Aedes albopictus colonies from different geographic origins differ in their sleep and activity levels but not in the time of peak activity.

Mosquitoes occupy a wide range of habitats where they experience various environmental conditions. The ability of some species, such as the tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, to adapt to local conditions certainly contributes to their invasive success. Among traits that remain to be examined, mosquitoes' ability to time their activity with that of the local host population has been suggested to be of significant epidemiological importance. However, whether different populations display heritable differences in their chronotype has not been examined. Here, we compared laboratory strains originating from eight populations from three continents, monitored their spontaneous locomotor activity patterns and analysed their sleep-like states. Overall, all strains showed conserved diurnal activity concentrated in the hours preceding the crepuscule. Similarly, they all showed increased sleep levels during the morning and night hours. However, we observed strain-specific differences in the activity levels at each phase of the day. We also observed differences in the fraction of time that each strain spends in a sleep-like state, explained by variations in the sleep architecture across strains. Human population density and the latitude of the site of the geographic origin of the tested strain showed significant effects on sleep and activity patterns. Altogether, these results suggest that Ae. albopictus mosquitoes adapt to local environmental conditions via heritable adaptations of their chronotype.

Changes in Prevalence of IgE Sensitization and Allergenic Exposition over a 10-Year Period in a Tropical Region.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple antigen environmental sources have been identified as possible causes of allergies, but few studies have evaluated changes in the sensitization profiles over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in IgE sensitization and exposure to dust mites, cats, dogs, and cockroaches over a 10-year period. METHODS: During a period of 10 years among patients with asthma, rhinitis and/or atopic dermatitis, we evaluated the annual frequency of atopy to Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis, Canis familiaris, Felis domesticus and cockroaches (Periplaneta americana and Blatella germanica). Exposure to sources was also assessed using questionnaires (Pets) or direct counts (House dust mites and cockroaches). The association between some risk factors and the prevalence of atopy was explored. RESULTS: A total of 6,000 records were included. Among the patients, 82% had IgE sensitization to at least one of the six allergenic sources. Sensitization to Dermatophagoides spp. was the most frequent (>78%). Exposure and sensitization in the first decade of life to Dermatophagoides spp. seem to determine the molecular spreading to other allergenic sources. Exposure to Blomia tropical increases significantly over time (year 2015; 38% vs. year 2022; 51%, p 0.03). Exposure to dogs was higher than with cats but association between atopy and exposure was stronger with cats (OR 27.4, 95% CI: 22.3-33.6, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Exposure and sensitization in the first decade of life to Dermatophagoides spp. determine the molecular spreading of IgE antibodies to other allergenic sources. Household exposure to dogs and cats seems to be important for the subsequent development of atopy. Sensitization to B. tropicalis and cockroach appears to be mostly from cross-reactivity rather than direct exposure.

Farmed crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) raised with dermestids (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) suffer from reduced and delayed growth, but not enough to explain reports of dramatic yield loss.

