Insect Biodiversity in a Prealpine Suburban Hilly Area in Italy.

Human activities and habitat fragmentation are known to greatly influence biodiversity. The aim of this study was to update an entomological checklist of a prealpine area in Italy, and also to evaluate the influence of different habitats and the proximity to cities on the entomological fauna. This study included different areas of a local park in Northern Italy, covering about 4000 ha, and situated at altitudes between 190 and 960 m asl. The surveys were carried out between 2010 and 2013 using different monitoring techniques (pitfall traps, car mounted nets, light traps, direct catches on soil and vegetation, visual sampling, gall collection). Furthermore, to assess the effect of habitat and locality on the composition of epigeic beetles, pitfall traps were set and inspected from April to September. All captured specimens were classified to species level. A total of 409 species were recorded, belonging to 7 orders and 78 families. A total of 76.1% were represented by Coleoptera, 13% Lepidoptera, 9.4% Hymenoptera, followed by other orders. In particular, some species with peculiar characteristics, or whose presence in the area had not been previously reported, were detected, such as Atheta pseudoelongatula, Ocypus rhaeticus, Tasgius tricinctus, Euplagia quadripunctaria, Scotopteryx angularia, Elachista constitella, Parornix bifurca, Oegoconia huemeri, and Lasius (Lasius) alienus. It seems possible that the habitat affected the community more than the locality. The woods showed a reduced biodiversity, and a simplified community structure. The comparison of the same habitats in different localities did not show significant differences.

Back to the Middle Ages: Entomological and Botanical Elements Reveal New Aspects of the Burial of Saint Davino of Armenia.

The natural mummy of Saint Davino Armeno (11th century) is preserved in the church of Saint Michele in Foro in the city of Lucca (Tuscany, Central Italy). The body of Davino is one of the oldest Italian mummies of a Saint, and his paleopathological study was performed in 2018. In the present research, we investigated the arthropod fragments and botanical remains collected from the body, coffin, and fabrics of Saint Davino. Entomological analyses outlined the presence of 192 arthropod fragments. Among these, Diptera, Muscidae (Hydrotaea capensis and Muscina sp.), and Phoridae (Conicera sp.) puparia were the most abundant. Regarding Coleoptera, Ptinidae (Anobium punctatum) were the most frequent, followed by Cleridae (Necrobia sp.), Trogidae (Trox scaber), Curculionidae (Sitophilus granarius), and Histeridae (Gnathoncus). Cocoons of Tineidae and Pyralidae moths were found, along with a propodeum joined to the petiole and a mesopleuron of an Ichneumoninae parasitoid. Numerous metamera of Julida and three scorpion fragments were also found. Botanical samples indicated the presence of a quite broad botanical community, including gramineous species, olives, evergreen oaks, and grapevine. Overall, entomological data allow us to argue that Saint Davino was first buried into the soil, probably in a wooden coffin, thus supporting the historical-hagiographic tradition according to which he was buried sub divo in the cemetery of Saint Michele. The preservation of the body as a natural mummy may have been facilitated by burial in a coffin that prevented direct contact of the corpse with the earth. Botanical remains offer confirmation of a late medieval urban environment rich in horticultural areas and trees, giving us a landscape that is very different from the current Tuscan city.

Back to the Wild: The Parasitoid Community of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in a Grapevine-Free Natural Environment.

The European grapevine moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is one of the major concerns for vineyard managers in the Mediterranean area. It is a polyphagous moth, which develops on a wide variety of host plants, among which the spurge flax, Daphne gnidium (Thymelaeaceae), very likely represents its originary wild host plant. In this study, we investigated the parasitoid complex of L. botrana feeding on D. gnidium during a three-year sampling in a natural reserve in Tuscany, Italy, where this plant is extremely abundant while the grapevine is absent. A total of 24 species of parasitoids were obtained from eggs, larvae, and pupae of EGVM, belonging to 6 families of Hymenoptera and a family of Diptera. The ichneumonid wasp Campoplex capitator was the most abundant larval parasitoid. Four species of the genus Trichogramma were obtained from parasitized eggs during the first year of sampling, with a peak in the parasitisation during the EGVM 3rd generation. Some of the main EGVM parasitoids on spurge flax were also observed in vineyards, although a certain degree of redundancy was observed in the wild, due to several less frequent "satellite" species exploiting the same host. Overall, this research sheds light on the parasitoid community and dynamics of this important moth pest in a grapevine-free natural ecosystem, discussing the possible role of natural areas as ecological reservoirs of pest natural enemies.

