Hymenoptera Research Articles

Determination of beneficial insect species in thyme fields of Manisa and Denizli provinces

This study was conducted with the purpose of determining the beneficial insect species in thyme fields in Salihli district of Manisa province and in Central, Güney, Çal, Buldan and Bekilli districts of Denizli province between 2013 and 2014. Insect samples were collected by visual control, sweeping nets, sampling frames and culturing methods. Common species from the study in Coleoptera order were determined as Coccinella semptempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Stethorus gilvifrons (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), while Aphidius sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Temelucha sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Apanteles sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Trichogramma sp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) were determined in Hymenoptera order. The most common species C. semptempunctata was found as 47 individuals in Manisa, while it was 45 in Denizli in 2013. The same species was found to have 74 individuals in Manisa and 12 individuals in Denizli in 2014. This situation is thought to be related to the number of samplings.

Assessing the Diversity and Relative Abundance of the Order Odonata, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera in Rice, Maize, and Wheat Fields

The objective of the current study was to assess the diversity of Odonata, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera in the fields of rice, maize, and wheat under relevant factors. The area of these crops in the District Faisalabad was where specimens related to these orders were gathered. Faisalabad employees choose several ways of collecting, like hand picking, using a hand net, and forceps. From October 2013 to April 2014, the entire sampling was random. With the aid of taxonomic information, collected insects were identified based on their morphological traits and faunal diversity belonging to selected orders as the trustworthiness of these crops for these orders was documented. The highest variety (H′) was found in maize fields (7.3204), followed by rice (2.2707), and wheat fields (2.1758). In contrast, the highest diversity (H max) was almost equally distributed among the three crops. However, the highest levels of evenness (J) were found in the maize crop as compared to others. Wheat crop fields (0.1757), rice fields (0.0779), and maize fields (0.0779) showed the highest levels of dominance (D) (-2.0049). All crops had equal documented levels of wealth (R). The overall results between these crops were statistically significant (P = 0.05053; F = 3.0522) and t-Test analysis was also significant, but the P-value ratio was different.

The diversity of insects in polyculture farms, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Polyculture farming is an agricultural practice of growing several types of crops on the same land.The sustainability of polyculture farming is influenced by the presence of insects, both ecologically beneficial and detrimental. In agricultural ecology, insects have an important role as pollinators, predators, and pests that significantly affect the health of agricultural crops, including in polyculture farms. As an effort for sustainable polyculture management, especially in pest control, an exploratory study with mixed methods was conducted to determine the diversity, distribution, and categories of insects based on their ecological roles. This study was conducted in an agricultural area with a polyculture system in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. A total of 12 insect species were identified from polyculture farms belonging to the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera. The diversity of insects found in polyculture farming in this study was categorized into low diversity with a Shannon-Wiener index (H') of 2.186. Hemiptera is known to be the most abundant with 7 species identified. Based on the number of individuals, Componotus japonicus is the most abundant species with 9 individuals. The structure of the insect community based on their ecological role in polyculture farming consisted of 58.33% insect pests, 33.33% predatory insects, and 8.33% pollinating insects.

Ethylene as an synomone to ants and wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera) at a Coffea canephora (Pierre) plantation

Ethylene is a volatile phytohormone that plays an important role in the physiological processes of coffee plants. However, the role of this compound as a semiochemical in the tritrophic interaction involving Hypothenemus hampei, Coffea canephora, and hymenopteran insects remains unknown. Ethylene-baited traps were used in a coffee plantation in the experimental field of Embrapa Rondônia in the municipality of Porto Velho, Rondônia state, Brazil. The experiment was conducted during the fruit maturation period (March and April). Ethylene did not attract H. hampei compared to control traps (distilled water) but was significantly attractive to hymenopterans suggesting that it acts as a synomone.