The mass production of insects for food and feed is an expanding North American industry. Facilities that mass rear insects are at risk of pest infestations because the optimal environmental conditions for rearing beneficial species may also support the development of pest species. Here, we present the first recorded results detailing the interactions between dermestids and farmed crickets. Cricket farms have reported extremely low harvest yield during heavy dermestid infestations, but the exact reasons for this low yield are unknown. Many dermestid larvae are covered in dense, detachable, barbed setae called hastisetae, which are used by the larvae as an active trapping system against arthropod predators. We designed a series of experiments to test the hypotheses that a dermestid pest of cricket farms, black larder beetle (Dermestes ater DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)), may be directly impacting Gryllodes sigillatus Walker (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) yield through the physical effects of hastisetae ingestion and/or indirectly impacting cricket yield through competition for fishmeal, a primary source of protein in conventional cricket feed. Our predictions that G. sigillatus life history and survival would be negatively affected by dermestids were largely refuted. Females fed infested diets grew less mass, but not smaller body size, compared to females fed uninfested diets. We also found that while G. sigillatus experienced delayed growth early in life after living with dermestids, they were able to tolerate living with, and consuming, dermestid larvae. We discuss how these findings have led to new hypotheses concerning how dermestid infestations drive reductions in cricket farm yield.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Different Food Groups and Drinking Water.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been included by the World Health Organization in its list of "priority pathogens" because of its widespread prevalence and the severity of the infections it causes. The role of food in infections caused by MRSA is unknown, although strains of this microorganism have been detected in various items for human consumption. In order to gain an overview of any possible role of food in MRSA infections, a review was undertaken of studies published between January 2001 and February 2024 relating to MRSA. These comprised research that focused on fish and shellfish, eggs and egg products, foods of vegetable origin, other foodstuffs (e.g., honey or edible insects), and drinking water. In most of these investigations, no prior enrichment was carried out when isolating strains. Three principal methods were used to confirm the presence of MRSA, namely amplification of the mecA gene by PCR, amplification of the mecA and the mecC genes by PCR, and disc diffusion techniques testing susceptibility to cefoxitin (30 µg) and oxacillin (1 µg). The great diversity of methods used for the determination of MRSA in foods and water makes comparison between these research works difficult. The prevalence of MRSA varied according to the food type considered, ranging between 0.0% and 100% (average 11.7 ± 20.3%) for fish and shellfish samples, between 0.0% and 11.0% (average 1.2 ± 3.5%) for egg and egg products, between 0.0% and 20.8% (average 2.5 ± 6.8%) for foods of vegetable origin, between 0.6% and 29.5% (average 28.2 ± 30.3%) for other foodstuffs, and between 0.0% and 36.7% (average 17.0 ± 14.0%) for drinking water.

The deeper the rounder: body shape variation in lice parasitizing diving hosts.

Seal lice, unique among insects, show remarkable adaptability to the extreme conditions of the deep sea. Evolving with their seal and sea lion hosts, they have managed to tolerate hypoxia, high salinity, low temperature, and elevated hydrostatic pressure. Given the diving capabilities of their mammalian hosts, which can reach depths of hundreds to thousands of meters, our study examines the morphological variation among closely related seal lice species infesting hosts with different maximum diving depths. In particular, our research reveals a significant morphological difference between lice associated with regular and deep-diving hosts, where lice from deep-diving hosts tend to be rounder. This could be an adaptation to withstand the high hydrostatic pressures found in the deep ocean. The rounded shape optimizes the louse's ability to withstand external pressure by redistributing it over a larger ventral/dorsal plane. This in turn minimizes the internal energy required to support body deformations, thereby increasing the louse's resilience in the deep sea environment.

The isolation and characterisation of protein from nine edible insect species.

The increasing global population and consumer demand for protein pose a serious challenge to the provision of protein-rich diets. Insect farming has been suggested to have a lower environmental impact than conventional animal husbandry which makes insect consumption a more sustainable solution to meet the growing world population's protein requirements. However, there is a reluctancy in the adoption of insect protein especially in the Western diets as whole insect consumption is often met with disgust and resentment. To mitigate against the feeling of disgust and resentment, there have been suggestion to include insects as an ingredient in product development. However, for this to be successfully carried out, the techno-functional properties of insect protein need to be characterised. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterise proteins from nine edible insect species. Protein was isolated from nine edible insect species and characterised in terms of the protein content and molecular weight distribution. As crickets are the most common insect food source, the functional characterisation (foaming and emulsification) of protein extracted from house cricket (HC) supernatant protein (SP) was investigated in comparison to commercial whey protein (WP) and pea protein isolate (PPI). The protein content of the buffalo worms and yellow meal worms was significantly (P = 0.000) higher than other insect species such as wild black ants, queen leaf cutter ants, and flying termites. The molecular weight distribution of the nine edible insect species varied from ~ 5 to 250 kDa. HC SP foaming capacity was fourfold and threefold higher than that of WP and PPI respectively. The emulsification potential of HC SP was 1.5 × higher than PPI. The HC protein extract shows promising potential for use in the food industry and represents a potential vehicle for the introduction of insect protein into the diet of societies that are not accustomed to eating insects.

Juvenile responses to immune challenges are not carried through to subsequent life stages in an insect.

