Insect Natural Enemies Research Articles

Genomics of insect natural enemies in agroecosystems.

Currently, a wealth of genomic data is now accessible for numerous insect natural enemies, serving as valuable resources that deepen our understanding of the genetic basis of biocontrol traits in these organisms. We summarize the current state of genome sequencing and highlight candidate genes related to biocontrol traits that hold promise for genetic improvement. We also review the recent population genomic studies in biological control and the discovery of potential insecticidal genes in parasitoid wasps. Collectively, current genomic works have shown the powerful ability to identify candidate genes responsible for desirable traits or promising effectors. However, further functional study is necessary to gain a mechanistic understanding of these genes, and future efforts are also needed to develop suitable approaches to translate genomic insights into field applications.

Pathways for accidental biocontrol: The human-mediated dispersal of insect predators and parasitoids.

Introductions of insect predators and parasitoids for biological control are a key method for pest management. Yet in recent decades, biological control has become more strictly regulated and less frequent. Conversely, the rate of unintentional insect introductions through human activities is rising. While accidental introductions of insect natural enemies can potentially have serious ecological consequences, they are challenging to quantify as their movements go largely unobserved. We used historical border interception records collected by the US Department of Agriculture from 1913 to 2018 to describe the diversity of entomophagous insects transported unintentionally, their main introduction pathways, and trends in host specificity. There were 35,312 interceptions of insect predators and parasitoids during this period, representing 93 families from 11 orders, and 196 species from these families. Commodity associations varied, but imported plants and plant products were the main introduction pathway. Most interceptions originated with commodities imported from the Neotropical, Panamaian, and Western Palearctic regions. Among the intercepted species, 27% were found in material originating from more than one country. Two thirds of species were polyphagous host generalists. Furthermore, 25% of species had already been introduced intentionally as biological control agents internationally, and 4.6% have documented negative impacts on native biodiversity or human society. Most of the intercepted species that have not established in the United States are host generalists or have at least one known host species available. The unintentional transport of diverse natural enemy insects has the potential to cause substantial ecological impacts, both in terms of controlling pests through accidental biocontrol and disrupting native communities. Characterizing the insects being transported and their introduction pathways can inform biosecurity practices and management.

Identification and expression profiling of neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptor genes in a natural enemy, Coccinella septempunctata.

Neuropeptides and their receptors constitute diverse and abundant signal molecules in insects, primarily synthesized and released primarily from neurosecretory cells within the central nervous system Neuropeptides act as neurohormones and euromodulators, regulating insect behavior, lifecycle, and physiology by binding to receptors on cell surface. As a typical natural predator of agricultural pests, the lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata, has been commercially mass-cultured and widely employed in pest management. Insect diapause is a physiological and ecological adaptative strategy acquired in adverse environments. In biological control programs, knowledge about diapause regulation in natural enemy insects provides important insight for improving long-term storage, transportation, and field adoption of these biological control agents. However, little is known about the function of neuropeptides and their receptors in controlling reproductive diapause of C. septempunctata. It is unclear which neuropeptides affect diapause of C. septempunctata. In this study, RNA-seq technology and bioinformatics were utilized to investigate genes encoding neuropeptides and their receptors in female adults of C. septempunctata. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was employed to examine gene expression across different development/diapause stages. A total of 17 neuropeptide precursor genes and 9 neuropeptide receptor genes were identified, implicated in regulating various behaviors such as feeding, reproduction, and diapause. Prediction of partial mature neuropeptides from precursor sequences was also performed using available information about these peptides from other species, conserved domains and motifs. During diapause induction, the mRNA abundance of AKH was notably higher on the 10th day compared to non-diapause females, but decreased by the 20th day. In contrast, GPHA showed lower expression levels on the 5th day of diapause induction compared to non-diapause females, but increased significantly by the 15th and 20th days. NPF was higher expressed in head and midgut while DH showed higher expression in the fat body and midgut. Additionally, NPF expression remained consistently lower throughout all stages of diapause induction compared to non-diapause conditions in females. This study represents the first sequencing, identification, and expression analysis of neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptor genes in C. septempunctata. Our results could provide a foundational framework for further investigations into the presence, functions, and potential targets of neuropeptides and their receptors, particularly in devising novel strategies for diapause regulation in C. septempunctata.