Molting-related proteases in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

Digestion and absorption of old cuticles during insect molting are necessary for new cuticle formation, during which complicated enzyme catalysis is essential. To date, a few carboxypeptidases, aminopeptidases and serine proteases (mostly trypsins) connected with cuticle digestion, zymogen activation and histological differentiation during the ecdysis of lepidopteran, dipteran and hymenopteran insects have been identified. However, little is known about these proteins in hemimetabolous insects. In this study, we identified 33 candidate trypsin and trypsin-like homologs, 14 metallocarboxypeptidase and 32 aminopeptidase genes in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a hemipteran rice pest. Among the proteins encoded by these genes, 9 trypsin-like proteases, 3 metallocarboxypeptidases and 1 aminopeptidase were selected as potential procuticle hydrolases by bioinformatics analysis and in vivo validation. RNA interference targeting these genes demonstrated that 3 trypsin-like proteases (NlTrypsin-8, NlTrypsin-29 and NlTrypsin-32) genes and 1 metallocarboxypeptidase (NlCpB) gene were found to be essential for ecdysis in N. lugens; specifically, gene silencing led to incomplete cuticle degradation and arrested ecdysis, causing lethal morphological phenotype acquisition. Spatiotemporal expression profiling by quantitative PCR and western blotting revealed their specific expression in the integument and their periodic expression during each stadium, with a peak before ecdysis and eclosion. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated corresponding ultrastructural defects after RNAi targeting, with NlCpB-silenced specimens having the most undigested old procuticles. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that NlTrypsin-8, NlTrypsin-29 and NlCpB were predominantly located in the exuvial space. This research further adds to our understanding of proteases and its potential role in insect ecdysis.

Mblk-1/E93, an ecdysone related-transcription factor, targets synaptic plasticity-related genes in the honey bee mushroom bodies.

Among hymenopteran insects, aculeate species such as bees, ants, and wasps have enlarged and morphologically elaborate mushroom bodies (MBs), a higher-order brain center in the insect, implying their relationship with the advanced behavioral traits of aculeate species. The molecular bases leading to the acquisition of complicated MB functions, however, remains unclear. We previously reported the constitutive and MB-preferential expression of an ecdysone-signaling related transcription factor, Mblk-1/E93, in the honey bee brain. Here, we searched for target genes of Mblk-1 in the worker honey bee MBs using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequence analyses and found that Mblk-1 targets several genes involved in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory abilities. We also demonstrated that Mblk-1 expression is self-regulated via Mblk-1-binding sites, which are located upstream of Mblk-1. Furthermore, we showed that the number of the Mblk-1-binding motif located upstream of Mblk-1 homologs increased associated with evolution of hymenopteran insects. Our findings suggest that Mblk-1, which has been focused on as a developmental gene transiently induced by ecdysone, has acquired a novel expression pattern to play a role in synaptic plasticity in honey bee MBs, raising a possibility that molecular evolution of Mblk-1 may have partly contributed to the elaboration of MB function in insects.

Nest Ecology and Prey Preference of the Mud Dauber Wasp Sceliphron formosum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae).

(1) Background: Sceliphron is a genus of sphecid wasps that build mud nests for reproduction. These wasps prey exclusively on spiders, and commonly inhabit human constructions. The nesting behaviour and prey selection of many Sceliphron species are well studied, but despite being a common insect in urban areas, Sceliphron formosum has never been comprehensively studied. (2) Methods: In this study, over 650 mud nests of S. formosum were collected, analysed and examined to establish prey preference, nest ecology and interspecific interactions. Prey preference was evaluated in terms of abundance, diversity and morphology. Preference in terms of morphology was estimated using body length to leg span ratio (BLR). (3) Results: S. formosum largely preys on ground-hunting spiders, among which Salticidae represented the most collected prey. In terms of prey size, S. formosum captures prey with a large BLR. Moreover, an unexpected discovery showed that the enclosed mud nests provide a micro niche that supports a wide variety of insects. Sixteen families and 23 species of insects were found associated with the use of mud nests, comprising the insect orders Hymenoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera. These included important pollinators, new species and native species not recorded in the past 20 years of mud dauber wasp research. We propose the potential of S. formosum as a keystone species, due to its ability to provide a micro niche for native species in urban areas. We also discuss how these results contribute to our knowledge on the role of insects in urban ecosystems and their significance in relation to conservation, ecology and biodiversity studies.