Environmental variability can significantly impact individual survival and reproduction. Meanwhile, high population densities can lead to resource scarcity and increased exposure to parasites and pathogens. Studies with insects can offer valuable insights into eco-immunology, allowing us to explore the connections between these variables. Here we use the moth Anticarsia gemmatalis to examine how increases in population density and immunological challenge during the larval stage shape its investment in immune defence and reproduction. Larvae reared at a high population density exhibited greater lytic activity against bacteria compared to those reared at low density, whilst bacterial challenge (i.e. bacteria-immersed needles) also increased lytic activity. There was no interaction between the variables population density and bacterial challenge, indicating that these are independent. Surprisingly, neither increase in lytic activity carried through to activity in prepupal haemolymph. Rearing of larvae at a high density delayed pupation and decreased pupal weight. The immunological stimulus did not significantly influence pupal development. Lower population density as a larva resulted in greater adult weight, but did not significantly influence lytic activity in the eggs or the number of eggs laid. Negative correlations were found between lytic activity in the eggs and the number of eggs, as well as between adult weight and the number of eggs. Overall, this study demonstrates that high population density and immune challenge trigger increased lytic activity in caterpillars, but this effect is transient, not persisting into later stages. The trade-offs observed, such as delayed pupation and reduced prepupal weights under high density, suggest a balancing act between immune investment and developmental aspects. The findings hint at a short-term adaptive response rather than a sustained strategy. The implications of delayed pupation and smaller adult moths could influence the moth's life history strategy, impacting its role in the ecosystem. Further research tracking larval immune investment and subsequent reproductive success will unveil the evolutionary dynamics of this relationship in changing environments.

Mitochondrial phylogeography of grassland caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Lymantriinae: Gynaephora) endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.

Grassland caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Lymantriinae: Gynaephora) are the most damaging pests to alpine meadows in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Here, we conducted extensive sampling from 39 geographic populations covering almost the entire distribution of the eight QTP Gynaephora (Hübner) species to investigate phylogeographic patterns and speciation based on two mitochondrial genes (COI and ND5). A total of 40 haplotypes were detected in the 39 populations, with >70% of all haplotypes not shared between populations. The monophyletic QTP Gynaephora migrated from non-QTP regions during the Pliocene, corresponding to the uplift of the QTP, suggesting a mode of transport into the QTP. Among the eight QTP Gynaephora species described by morphological characteristics, two species (G. alpherakii and G. menyuanensis) were recovered as monophyletic groups (Clades B and C), while the remaining six formed two monophyletic clades: Clade A (G. qinghaiensis, G. jiuzhiensis, and G. qumalaiensis) and Clade D (G. aureata, G. ruoergensis, and G. minora). These results suggested that the number of the QTP Gynaephora species may be overestimated and further studies based on both morphological and nuclear gene data are needed. Genetic differentiation and speciation of the QTP Gynaephora were likely driven by the QTP uplifts and associated climate fluctuations during the Pleistocene, indicated by divergence time estimation, suggesting that isolation and subsequent divergence was the dominant mode of speciation. The Sanjiangyuan region (i.e., Clade A, characterized by high genetic diversity) may have been a glacial refugium of the QTP Gynaephora, as supported by analyses of gene flow and biogeography. High levels of genetic diversity were found in QTP Gynaephora, without population expansion, which may explain the high-altitude adaptation and outbreaks of grassland caterpillars in alpine meadows of the QTP. This study provides the largest phylogeographic analysis of QTP Gynaephora and improves our understanding of the diversity and speciation of QTP insects.

Performance of DNA metabarcoding, standard barcoding and morphological approaches in the identification of insect biodiversity.

