Polyphagous Insect Research Articles

Population Dynamics of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda and its Natural Enimies in Maize

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is one of the polyphagous invasive insect to India, initially reported from Karnataka. A roving survey was conducted during two cropping seasons at fortnightly interval at kharif and rabi of 2019-2020 to know the status of the pest in Haveri district. The results revealed that the mean larval population and per cent infestation of fall armyworm was ranged from 0.30 to 0.44 larvae per plant and 23.10 to 33.77 per cent, respectively. In the study period, parasitisation by two larval parasitoids viz., Campoletis chlorideae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Exorista xanthaspis (Diptera: Tachinidae) and infection by an entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium rileyi were also observed. The rainfall (r = -0.889) was only parameter having significantly negative influence on pest incidence.

Identification and functional characterization of chemosensory genes in olfactory and taste organs of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive polyphagous crop pests. Olfaction and taste play a crucial role in its host plant selection and sexual communication, but the expression profile of chemosensory genes remains unclear. In this study, we identified 185 chemosensory genes from 7 organs in S. litura by transcriptome sequencing, of which 72 genes were published for the first time, including 27 odorant receptors (ORs), 26 gustatory receptors (GRs), 1 ionotropic receptor (IR), 16 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), and 2 chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ORs, IRs, OBPs, and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) were mainly expressed in antennae and sequence-conserved among Noctuidae species. The most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sexes were ORs and OBPs, and no DEGs were found in GRs. GR transcripts were enriched in proboscis, and the expression of sugar receptors was the highest. Carbon dioxide receptors, sugar receptor-SliuGR6, and bitter GRs-SlituGR43 and SlituGR66 had higher sequence identities between Noctuidae species. CSPs were broadly expressed in various organs, and SlituCSP13 was a DEG in adult antennae. The functional analysis in the Drosophila OR67d expression system found that SlituOR50, a receptor highly expressed in female antennae, is selectively tuned to farnesyl acetate. The results provide a solid foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which chemosensory genes operate to elicit behavioral responses in polyphagous insects.

Pathogenicity of Metarhizium rileyi (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) against Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

Tenebrio molitor L., also known as the mealworm, is a polyphagous insect pest that infests various stored grains worldwide. Both the adult and larval stages can cause significant damage to stored grains. The present study focused on isolating entomopathogenic fungi from an infected larval cadaver under environmental conditions. Fungal pathogenicity was tested on T. molitor larvae and pupae for 12 days. Entomopathogenic fungi were identified using biotechnological methods based on their morphology and the sequence of their nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The results of the insecticidal activity indicate that the virulence of fungi varies between the larval and pupal stages. In comparison to the larval stage, the pupal stage is highly susceptible to Metarhizium rileyi, exhibiting 100% mortality rates after 12 days (lethal concentration 50[LC50] = 7.8 × 106 and lethal concentration 90(LC90) = 2.1 × 1013 conidia/mL), whereas larvae showed 92% mortality rates at 12 days posttreatment (LC50 = 1.0 × 106 and LC90 = 3.0 × 109 conidia/mL). The enzymatic analyses revealed a significant increase in the levels of the insect enzymes superoxide dismutase (4.76-10.5 mg-1) and glutathione S-transferase (0.46-6.53 mg-1) 3 days after exposure to M. rileyi conidia (1.5 × 105 conidia/mL) compared to the control group. The findings clearly show that M. rileyi is an environmentally friendly and effective microbial agent for controlling the larvae and pupae of T. molitor.

Characterization and correlation of the probing behaviors of Macrosteles quadrilineatus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) with electropenetrography (EPG) waveforms.

Aster leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Macrosteles quadrilineatus Forbes) is a polyphagous insect species that migrates into the upper Midwest of the United States and the Western Canadian Prairies. Populations of this insect are associated with the transmission of a plant pathogen (Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris, 16SrI) to several annual crops and perennial plant species. Previous studies suggest that aster leafhoppers can sometimes prefer less suitable hosts for their development and survival, yet it is unclear if this lower performance on certain plant species is associated with reduced or impaired probing behaviors due to characteristics of the plants. To characterize the probing behaviors of aster leafhoppers, direct current electropenetrography recordings of male and female adults on barley (Polaes: Poaceae: Hordeum vulgare L.) were combined with plant histology, allowing the identification of nine waveforms and their proposed biological meanings. For each waveform, the number of waveform events per insect (NWEI), the waveform duration per insect (WDI), the waveform duration per event per insect (WDEI), and the percentage of recording time were calculated and statistically compared between sexes. Male and female aster leafhoppers exhibited similar behavioral responses for most of these variables, except for the NWEI for waveforms associated with nonprobing activities and the pathway phase. In these cases, male aster leafhoppers exhibited a higher number of events than females. Comparison of the proposed waveforms in this study with previous work on other hemipteran species provided additional support to the interpretation of the biological activities associated with each waveform.

Pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes malicola.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Lepidosaphes malicola (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), the Armenian mussel scale, for the territory of the European Union, following commodity risk assessments of Prunus persica and P. dulcis plants for planting from Türkiye, in which L. malicola was identified as a pest of possible concern. L. malicola is a polyphagous insect of temperate and arid areas, feeding on more than 60 plant species belonging to 26 families. Important crops significantly affected by L. malicola in parts of Asia include stone fruits (Prunus armeniaca, P. persica), pome fruits (Malus domestica, Pyrus communis), grapes (Vitis vinifera), pomegranate (Punica granatum), walnuts (Juglans regia) and ornamental plants (Berberis spp., Cornus spp., Jasminum spp., Ligustrum spp.). L. malicola has two generations annually. The overwintered eggs hatch from late May to early June. First-instar nymphs crawl on the host plant for a short period, then settle to feed. Nymphs reach maturity in late summer or early autumn. Plants for planting, fruits and cut flowers provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Host availability and climate suitability suggest that southern, central and some parts of northern EU countries would be suitable for the establishment of L. malicola. Despite being a pest in Armenia, Iran and Tajikistan, there is no evidence of it being a pest in Türkiye. L. malicola was detected in Bulgaria and Greece over 30 years ago, but there have been no records since, and its status is uncertain. Its ability to cause an impact in the EU is also uncertain. It is not listed in Annex II of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry. Except for the criterion of having an economic or environmental impact, for which there is great uncertainty, L. malicola satisfies all other criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

Susceptibility of Fall Armyworm Field Populations to Vip3Aa/Cry Bt Maize in a Tropical Agricultural Region

Fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) is a polyphagous and migratory lepidopteran pest insect in field crops and is notoriously invasive worldwide. In large portions of the Americas, its populations are managed using transgenic maize or cotton varieties producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), primarily Vip3Aa pyramided with Cry Bt proteins. We determined the susceptibility of FAW field populations from locations pressured with such maize hybrids for over five years. We used time–mortality bioassays with F1 third-instar larvae of six geographically distinct populations collected in maize fields of a tropical agricultural region encompassing four Brazilian states. We maintained the neonate progeny from the field populations on an artificial diet until the third instar, and then determined their survival curves on the foliage of three Vip3Aa/Cry-producing Bt maize hybrids. Death of the mid-size, third-instar FAWs occurred relatively rapidly, with larval mortality rates reaching 98–100% in less than five days regardless of Bt maize hybrid. However, median survival time (ST50) for the larvae differed among the populations, with the lowest and highest ST50 values occurring for PI-Cr (42 h, 1.75 d) and PI-Ur populations (66–90 h, 2.75–3.75 h), respectively. Therefore, the F1 third-instar larvae of FAW populations were largely susceptible to Vip3Aa/Cry-producing maize foliage, and the most contrasting susceptibility occurred in the insects from Piauí state, Brazil. These results indicate that progeny of FAWs from areas highly pressured with Vip3Aa/Cry Bt maize hybrids are killed on maize foliage producing Vip3Aa and Cry Bt proteins despite field reports of increased leaf damage by the larvae in some locations. This research informs decision making for Bt-crop resistance management by producers, technicians, and researchers in local, regional, and world agriculture.

