Insect Fauna Research Articles

Scratching the tip of the iceberg: integrative taxonomy reveals 30 new species records of Microgastrinae (Braconidae) parasitoid wasps for Germany, including new Holarctic distributions.

Substantial parts of the European and German insect fauna still remain largely unexplored, the so-called "dark taxa". In particular, midges (Diptera) and parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) are abundant and species-rich throughout Europe, yet are often neglected in biodiversity research. One such dark taxon is Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a group of parasitoids of lepidopteran caterpillars with 252 species reported in Germany so far. As part of the German Barcode of Life Project GBOL III: Dark Taxa, reverse DNA barcoding and integrative taxonomic approaches were used to shed some light on the German Fauna of Microgastrinae wasps. In our workflow, DNA barcoding was used for molecular clustering of our specimens in a first step, morphological examination of the voucher specimens in a second step, and host data compared in a third step. Here, 30 species are reported for the first time in Germany, adding more than 10% to the known German fauna. Information for four species is provided in a new Holarctic context, reporting them for the Nearctic or, respectively, Palaearctic region, and 26 additional country records are added from sequenced material available in the collections accessible to us. Molecular clusters that show signs of discrepancies are discussed. Results show that we are just scratching the tip of the iceberg of the unexplored Microgastrinae diversity in Germany.

Aquatic Insects as Bioindicators of Water Quality in the Achenkovil River, Kerala, India.

The origin of the Achenkovil River, the Devarmalai of Western Ghats, is within the Konni reserve forest of Pathanamthitta district, flowing through Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and merging with the Pamba river in the Alappuzha district. This study included the spatial variation of aquatic insect fauna with respect to water quality. The bottom water samples and insect fauna were collected bimonthly using a Niskin sampler and D-frame nets for a period of one year (February 2019 to January 2020). The study yielded 10736 insect fauna under 8 orders, 21 families, 35 genera, and 36 species. How the quality of the water affects biodiversity of aquatic insects was examined using multivariate statistical techniques (PCA and CCA) and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The findings showed that the upstream portion of the river has a remarkable diversity and quantity of aquatic insect species. The major insect group in the collected sample was ephemeroptera. There were no pollution-sensitive taxa in the middle stream or downstream portions of the river, which suggests that the water quality was declining. The middle stream and downstream sections of the river did not contain any pollution-sensitive taxa, indicating deteriorating water quality. Human-caused factors like washing, cleaning cars, and washing cattle and disposal of garbage are common in these regions. Because most aquatic insects are sensitive to environmental fluctuations, they can be used as an efficient tool in biomonitoring studies.

Characterization of larval habitats of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi and associated species in malaria areas in western Brazilian Amazon.

Anopheles darlingi is the most efficient vector of malaria parasites in the Neotropics. Nevertheless, the specificities of its larval habitats are still poorly known. Characterize permanent larval habitats, and population dynamics of An. darlingi and other potential vectors in relation to climate, physicochemical variables, insect fauna and malaria cases. A 14-month longitudinal study was conducted in Porto Velho, Rondônia, western Brazilian Amazon. Monthly, 21 permanent water bodies were sampled. Immature anophelines and associated fauna were collected, physicochemical characteristics, and climate variables were recorded and analyzed. Five types of habitats were identified: lagoon, stream, stream combined with lagoon, stream combined with dam, and fishpond. A total of 60,927 anophelines were collected. The most abundant species in all habitats were Anopheles braziliensis and An. darlingi. The highest density was found in the lagoon, while streams had the highest species richness. Abundance was higher during the transition period wet-dry season. There was a lag of respectively four and five months between the peak of rainfall and the Madeira River level and the highest abundance of An. darlingi larvae, which were positively correlated with habitats partially shaded, pH close to neutrality, increase dissolved oxygen and sulphates. The present study provides data on key factors defining permanent larval habitats for the surveillance of An. darlingi and other potential vectors as well as a log-linear Negative Binomial model based on immature mosquito abundance and climate variables to predict the increase in the number of malaria cases.

Efficacy of Citrullus colocynthis seed extract on Earias vittella, Fabricius, (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): environment sustainable approach.

