Our results showed that pistachio trees are attacked by four species of beetles, namely Chaetoptelius vestitus (Mulsant & Rey, 1861) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Carphoborus perrisi (Chapuis, 1869) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Phoracantha semipunctata (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and Sinoxylon sp. (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae). These beetles are parasitized by three identified species: Doryctes leucogaster (Nees, 1834) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), Cheiropachus quadrum (Fabricius, 1787) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae) and Ecphylus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). This study is the first to record the species C. perrisi and D. leucogaster in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, poses a significant threat to potato crops globally and has developed resistance to numerous insecticides. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), from the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis, are promising biocontrol agents. This study aimed to identify the bacterial symbionts of ten native EPN isolates, evaluate the efficiency of cell free supernatants (CFSs) from their symbiotic bacteria against different developmental stages of CPB, and determine the effect of these CFSs on CPB developmental stages and lifespan. The recA gene region was utilized to determine the symbiotic bacteria of ten local EPNs. CFSs from these bacteria were applied orally and through contact to CPB's various developmental stages (L1/L2, L3/L4 larval stages, and adults). Mortalities, developmental transition times, and lifespans of adults were observed. The CFSs showed significant toxicity to CPB, with higher efficiency against young larvae. The CFSs exhibited cumulatively lethal effects over time, particularly on L1/L2 larval stages. CFSs from X. bovienii exhibited the highest efficacy. In all cases, where larvae received CFSs orally or by contact, they failed to develop into pupae and adults. In contrast, the transition periods of old larvae to pupal and adult stages were comparable to those of the control group. Lifespans of adults differed based on bacterial isolates and application methods. This study shows the potential efficacy of CFSs from Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus as biocontrol agents against CPB, particularly in its young larval stages. Further research is needed to unravel the mechanisms behind these effects and examine the impact on CPB mating and oviposition behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is highly capable of serving multiple users at similar times and frequencies. The power allocation (PA) is widely considered as a main factor in NOMA for efficient communication. Here, the application of multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) is added to NOMA to fulfill demands of enriched spectral efficiencies and extra user data. In this research, the Ladybug Beetle Honey Badger Optimization (LBHBO) is proposed for efficient PA in MIMO‐NOMA. Initially, the received signals from the user are modulated for amplitude and frequency. Then, user grouping is conducted by fuzzy local information c‐means (FLICM) clustering followed by using PA done by proposed LBHBO. This power is then moved to the transmitter and then to the channel estimation process. Moreover, cyclic prefix (CP) removal is carried out that tends to discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Finally, quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) demodulation is performed for reallocated output. Furthermore, LBHBO is formed by combining Ladybug Beetle Optimization (LBO) and Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA). The performance offered by the LBHBO‐PA with maximal values with energy efficiency (EE) of 25.38 Mbits/s, sum rate of 1.29 Mbits/s, and achievable rate of 100.47 Mbits/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many organisations have concentrated on how hyperspectral images allow for the automatic pixel-level classification and segmentation since each pixel's underlying spectrum is abundantly documented. Due to the unpredictable nature of the spectrum and the noise in the hyperspectral data, this task is very challenging and calls for specific solutions. The hyperspectral picture segmentation procedure in this instance makes use of the newly developed Namib Beetle Firefly Optimization (NBFO) method, which was created by combining the Namib Beetle Optimization method (NBOA) and Firefly Algorithm (FAO) for tackling optimisation issues. Therefore, in order to segment the images, the U-Net++ model is used. The DenseNet model, which is likewise trained using the NBFO approach, is then used to classify the segmented images. Utilising hyperspectral image segmentation techniques, the NBFO-driven DenseNet model surpassed the competition, resulting in a True Positive Rate (TPR) of 0.906786, a Positive Rate (FPR) of 0.889466, and a False Pixel Accuracy (FPA) of 0.931562. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a total of 12 different fungal isolates were obtained from two different Colorado potato beetle (CPB) populations to identify a new effective agent to control L. decemlineata, which has developed resistance to many chemicals. The isolates were defined as Beauveria bassiana based on the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, EF1-α, RPB1, and Bloc gene sequences. Under laboratory conditions, all isolates were pathogenic, but their virulence was different on larvae and adults. LdA-1 was the most virulent isolate with a mortality of 80% in larvae and 50% in adults. The LC50 value of this isolate was determined to be 0.2×106 and 0.17×108 conidia/ml for larvae and adults, respectively. Based on these results, LdA-1 isolates were used for mycoinsecticide development. Conidia were produced by solid-state fermentation using rice as a substrate. The conidia were formulated as oil-in-water emulsions and their efficacy was evaluated. The efficacy of the oil-based formulation against CPB larvae and adults was tested on eggplant in pot experiments. The new oil-based product caused 100% and 97% mortality on larvae and adults, respectively, at 1×108 conidia/ml. The LC50 value of our formulation for larvae and adults was calculated to be 1.2×106 and 0.2×107 conidia/ml, respectively. These results highlight that this formulation could be a suitable product for CPB control instead of conventional synthetic insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agave weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus is a polyphagous pest of agave, yucca and related taxa. Although its many host species differ in their mortality rates, little is known about the factors involved in host selection by the weevil and the defensive response of the infested plants. We compared the suitability of Agave americana subsp. americana, A. americana var. franzosini and A. oteroi as a food source for adult individuals of S. acupunctatus. Feeding rates on leaf samples of the selected taxa were measured under laboratory conditions. The amount of the flavonoids flavone and kaempferol in the leaves was also quantified. The observed consumption rates were significantly lower for A. americana var. franzosini, but only for measurements made on a fresh weight basis and not when consumption was adjusted to leaf dry weight. The leaves of the three agave taxa did not differ in the contents of the two selected flavonoids. We conclude that the three agave taxa are equally suitable as a food source for the weevil, but the observed differences in the consumption of fresh material provides evidence that agaves can differ in the amount of damage caused by the feeding activities of S. acupunctatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Understanding how selective logging affects biodiversity is crucial to planning cost-effective conservation strategies in tropical forests, yet there is limited understanding of its impacts on fauna functional diversity in the tropical Americas. We assessed how selective logging intensification and time since logging influence multiple metrics of fauna functional integrity in the Brazilian Amazon by collecting bird and dung beetle data within 48 logging management units that had experienced varying exploitation intensities between 1.5–2.0 and 5.0–6.0 years before the faunal surveys. We investigated assemblage responses and used functional attributes to assess changes in functional diversity, specialization, originality and species rarity. Using point counts and pitfall traps, we collected 5081 records of 182 bird species and 7892 dung beetles from 45 species. Logging intensification led to significant declines in most dung beetle responses and bird body mass, whereas time since logging was a key driver of dung beetle and bird functional and taxonomic diversity. Our study presents novel empirical evidence of how logging intensification effects vary across taxa, ecological metrics and time since logging, which is key to informing forest conservation and further investigating environmental degradation impacts on tropical biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing frequencies of extreme weather events caused by climate change, the risk of forest damage from insect attacks grows. Storms and droughts can damage and weaken trees, reduce tree vigour and defence capacity and thus provide host trees that can be successfully attacked by damaging insects, as often observed in Norway spruce stands attacked by the Eurasian spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. Following storms, partially uprooted trees with grounded crowns suffer reduced water uptake and carbon assimilation, which may lower their vigour and decrease their ability to defend against insect attack. We conducted in situ measurements on windthrown and standing control trees to determine the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), of phenolic defences and volatile monoterpene emissions. These are the main storage and defence compounds responsible for beetle´s pioneer success and host tree selection. Our results show that while sugar and phenolic concentrations of standing trees remained rather constant over a 4-month period, windthrown trees