Seasonal abundance and trap comparisons of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) adults from its native region

A challenging, yet fundamental part of initiating effective control measures against an invasive pest species is developing reliable means of monitoring the pest’s seasonal abundance. Halyomorpha halys, a polyphagous insect pest native to East Asia, has become a major economic threat to agricultural systems following unintentional introductions to North America, South America, and Europe. Research involving the seasonal phenology and monitoring attractant preferences of H. halys from its native range remain scarce. An 11-year collection of H. halys monitoring trap data from black light, incandescent light, and methyl (E, E, Z)-2, 4, 6-decatrienoate (MDT) lured traps from three locations in Kyoto, Japan was analyzed to fill gaps in knowledge relating to the native seasonal abundance and effectiveness of diferent trapping techniques for the pest. Due to a high amount of zero trap counts, a zero-inflated approach was taken to analyze the dataset. Overall, H. halys followed a bell-shaped population trend in Kyoto, with abundance peaking in the mid-summer. The attractant preference of H. halys varied slightly with the season, with black light traps producing to highest mean trap counts. The MDT lure traps generated the lowest mean trap counts, but displayed potential use in the reliable detection of early season H. halys. This work is expected to provide greater insight on H. halys in its native range and ultimately help refine existing management programs in invaded regions.

High intraspecific variability and previous experience affect polyphenol metabolism in polyphagous Lymantria mathura caterpillars.

Polyphagous insect herbivores feed on multiple host-plant species and face a highly variable chemical landscape. Comparative studies of polyphagous herbivore metabolism across a range of plants is an ideal approach for exploring how intra- and interspecific chemical variation shapes species interactions. We used polyphagous caterpillars of Lymantria mathura (Erebidae, Lepidoptera) to explore mechanisms that may contribute to its ability to feed on various hosts. We focused on intraspecific variation in polyphenol metabolism, the fates of individual polyphenols, and the role of previous feeding experience on polyphenol metabolism and leaf consumption. We collected the caterpillars from Acer amoenum (Sapindaceae), Carpinus cordata (Betulaceae), and Quercus crispula (Fagaceae). We first fed the larvae with the leaves of their original host and characterized the polyphenol profiles in leaves and frass. We then transferred a subset of larvae to a different host species and quantified how host shifting affected their leaf consumption and polyphenol metabolism. There was high intraspecific variation in frass composition, even among caterpillars fed with one host. While polyphenols had various fates when ingested by the caterpillars, most of them were passively excreted. When we transferred the caterpillars to a new host, their previous experience influenced how they metabolized polyphenols. The one-host larvae metabolized a larger quantity of ingested polyphenols than two-host caterpillars. Some of these metabolites could have been sequestered, others were probably activated in the gut. One-host caterpillars retained more of the ingested leaf biomass than transferred caterpillars. The pronounced intraspecific variation in polyphenol metabolism, an ability to excrete ingested metabolites and potential dietary habituation are factors that may contribute to the ability of L. mathura to feed across multiple hosts. Further comparative studies can help identify if these mechanisms are related to differential host-choice and response to host-plant traits in specialist and generalist insect herbivores.

Partial Correspondence between Host Plant-Related Differentiation and Symbiotic Bacterial Community in a Polyphagous Insect.

Host plants play a vital role in insect population differentiation, while symbiotic associations between bacteria and insects are ubiquitous in nature. However, existing studies have given limited attention to the connection between host-related differentiation and symbiotic bacterial communities in phytophagous insects. In this study, we collected 58 samples of Aphis odinae from different host plants in southern China and constructed phylogenetic trees to investigate their differentiation in relation to host plants. We also selected aphid samples from the five most preferred host plants and analyzed their symbiotic bacterial composition using Illumina sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. The phylogeny and symbiotic bacterial community structure of A. odinae populations on different host plants showed that samples from Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae) had a consistent presence of Wolbachia as the predominant secondary symbiont and suggested the possibility of undergoing differentiation. Conversely, although differentiation was observed in samples from Rhus chinensis (Anacardiaceae), no consistent presence of predominant secondary symbionts was found. Additionally, the samples from Heptapleurum heptaphyllum (Araliaceae) consistently carried Serratia, but no host differentiation was evident. In summary, this study reveals a partial correspondence between symbiotic bacterial communities and host-related differentiation in A. odinae. The findings contribute to our understanding of the microevolutionary influencing the macroevolutionary relationships between bacterial symbionts and phytophagous insects. The identification of specific symbionts associated with host-related differentiation provides valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of insect-bacteria interactions.

Chemical Camouflage Induced by Diet in a Pest Treehopper on Host Plants.