For two decades, DNA barcoding and, more recently, DNA metabarcoding have been used for molecular species identification and estimating biodiversity. Despite their growing use, few studies have systematically evaluated these methods. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of barcoding methods in identifying species and estimating biodiversity, by assessing their consistency with traditional morphological identification and evaluating how assignment consistency is influenced by taxonomic group, sequence similarity thresholds and geographic distance. We first analysed 951 insect specimens across three taxonomic groups: butterflies, bumblebees and parasitic wasps, using both morphological taxonomy and single-specimen COI DNA barcoding. An additional 25,047 butterfly specimens were identified by COI DNA metabarcoding. Finally, we performed a systematic review of 99 studies to assess average consistency between insect species identity assigned via morphology and COI barcoding and to examine the distribution of research effort. Species assignment consistency was influenced by taxonomic group, sequence similarity thresholds and geographic distance. An average assignment consistency of 49% was found across taxonomic groups, with parasitic wasps displaying lower consistency due to taxonomic impediment. The number of missing matches doubled with a 100% sequence similarity threshold and COI intraspecific variation increased with geographic distance. Metabarcoding results aligned well with morphological biodiversity estimates and a strong positive correlation between sequence reads and species abundance was found. The systematic review revealed an 89% average consistency and also indicated taxonomic and geographic biases in research effort. Together, our findings demonstrate that while problems persist, barcoding approaches offer robust alternatives to traditional taxonomy for biodiversity assessment.

Broad host use and frequent polyandry in the facultative dulotic species Formica aserva (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

The study of social parasitism faces numerous challenges arising from the intricate and intranidal host-parasite interactions and the rarity of parasites compared to their free-living counterparts. As a result, our understanding of the ecology and evolution of most social parasites remains limited. Using whole-genome and reduced-representation sequence data, we conducted a study to fill knowledge gaps on host use, colony social structure, and population genetics of the facultative dulotic ant Formica aserva Forel. Our study reveals the remarkable ability of F. aserva to exploit at least 20 different host species across its wide geographic distribution. In some cases, one social parasite colony exploits multiple hosts simultaneously, suggesting a high degree of generalization even at a local spatial scale. Approximately 80% of the colonies were monogyne (with a single queen), with many exhibiting higher rates of polyandry compared to most Formica ants. Although we identified a supergene on chromosome 3, its association with colony structure remains uncertain due to the rarity of polygyny in our sample. Population genetic analyses reveal substantial geographic population structure, with the greatest divergence between California populations and those from the rest of the range. Mitochondrial population structure differs from structure inferred from the nuclear genome on a broad geographic scale, suggesting a possible role of adaptive introgression or genetic drift. This study provides valuable insights into the ecology and evolution of F. aserva, underscoring the need for further research to decipher the complexities of host interactions and the genetic mechanisms that regulate social structure.

Analysis of fast calcium dynamics of honey bee olfactory coding.

Odour processing exhibits multiple parallels between vertebrate and invertebrate olfactory systems. Insects, in particular, have emerged as relevant models for olfactory studies because of the tractability of their olfactory circuits. Here, we used fast calcium imaging to track the activity of projection neurons in the honey bee antennal lobe (AL) during olfactory stimulation at high temporal resolution. We observed a heterogeneity of response profiles and an abundance of inhibitory activities, resulting in various response latencies and stimulus-specific post-odour neural signatures. Recorded calcium signals were fed to a mushroom body (MB) model constructed implementing the fundamental features of connectivity between olfactory projection neurons, Kenyon cells (KC), and MB output neurons (MBON). The model accounts for the increase of odorant discrimination in the MB compared to the AL and reveals the recruitment of two distinct KC populations that represent odorants and their aftersmell as two separate but temporally coherent neural objects. Finally, we showed that the learning-induced modulation of KC-to-MBON synapses can explain both the variations in associative learning scores across different conditioning protocols used in bees and the bees' response latency. Thus, it provides a simple explanation of how the time contingency between the stimulus and the reward can be encoded without the need for time tracking. This study broadens our understanding of olfactory coding and learning in honey bees. It demonstrates that a model based on simple MB connectivity rules and fed with real physiological data can explain fundamental aspects of odour processing and associative learning.