Seasonal Incidence of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in rabi Groundnut

Seasonal Incidence of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in rabi Groundnut

Population Dynamics of Major Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in Tomato

An experiment on major insect pests and natural enemies of tomato was conducted during rabi, 2022-23 at the experimental farm for PG research, Biswanath College of Agriculture, Sonitpur. Results revealed eleven insect pests; whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius); aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch; leafminer, Lyriomyza trifolii (Burgess); fruitborer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner); jassid, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida); semilooper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) were found to be the most dominant species. Two coccinellid predators viz., Micraspis discolor(F) and Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F) and two spiders Lycosa tista Tikader, Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer) were recorded as natural enemies. It was observed that the incidence of B. tabaci, A. craccivora and A. biguttula biguttula showed significant negative correlation with both maximum and minimum temperature. B. tabaci population registered a positive significant correlation with morning relative humidity. Both L. trifolii and H. armigera exhibited significant negative correlation with bright sunshine hour. Furthermore, T. ni showed significant negative correlation with maximum temperature and bright sunshine hour. As regards coccinellids, a significant negative correlation existed with maximum and minimum temperature, and rainfall and significant positive correlation with morning relative humidity. A significant positive correlation of aphids was also observed with coccinellids.

Safety evaluation and sublethal effect of broflanilide on Aphidius gifuensis.

Ensuring the safety of insecticides to natural enemy insects of pests is crucial for integrating chemical and biological control strategies. Broflanilide, a novel meta-diamide insecticide, exhibits high insecticidal activity against Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). To integrate chemical and biological control against M. persicae, we assessed the toxicity of broflanilide to Aphidius gifuensis, and evaluated its safety and sublethal effects. The LC10, LC25, and LC50 values of broflanilide against A. gifuensis were 0.733 mg/L, 1.613 mg/L, and 3.852 mg/L, respectively. The selectivity toxicity ratio of broflanilide to A. gifuensis was 1.516, indicating higher toxicity to M. persicae compared to A. gifuensis. The risk quotient of broflanilide to A. gifuensis adults was 6.18. The percent reduction in the emergence of the parasitoid pupae was -1.15, with a risk grade of 1. The sublethal concentration of broflanilide had no significant influence on the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), and mean fecundity (F) of A. gifuensis in the F1 generation. The mean generation time (T) increased by 0.51 days and 0.39 days in the LC10 and LC25 treatments, respectively; the difference between LC10 treatment and the control was significant, while the difference between LC25 treatment and the control was not significant. The results showed that the sublethal concentration of broflanilide did not have a significant inhibitory effect on the population growth of A. gifuensis.

Nanoparticle-mediated calmodulin dsRNA and cyantraniliprole co-delivery system: High-efficient control of two key pear pests while ensuring safety for natural enemy insects

Currently, the predominant method for managing pests in orchards is chemical control. However, prolonged use of chemicals leads to resistance issues and raise ecological safety. A promising approach to tackle these challenges involves nanoparticles-mediated delivery system of dsRNA and pesticides. Despite its potential, this strategy has not been widely applied in controlling pests in pear orchards. In this study, we developed a nanoparticle-mediated ternary biopesticide to tackle resistance and safety concerns associated with calmodulin dsRNA and cyantraniliprole. Initially, we assessed the effectiveness of cyantraniliprole against two key pear pests, Grapholita molesta and Cacopsylla chinensis. Subsequently, we observed an upregualtion of genes CaM and CN following cyantraniliprole treatment. Furthermore, inhibiting or silencing GmCaM and CcGaM enhanced the sensitivity to cyantraniliprole more effectively. By introducing hairpin RNA into the pET30a-BL21 RNaseIII− system to silence GmCaM and CcCaM, we developed a nanoparticle-mediated co-delivery system that exhibited improved control over these two pests. Importantly, our research demonstrated that using reduced cyantraniliprole dosages through ternary biopesticides could help mitigate risks to natural enemies. Overall, our research emphasizes the enhanced effectiveness of ternary biopesticides in boosting the performance of dsRNA and pesticide against pear pests, while fostering environmental sustainability—a novel advancement in this field.