Ants patrol foliage and exert a strong selective pressure on herbivorous insects, being their primary predators. As ants are chemically oriented, some organisms that interact with them (myrmecophiles) use chemical strategies mediated by their cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) to deal with ants. Thus, a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of the mutualistic interactions between myrmecophiles and ants depends on the accurate recognition of these chemical strategies. Few studies have examined whether treehoppers may use an additional strategy called chemical camouflage to reduce ant aggression, and none considered highly polyphagous pest insects. We analyzed whether the chemical similarity of the CHC profiles of three host plants from three plant families (Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Moraceae) and the facultative myrmecophilous honeydew-producing treehopper Aetalion reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aetalionidae), a pest of citrus plants, may play a role as a proximate mechanism serving as a protection against ant attacks on plants. We found a high similarity (>80%) between the CHCs of the treehoppers and two of their host plants. The treehoppers acquire CHCs through their diet, and the chemical similarity varies according to host plant. Chemical camouflage on host plants plays a role in the interaction of treehoppers with their ant mutualistic partners.

Spodoptera frugiperda J.E SMITH Attack on Non-Maize Crops in Bantul Regency

Spodoptera frugiperda is a polyphagous insect that has a main host of corn plants and attacks corn plants in the vegetative to generative phase. Besides corn, S. frugiperda has been reported to have other alternative host plants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the type of S. frugiperda attack most often found on alternative host plants and analyze the types of plants other than corn that are most often used as alternative hosts by S. frugiperda in Bantul Regency. This research was conducted in Bantul Regency in January-April 2023. Samples were taken from two villages from each sub-district in Bantul Regency. The research was conducted using survey method to determine the village as the research location and purposive method for sampling the alternative host plants. Samples taken were plants around corn fields with symptoms of S. frugiperda attack in the form of perforated leaves or traces of feces from feeding activities or S. frugiperda egg packages. The results of this study showed that 29 plant species from 13 families were attacked by S. frugiperda in Bantul Regency. The most common type of S. frugiperda attack was bite marks (60%). The most commonly attacked plant species came from the Poaceae family, namely elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum). The conclusion of this study is that S. frugiperda has attacked plants other than corn in 17 sub-districts in Bantul Regency.

Impact of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infestation on maize growth characteristics and yield loss.

The fall armyworm [FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith, 1797)] is an invasive and polyphagous insect that infests cereal crops, causing economic losses, and may be led to pose a threat to future the global maize crop in the future. Field trials were conducted to study the negative impacts of S. frugiperda on vegetative growth measurements, yield, and the components of the maize cultivar (Single-Hybrid 168 Yellow) in Luxor Governorate, Egypt. S. frugiperda larvae infestation to maize plants was observed in the 3rd week of June and so continued till the harvest in both 2021 and 2022 seasons. S. frugiperda had three peaks of the seasonal activity/season in the untreated (pesticide-free, control) and in the treated main plots by pesticides. Maize vegetative growth attributes (averages of plant height, stem diameter, and the number of green leaves per plant) displayed higher rates of the treated maize plants by insecticides against S. frugiperda. Maize grain, straw, and biological yield (kg/ha) were decreased in the untreated maize plants (insecticides free) than in the treated by insecticides. Concerning maize yield components, the treated plants were to outperform in the average length of a plant stem (cm), stem diameter (cm), and weight of cob (g), as well as, number of rows/cob, number of grains/ cob, number of grains/cob, maize cob grain weight (g) and weight of 1000-grains (g)], in comparison with the untreated plants. Also, the FAW infestation to untreated maize plants was decreased well in all calculated maize growth attributes, i.e., grain yield, and components. Regarding the relationship between variations in a given variable and the changes in S. frugiperda larvae numbers and plant damage percentage, the simple correlation and regression coefficient revealed a highly significant negative relationship in all the parameters tested. The obtained information may help farmers and decision-makers in the management of FAW populations based on an effective plan related to control measures that should be implemented.

The impact of carbon NPs on the accumulation of storage proteins and the generation advancement of the polyphagous insect pest tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura (Fabricius)

Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is globally considered one of the most important agricultural pests.