experienced a decrease of 78% and 37% of sugar and phenolic concentrations, respectively. This strong decline was especially pronounced for fructose (-83%) and glucose (-85%) and for taxifolin (-50.1%). Windthrown trees emitted 25 times greater monoterpene concentrations than standing trees, in particular alpha-pinene (23 times greater), beta-pinene (27 times greater) and 3-carene (90 times greater). We conclude that windthrown trees exhibited reduced resources of anti-herbivore and anti-pathogen defence compounds needed for the response to herbivore attack. The enhanced emission rates of volatile terpenes from windthrown trees may provide olfactory cues during bark beetle early swarming related to altered tree defences. Our results contribute to the knowledge of fallen trees vigour and their defence capacity during the first months after the wind-throw disturbance. Yet, the influence of different emission rates and profiles on bark beetle behaviour and host selection requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stag beetles, recognized as common saproxylic insects, are valued for their vibrant coloration and distinctive morphology. These beetles play a crucial ecological role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, serving as a vital functional component in ecosystem functioning. Although previous studies have confirmed that stag beetles are predominantly fungivores, the fluctuations in their intestinal fungal communities at different developmental stages remain poorly understood. In the current study, high-throughput sequencing was employed to investigate the dynamic changes within intestinal fungal communities at various developmental stages in the stag beetle Dorcus hopei. Results showed that microbial diversity was higher during the larval stage than during the pupal and adult stages. Furthermore, significant differences were identified in the composition of the intestinal fungal communities across the larval, pupal, and adult stages, suggesting that developmental transitions may be crucial factors contributing to variations in fungal community composition and diversity. Dominant genera included Candida, Scheffersomyces, Phaeoacremonium, and Trichosporon. Functional predictions indicated a greater diversity and relative abundance of endosymbiotic fungi in the larval gut, suggesting a potential dependency of larvae on beneficial gut fungi for nutrient acquisition. Additionally, the application of abundance-based β-null deviation and niche width analyses revealed that the adult gut exerted a stronger selection pressure on its fungal community, favoring certain taxa. This selection process culminates in a more robust co-occurrence network of fungal communities within the adult gut, thereby enhancing their adaptability to environmental fluctuations. This study advances our understanding of the intestinal fungal community structure in stag beetles, providing a crucial theoretical foundation for the development of saproxylic beetle resources, biomass energy utilization, plastic degradation strategies, and beetle conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, climatic pressures have altered the forested landscape of Bavaria. Widespread loss of trees has unevenly impacted the entire state, of which 37% is covered by forests (5% more than the national average). In 2018 and 2019—due in large part to drought and subsequent insect infestations—more tree-covered areas were lost in Bavaria than in any other German state. Moreover, the annual crown condition survey of Bavaria has revealed a decreasing trend in tree vitality since 1998. We conducted a systematic literature review regarding the remote sensing of forests in Bavaria. In total, 146 scientific articles were published between 2008 and 2023. While 88 studies took place in the Bavarian Forest National Park, only five publications covered the whole of Bavaria. Outside of the national park, the remaining 2.5 million hectares of forest in Bavaria are understudied. The most commonly studied topics were related to bark beetle infestations (24 papers); however, few papers focused on the drivers of infestations. The majority of studies utilized airborne data, while publications utilizing spaceborne data focused on multispectral; other data types were under-utilized- particularly thermal, lidar, and hyperspectral. We recommend future studies to both spatially broaden investigations to the state or national scale and to increase temporal data acquisitions together with contemporaneous in situ data. Especially in understudied topics regarding forest response to climate, catastrophic disturbances, regrowth and species composition, phenological timing, and in the sector of forest management. The utilization of remote sensing data in the forestry sector and the uptake of scientific results among stakeholders remains a challenge compared to other heavily forested European countries. An integral part of the Bavarian economy and the tourism sector, forests are also vital for climate regulation via atmospheric carbon reduction and land surface cooling. Therefore, forest monitoring remains centrally important to attaining more resilient