Diversity and Relative Abundance of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in Bacillus Treated Rice

Diversity and Relative Abundance of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in Bacillus Treated Rice

Diversity and Relative Abundance of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in Organic Rice

A study was conducted to decipher diversity and relative abundance of insect pests, hemipteran predators and hymenopteran parasitoids in organic rice transplanted at the research farm of the Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during Rabi, 2020. Yellow pan traps, visual count, yellow sticky traps, sweep net and D-net methods were used for collecting insect specimens. A total of 543 insect pest individuals belonging to 12 families, 678 Hemipteran predators belonging to 9 families and 2193 parasitoids of 10 families were collected. The most abundant families among insect pests, predators and parasitoids were Cicadellidae, Miridae and Eulophidae with a relative abundance of 32.41, 81.56 and 72.55%, respectively. Shannon weiner index of insect pests, predators and parasitoids was 1.81, 0.72 and 0.99 respectively. Further, Margelef diversity index of insect pests, predators and parasitoids was 1.75, 1.23 and 1.43, respectively. Furthermore, the Pielou’s eveness index was 0.73, 0.33 and 0.40, respectively. Visual count for pests, yellow sticky traps for predators and parasitoids were adjudged the most effective methods of collection.

Maize Pest and Natural Enemies in the North-West of Türkiye

Maize Pest and Natural Enemies in the North-West of Türkiye ABSTRACT Maize is one of the most significant cereal crops in the world, and insect pests cause the highest economic loss. The objective of this study was to assess the level of insect pests and natural enemies during 2020 and 2022 in the maize fields of Düzce and Sakarya, Türkiye. We performed weekly surveys from the vegetative growth stage of maize to harvest from April through November. A hundred plants were selected with regular and irregular samplings from each field. In the maize fields, a total of 13 pest species from six families in four orders, along with 19 natural enemies from eight families in five orders, were identified. Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was found as the primary pest, followed by Helicoverpa armigera Hbn. and Mythimna unipuncta Haw. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Meteorus pendulus Müller (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was a new record for the East Marmara and Western Black Sea regions, as well as a new host record in Türkiye. Larval parasitoids of M. unipuncta, Nemoraea pellucida Meigen and Pales pavida Meigen (Diptera: Tachinidae) represent new host records for Türkiye. Among the predators, Orius minutus L. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and coccinellids showed an especially notable common in the maize fields of both provinces. Ketwords: Maize, pests, natural enemies, pest status

Tank-Mix Adjuvants Enhance Pesticide Efficacy by Improving Physicochemical Properties and Spraying Characteristics for Application to Cotton with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Tank-mix adjuvants have been used to reduce spray drift and facilitate the efficacy of pesticides applied with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, the effects of specific adjuvants on pesticide characteristics and the mechanism of action remain unclear. Herein, we analyzed the effects of three different types of tank-mix adjuvants (plant oil; mineral oil; and mixture of alcohol and ester) on the surface tension (ST), contact angle, wetting, permeation, evaporation, spray performance, and aphid-control effects of two types of pesticides. The mineral oil adjuvant Weichi (WCH) was highly effective in reducing the pesticide solution ST, improving the wetting and penetration ability, increasing droplet size, and promoting droplet deposition. The mixed alcohol and ester adjuvant Quanrun (QR) showed excellent wetting and antievaporation properties and promoted droplet deposition. A plant oil adjuvant (Beidatong) moderately improved wetting and penetration ability and reduced droplet drift. Field tests showed that the control efficiencies (CEs) of two pesticides were increased after the addition of adjuvants, even with 20% reductions in pesticide application. When the UAV was operated at 1.5 m, the CEs of two pesticides were increased from 65.39 and 66.63% to 73.11-76.52% and 77.91-88.31%, respectively. When operated at 2.5 m, the CEs were increased from 51.24 and 68.60% to 65.06-75.70% and 77.57-92.59%, respectively. Especially, the CEs of pesticides with WCH and QR increased obviously. Importantly, neither WCH nor QR inhibited hatching of the critical insect natural enemy ladybird beetle at concentrations used in the field. This study provides a framework for assessment of tank-mix adjuvants in aerial sprays and directly demonstrates the value of specific adjuvants in improving pesticide bioavailability and minimizing associated environmental pollution.

