Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata最新文献

{"title":"Competitive Interactions Between Generalist Predators and Their Effects on Shared and Non-Shared Pests in a Greenhouse Crop","authors":"Angelos Mouratidis,&nbsp;Jesica Pérez-Rodríguez,&nbsp;Hessel van der Heide,&nbsp;Gerben J. Messelink","doi":"10.1111/eea.70038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70038","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Generalist predators are increasingly used in biological control because they can target multiple pests and persist in crops through supplemental feeding. However, when multiple generalist predators are released together, they may compete for shared food sources or engage in intraguild predation, potentially compromising suppression of shared and non-shared pests. Here, we investigated the interactions between two commercially used biological control agents, <i>Orius laevigatus</i> (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and <i>Transeius montdorensis</i> (Schicha) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on greenhouse chrysanthemum. In a first experiment, we evaluated their population dynamics when offered a supplemental food source. Both predators negatively affected each other's abundance to a similar extent, but coexisted for several generations, despite <i>O. laevigatus</i> being a known intraguild predator of phytoseiid mites. In a second experiment, we assessed the pest control efficacy of single and combined predator releases against the shared prey <i>Frankliniella occidentalis</i> (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and the non-shared prey <i>Aphis gossypii</i> Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae). All predator treatments effectively suppressed thrips, though <i>T. montdorensis</i> alone exhibited slightly delayed suppression. Aphid numbers remained low even when <i>O. laevigatus</i> populations were reduced through intraguild predation. Meanwhile, <i>T. montdorensis</i> densities increased in the presence of aphids, likely due to feeding on aphid honeydew. Our results show that intraguild predation between these predators did not compromise the control of shared and non-shared pests under the tested conditions. Nevertheless, intraguild predation reduced the abundance of the predator responsible for aphid suppression; thus under stronger or earlier aphid pressure, control of the non-shared pest could be compromised. These complexities highlight the importance of considering both direct trophic interactions and alternative food use when designing multi-predator biological control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 8","pages":"831-841"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70038","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148532824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Host and Food Availability on Life-History Traits in Six Egg Parasitoid Species of the Genus Trichogramma","authors":"Véronique Martel,&nbsp;Marlène Goubault,&nbsp;Guy Boivin","doi":"10.1111/eea.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Energy is a finite resource that can be used by insects for different life-history traits, but with trade-offs. One of those trade-offs is between reproduction and somatic maintenance. Energy can be provided through different sources during both development and adult life, providing carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids/proteins. In adult parasitoids, the nutrients can come from hosts or non-host sources. In this study, we investigated the impact of different food sources on life-history traits, such as longevity and fecundity, in females of six Trichogramma species (two thelytokous and four arrhenotokous): <i>T. cacoeciae</i> Marchal, <i>T. chilonis</i> Ishii, <i>T. minutum</i> Riley, <i>T. leptoparameron</i> Dyurich, <i>T. pintoi</i> Voegele, and <i>T. sibericum</i> Sorokina (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Although the impact of food differed among species, there was a general tendency of increased life expectancy with access to sugar and hosts, separately or together. Similarly, the potential maximal fecundity differed among species, but access to hosts increased the number of eggs matured during their adult life, and this increase was greater with access to sugar. Results suggest that both host-feeding and oosorption occur in those species. All species are synovigenic and have some mature eggs at emergence, with ovigeny indexes varying from 0.113 to 0.457.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 8","pages":"887-895"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148533937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Parasitoid Wasp Glyptapanteles porthetriae Induces a Photoperiod-Dependent Diapause-Like State in Its Potential Overwintering Host Lasiocampa quercus","authors":"Thomas Zankl,&nbsp;Christa Schafellner","doi":"10.1111/eea.70103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70103","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We evaluated <i>Lasiocampa quercus</i> (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) as an overwintering host for the koinobiont larval endoparasitoids <i>Glyptapanteles porthetriae</i> and <i>Glyptapanteles liparidis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)</i> under