LC‒MS/MS and transcriptome analyses reveal saliva components of the seed-feeding truebug Pyrrhocoris apterus

Saliva secretion is essential for successful feeding by piercing–sucking insects. Despite extensive studies of the saliva composition of phloem- and blood-feeding insects, less is known about the oral secretions of seed-feeding insects. The firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus is a polyphagous insect that feeds primarily on dry seeds of various plant species. Here, liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS) was used to identify 165 P. apterus salivary proteins, including 110 gelling-specific proteins, 24 watery-specific proteins, and 31 proteins common to both groups. Transcriptomic analysis of saliva glands identified 567 potential salivary proteins, of which 87 overlapped with those detected by LC‒MS/MS. Comparative analysis showed that 98 out of 165 (59.4%) P. apterus saliva proteins were associated with extra-oral digestion and detoxification and had homologs in ten other species of arthropods examined. In addition, 67 proteins were specific to P. apterus, of which 22 proteins were defined with unknown functions. RNA interference-mediated gene silencing assays indicated that P. apterus-specific proteins were vital for P. apterus survival. Our findings shed light on the function of salivary proteins in feeding by seed-feeding insects and the evolution of feeding habits in piercing–sucking insects.

Spread your wings: insect–plant–landscape interactions mediate the wing shape of a multivoltine polyphagous insect

Wing morphology may affect the foraging efficiency of polyphagous insects via effects on their flight ability. Variations in wing morphology may be triggered by host plant quality, while landscape composition can also play a role in filtering the ability of variants to colonize new habitats. We investigated how intraspecific variations in wing morphology in a polyphagous insect are mediated by the quality of local resources and the role of the landscape in filtering these variations. We used Bemisia tabaci MEAM‐1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) as a model since the existence of morphotypes that engage in long‐ and short‐distance flights has been proposed previously. We collected B. tabaci adults in the vegetative, flowering, and senescence stages of tomato plants on 15 farms embedded in distinct landscape types. We also performed a greenhouse experiment to evaluate whether resource quality influences B. tabaci wing shape. The wing shape of individuals was measured using geometric morphometry analyses. We found sexual dimorphism in wing shape, with males presenting more straight wings and females with more elongated wings. The dispersal morphotypes appear with more rounded wings at the vegetative (colonizing individuals) and senescence stages (dispersing individuals). When the resource is predictable (flowering stage), the wing shape becomes more adapted for short‐distance flights, possibly dictated by an intergenerational effect that facilitates habitat exploitation. The natural vegetation acted as an environmental filter in morphotype selection by impairing individuals' movement among habitat patches. We showed for the first time that insect–plant–landscape interactions mediate intraspecific variation in the wing morphology of B. tabaci. This polyphagous multivoltine pest insect presents a specialized morphological response to food resource quality, and the amount of natural vegetation may constrain its movement across the landscape. Our results indicate that local resources and landscape features produce interacting bottom–up effects that affect polyphagous insects' morphological variation within the habitat.

Bacterial biota composition in gut regions of black soldier fly larvae reared on industrial residual streams: revealing community dynamics along its intestinal tract.

Some insect species have gained attention as efficient bioconverters of low-value organic substrates (i.e., residual streams) into high-value biomass. Black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) larvae are particularly interesting for bioconversion due to their ability to grow on a wide range of substrates, including low-value industrial residual streams. This is in part due to the plasticity of the gut microbiota of polyphagous insects, like BSF. Gut microbiota composition varies depending on rearing substrates, via a mechanism that might support the recruitment of microorganisms that facilitate digestion of a specific substrate. At the same time, specific microbial genera do persist on different substrates via unknown mechanisms. This study aimed to offer insights on this microbial plasticity by investigating how the composition of the bacterial community present in the gut of BSF larvae responds to two industrial residual streams: swill (a mixture of catering and supermarket leftovers) and distiller's dried grains with solubles. The bacterial biota composition of substrates, whole larvae at the beginning of the rearing period and at harvest, rearing residues, and larval gut regions were investigated through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It was observed that both substrate and insect development influenced the bacterial composition of the whole larvae. Zooming in on the gut regions, there was a clear shift in community composition from a higher to a lower diversity between the anterior/middle midgut and the posterior midgut/hindgut, indicating a selective pressure occurring in the middle midgut region. Additionally, the abundance of the bacterial biota was always high in the hindgut, while its diversity was relatively low. Even more, the bacterial community in the hindgut was found to be relatively more conserved over the different substrates, harboring members of the BSF core microbiota. We postulate a potential role of the hindgut as a reservoir for insect-associated microbes. This warrants further research on that underexplored region of the intestinal tract. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the bacterial biota structure and dynamics along the intestinal tract, which can aid microbiome engineering efforts to enhance larval performance on (industrial) residual streams.