Insect pests and natural enemies associated with lettuce Lactuca sativa L. (Asteraceae) in an aquaponics system

Although food is produced in aquaponics systems worldwide, no information is available on the occurrence of insect pests and natural enemies in aquaponic lettuce, Lactuca sativa L. In this study, a survey was carried out in an aquaponic system combining lettuce with lambari, Astyanax altiparanae (Garutti & Briski), aiming to determine the insect pests and natural enemies associated with this system. We also determined the predominant insect species and the effect of meteorological factors on their populations. Insect abundance was estimated by visual sampling during 13 cultivation cycles, totaling 27 sampling dates. The meteorological factors considered were air temperature and relative humidity, and their effects were determined using the Pearson correlation. The thrips Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) and Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) and the aphid Aphis spiraecola (Patch) predominated. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were essential factors affecting C. phaseoli and F. schultzei. The natural enemies found on the lettuce plants were the thrips Franklinothrips vespiformis (Crawford) and Stomatothrips angustipennis (Hood) and the ladybugs Cycloneda sanguinea L., Eriopis connexa (Germar), and Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville). These results constitute the first step for a lettuce-integrated pest-management program in aquaponics systems.

Keanekaragaman Serangga Musuh Alami Pada Pertanaman Kakao Di Kecamatan Leihitu Kabupaten Maluku Tengah

The research aims to identify the types of natural enemy insects of cocoa fruit borer pests and analyze the diversity index and calculate the index of dominance of natural enemy insects in cocoa cultivation (Theobroma cacao L.) in Mamala and Hila Villages, Leihitu district, Central Maluku regency. Random sample method with sampling techniques with certain criteria (cocoa plants that have borne fruit). Each village was taken 3 farmers then each farmer determined 3 sample plots with a plot size of 20 x 20 m2 then determined 3 sample crops. Insect catching uses 4 traps namely sweep net, pit fall traps, yellow traps, and leaf traps. The dataanalyzed in the form of qualitative data is the type of insects found and quantitative data, namely the diversity index and the dominance index. Based on the results of the study obtained the results of the study obtained 5 orders and 9 Families that have the potential as natural enemies, namely the Order Hymenoptera, Dermaptera, Ortopthera, Diptera and Ordo Coleoptera while the Families found are the Family Formicidae, Chelisochidae, Carcinophoridae, Forficulidae, Mantidae, Dolichopodidae, Stratiomydae, Coccinelidae, and the Family Chrysomelidae. The natural enemy diversity index in mamala village cocoa plantation (0.0771) and Hila (0.0884) is low and the dominance index in Mamala (0.97600557) and Hila (0.97362747) is high

Functional characterization of the InR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in female reproduction of the predatory bug Cyrtorhinus lividipennis (Hemiptera: Miridae).

The insulin signaling (IIS) pathway plays a key role in the regulation of various physiological functions in animals. However, the involvement of IIS pathway in the reproduction of natural enemy insects remains enigmatic. Here, 3 key genes (named ClInR, ClPI3K, and ClAKT) related to IIS pathway were cloned from Cyrtorhinus lividipennis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae), an important natural enemy in the rice ecosystem. These 3 proteins had the typical features of corresponding protein families and shared high similarity with their respective homologs from the Hemipteran species. The ClInR, ClPI3K, and ClAKT were highly expressed in the adult stage. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that ClInR, ClPI3K, and ClAKT were highly expressed in the midgut and ovary of adults. Silencing of ClInR, ClPI3K, and ClAKT caused 92.1%, 72.1%, and 57.8% reduction in the expression of ClVg, respectively. Depletion of these 3 genes impaired vitellogenin synthesis and ovary development. Moreover, the fecundity in the dsInR, dsPI3K, and dsAKT injected females were 53.9%, 50.8%, and 48.5% lower than the control treatment, respectively. These results indicated that ClInR, ClPI3K, and ClAKT are of great importance for the reproduction of C. lividipennis. Our results advance the knowledge about the molecular mechanism of reproduction regulation in natural enemy insects.

Does This Look Infected? Hidden Host Plant Infection by the Pathogen Botrytis cinerea Alters Interactions between Plants, Aphids and Their Natural Enemies in the Field.