Abundance and diversity of predatory insects in chili plant ecosystems cultivated by IPM

Cayenne pepper is a strategic commodity. The use of chemical insecticides to control pests has a negative impact on the agroecosystem. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally solution to overcome pest problems. The objectives of this study were to determine the abundance and diversity of predatory insects. Sampling was carried out in August-October 2020 in west Lombok, Indonesia, on chili fields using the IPM technique. Observations were conducted on the generative phase of chili planting and carried out using the Yellow Pan and Pitfall Trap. The population of predatory insects in chili with IPM was 1,707 individuals representing 24 species from 8 families and 5 orders. The order Hymenoptera was the most abundant (63.27%) of the total predatory insects collected, followed by Coleoptera (30.93%), and Diptera (4.63%). The diversity index of predatory species is 1.79 in land planted with chili using IPM techniques. Chili plant using IPM techniques has more abundance and divers of predatory insect species than conventional chili land. This study provides some insight into the community of predatory insects in the generative phase of the chili ecosystem and suggests that an ecological approach is needed for pest management to maintain the balance of the agroecosystem and promote biodiversity.

Toxic effects of botanical biopesticides on specios of the order Hymenoptera

Toxic effects of botanical biopesticides on specios of the order Hymenoptera

KEANEKARAGAMAN DAN DOMINANSI SERANGGA PARASITOID TELUR BERDASARKAN FASE PERTUMBUHAN TANAMAN PADI

The insect egg parasitoid is a potential agent of biological control for pest, especially concerning the development of technology alternative pest control. The existing species of egg parasitoids in rice agroecosystems needs is known for their use as pest control an effective and efficient. The research aimed to determine of diversity, dominance, and parasitization levels for species of egg parasitoids in rice agroecosystems based on plant growth. The location research and sampling of parasitoids were done in Matangkuli and Syamtalira Aron sub-districts, North Aceh district, and Kuta Malaka sub-districts, Aceh Besar district, Province Aceh. The sampling was done in the vegetative stage from 20 to 40 and generative from 70 to 90 days after planting (DAT). Groups of eggs collected from the sampling location were then observed and identified at the Laboratory of Plant Pests and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, Malikussaleh University, Aceh. The results showed that egg parasitoids found in the rice agroecosystem form Order Hymenoptera, superfamily Chalcidoidea, species Ooencyrtus malayensis (Encyrtidae) and Tetrastichus schoenobii (Eulophidae). Superfamily Platygasteroidae, species Telenomus triptus (Scelionidae) and Hadronotus leptocorisae (Scelionidae). The number of individuals and diversity of egg parasitoids were low in vegetative than generative. The evenness index in both growth stages belongs to high. Species of T. triptus and T. rowani were dominant egg parasitoids found in the rice agroecosystem in both growth stage. The level of parasitization to parasitoid T. triptus, T. rowani, and Te. schoenobii is generally known as > 50%, species O. malayensis and H. leptocorisae less than 50%

The thelytokous strain of the parasitoid Neochrysocharis formosa outperforms the arrhenotokous strain in reproductive capacity and biological control of agromyzid leafminers.