Evidence for transient deleterious thermal acclimation in field recapture rates of an invasive tropical species, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Knowing how environmental conditions affect performance traits in pest insects is important to improve pest management strategies. It can be informative for monitoring, but also for control programs where insects are mass-reared, and field-released. Here, we investigated how adult thermal acclimation in sterile Bactrocera dorsalis affects dispersal and recapture rates in the field using a mark-release-recapture method. We also considered how current abiotic factors may affect recapture rates and interact with thermal history. We found that acclimation at 20 or 30 °C for 4 d prior to release reduced the number of recaptures in comparison with the 25 °C control group, but with no differences between groups in the willingness to disperse upon release. However, the deleterious effects of acclimation were only detectable in the first week following release, whereafter only the recent abiotic conditions explained recapture rates. In addition, we found that recent field conditions contributed more than thermal history to explain patterns of recaptures. The two most important variables affecting the number of recaptures were the maximum temperature and the average relative humidity experienced in the 24 h preceding trapping. Our results add to the handful of studies that have considered the effect of thermal acclimation on insect field performance, but notably lend support to the deleterious acclimation hypothesis among the various hypotheses that have been proposed. Finally, this study shows that there are specific abiotic conditions (cold/hot and dry) in which recaptures will be reduced, which may therefore bias estimates of wild population size.

Contact Toxicity and Repellent Effects of Essential Oils from Toddalia asiatica against Two Stored-Product Insects.

Insect infestations continually endanger stored goods, underscoring the significance of discovering eco-friendly insecticides for pest management. Essential oils (EOs) from different parts of Toddalia asiatica (leaf, fruit and branch) were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Carvene, p-cymene and muurolene are the principal compounds of T. asiatica leaf (TAL), T. asiatica fruit (TAF) and T. asiatica branch (TAB) EO respectively. Our work aimed to assess the contact toxicity and repellent effects of EOs on two storage pests, Tribolium castaneum and Lasioderma serricorne. All tested EOs exhibited obvious contact toxicity, especially, TAL EO against T. castaneum (33.48 µg/adult) and TAF EO against L. serricorne (16.42 µg/adult). Repellency tests revealed that TAL and TAF EOs, at a concentration of 78.63 nL/cm2, achieved nearing 100% efficiency against T. castaneum. These results suggest that EOs of T. asiatica could be used as effective botanical insecticides for managing stored-product insects.

Unravelling arthropod movement in natural landscapes: Small-scale effects of body size and weather conditions.

Arthropod movement has been noticeably understudied compared to vertebrates. A crucial knowledge gap pertains to the factors influencing arthropod movement at habitat boundaries, which has direct implications for population dynamics and gene flow. While larger arthropod species generally achieve greater dispersal distances and large-scale movements are affected by weather conditions, the applicability of these relationships at a local scale remains uncertain. Existing studies on this subject are not only scarce but often limited to a few species or laboratory conditions. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a field study in two nature reserves in Belgium, focusing on both flying and cursorial (non-flying) arthropods. Over 200 different arthropod species were captured and released within a circular setup placed in a resource-poor environment, allowing quantification of movement speed and direction. By analysing the relationship between these movement variables and morphological (body size) as well as environmental factors (temperature and wind), we aimed to gain insights into the mechanisms driving arthropod movement at natural habitat boundaries. For flying species, movement speed was positively correlated with both body size and tailwind speed. In contrast, movement speed of cursorial individuals was solely positively related with temperature. Notably, movement direction was biased towards the vegetated areas where the arthropods were originally caught, suggesting an internal drive to move towards suitable habitat. This tendency was particularly strong in larger flying individuals and under tailwind conditions. Furthermore, both flying and cursorial taxa were hindered from moving towards the habitat by strong upwind. In conclusion, movement speed and direction at patch boundaries are dependent on body size and prevailing weather conditions, and reflect an active decision-making process.

Spatial differentiation characteristics of the Hemiptera insects in China.