three environmental conditions: 20°C with long-day (16:8 L:D; hereafter LD20) or short-day (12:12 L:D; hereafter SD20) conditions, and autumn-like 20/10°C with short-days (hereafter SD20/10). Developmental progress was assessed based on host molting and parasitoid emergence. Metabolic adaptations were analyzed through quantification of selected metabolites in hemolymph and body tissues. Parasitization by <i>G. porthetriae</i> was highly successful and photoperiod-dependent: under LD20, endoparasitic development was dramatically prolonged (116 ± 31 vs. 19 ± 6 days under SD20), coinciding with strong suppression of host development. By contrast, <i>G. liparidis</i> showed limited success (6% emergence in LD20; no egression in SD20) and caused high premature mortality in late host instars. Unparasitized <i>L. quercus</i> displayed minimal photoperiodic responses in larval development. Consistent with cold acclimation, low night temperatures (20/10°C day/night) elevated sugar and glycogen levels in body tissues, along with reduced hemolymph protein contents. Glucose was largely absent in the hemolymph of <i>G. porthetriae</i>-parasitized larvae. Photoperiodic effects on metabolic profiles were modest relative to developmental effects. Given the photoperiodic control of developmental arrest under favourable conditions, we interpret the response at LD20 as a diapause-like state. We hypothesize involvement of photoperiodic clock gene pathways that reduce PTTH/ecdysteroid signalling, interacting with modulated neuropeptide secretion in parasitized larvae. This hypothesis warrants experimental testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 8","pages":"896-907"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70103","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148534112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and Reproduction of Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae): The Effect of Temperature, Origin and Food","authors":"Eleni Yiacoumi,&nbsp;Sofoklis Flouris,&nbsp;Dimitrios Fytilis,&nbsp;Maria Gkamsizi,&nbsp;Nikos A. Kouloussis,&nbsp;Dimitrios S. Koveos","doi":"10.1111/eea.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The dicyphine mirid <i>Nesidiocoris tenuis</i> (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Miridae) is a zoophytophagous biological control agent used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs across the Mediterranean basin, particularly against <i>Tuta absoluta</i> (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Its efficacy as a biological control agent is influenced, among other factors, by temperature, alternative food, and origin, affecting its development, survival, and reproductive potential. In this study, we investigated key biological parameters of two <i>N. tenuis</i> populations, a Greek population and a commercial population, at 25°C and 30°C, using a 1:1 diet of <i>Ephestia kuehniella</i> (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs and <i>Artemia</i> sp. cysts (Anostraca: Artemidae). Both populations exhibited longer nymphal development times at 25°C than at 30°C, while no differences were found among males and females. The Greek population exhibited slightly longer development times than the commercial population at both temperatures. Food consumption varied significantly during nymphal development, with the Greek population consuming more than the commercial population. No differences were found in the consumption values of immature males and females. Furthermore, although the predator had access to equal quantities of both food sources (<i>E. kuehniella</i> eggs and <i>Artemia</i> sp. cysts), it consumed almost exclusively <i>E. kuehniella</i> eggs, suggesting a learning behaviour for selection of diet. Egg production was higher at 30°C compared to 25°C, but female longevity significantly decreased compared to 25°C in both populations. Our findings reveal population-specific differences in nymphal development and food consumption depending on temperature. In addition, <i>N. tenuis</i> learned to discriminate <i>E. kuehniella</i> eggs from <i>Artemia</i> sp. cysts as preferable food, which may affect the performance of commercial <i>N. tenuis</i> in biological control programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 8","pages":"842-850"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148532688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Performance of Leptopilina japonica Novković and Kimura (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) Under Fluctuating Temperature and Humidity","authors":"Jakob Martin,&nbsp;Juliet Daniela Aranibar Luna,&nbsp;Annette Herz","doi":"10.1111/eea.70115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70115","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The parasitoid <i>Leptopilina japonica</i> Novković &amp; Kimura (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is a natural enemy of the invasive <i>Drosophila suzukii</i> Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), which is a significant pest in berry and fruit production. Both species originate from East Asia and after its initial detection in Europe in 2019, <i>L. japonica</i> has quickly spread and has established more northwards in several countries. Therefore, the potential of <i>L. japonica</i> for natural regulation