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Drosophila suzukii, spotted wing drosophila, is recognized as an economically significant new invasive pest of stone and, especially, berry fruits. This pest has been registered on the EPPO-A2 quarantine list. Due to the limited presence of natural predators on the European continent, this pest quickly proliferates, posing a significant threat to the agricultural economy by causing substantial losses in fruit production. As D. suzukii infestations commonly occur during the ripening stage, the main obstacle with chemical control methods is the risk of high residue in fruits. To face this issue, it is crucial to explore alternative control strategies. One of the possible effective methods involves the use of plant-derived bioactive compounds. Currently, there is ongoing research to identify essential oils with potential insecticidal properties for combating this challenge. The objective of this study was to assess the insecticidal and behavioural impacts of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) essential oils on D. suzukii adults in a multiple-choice test using blueberries treated with three concentrations of the anise essential oil. Additionally, the study monitored the emergence of adults from the treated berries. Using GC-MC chromatography, Bošković et al. the chemical composition of anise essential oil was determined, in order to understand the possible mode of action. The essential oil of anise showed high efficacy in the multiple choice test, since a lower number of laid eggs was recorded at all three application concentrations (1%, 5% and 10%) compared to the control (water and acetone). Our findings suggest that anise essential oil can serve as an alternative to chemical insecticides, which would enable the use of bioinsecticides based on this oil, in conventional, integrated, and organic crop production.

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The invasive alien stink bug Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), native to eastern‐southern Africa and central‐southern Asia, poses significant economic threats to agroecosystems due to its polyphagous diet with a preference for brassicaceous crops. Current control methods using broad‐spectrum insecticides are expensive and often result in significant negative ecological impacts, as well as posing a health risk to consumers. This study provides a detailed description of the mating behavior of B. hilaris, with the aim to ascertain whether substrate‐borne vibrations have a role in premating phases. Such knowledge may contribute to the development of alternative biorational control techniques employing vibrational strategies. Virgin adults were tested individually or in pairs on different substrates, that is, a loudspeaker membrane and a bean plant. Vibrations emitted by males and females were recorded using a laser Doppler vibrometer, and the following spectral and temporal parameters were analyzed: fundamental frequency, emission time, repetition time, and signal modulation. Three distinct types of vibration emitted by males and females were identified: a male vibrotype (MV‐1), a female vibrotype (FV), and a copula signal exclusively emitted by males (MS‐2). MV‐1 and FV were emitted prior to genitalia contact, whereas MS‐2 was emitted within the mounting and engagement phases. Statistical analysis revealed significant transitions in behavioral phases for couples that achieved mating. By analyzing the walking behavior, there was an inverse relationship between motility and signal emission when comparing the two sexes, which suggests that males might engage in a form of searching behavior. These findings provide insight into the crucial role of vibrational communication to achieve mating in B. hilaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]