and productive forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although urbanisation is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, its effect on particular invertebrate groups remains ambiguous on local and landscape scales. We aimed to analyse the effect of urban grassland management on spiders (Araneae) and carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae), as well as other local and landscape parameters. We investigated 27 grasslands of two different management intensities (‘extensive’: one to two late cuts with removal of biomass [n = 18]; ‘intensive’: three to five mulching cuts [n = 9]) in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany. Pitfall trapping and sweep netting were performed to sample carabids and spiders. Results indicate that urban grasslands in Karlsruhe are inhabited by species‐rich assemblages, including several species of conservation concern (cc). Latter remain mostly restricted to dry grassland. The number of total specimens and of those belonging to species of cc were negatively affected by intensive management. The number of specimens of species of cc further decreased with increasing humidity and in spiders, additionally, by vegetation height. Landscape factors had limited effects, and only isolation of meadows negatively influenced the species richness of carabids (total and of species of cc). Our results demonstrate that conservation of dry grasslands in urban areas is crucial for sustaining local arthropod communities. Dry urban grassland may also act as a refugium for species of cc and mitigate the global insect crisis on a local and regional scale. In conclusion, biodiversity‐friendly mowing regimes should be applied on a broader scale in urban areas and target especially dry grassland plots. In addition, increasing connectivity and permeability of the urban matrix assist the colonisation by species of cc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the potential consequences of arable land use changes for insect conservation and ecosystem functioning, it is fundamental to know how insect species with different functional traits respond to crop choice and production method. This study examined the effects of crop type and production method on functional traits of butterfly, bumblebee and carabid beetle communities using species abundance data from 78 fields in Southern Finland. Surrounding landscape composition was also accounted for. The studied traits were associated with dispersal capacity, habitat or diet specialization and phenology—the key determinants modifying species responses to agricultural disturbances and land use changes. Butterfly habitat breadth was narrowest and wingspan shortest in long‐term fallows. Fallows also supported the highest share of butterflies overwintering in early development stages and bumblebees with late‐emerging queens. The tongue length of bumblebees was longest in organic oat fields, probably due to flowering weeds with long corolla. For carabid beetles, the proportion of poor flyers and carnivores was highest in perennial crops and fallows. Carabid beetles overwintering as adults were relatively more abundant in organic than in conventional production, probably due to more intensive tillage in organic fields. In all insect groups, poor dispersers and/or specialists decreased with increasing arable land cover in the surrounding landscape. Increasing the area of long‐term fallows and perennial crops and enhancing within‐field plant diversity while maintaining landscape heterogeneity would promote insect species sensitive to agricultural disturbances and land use changes and their associated ecosystem services in boreal farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic insects were collected from Arizona during 2022, and museum specimens and observations posted to online platforms were reviewed to support new records. Notes and records are provided for 8 species of aquatic Coleoptera and Hemiptera. Three species are reported for the first time from the United States in Arizona: Hydaticus rimosus (Dytiscidae), Neobidessus youngi (Dytiscidae), and Rhagovelia ignota (Veliidae). Two additional species are new state records for Arizona: Copelatus debilis (Dytiscidae) and Meridiorhantus calidus (Dytiscidae). Distributional notes are provided for Abedus breviceps (Belostomatidae) and Rhagovelia choreutes (Veliidae). A form of Copelatus distinctus (Dytiscidae) with greatly reduced striae is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Known from over 50 Triassic localities worldwide, beetles were a significant component of the early Mesozoic paleofauna. Beetle fossils are particularly diverse in the Late Triassic (Norian) Cow Branch and Walnut Cove formations (Solite deposit) of Virginia and North Carolina, with 100 distinct morphotypes sorted from approximately 1000 specimens. The diversity of the Solite Coleoptera is documented, the 100 beetle morphotypes are informally described, and comparisons are made with other beetle communities through geologic time. In comparison with modern beetle communities, the Solite fauna shares two remarkable similarities. First, the distribution of Solite