Tachinid (Diptera, Tachinidae) parasitoids of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) and other moths.

The present paper reports data on the biology of eleven species of tachinid flies collected in Italy and Spain on different host plants and emerged from different host larvae. An annotated list of the eleven species emerged from the collected lepidopterans is provided; information about distribution and biology are given as well as the description of their puparia. Two new parasitoid species of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) Lobesia botrana were recorded: Clemelis massilia, whose host preferences were unknown so far, and Neoplectops pomonellae. A list of lepidopteran pest species with their associated plants and tachinid parasitoids is then given in order to highlight the relationships among the three components of the biocenosis (plant, herbivore and parasitoid). Eventually, due to the great economic importance of L. botrana in viticulture, a preliminary identification key to the puparia of its tachinid parasitoids is provided.

Proposal of A New Bois Noir Epidemiological Pattern Related to 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Solani' Strains Characterized by A Possible Moderate Virulence in Tuscany.

Bois noir (BN), associated with 'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' (CaPsol), is the most widespread disease of the grapevine yellows complex worldwide. In this work, BN epidemiology was investigated in a case study vineyard where an unusual CaPsol strain, previously detected only in other host plants, was found to be prevalent in grapevine. Experimental activities included: symptom observation; sampling of symptomatic vines, Auchenorrhyncha specimens, and weeds; molecular detection and typing of CaPsol strains; statistical analyses for determining possible relationships between CaPsol relative concentration, strain type, and symptom severity. Among insects, Reptalus quinquecostatus was the most abundant and was found to be highly infected by CaPsol, while Hyalesthes obsoletus, the main CaPsol vector, was not caught. Moreover, R. quinquecostatus harbored CaPsol strains carrying uniquely the stamp sequence variant St10, also identified as prevalent in vines and in the majority of weeds, and all the secY variants identified in the vineyard. Statistical analyses revealed that CaPsol strains carrying the St10 variant are not associated with severe symptoms, suggesting their possible moderate virulence. Based on such evidence, a new BN epidemiological pattern related to these CaPsol strains and involving grapevine, R. quinquecostatus, and/or weeds is proposed. Furthermore, the possible presence of other players (vectors and weeds) involved in CaPsol transmission to grapevines was highlighted.

Allium sativum, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Salvia officinalis Essential Oils: A Spiced Shield against Blowflies.

Blowflies are known vectors of many foodborne pathogens and unintentional human ingestion of maggots by meat consumption may lead to intestinal myiasis. In fact, the control of insect pests is an important aspect of industrial and home-made food processing and blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), which are among the most important pests involved in the damage of meat products. Most spices, largely used in food preparations and industry, contain essential oils that are toxic and repellent against insects and exert antimicrobial activity. In this study, we assessed the electro-antennographic responses, the oviposition deterrence, the toxicity, and the repellence of the essential oils (EOs) of Allium sativum L., Salvia officinalis L., and Rosmarinus officinalis L. against the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria L. We tested the EOs antibacterial and antifungal properties and the efficacy of an A. sativum EO-charged mist sprayed in the tunnel entryway of a meat processing room to form an olfactive barrier against the entrance of flies. The results showed that the EOs are perceived by female blowfly' antennae and exert an evident repellent activity against them completely deterring the oviposition for up to 24 h starting from the concentration of 2.5 µL cm-2 EO. The EOs also exhibited toxic activity by both topical application (LD50 from 0.44 to 1.97 µL insect-1) and fumigation (LC50 from 1.76 to 31.52 µL L-1) against adults of C. vomitoria and were able to exert a clear antimicrobial activity toward pathogens. Lastly, the EO-charged mist was able to reduce by about 40% the presence of Calliphoridae in the meat processing room of a dry-ham factory.

Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages and Slug Abundance in Agricultural Fields Under Organic and Low-Input Conventional Management Within a Long-Term Agronomic Trial in Central Italy.

Inside a long-term agronomic trial aimed at evaluating the effects of organic and low-input conventional management systems on soil fertility and arable crop production, we selected six fields bordered by hedgerows, three under each management system. Here, we analyzed the carabid assemblages and the slug abundance. Samplings took place in five different periods, across 1 yr of observations. The carabid abundances were similar in organic and conventional fields. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') showed a higher value in the conventional fields, although in the organic fields, a higher number of species were observed. The multivariate analysis described similar carabid communities, but excluding the period factor, it showed a significant influence of the management system. There was no difference between the captures of traps placed along the hedgerow and in the middle, whereas in the conventional fields, the hedgerow traps captured a higher number of specimens, showing a role of the hedgerow as carabid reservoir. The slugs were present mainly while green manure was grown on the organic fields where also Poecilus cupreus Linné, 1758 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was captured abundantly.

Insights on Funeral Practices and Insects Associated With the Tombs of King Ferrante II d'Aragona and Other Renaissance Nobles.

The impressive Sacristy of the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore contains 38 wooden sarcophagi with the bodies of 10 Aragonese princes and other Neapolitan nobles, who died in the 15th and 16th centuries. To improve the knowledge about the entomofauna associated with bodies in archaeological contexts, herein we provide insights on the funerary practices and the insect community associated to Ferrante II King of Naples and other Italian Renaissance mummies of the Aragonese dynasty buried in the Basilica of St. Domenico Maggiore. We identified 842 insect specimens: 88% were Diptera (Muscidae, Fanniidae, and Phoridae), followed by 9% Lepidoptera (Tineidae) and 3% Coleoptera (Dermestidae and Ptinidae). Ninety-seven percent of the specimens were collected from the coffin of Francesco Ferdinando d'Avalos, which was the best preserved. A lack of fly species characterizing the first colonization waves of exposed bodies was noted. The most common fly was the later colonizing muscid Hydrotaea capensis (Wiedemann); only a few Fanniidae (Fannia spp.) were retrieved. The lack of blowflies, coupled with recording H. capensis as the dominant fly, supports our hypothesis that corpses have been kept indoors for a long time under confined environmental conditions. Other explanations include odorous oils/balms having been used in the embalming process, causing the delay or stopping the arrival of first colonizer flies. Hermetically sealing of the coffin with bitumen may also have played a role in preventing access to the corpses. This scenario describes a historical context characterized by a well-advanced knowledge of body preparation, with specific burial techniques adopted for nobles.

Updated list of the insect parasitoids (Insecta, Hymenoptera) associated with Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) in Italy. 2. Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Anomaloninae and Campopleginae.

In this second review of the parasitoids recorded on Lobesia botrana (EGVM) in Italy, an updated list and summary of the information available on 14 taxa of Ichneumonidae belonging to the subfamilies Anomaloninae and Campopleginae are provided. For each taxon, geographic distributions, host ranges, ecological role in viticulture and/or in other crops, and taxonomy are provided and discussed. For the most interesting species, tables summarizing the parasitization rates recorded in the field on EGVM or other lepidopteran pests are given. Identification mistakes and wrong synonymies that have generated great confusion and often made geographic distributions and host ranges unreliable are highlighted. A list of four Anomaloninae and 27 Campopleginae recorded on EGVM in Europe is also provided. Among the species examined, Campoplex capitator Aubert is the only potential candidate for biological control of EGVM.

Exposure to genetically engineered olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) has no negative impact on three non-target organisms.

Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) remains a major pest of olive fruit production worldwide. Current pest management programs largely depend on chemical insecticides, resulting in high economic and environmental costs. Alternative pest control approaches are therefore highly desirable. We have created a conditional female-specific self-limiting strain of B. oleae (OX3097D-Bol) that could be applied for sustainable pest control. OX3097D-Bol olive fly carries a fluorescent marker (DsRed2) for identification and a self-limiting genetic trait that is repressed by tetracycline. In the absence of tetracycline, the tetracycline transactivator (tTAV) accumulates, resulting in female death at larvae and early pupal stages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of genetically engineered OX3097D-Bol olive fly on three non-target organisms that either predate or parasitize olive flies, one from the guild of parasitoids (Psyttalia concolor) and two from the guild of predators (Pardosa spider species and the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata). No significant negative effect was observed on life history parameters, mortality and reproductive capacity of the non-target organisms studied. These results suggest that potential exposure to DsRed2 and tTAV gene products (e.g. mRNA and encoded proteins) would have a negligible impact on on-target organisms in the guilds or predators and parasitoids.