The Hemiptera insects are the largest incomplete metamorphosis insect group in Insecta and play a vital role in ecosystems and biodiversity. Previous studies on the spatial distribution of Hemiptera insects mainly focused on a specific region and insect, this study explored the spatial distribution characteristics of Hemiptera insects in China (national scale), and further clarified the dominant factors affecting their spatial distribution. We used spatial autocorrelation analysis, hot spot analysis, and standard ellipse to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of Hemiptera insects in China. Furthermore, we used geographic detectors to identify the main factors affecting their spatial distribution under China's six agricultural natural divisions and explore the influencing mechanism of dominant factors. The results show that: (i) The spatial differentiation characteristics of Hemiptera insects in China are significant, and their distribution has obvious spatial agglomeration. The Hu Huanyong Line is an important dividing line for the spatial distribution of Hemiptera insects in China. From the city scale, the HH type (high-high cluster) is mainly distributed on both sides of the Hu Huanyong Line. (ii) The hot spots of Hemiptera insects are mainly distributed in southwest China, along the Qinling Mountains, the western side of the Wuyi Mountains, the Yinshan Mountains, the Liupanshan Mountains, the Xuefeng Mountains, the Nanling Mountains, and other mountainous areas. (iii) Under agricultural natural divisions, the influence of natural environmental factors on the spatial distribution of Hemiptera insects is obviously different. Temperature and precipitation are the dominant factors. Natural factors and socio-economic factors have formed a positive reinforcement interaction mode on the spatial distribution of Hemiptera insects. These can provide the decision-making basis for biodiversity conservation and efficient pest control.

Insects in temperate urban parks face stronger selection pressure from the cold than the heat.

Urban areas experience higher temperatures compared to rural areas and as such, are increasingly considered places of acclimatization and adaptation to warming. Small ectotherms, such as insects, whose body temperature rises with habitat temperature, are directly affected by temperature changes. Thus, warming could have a profound effect on insect behavior and physiology. To test if the urban heat island effect drives higher thermal tolerance and activity changes, we used globally distributed and abundant insects-ants. We measured the heat and cold tolerance of 14 ant species distributed across urban and peri-urban areas. As thermal traits are often correlated with ant foraging, we measured foraging activity during three consecutive years across eight sites. Contrary to our prediction, ants exposed to the urban heat island effect did not have a higher heat tolerance than peri-urban ants. Instead, cold tolerance varied across habitats, with ants from the cooler, peri-urban habitats being able to tolerate lower temperatures. We recorded the same pattern of invariant heat and higher cold tolerance for ants in the canopy, compared to ground nesting ants. Ant activity was almost 10 times higher in urban sites and best predicted by cold, not heat tolerance. These unexpected results suggest that we need to rethink predictions about urban heat islands increasing insect heat tolerance in urban habitats, as cold tolerance might be a more plastic or adaptable trait, particularly in the temperate zone.

An unusually large genome from an unusually large stonefly: a chromosome-length genome assembly for the giant salmonfly, Pteronarcys californica (Plecoptera: Pteronarcyidae).

Pteronarcys californica (Newport 1848) is commonly referred to as the giant salmonfly and is the largest species of stonefly (Insecta: Plecoptera) in the western United States. Historically, it was widespread and abundant in western rivers, but populations have experienced a substantial decline in the past few decades, becoming locally extirpated in numerous rivers in Utah, Colorado, and Montana. Although previous research has explored the ecological variables conducive to the survivability of populations of the giant salmonfly, a lack of genomic resources hampers exploration of how genetic variation is spread across extant populations. To accelerate research on this imperiled species, we present a de novo chromosomal-length genome assembly of P. californica generated from PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C chromosome conformation capture. Our assembly includes 14 predicted pseudo chromosomes and 98.8% of Insecta universal core orthologs. At 2.40 gigabases, the P. californica assembly is the largest of available stonefly assemblies, highlighting at least 9.5-fold variation in assembly size across the order. Repetitive elements (REs) account for much of the genome size increase in P. californica relative to other stonefly species, with the content of Class I retroelements alone exceeding the entire assembly size of all but two other species studied. We also observed preliminary suborder-specific trends in genome size that merit testing with more robust taxon sampling.

Relative contribution of biotic and abiotic factors to population fluctuations of Auchenorrhyncha community that could play a role in the Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) (lethal yellowing) pathosystem in Ghana.