Both arrhenotoky (sexual reproduction of females and asexual reproduction of males) and thelytoky (asexual reproduction of females) occur within the order Hymenoptera. The existence of both thelytokous and arrhenotokous strains within one species provides an opportunity to compare the biocontrol efficiency between two reproductive modes. The parasitoid Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) has thelytokous and arrhenotokous strains with sympatric distributions. This parasitoid is used to control invasive leafminers through feeding, stinging, and parasitization. To compare the biocontrol efficiency of the two strains, we analyzed life tables and host-killingparameters of these two strains reared on the leafminer Liriomyza sativae Blanchard using the age-stage, two-sex life table and the CONSUME-MSChart software. Our results showed that the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproduction rate (R0 ) of the thelytokous strain were significantly higher than those of the arrhenotokous strain. The thelytokous females also performed better than the arrhenotokous females for the net host-feeding rate, net host-stinging rate, and net host-killing rate, but not the finite parasitism rate. Conclusively, the finite host-killing rate of the thelytokous strain (0.8720 ± 0.0516) was significantly higher than that of the arrhenotokous strain (0.5914 ± 0.0832). We concluded that thelytokous N. formosa is a better candidate as a biocontrol agent than arrhenotokous N. formosa to control leafminers. Our results shed light on how to choose a better biocontrol agent for integrated pest management (IPM) based on biological control, especially for co-occurring thelytokous and arrhenotokous parasitoids. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Seasonal occurrence of Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach) and their parasitoids on cucumber crop

The results of this study revealed a steady increase in population density of leaf miners Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach) from 1.33 larvae/leaf at the beginning of the season to 3.3, 6, and 7 larvae/leaf with the progression of the agricultural season until 10 November, a slight drop in population occurred at the end of the season. The results revealed that the leaf miner population showed a significant negative correlation (-0.74) with maximum temperature and a non-significant negative correlation with minimum temperature. The maximum percentage of factor role was 55% for maximum temperature and ( 18 %) for the minimum temperature. Two species of insect parasitoids (Diglyphus isaea and Opius sp ) Hymenoptera order were recorded on the leafminer Liriomyza bryoniae larvae and pupae. Diglyphus isaea was the most common species. It was active throughout the growing season and increased in number as the leafminer populations increased. The rate of % parasitism was 4.3 % on 7 Aug. increased to 7.8, 12.8, 20.3, and 38.2% on 1 Sept., 7 Sept., 7 Oct., and 21 Oct respectively, while the rate of % parasitism of Opius sp ranged from 2.6% to 5.9% from 14 Sept to 21 Oct.

Record of some hymenopteran insects (excluding ants) from the Maval and Haveli Tehasil of Pune district (Northern Western Ghats), Maharashtra, India

Record of some hymenopteran insects (excluding ants) from the Maval and Haveli Tehasil of Pune district (Northern Western Ghats), Maharashtra, India

Characterization of Cross-Species Transmission of Drosophila melanogaster Nora Virus.

Drosophila melanogaster Nora virus (DmNV) is a novel picorna-like virus first characterized in 2006. Since then, Nora virus has been detected in several non-Drosophila species, including insects in the Orders Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera. The objective of this study was to determine if DmNV could infect individuals of other species of invertebrates besides D. melanogaster. The presence of DmNV in native invertebrates and commercially available stocks was determined. Laboratory-reared D. yakuba, D. mercatorum, Gryllodes sigillatus, Tenebrio molitor, Galleria mellonella, and Musca domestica were intentionally infected with DmNV. In addition, native invertebrates were collected and D. melanogaster stocks were purchased and screened for DmNV presence using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) before being intentionally infected for study. All Drosophila species and other invertebrates, except M. domestica, that were intentionally infected with DmNV ended up scoring positive for the virus via RT-PCR. DmNV infection was also detected in three native invertebrates (Spilosoma virginica, Diplopoda, and Odontotaenius disjunctus) and all commercially available stocks tested. These findings suggest that DmNV readily infects individuals of other species of invertebrates, while also appearing to be an endemic virus in both wild and laboratory D. melanogaster populations. The detection of DmNV in commercially available stocks presents a cautionary message for scientists using these stocks in studies of virology and immunology.