A review of insect parasitoids associated with Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) in Italy. 1. DipteraTachinidae and HymenopteraBraconidae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae).

This paper is aimed to summarize the information available on the parasitoid complex of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae) in Italy. The list is the result of the consultation of a vast bibliography published in Italy for almost two hundred years, from 1828 to date. This allowed the clarification and correction of misunderstandings and mistakes on the taxonomic position of each species listed. In Italy the complex of parasitoids detected on EGVM includes approximately 90 species belonging to ten families of Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Chalcididae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae, Trichogrammatidae, and Bethylidae) and one family of Diptera (Tachinidae). This paper deals with EGVM parasitoids of the families Tachinidae (Diptera) and Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Only two species of Tachinidae are associated to EGVM larvae in Italy, Actia pilipennis (Fallen) and Phytomyptera nigrina (Meigen), whereas the record of Eurysthaea scutellaris (Robineau-Desvoidy) is doubtful. Moreover, 21 species of Braconidae are reported to live on EGVM, but, unfortunately, eight of them were identified only at generic level. Bracon mellitor Say has been incorrectly listed among the parasitoids of Lobesia botrana. Records concerning Ascogaster rufidens Wesmael, Meteorus sp., Microgaster rufipes Nees, and Microplitis tuberculifer (Wesmael) are uncertain.

Braconinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) emerged from larvae of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphne gnidium L.

Bracon admotus Papp, 2000, and three species of the genus Habrobracon Ashmead, 1895, Habrobracon concolorans (Marshall, 1900), Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836) and Habrobracon pillerianae Fischer, 1980, were obtained from the larvae of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphne gnidium Linnaeus, 1753 (Thymelaeaceae) in the natural reserve of Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli (Pisa-Central Italy). Bracon admotus, Habrobracon concolorans and Habrobracon pillerianae were found for the first time to be associated with Lobesia botrana, while Habrobracon hebetor was reared for the first time from the larvae of Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière, 1867) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae) that was found on the same host plant. Bracon admotus and Habrobracon pillerianae are new to the fauna of Italy and Western Europe. A key is proposed for the determination of Habrobracon species reared from Lobesia botrana and related Palaearctic species of this genus. Habrobracon lineatellae Fisher, 1968 is considered as a valid species.

First record of Rhoptrocentruspiceus Marshall (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) as parasitoid of Psacotheahilarishilaris (Pascoe) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae).

The species Rhoptrocentruspiceus Marshall (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was reared from the larvae of the xylophagous beetle Psacotheahilarishilaris (Pascoe) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), an exotic pest of Ficus and Morus species native to eastern Asia. It was recorded in the north of Italy in September 2005. This discovery is the first report of this species as parasitoids of the yellow spotted longicorn beetle all over the world.

First records of the genera Histeromerus Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Histeromerinae) and Ecclitura Kokujev (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) in Italy.

Braconid genera Histeromerus Wesmael, 1838 from subfamily Histeromerinae and Ecclitura Kokujev, 1902 from subfamily Euphorinae are recorded in the fauna of Italy for the first time. The discussions about taxonomic position, morphological characters and composition of these genera as well as the redescriptions of the genus and species of Ecclitura primoris Kokujev are given.

First record of Zombrus bicolor (Enderlein) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) in Western Europe.

The finding of Zombrus bicolor (Enderlein) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) in a Tuscan vineyard of the Siena province (Italy) represents the first record of this species in western Europe. A female was captured in summer 2009 with a malaise trap located in an organic vineyard. Until this finding, the species was recorded only in the Oriental regions of continental China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan and, very recently, in the eastern and southern parts of the Palaearctic region.