beetle body sizes matches that of some modern beetle communities, with the majority of specimens in both groups measuring between 2 and 4 mm in length. Second, the vast majority of the 100 Solite morphotypes (84%) are known from only a single specimen. This pattern somewhat follows the species abundance distribution of modern animal communities, in which a community is comprised of only a few common species and many rare species. In contrast, the Solite beetle fauna differs markedly from those of other Triassic and Early Jurassic deposits, both in the composition of higher taxa present, as well as in the lack of shared taxa between sites. The uniqueness of the Solite taxa, including the remarkable diversity, demonstrate the importance of the Solite Konservat-Lagerstätte in understanding the evolutionary history of Order Coleoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a single specimen from Eocene Baltic amber, Donacia (Protodonacia) bienkowskii subgen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The new species is studied and illustrated in detail using X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). It is the first described species of Donaciinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Baltic amber and from fossil resin in general. Ecological groups of beetles that have been associated with aquatic habitats in the Baltic amber forest communities are briefly discussed. The studied specimen represents the first known member of the ecological group 'phytophilous water beetles' in this assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carabid species richness and phylogenetic diversity were evaluated in the four biogeographic provinces present in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Using a list of species and incorporating records obtained from a review of the Coleoptera Collection of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, 752 records were obtained, which included 138 species classified into six taxonomic categories. The provinces with the highest species richness are the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Chihuahuan Desert; those with the lowest species richness are the Transmexican Volcanic Belt and the Veracruzan province. The Chihuahuan Desert was the province with the greatest phylogenetic diversity, and the Sierra Madre Oriental the least diverse. This highlights the usefulness of complementary estimates in diversity analyses in regions with a variety of disparate biogeographical histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damage caused by the cowpea weevil Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is the major constraint to cowpea grain production in most cowpea producing countries. The activity of fenugreek essential oil was evaluated against the one-week-old adults of C. maculatus which exhibited good activity with an LC50 value of 195.44 ppm. Two gamma radiation doses were chosen (50 and 100Gy) to study their combined effects with the LC75, LC50, LC25 and LC10 values of fenugreek essential oil on the mortality of C. maculatus adults. The weevils were subjected to gamma radiation then exposed to vapors of the volatile oils and mortality was recorded daily for four days. It was observed that mortality increased as a result of the combined effect of the two agents. Mortality percentages were 93.33, 81.66, 68.33, and 51.66% when one-week-old adults of C. maculatus were irradiated with 100Gy and exposed to LC75, LC50, LC25 and LC10 values of fenugreek essential oil, respectively, 96 h post-treatment. The irradiated weevils with 50Gy showed 85, 71, 60, and 45% mortality, respectively, 96 h post-treatment. The integration of fenugreek essential oil and gamma radiation is a safe, effective and affordable control method against cowpea weevils and they are promising to be the main components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs of this weevil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark beetles are a principal source of tree mortality in conifer forests, with beetle distribution and beetle-associated tree mortality increasing in frequency and extent. While bark beetles are associated with large-scale outbreaks that affect landscape structure, function, and wood quality, they are also drivers of important ecological processes that modify forest ecosystems. Bark beetle activity may affect biogeochemistry and forest decomposition processes by mediating microbial and detrital communities and by facilitating the turnover of deadwood. The turnover of deadwood in bark beetle-attacked forests has important implications for forest biogeochemical cycling, as dead wood releases CO2 into the atmosphere and carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients into surrounding soils. However, our understanding of how initial physical, chemical, and biotic changes to bark beetle-attacked trees affect the succession of detrital organisms and decomposition of beetle-generated deadwood remains poor. Furthermore, the relationship between woody decomposition and landscape-level changes in biogeochemical processes in forest ecosystems following bark beetle activity is not well