Arthropods associated with the lychee erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Acari: Eriophyidae) on lychee trees in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Lychee fruit production (Litchi chinensis) has been threatened in many regions of the world where the presence has been reported of the litchii erinose mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer). This study aims to identify the arthropod community associated with A. litchii on lychee plants in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to seek for potential natural enemies associated with this mite pest in this region. We sampled lychee leaves infested with A. litchii in commercial and non-commercial lychee orchards during seven consecutive months, covering the dry and wet seasons of the year. Arthropods found in association with A. litchii on lychee leaves were collected and identified. The results indicate that a great diversity and abundance of mites and hexapods are associated with A. litchii. A total of 985 and 1872 specimens of mites were identified in commercial and non-commercial areas, respectively, belonging to the families Cheyletidae, Cunaxidae, Eupodidae, Iolinidae, Stigmaeidae, Phytoseiidae, Tarsonemidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychidae, Tryophtydeidae, Tuckerellidae, Tydeidae, Winterschmidtiidae and Xenocaligonellidae and the suborder Oribatida. Among them, Phytoseiidae was the most abundant and diverse family with a total of 11 species identified, in which Phytoseius intermedius was the most abundant predatory mite species collected. Minor specimens of hexapods were also been, belonging to the orders Collembola, Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Psocoptera and Thysanoptera. The presence of a high community of predatory mites in association with A. litchii deserves attention and our results indicate that studies to test the potential of these species and the adoption of management practices that enhance this ecological service must be carried out to achieve satisfactory control of the lychee erinose mite in lychee plants.

The Importance of Urban Green Spaces for Pollinating Insects: The Case of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The relative contribution of urban agriculture vs. urban forest remnants to the preservation of insect diversity in large cities, particularly in developing countries in the tropics, remains poorly documented. We assessed the distribution of pollinating insect orders in the densely-populated capital city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. From early January to late April 2018, a survey was conducted in 16 urban green sites, consisting of eight unexploited, private secondary forest remnants (Fo) and eight agroforestry plantations (Ag) embedded within the urban landscape. At each site, we relied on coloured pan traps as an efficient way to sample pollinating insects during three different 24 hour sampling sessions. Overall, we collected a total of 2,747 pollinating insects, belonging to six different orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera). Site area, site elevation, and percentage of built area within a 500 m radius had no significant influence on the total number of insects collected at each site. Insect order richness was significantly higher at Ag sites compared to Fo ones. Although it was not possible to identify all collected insects at the family or species level, we collected two Lepidopteran species of patrimonial interest, the Hispaniolan-endemic Zetides Swallowtail, Battus zetides, and the Jaeger's anetia, Anetia jaegeri, in our pan traps during the course of the survey. We discuss our results in relation to the value of urban green spaces for the conservation of pollinating insects and particular characteristics of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.

More than Moths: Flower Visitors of a Night-Blooming Plant in South Florida Pine Rocklands, USA.

Plants whose flowers open at night but remain open during the day also attract diurnal flower visitors, potentially boosting their pollination rates and providing resources that can support diverse arthropod communities. The rough-leaf velvetseed, Guettarda scabra (Rubiaceae), is an evergreen shrub that thrives only in the imperiled pine rockland habitat in south Florida. Its white, tubular, and fragrant flowers open during late afternoon, exhibiting traits strongly associated with the attraction of nocturnal hawkmoths (Sphingidae). Flowers of G. scabra remain open until the following morning, becoming available to a wider array of visitors, bringing into question the expectation that sphingophilous flowers are visited mainly by hawkmoths. To evaluate whether the flowers of G. scabra are mainly visited by nocturnal hawkmoths and understand the role of this plant in the pine rockland habitat, we characterized the arthropod fauna associated with its flowers during the morning, evening, and at night. We found that most flower visitors were diurnal insects of the orders Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera, although we observed other arthropod groups too. Visitation at night was dominated by two species of hawkmoths. Nectar was the main resource used by the arthropod community during this study. Legitimate visitation and nectar-robbing were the behaviors most frequently observed among the flower visitors. Our results suggest that flowers of the night-blooming G. scabra constitute an important food source for both diurnal and nocturnal arthropod fauna in the fire-dependent pine rocklands of southern Florida. Our study provides novel data to support efforts to conserve and protect pine rocklands and the plants and animals that inhabit them.