As a major setback to the global coconut industry, lethal yellowing disease (LYD), caused by phytoplasmas, continues to threaten coconut palms in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, and Oceania. Despite its economic impacts, limited information exists on LYD vectors, which impedes the prevention and management of the disease. Using double-sided yellow sticky traps, we investigate the factors that influence the seasonal abundance and population dynamics of three sap-sucking insects of LYD, i.e., Diostrombus (Hemiptera: Derbidae) sp. and Patara sp. (Hemiptera: Derbidae), and Nedoptepa curta Dmitriev (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), on five coconut genotypes (Sri Lanka Green Dwarf (SGD), Vanuatu Tall (VTT), SGD × VTT, Malayan Yellow Dwarf (MYD) × VTT, and West African Tall (WAT)) in the Western Region, and one (SGD) in the Central Region of Ghana from April 2019 to May 2021. The results showed that N. curta and Patara sp. were the most abundant species in the Western and Central Regions, respectively. There was a significant difference between the coconut cultivars and sap-sucking insects. The peak population development of the sap-sucking insects was recorded during the dry season on all the coconut genotypes at all sampling locations. A significant positive correlation was detected between temperature and the population of N. curta and Patara sp. In the Agona Nkwanta, VTT had the highest population of N. curta, whereas WAT had the highest population of Patara sp. and Diostrombus sp. These findings provide useful information for assessing the role of factors that could affect the Cape Saint Paul Wilt disease pathosystem.

Fecal transplant allows transmission of the gut microbiota in honey bees.

The study of the fecal microbiota is crucial for unraveling the pathways through which gut symbionts are acquired and transmitted. While stable gut microbial communities are essential for honey bee health, their modes of acquisition and transmission are yet to be confirmed. The gut of honey bees is colonized by symbiotic bacteria within 5 days after emergence from their wax cells as adults. Few studies have suggested that bees could be colonized in part via contact with fecal matter in the hive. However, the composition of the fecal microbiota is still unknown. It is particularly unclear whether all bacterial species can be found viable in the feces and can therefore be transmitted to newborn nestmates. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we revealed that the composition of the honey bee fecal microbiota is strikingly similar to the microbiota of entire guts. We found that fecal transplantation resulted in gut microbial communities similar to those obtained from feeding gut homogenates. Our study shows that fecal sampling and transplantation are viable tools for the non-invasive analysis of bacterial community composition and host-microbe interactions. It also implies that contact of young bees with fecal matter in the hive is a plausible route for gut microbiota acquisition. IMPORTANCE: Honey bees are crucial pollinators for many crops and wildflowers. They are also powerful models for studying microbiome-host interactions. However, current methods rely on gut tissue disruption to analyze microbiota composition and use gut homogenates to inoculate microbiota-deprived bees. Here, we provide two new and non-invasive approaches that will open doors to longitudinal studies: fecal sampling and transplantation. Furthermore, our findings provide insights into gut microbiota transmission in social insects by showing that ingestion of fecal matter can result in gut microbiota acquisition.

Reducing the Wallacean and the Haeckelian Deficits in Apobaetis Day, 1955 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae).

During an ongoing project aiming to understand the dynamics of Ephemeroptera biodiversity in the Doce River Basin after the disaster, an unusual large number of Apobaetis Day, 1955 were analyzed. The occurrence of Apobaetis is quite relevant, since the combination of factors such as its small body size and its habitat preferences makes their collection difficult and its presence often neglected. For the first time in science, adults of Apobaetis irai De Lima, Massariol, Cruz & Hamada, 2022 and Apobaetis fiuzai Salles & Lugo-Ortiz, 2002 are described and diagnosed. Apobaetis irai can be easily distinguished, among other characteristics by turbinate portion of compound eyes touching each other along midline; abdominal terga II-III and V-VII with well-marked lines on lateral and posterior margins; posterior margin of subgenital plate with projection broadly rounded to slightly truncate. Apobaetis fiuzai are diagnosed by turbinate portion of compound eyes touching each other posteriorly; mesothorax brown, except for broad cream marks on anterior margin of PSp and SLS, SSLi tinged with white, posterior corner of SMS with a red spot; abdominal terga II-VI translucent orangish-brown, terga VII-X brown, terga II-III and VI with conspicuous red medial mark; posterior margin of subgenital plate with subtriangular projection, apex narrowly truncate; forceps base wider at base, inner irregular edges. The new records of A. irai and A. fiuzai extend the distribution of Apobaetis within Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States, Brazil. Furthermore, it is reported for the first time cases of gynandromorphs for Apobaetis.