unified. This review article bridges this divide and provides an interdisciplinary perspective on tree mortality, ecological succession, and woody decomposition mediated by bark beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding variation in trait allometry and the drivers of variation in sexually selected traits is a major theme in evolutionary biology. The static allometries of sexually selected traits are often positive due to disproportional investment by large individuals into trait size. Comparative studies of weapon allometry are rare, and typically focus on variation along a single dimension (e.g. length), despite weapons often diverging dramatically in shape. Furthermore, studies predominantly focus on groups where weapons have evolved as novel structures (e.g. horns), despite most weapons arising from modifications of existing structures.We test the hypothesis that sexual selection drives variation in static allometry using a phylogenetic comparative approach with 59 brentine weevil species showing remarkable variation in trait exaggeration and sexual size dimorphism (SSD).Contrasting two dimensions of head size exaggeration (a sexually selected trait) and elytron length (a nonsexual trait), positive static allometry was common across both measures of male head size, but not females, and there was positive covariance between male head static allometry and SSD across species. Positive static allometry for male elytron length was less common, but did show positive covariance with SSD, possibly due to the function of wings as compensatory structures for bearing large weapons.Our findings support the hypothesis that sexual selection drives the evolution of allometries both within and among species, and that the modification of existing structures to be used as weapons does not limit the potential for positive static allometry. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanopterus ninghais (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a newly discovered gregarious ectoparasitoid, is a promising biological control agent against the third‐fifth instar larvae of the Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Effects of constant ambient temperatures (17, 20, 23, 26, 29 and 32°C) on the reproduction and development of the parasitoid were determined in the laboratory. Results showed that the pre‐oviposition periods of C. ninghais decreased gradually with increasing temperatures, ranging from 8.5 d (at 17°C) to 3.4 d (at 32°C). Both the parasitism rates and the number of offspring exhibited a parabolic trend in relation to increasing temperatures, with the highest parasitism rate being 80% (at 29°C) and the maximum number of offspring reaching 7.2 (at 26°C). Temperature did not significantly affect the emergence rate and sex ratio of progeny. The duration of each developmental stage was inversely correlated with temperature within the range of 20 to 32°C. The egg‐to‐adult development time was 32.3 d at 20°C and 12.5 d at 32°C. The developmental threshold temperatures for the egg, larva, pupa, and the entire generation were 8.6, 12.6, 12.8 and 12.1°C, respectively, and the effective accumulated temperatures were 34.3, 51.3, 148.9 and 240.0 Degree‐days, respectively. We concluded that temperatures in the range of 26 to 29°C are the most suitable for the development and reproduction of C. ninghais. These findings provide important information for improving the artificial rearing efficiency and field release of this parasitoid under different temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cypress bark beetle, Phloeosinus aubei, is of increasing concern in the European market of scale‐leafed conifers. Neither the reproductive behaviour nor the chemical ecology have been studied in detail so far, and no specific attractant traps are available to monitor the flight of adults. We established that stridulation by males is crucial for acceptance by calling females. To unravel the chemical communication, hindgut extracts from unmated females were analysed by GC‐EAD, using male antennae. Gut extracts and Thuja occidentalis leaf extracts were analysed by GC/MS. Two antennally active compounds from gut extracts were identified as (−)‐myrtenol and (−)‐α‐pinene by enantioselective GC/MS. (−)‐Myrtenol was shown to be female‐specific, while (−)‐α‐pinene was found as a 2:1 mixture with the (+)‐enantiomer also among the volatiles of the host tree, T. occidentalis. To prove that the production of the above compounds in the beetles is related to reproduction, we treated females with JHIII. The gut extracts from these sexually mature females showed elevated levels of (−)‐α‐pinene compared to untreated control groups. Synthetic enantiomers of myrtenol and α‐pinene were tested separately by electroantennography, and all were found to be electrophysiologically active. The attractiveness of different mixtures of these compounds was compared using 4‐arm olfactometer tests: 4:1 mixtures of racemic α‐pinene with either (−)‐ or (+)‐myrtenol were significantly attractive to males and females, respectively. In field tests, multifunnel traps baited with a 5:1 mixture of (−)‐α‐pinene and (−)‐myrtenol caught