Residual Pattern of Chlorantraniliprole, Thiamethoxam, Flubendiamide and Deltamethrin in Tomato Fruit and Soil.

Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum L. is grown widely as an important day-to-day demand vegetable. The crop is attacked by various polyphagous insect pests like tomato fruit borer, stink bug, cabbage looper, flea beetle, aphids, whitefly, two-spotted spider mite, etc., and oligophagous insects like leaf-miner, five-spotted hawkmoth, etc. To combat the damage and yield loss, various chemical insecticides were sprayed on tomatoes under field conditions. The residual pattern of insecticides like chlorantraniliprole, thiamethoxam, flubendiamide, and deltamethrin residues was studied following applications of chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (Coragen) @ 30g a.i./ha, thiamethoxam 25% WG (Actara) @ 50g a.i./ha, flubendiamide 39.35M/M SC (Fame) @ 48g a.i./ha and deltamethrin 2.8% EC (Decis 100) @ 12.5g a.i./ha using Reverse Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). Fruit samples were collected at 0 (1h after application), 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 days and at harvest time. All the residues of insecticides such as chlorantraniliprole (0.09mg kg- 1), thiamethoxam (0.03mg kg- 1), flubendiamide (0.02mg kg- 1), and deltamethrin (0.01mg kg- 1) were persisted up to 5th day. There were no residues found at harvest time. The residues of chlorantraniliprole and deltamethrin persisted up to 3rd day of spraying whereas the residues of flubendiamide and thiamethoxam were not detected on the same day in the soil.

Impact and management of Opogona sacchari (Bojer, 1856) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) in a display glasshouse in the United Kingdom

AbstractOpogona sacchari (Bojer, 1856), or the banana moth, EPPO code OPOGSC, is an EPPO A2‐listed polyphagous insect. In Northern Europe this pest is mainly confined to glasshouses. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden Wisley is located in Surrey, GB. In 2007, a new high‐specification glasshouse was built to host plants from temperate and tropical zones. Soon after the opening of the glasshouse to the public, the banana moth was detected. Different methods were used to understand and manage this infestation, which caused significant losses of plant specimens. Here we share our experience of different management approaches, a list of plants damaged or killed by the insect and our main conclusions on tackling future outbreaks.

Pest categorisation of Diaprepes abbreviatus.

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the citrus root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for the European Union (EU) following the commodity risk assessment of Ligustrum delavayanum topiary grafted on L. japonicum plants from the UK in which D.abbreviatus was identified as a relevant non-regulated EU pest which could potentially enter the EU. This species is native to the Caribbean and was introduced to the continental USA in 1964, to Gran Canaria (Spain) in 2014 and to Madeira Island (Portugal) in 2018. It is a polyphagous insect, associated with more than 270 species in 60 plant families. Female D. abbreviatus can lay up to 5,000 eggs in clusters within leaves folded and glued together. Neonate larvae drop off the leaves onto the ground and enter the soil, where they feed on roots for several months. The mature larvae pupate in the soil. After emergence, adults usually stay on the first host plant they encounter and can move long distances on nursery stock. D. abbreviatus is not a regulated pest in the EU. It could enter and spread within the EU via the import and movement of host plants for planting, cut flowers and soil. Some host plants for planting (e.g. Vitis spp., Citrus spp.), and soil are prohibited from entering the EU from countries where this weevil is known to occur. The import of other host plants for planting and cut flowers is subject to phytosanitary certificate and that of soil attached to machinery is regulated. Host availability and climate suitability suggest that the southernmost coastal areas of southern EU MSs would be suitable for establishment of D. abbreviatus. Temporary establishment in greenhouses in other EU territories would be possible. The introduction of D. abbreviatus would likely cause impacts. Measures to prevent entry, spread and impact are available. D. abbreviatus satisfies all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

Correction to: Maternal and host effects mediate the adaptive expansion and contraction of the microbiome during ontogeny in a holometabolous, polyphagous insect

Correction to: Maternal and host effects mediate the adaptive expansion and contraction of the microbiome during ontogeny in a holometabolous, polyphagous insect