Earias vittellaFabricius, 1794 (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) is deliberated to be one of the most destructive pests of cotton and okra vegetation in the world including Asia. The pest has established resistance to various synthetic insecticides. The use of bio-pesticide is one of the unconventional approaches to develop a vigorous ecosystem without harming non- target pests and beneficial natural insect fauna. In the present study, the toxicity levels of Citrullus colocynthis seed extract have been evaluated against the populations of E. vittellaunder standardized laboratory conditions. The toxic effects of C. colocynthis on development periods, protein contents and esterase activity of the life stages of E. vittella were also evaluated. The toxicity levels of methanol, ethanol, hexane, water and profenofos were evaluated on the 1st instar larvae of E. vittella. LC30 and LC80 concentrations exhibited the effectiveness of methanol-based C. colocynthis seed extract against 1st instar larvae of E. vitella. The enhanced larval and pupal periods were revealed in treated samples during the comparison with untreated samples. The intrinsic rate of increase, net reproductive rate in the LC30 and LC80 concentrations exposed larvae remained less than the control treatment. Fecundity, the esterase activity and protein contents were declined in LC30 and LC80 treated samples as compared to the control. The present findings suggest that C. colosynthis extracts based botanical insecticides are beneficial, ecosystem sustainable and can be integrated with insect management programs from environment safety perspective.

The formation of insect fauna in green covers established at the bottom of the Aral Sea

The formation of insect fauna in green covers established at the bottom of the Aral Sea

Disjunct distribution of Hesperotettixspeciosus (Orthoptera, Acrididae) from the Black Belt Prairie of Alabama, United States.

Inventories of the flora and insect fauna of the Black Belt Prairie of Mississippi and Alabama have documented disjunct populations of species broadly distributed in the Great Plains, including two grasshopper species. During a recent survey of a large privately-owned prairie remnant in Sumter Co., Alabama, we documented a disjunct population of a third grasshopper species - Hesperotettixspeciosus, extending the known distribution of this species significantly eastwards. The discovery of this population is surprising due to the number of previous survey efforts of the Black Belt, Alabama and Mississippi overall and exemplifies the importance of conservation on private lands.

Distribution and diversity of aquatic insects in different water bodies of Qatar.

Aquatic insect fauna remains an important tool for bio indication of environmental disturbance, while maintaining a healthy aquatic system. The purpose of the study was to document and to identify the diversity and distribution patterns of aquatic insect, a highly ignored aspect from the Qatar. Following the standard procedures, the samples were collected from aquatic habitats during the period October 2015 to May 2017 on monthly basis. A total of 11,287 individuals, belonging to 6 orders were captured. Dipterans were the abundant with the percentages of 71.01 (n=8,015), while the lowest percentage was observed for Coleoptera 0.04 (n=05). Twelve insects families were identified, among these five were reported under Diptera, followed by Hemiptera (03), while Coleoptera, Tricoptera, Odonata, and Ephemeroptera were represented by single families. Among the selected localities, Dipterans were collected from 10 stations, followed by Hemiptera (9), Coleoptera (4), Odonota (4), Ephemeroptera (3) and Trichoptera (1) respectively. Among the water bodies samples, streams were the most preferred habitats (n=2,767), while drinking water pools were the least (27). Moreover, the highest Simpson diversity index of 1.48 and lowest of 0.47 was recorded for flooded sewage pool and plastic containers respectively, while the low evenness values were observed for ponds, and less than 1 Margalef's diversity values were seen for all habitats. This study documents the patterns of the diversity and distribution of aquatic insects, and provides a baseline for the future studies from Qatar.

Detection of Insect Fauna in Burdur Provıncıal Vinery Areas

Tarım ürünlerinin üretimi sırasında ekonomik kayıp oluşturan zararlı türlerle etkili bir mücadele yapmak için zararlı faunasının bilinmesi önemlidir. Bu çalışma kapsamında 2021-2022 yılları arasında, Burdur ilinde bağcılığın yaygın olarak yapıldığı Kuruçay, Akyaka, Yassıgüme, Hacılar, Yazıköy ve Düğer köylerindeki bağ alanlarındaki zararlı olan türler belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada böcekleri yakalamada gözle kontrol yöntemi, elle toplama yöntemi ve feromon tuzağı kullanılmıştır. Belirtilen bölgede Insecta sınıfına ait 32 tür ve 11 avcı tür olmak üzere toplam 43 tür saptanmıştır. Bunlardan bağlarda ekonomik düzeyde zararlı olan türler; Tortricidae familyasından Lobesia botrana, Cicadellidae familyasımdan Empoasca decipiens, Coccidae familyasından Parthenolecanium corni, Cydnidae familyasından Trigomaster bicolor, Scarabaeidae familyasından Tropinota hirta, Melolanthidae familyasından Polyphylla fullo, Curculionidae familyasından Otiorhynchus sp., Cerambycidae familyasından Chlorophorus varius, Tenebrionidae familyasından Opatrum sabulasum, Zophosis punctata ve Pimelia verrucifera’ dır. Lobesia botrana türü Burdur ilinde tuzakların asıldığı Yassıgüme, Hacılar ve Yazıköy olmak üzere 3 köyde de saptanmıştır. Burdur da bağcılığın yoğun yapıldığı alanlardaki bağ alanlarında bulunan böcekler saptanarak ortaya konulmuştur. Burdur ili bağ alanlarında zararlı türler ile doğru bir mücadele stratejisi oluşturmak için temel veriler elde edilmiştir.