Few studies have considered whether hidden (asymptomatic) plant pathogen infection alters ecological interactions at the higher trophic levels, even though such infection still affects plant physiology. We explored this question in two field experiments, where two varieties of lettuce (Little Gem, Tom Thumb) infected with Botrytis cinerea were either (1) naturally colonised by aphids or (2) placed in the field with an established aphid colony. We then recorded plant traits and the numbers and species of aphids, their predators, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. Infection significantly affected plant quality. In the first experiment, symptomatically infected plants had the fewest aphids and natural enemies of aphids. The diversity and abundance of aphids did not differ between asymptomatically infected and uninfected Little Gem plants, but infection affected the aphid assemblage for Tom Thumb plants. Aphids on asymptomatically infected plants were less attractive to predators and parasitoids than those on uninfected plants, while hyperparasitoids were not affected. In the second experiment, when we excluded natural enemies, aphid numbers were lower on asymptomatically and symptomatically infected plants, but when aphid natural enemies were present, this difference was removed, most likely because aphids on uninfected plants attracted more insect natural enemies. This suggests that hidden pathogen infection may have important consequences for multitrophic interactions.

Seasonal Incidence of Insect Pests and Natural Enemies in Foxtail Amaranthus and Spinach and Efficacy of Dimethoate Against Insect Pests Infesting Leafy Vegetables

An investigation was made to study the efficacy of dimethoate against sucking and defoliator pest-infesting foxtail amaranths and spinach. The efficacy of dimethoate was evaluated at two doses, one at the recommented does of 200 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha-1 and other at double the recommended dose of 400 g a.i. ha-1 along with control and the other at double the recommended dose of 400 g a.i ha-1 along with control. The incidence of leaf webber (Hymenia recurvalis), ear-head bug (Cletus pugnator), Thrips (Thrips tabaci) and leaf miner (Liriomyza trifoli) were observed in foxtail amaranth. In spinach, leaf-eating caterpillars (Spodoptera litura), cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) and Thrips (Thrips tabaci) were recorded. In spinach at the third leaf stage, nearly 9.20% leaf defoliation, 10.34% leaf damage and a mean thrips population of 3.48/five plants with a mean predator population of 0.32/ five plants were recorded. In the efficacy study, dimethoate was efficient in reducing the infestation of the leaf webber population with pre-mean count of 4.4± 0.87 in control and 1.2± 0.03 in X dose and 0.0± 0.0 in 2X dose after a day after treatment (DAT) in foxtail amaranths. In an efficacy study of dimethoate on thrips in spinach and foxtail amaranth, a complete reduction of thrips population was observed on 3 DAT at X dose and 2X dose with mean thrips population on control was 17.1± 2.12 in spinach and 8.5± 1.24 in foxtail amaranth 3 DAT. These findings indicate that dimethoate application has promising potential as a practical approach for managing insect pests in foxtail amaranth and spinach crops.

Molecular mechanisms for selective action of afidopyropen to Myzus persicae and Coccinella septempunctata.

Afidopyropen is a novel insecticide with high selectivity between sucking insects such as the peach aphids Myzus persicae and natural enemies like the seven-spotted lady beetle Coccinella septempunctata. However, the mechanisms of selective action for afidopyropen remain unknown. The LC50 values of afidopyropen to the 1st-4th instar larvae and adult C. septempunctata were 372- to more than 7267-fold higher than that to adult M. persicae. Though the activity of cytochrome P450s in M. persicae was 6.1- to 7.5-fold higher than that in C. septempunctata, the latter has much higher activities of carboxylesterase (CarEs) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and the crude enzyme of C. septempunctata and M. persicae showed similar metabolism efficiency to afidopyropen. Molecular docking results demonstrated that afdopyropen showed higher binding affinity to the vanilloid-type transient receptor potential (TRPV) channel of M. persicae (-9.1 kcal/mol) than to that of C. septempunctata (-8.2 kcal/mol). And the EC50 value of afdopyropen to the TRPV channel of C. septempunctata (41 360 nM) was 19 885-fold higher than that in M. persicae (2.08 nM). Our results demonstrated that the significantly different sensitivity of M. persicae and C. septempunctata TRPV channel to afidopyropen play a key role in the high selectivity of afidopyropen. These findings provide new insights into the selective mechanisms of afidopyropen against insect pests and natural enemies as well as the theory support for coordinated application of chemical control and biological control. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