significantly more males and females than unbaited control traps. We concluded that (−)‐α‐pinene and (−)‐myrtenol are components of a female‐produced aggregation pheromone. EAD activity and behaviour assays indicated that α‐pinene from Thuja is used by the beetles as part of a host plant kairomone. The complex communication system of P. aubei is discussed in a chemoecological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., has an indeterminate growth habit. Therefore, the plant growing season leads to crops with a large amount of immature vegetative and reproductive structures, thus requiring the use of defoliants to promote the abscission of these structures and enable mechanical harvesting. However, the use of defoliants can negatively affect the development of immature fruits.This study examined the influence of defoliants, applied alone or in combination with each other, on the formation of dry and malformed reproductive structures of cotton, known as dry bolls, used as shelter by the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman during cotton fallow periods. We investigated the influence of defoliants, applied alone, or combined with each other or with insecticide, on boll weevil mortality. In addition, we tested the susceptibility of boll weevils inside dry bolls to the action of insecticide.The results indicate that the defoliants can increase the number of dry bolls by up to 3.4 times, in relation to the control, 20 days after its application. The studied defoliants did not exert toxic effects on boll weevil when applied separately, nor synergistic effects of toxicity when combined with each other or with insecticides. At the end of the insecticide spraying experiments, the number of live boll weevils was 8.4 times greater when the insect was housed in dry capsules than when not housed.Defoliants can increase the formation of dry bolls, which can reduce boll weevil mortality due to insecticide application and hamper pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomicus piniperda is a common pest of pine trees responsible for significant economic damage. Although the impact of T. piniperda on forestry is likely to increase in the future due to climate change, little is known about its dispersal within the United Kingdom (UK) or between continental Europe and the UK.This study addressed these knowledge gaps using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers.Mitochondrial DNA revealed high levels of genetic diversity as previously reported for this species across Europe. Nuclear DNA diversity revealed two geographically incoherent groups (Scotland, Wales, Belgium and the Netherlands vs. England and Switzerland). These genetic patterns likely reflect a combination of historical gene flow, anthropogenic introduction and restricted contemporary gene flow between the UK and Europe.Significant structure was found among UK samples suggesting T. piniperda might not disperse extensively between pine stands. This differs from widespread gene flow across continental Europe and may be due to the low percentage of land covered by forests in the UK in addition to the high fragmentation of its forest cover.Genetic variation was higher among the Scottish samples compared to those from more southern clines, suggesting the potential proximity of Scotland to a Pleistocene glacial refuge for T. piniperda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection of invasive species is critical for preventing ecological and economic damage and maintaining ecosystem health. In Hawaiʻi, a complex of generalist ambrosia beetle species in the tribe Xyleborini (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) are threatening the health and productivity of forests and crops due to their association with tree diseases such as rapid ʻōhiʻa death (ROD) and key agricultural commodities including coffee and macadamia.We conducted trapping experiments to determine the efficacy of semiochemicals to attract and repel Xyleborini ambrosia beetles within two ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) forests on the Island of Hawaiʻi. We compared the attraction of beetles to 100% ethanol and a 1:1 mixture of ethanol: methanol at Waiākea Forest Reserve and ʻŌlaʻa Forest in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. In addition, we tested the extent to which verbenone and verbenone + methyl salicylate repellents (SPLAT® Verb and SPLAT® Beetle Guard, respectively) deterred beetles from baited traps at Waiākea Forest Reserve in two separate experiments.For all invasive ambrosia beetle species, including Xyleborinus saxesenii, Xyleborus affinis, Xyleborus ferrugineus, Xyleborus perforans, Xylosandrus compactus, and Xylosandrus crassiusculus, more beetles were captured in traps baited with 100% ethanol than 1:1 ethanol: methanol. Across all species, both repellents were effective, with fewer beetles captured in traps equipped with repellents.Our research demonstrates the utility of semiochemicals for attracting and repelling invasive ambrosia beetle species in Hawaiʻi, and the potential use of these tools for early detection and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]