The Diversity of Forensic Entomofauna Associated With Decaying Chicken Liver in the Tropical Region of Kerala, India.

Forensic entomology To elucidate the time of death based on insect evidence, there are several studies on forensic entomology on life cycles, environmental factors, and feeding habitats of insects. However, there have not been any comprehensive studies on forensic entomology and its usage in forensic inquiry specific to the region, especially Kerala, India. The insect succession on decomposed animal matter plays an important role in estimating minimum postmortem intervals (mPMI). Objective The purpose of the study was tounderstand forensically important insect groups and their role in the decomposition process of dead decayingmatter. The different decomposition stages of a corpse vary in attraction to necrophagous insects and the insect fauna depending on its prevailing conditions of decay. The decomposition is highly dependent on the exposition of animal matter and abiotic and biotic factors acting on it. The main objective of the present investigation was to identify the insect fauna associated with decaying chicken liver. The study also envisages comprising the diversity and abundance of insects between two different treatments of animal matter: in contact with soil and controlled conditions in a clean basin. Method The study was conducted for 45 days (until the total decomposition of the samples in both conditions) during the pre-monsoon months of April to May2022 at Chalikadavu, Muvattupuzha, in the Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. The samples were however kept away from direct sunlight and rain to avoid the direct impact on the orienting fauna. The entomofauna found to be associated with the decaying animal matter was carefully collected from the site and stored in 70% isopropyl alcohol for preservation. The total number of insects was recorded along with the hours of maximum incidence, and samples were stored in plastic vials for further identification. Result In this study, we analyzed the activities of ants, mites, wasps, cockroaches, moths, beetles, and flies during the decomposition of decaying chicken liver. Among these insects, flies and beetles are two important arthropod communities associated with animal matter decomposition. We collected these foraging organisms for morpho-taxonomic identification. The decomposition stages among the two treatments could help to understand the variable factors in the decomposition of decaying corpse with special reference to the insect fauna acting on it. Conclusion We got 100 specimens comprising 28 species in 17 families from Blattidae, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. Besides this, we identified two parasitic wasps with their host (dipteran pupa), which is helpful in postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. Our analysis showed an association between decay and the activity of carrion insects. The decomposition stages among the two treatments could help to understand the variable factors in the decomposition of a decaying corpse with special reference to the insect fauna acting upon it.

A Maastrichtian insect assemblage from Patagonia sheds light on arthropod diversity previous to the K/Pg event

Insect faunas from the latest Cretaceous are poorly known worldwide. Particularly, in the Southern Hemisphere, there is a gap regarding insect assemblages in the Campanian-Maastrichtian interval. Here we present an insect assemblage from the Maastrichtian Chorrillo Formation, southern Argentina, represented by well-preserved and non-deformed, chitinous microscopic remains including head capsules, wings and scales. Identified clades include Chironomidae dipterans, Coelolepida lepidopterans, and Ephemeroptera. The assemblage taxonomically resembles those of Cenozoic age, rather than other Mesozoic assemblages, in being composed by diverse chironomids and lepidopterans. To the best of our knowledge, present discovery constitutes the first insect body fossils for the Maastrichtian in the Southern Hemisphere, thus filling the gap between well-known Early Cretaceous entomofaunas and those of Paleogene age. The presented evidence shows that modern clades of chironomids were already dominant and diversified by the end of the Cretaceous, in concert with the parallel radiation of aquatic angiosperms which became dominant in freshwater habitats. This exceptional finding encourages the active search of microscopic remains of fossil arthropods in other geological units, which could provide a unique way of enhancing our knowledge on the past diversity of the clade.

Changes of the composition of the Noctuoidea fauna along a geographical gradient in the northeastern part of the Carpathian Lowland

The northeastern part of the Carpathian Lowland is one of the most species-rich parts of the region, despite the long-term and sometimes extreme changes in land use. The fragmented remains of formerly contiguous forests maintain a significant part of the wildlife living in different oak, mixed oak, and gallery forest, and even faunas of connected grassland habitats. To reveal how the parallel Carpathian and Pannonian effects form the local insect fauna, the Noctuoidea assemblages of eight forest patches were assessed and compared, based on the distribution data of 479 species. Three types of assemblages were designated, with similar diversity but different compositions. The most unique and valuable ones can be found in the colline area of Transcarpathia, where the high habitat diversity supported by the topography promotes the coexistence of the species of humid forest fauna and many steppic and southern elements. The protection and planned management of these remained forest patches and their network in international cooperation can maintain a significant part of the fauna of the affected regions.