2018–2021年湖北省恩施市烟田瓢虫、食蚜蝇数据集

Tobacco is a pillar industry in Enshi City, Hubei Province. However, in recent years, the increasing impact of diseases and pests on the yield and quality of tobacco leaves has been growing in Enshi due to climate change and the expanding scale of agricultural planting. Making good use of natural enemies is crucial for implementing green pest control and effectively reducing the negative effects of pesticides, which holds great significance for the sustainable development of the environment in Enshi. Coccinellids and Syrphidae, as important natural enemy resources, exhibit great potential for natural pest control. In order to evaluate the species and population dynamics of Coccinellids and Syrphidae in Enshi, we collected data on natural enemy insect resources from Enshi’s tobacco fields from late 2018 to late 2021 in the paper. All the data were obtained from five Malaise traps. The research covers the specimens of 1,079 predatory Coccinellids and 4,286 Syrphidae. Among them, 26 species of Coccinellids were collected, with 20 species and 6 genera identified. Additionally, there were 23 species of Syrphidae, with 18 species and 5 genera identified. The screening and identification of natural enemy insects were completed by professionals to ensure the data quality. The dataset provides information on the species, quantity, and different parts of the species of Coccinellids and Syrphidae natural enemies, along with specimen bottle photos. It can serve as theoretical basis for implementing comprehensive pest control strategies and using the natural enemy resource in tobacco fields.

2018–2022年杨凌地区天敌瓢虫、食蚜蝇数据集

Agriculture holds a significant strategic position in Yangling.In crop cultivation management, the strategic use of insect natural enemies can effectively reduce the reliance on pesticides and mitigate the potential harm caused by pesticide residues. Among these natural enemies, Coccinellidae and Syrphidae are the most prevalent and valuable guilds preying on many pests including aphids, in the field. However, there was limited knowledge of the species and occurrence of Coccinellidae and Syrphidae due to a lack of systematic monitoring in Yangling farmland. In order to clarify the resources of Coccinellids and Syrphids in Yangling, we monitored these two groups using both Malaise traps and regular surveys in farmland in Yangling, Shaanxi Province from 2018 to 2022. In the past five years, a total of 914 predatory Coccinellids and 1440 Syrphids have been collected. Among Coccinellids, 22 species of Coccinellids were identified, with 16 species and 6 genera. Additionally, there were 14 species of Syrphids, with 12 species and 2 genera identified. The screening and identification of natural enemy insects were conducted by professionals to ensure data quality. This dataset provides basic data on the species, quantity, and occurrence dynamics of predatory Coccinellids and Syrphids. Moreover, it also offers a large number of natural enemy insect specimen photos, ecological photos, Malaise trap photos, specimen bottle photos, and photos of the surrounding environment. It can serve as valuable references for future endeavors aimed at the protection and utilization of predatory insects.

Mating behavior and responses to sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid in the predator Cyrtorhinus lividipennis.

Mating is an essential factor that governs the size of insect populations that reproduce sexually. The extensive application of insecticides has both lethal and sublethal effects on the physiology and mating behavior of insect natural enemies. The predatory bug Cyrtorhinus lividipennis is a natural enemy of planthopper and leafhopper populations in the rice ecosystem. Unfortunately, the effects of insecticides on the mating behavior of C. lividipennis are not well-understood. The mating behavior of C. livdipennis consisted of mounting, antennal touch and mating attempts, genital insertion, adjustment of posture, and separation of the mating pair. Approximately 82.5% of the C. lividipennis mating pairs displayed their first mating at 12-36 h postemergence. Mating activity occurred throughout a 24-h period, with peak activity at 12:00-14:00 h, and the mean duration of mating was 48.75 min. Sublethal exposure to imidacloprid increased mating latency. Compared with the controls, the duration of courtship, pre-mating and adjusting posture for males treated with imidacloprid were prolonged. The duration of mating for females treated with imidacloprid was prolonged relative to untreated controls. The fecundity and daily spawning capacity of females treated with imidacloprid were higher than the untreated controls. Our results provide insight into the mating process of C. lividipennis. Imidacloprid prolonged the duration of mating, which may explain the enhanced reproductive output in C. lividipennis females treated with imidacloprid. These findings will be useful in both rearing C. lividipennis and deploying this natural enemy in rice fields. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.