Identification and characterization of a recombinant cysteine peptidase (AsCathL) from leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Cysteine peptidases are involved in physiological processes of insect development and have been considered as potential targets for the development of insect control strategies. In this study, we obtained a recombinant cysteine cathepsin L (AsCathL) from leaf-cutting ant (Atta sexdens), a species from the order Hymenoptera who causes enormous damage to crops, natural forests and reforested areas. RT-qPCR showed AsCathL expression throughout insect development and in all body parts of the adult insect analysed, suggesting its role as a lysosomal cathepsin. AsCathL encodes a protein of 320 amino acid residues consisting of a pro-peptide and the mature with amino acids sequence over 67% similarity with lysosomal cathepsin L of species from Lepidoptera and Diptera. Phylogenetic tree revealed that AsCathL is very similar to predicted cathepsins found in other ants. Recombinant AsCathL was expressed in insoluble form by Escherichia coli Arctic Express (DE3) RIL, purified under denaturing conditions and refolded. The enzyme showed hydrolytic activity in vitro towards synthetic substrate Z-Phe-Arg-AMC at acidic pH. Synthetic inhibitor E−64 acted against peptidase activity and a study regarding the interaction between E−64 and AsCathL using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed that 83.18% from all E−64 molecules are irreversibly bound to AsCathL. In addition, the proteolytic activity of AsCathL was strongly inhibited by recombinant sugarcane cystatins with Ki ranging from 0.6 nM to 2.95 nM. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report characterizing a cysteine peptidase from leaf-cutting ants, which may contribute to future studies of ants’ cathepsins.

Comparative genomic analysis of carboxylesterase genes in Tenebrio molitor and other four tenebrionids.

Carboxylesterases (COEs) have various functions in wide taxons of organisms. In insects, COEs are important enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of a variety of ester-containing xenobiotics, neural signal transmission, pheromone degradation, and reproductive development. Understanding the diversity of COEs is basic to illustrate their functions. In this study, we identified 53, 105, 37, and 39 COEs from the genomes of Tenebrio molitor, Asbolus verucosus, Hycleus cichorii, and H. phaleratus in the superfamily of Tenebrionidea, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 234 COEs from these four species and those reported in Tribolium castaneum (63) could be divided into 12 clades and three major classes. The α-esterases significantly expanded in T. molitor, A. verucosus, and T. castaneum compared to dipteran and hymenopteran insects. In T. molitor, most COEs showed tissue and stage-specific but not a sex-biased expression. Our results provide insights into the diversity and evolutionary characteristics of COEs in tenebrionids, and lay a foundation for the functional characterization of COEs in the yellow mealworm.

Aulacidae Family as Endoparasitoids of Xylophagous Insects: Of the Order Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera

Regarding the biology of the Aulacidae family, their larvae live under the barks of dying or dead deciduous trees where they are predators or scavengers of the larvae of other insects. Adults, which are rarely captured, are found mainly in wooded areas close to the larval habitat, mainly on trunks and leaves. The aim of this manuscript is to describe insects belonging to the Aulacidae family are parasitoids of Coleoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. For this, a bibliographic survey of Aulacidae was carried out from the years 1988 to 2022. Only complete articles published in scientific journals and expanded abstracts presented in national and international scientific events were considered. Additional data was obtained from platforms such as Academia.edu, Frontiers, Qeios, PubMed, Biological Abstract, Publons, Dialnet, World, Wide Science, Springer, RefSeek, Microsoft Academic and Science.