Diversity of Insects of Two Rice (Oryza sativa L. 1787) Farms in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

The recognition of insect-related damages to rice plants and the subsequent consequences for biodiversity have shown the relevance of insect communities in rice farms. This study documented the insect fauna of rice (Oryza sativa L. 1787) in two rice farms in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria from September to November, 2022. The insects associated with the two sites were collected using handpicking, sweep net, water trap and pitfall trap methods. Data collected from the study were subjected to non-parametric t- test at 5% significant level. A total of 51,021 insects belonging to twelve insect orders were found associated with the two sites. Out of the aforementioned number, 15,120 (29.63%) were collected from site 1 while 35,901 (70.37%) were collected in site 2. There was significant difference (P <0.05) on insect abundance between site 1 and 2. Crematogaster peringueyi was found to be the most abundant (82.67%) insect in site 1, whereas Camponotus perrisi was found to be the most abundant (27.85%) in site 2. The result further showed that only Hobomok skipper had the least relative abundance (0.01%) in site 1, while Catantops quadratu, Anacatantops notatus, Dysdercus cingulatus, Crematogaster peringueyi, Dasyleurotettix infaustus and Apis mellifera had the least relative abundance (0.01%) in site 2. The diversity indices computed showed that Site 1 had a higher Simpson dominance index (0.6845), Shannon Weiner diversity index (1.07597) and Shannon Weiner evenness than site 2 (0.0019, 0.41248and 0.0393 respectively). The Margalef richness index (6.3879) of site 2 was greater than site 1 (4.9876).There is need for regular monitoring of insects in rice farms for sustainable management of the crop.

Influence of the pesticide flupyradifurone on mobility and physical condition of larval green lacewings.

Global pesticide use in agriculture is one reason for the rapid insect decline in recent years. The relatively new pesticide flupyradifurone is neurotoxic to pest insects but considered harmless to bees according to previous risk assessments. With this study, we aim to investigate lethal and sublethal effects of flupyradifurone on larvae of the beneficial arthropod Chrysoperla carnea. We treated the animals orally with field-realistic concentrations of flupyradifurone and examined lethality as well as effects on condition, mobility and locomotion. For the lethal dose 50, we determined a value of > 120-200ng/mg (corresponding to a mean amount of 219ng/larva) after 168h. Abnormal behaviors such as trembling and comatose larvae were observed even at the lowest concentration applied (> 0-20ng/mg, 59ng/larva). Mobility analysis showed impaired activity patterns, resulting in acute hypoactivity at all pesticide concentrations and time-delayed hyperactivity in larvae treated with > 40-60ng/mg (100ng/larva) and > 80-100ng/mg (120ng/larva), respectively. Even locomotion as a fundamental behavioral task was negatively influenced throughout larval development. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that flupyradifurone impacts life and survival of lacewing larvae and may pose-despite its status as bee-friendly-a major threat to insect fauna and environment.

A mixture of artificial and biological sounds improves the effective range of an acoustic repellent for an invasive lizard species

AbstractFurther range expansion of invasive animal species can be prevented by controlling their behavior. Acoustic repellent is a promising approach to deter problematic animals from ecologically sensitive areas. To develop an acoustic repellent system for a green anole that was introduced to the Ogasawara islands in Japan, this study evaluated the deterrent effect of (1) a pattern sound of machine noise and (2) a mixture of artificial and biologically relevant sounds. We created a sound level gradient inside a small experimental cage in a laboratory setting and measured whether green anoles avoided the vicinity of a speaker. In approximately 80% of cases, both the pattern machine sound and the mixture sounds prevented green anoles from stepping into the vicinity of a speaker (<24 cm). The mixture sounds maintained the deterrent effect at a middle distance from a speaker (<72 cm), whereas the pattern machine sound did not work as a strong acoustic repellent at this distance. These results imply that the mixing of biotic and abiotic sounds can improve the effective range of acoustic repellent for green anoles. However, several shortcomings of the acoustic repellent system were also highlighted. Since a green anole is an insectivore predator, our findings will contribute to protecting endangered native insect fauna from the predation of non‐native lizard species.

SPECIES OF ARMORED SCALE INSECTS (DIASPIDIDAE) IN THE CONDITIONS OF KARAKALPAKSTAN, CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

The article presents species of armored scale insects (Diaspididae) in the conditions of karakalpakstan, characteristics of bioecological development. KEY WORDS: insects, phytophages, entomophages, ticks, agroecosystem, insect fauna, sucking pests.

CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMSTOCK WORM (PSEUDOCOCCUS COMSTOCKI KUV V.) IN THE CONDITIONS OF KARAKALPAKSTAN

The article presents characteristics of bioecological development of the comstock worm (Pseudococcus comstocki kuv v.) in the conditions of Karakalpakstan. KEY WORDS: insects, phytophages, entomophages, ticks, agroecosystem, insect fauna, sucking pests.

Insect diversity in heterogeneous agro-environments of Central Europe

AbstractInsect diversity has been decreasing significantly during the past decades. A main driver causing this negative trend is agricultural intensification, which causes habitat destruction and a deterioration of habitat quality. We caught flying arthropods with 28 Malaise traps and two light traps across a heterogeneous Central European agro-environment in southern Germany over a period of four years. The arthropods captured with Malaise traps were assigned to barcode index numbers (BINs) based on metabarcoding. Lepidopterans caught with light traps and light towers were identified based on morphological characters. Within the four years study, a total of 11,984 insect operational taxonomic units (OTUs) related to unique BINs on BOLD (> 95% similarity) were recorded across this agro-environment. 7835 of them could be assigned to insect order and the vast majority of them represent different species. Different estimates of the total species richness ranged between 8188 and 11,512 OTUs (a proxy for species). This number corresponds to about 26–36% of the total German insect fauna. Light trapping also yielded a high species diversity and returned 502 Lepidoptera species (compared to 784 species captured with Malaise traps). The overlap between light and Malaise traps was less than 45%. The Malaise trap catches showed that insects are more diverse along forest edges than in the centre of meadows. Our findings underline the high value of heterogeneous agro-environments for biodiversity, and the high value when combining data collected with different sampling techniques.

Seasonal Activity and Diversity of Insect Fauna Collected through Light Traps in Protected and Unprotected Conditions during rabi Season

The present investigation was carried out by installing two light traps with different light sources in the experimental site one is inside the polyhouse and the other is outside the poly house. Insects were collected regularly from the third week of September 2019 to the second week of March 2020. During the study, in all 8 predaceous and 6 harmful species were observed in the light trap inside the polyhouse. Seven major insect pest species and some unidentified Lepidopteran moths were identified and collected outside the polyhouse, as important positively phototropic insect pest in rabi crops. The light sources used in light trap SMV-4 models were 8+8 watt UV (10”tubes) and 15 watt UV (15” tube).

Are there differences in behaviour between the two colour morphs of the mountain stone wētā, Hemideina maori?

ABSTRACT A robust understanding of an organism’s behavioural and ecological characteristics is an integral part of conservation; unfortunately, many of New Zealand’s native insect fauna still show a degree of data deficiency in these areas. Predator avoidance behaviours are one such area, and where there are colour morphs in New Zealand native and threatened insects, potential differences in the behaviour of these morphs can often be under investigated. The mountain stone wētā (Hemideina maori) possesses two distinct colour morphs, melanic and yellow, though the reason for this distinction is unclear. This study uses laboratory based assays to compare the behaviour of the morphs, including activity, refuge seeking, cohabitation, emergence and defensive behaviour. We observed emergence and cohabitation regularly, used video recordings to assay activity and refuge seeking behaviours, and measured defensive behaviours by probing individuals until a defensive response was displayed. Differences in all tested behaviours between colour morphs were non-significant; however, there were significant differences in defensive behaviour between sexes. We also discuss how defensive behaviours of H. maori compare with another tree wētā. Overall, the colour morphs in H. maori are similar in their predator responses and there may be a driving factor for melanism other than predation pressure. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D54E864D-844F-4619-84E6-44BBAC1DE4E5

Parasitoid and predator species of Coccidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) species in fruit orchards of Diyarbakır and Elazığ Provinces, Türkiye

This study was carried out in order to determine the predator and parasitoid species that feed on soft scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccidae) species in orchards of Diyarbakır and Elazığ Provinces in Turkiye in 2017 and 2018. Visual identification and rearing methods were used. Eight predatorory species belonging to the families Coccinellidae (4) and Cybocephalidae (1) (Coleoptera), Forficulidae (2) (Dermaptera), and Chrysopidae (1) (Neuroptera), were detected. In addition, 14 parasitoid and 2 hyperparasitoid species from the families Encyrtidae (14), Aphelenidae (1) and 2 Pteromalidae (1) (Hymenoptera) were collected. Among the parasitoid species, Metaphycus ater, M. luteolus, M. chermis and M. unicolor (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are first records for the insect fauna of Türkiye.