of <i>D. suzukii</i> needs to be evaluated under various climatic conditions. This study is the first to examine the life history traits of <i>L. japonica</i> under fluctuating temperature and humidity conditions relevant in Central Europe, one of its new distribution areas and that from its main host <i>D. suzukii</i>. Average values for early (16.1°C–27.2°C) and late (12.3°C–23.9°C) summer days in Germany, during which host populations begin to increase or reach their peak, respectively, were simulated in the laboratory. Single pairs of wasps were mated and regularly provided with fresh hosts (<i>D. suzukii</i> L2-larvae) from emergence until death under the conditions of early and late summer in comparison to standard rearing conditions (permanent 23°C, 60% humidity). Parasitized hosts were further incubated under these conditions until emergence. The development rate did not differ between early summer and the control group, but was somewhat delayed under the cooler conditions of late summer. At this regime, however, the lifespan, lifetime fecundity, proportion of female offspring, and apparently also mating success were higher. These findings indicate the best performance of the parasitoid during the peak of its host's population density toward the end of the season and are also consistent with current observations that <i>L. japonica</i> is most common in late summer. In summary, analyses of thermal performance should account for fluctuating conditions in order to more reliably predict a parasitoid's field performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 8","pages":"876-886"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70115","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148522855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host Fidelity Depends on Host Plant Quality in the Potato Tuber Moth","authors":"Patricia C. Guerra,&nbsp;Ingrid Y. Molina,&nbsp;Kely Gonzalez,&nbsp;Maritza Cardenas,&nbsp;Erick Yabar,&nbsp;Ernesto Gianoli","doi":"10.1111/eea.70111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70111","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Host fidelity in phytophagous insects can arise from both genetic constraints and behavioral plasticity, with consequences for host specialization. The preference–performance hypothesis predicts that females should oviposit on hosts that maximize offspring fitness, yet the extent to which host fidelity and host quality jointly shape oviposition preference is not fully understood. For host fidelity to be an adaptive pattern, it should be relaxed in scenarios of low-quality hosts. We used the potato tuber moth <i>Phthorimaea operculella</i> (PTM) to test if fidelity to a given host depends on its quality as larval host. First, PTM larvae were reared on seven potato (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i>) varieties differing in dry matter content. We measured performance parameters, including larval stage duration, pupal weight, and pupal survival. We found variation in PTM performance across potato varieties, which was aligned with the varieties dry matter content. Larval development was fastest and pupal numbers highest on the high-dry matter (starchy) varieties, while pupal weight varied among varieties and did not consistently align with host quality. Based on the performance results, we chose one potato variety representing each of three categories of host quality: low (waxy), high (starchy) and intermediate (waxy-starchy). Second, we evaluated in a four-port olfactometer the oviposition preference of gravid females reared on each of those three varieties of different quality, having as alternative choices the same three varieties plus a control variety. Females reared on high-quality and intermediate-quality varieties strongly preferred their rearing host, that is, showed host fidelity. In contrasts, those females reared on a low-quality variety showed no preference. Results show that host fidelity in PTM is conditional on host quality and shaped by developmental experience, supporting the preference–performance hypothesis when hosts are of relatively high quality only. Our findings have implications for the evolution of host specialization in insects and PTM management.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 7","pages":"706-714"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148208844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methods for High-Throughput Screening of Novel Plant Protection Agents Against the Maize Pest, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)","authors":"Sri Ita Tarigan,&nbsp;György Turóczi,&nbsp;Jozsef Kiss,&nbsp;Stefan Toepfer","doi":"10.1111/eea.70096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70096","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The western corn rootworm, <i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</i>, poses a significant threat to maize production in North America and Europe. With recent bans on key insecticides and concerns about overuse of remaining options, there is an urgent need for the development of novel, effective, and little disruptive crop protection agents. This requires accessible and comparable screening methods. We propose comparative high-throughput screening methods against the eggs, larvae, and adults of this pest, emphasizing the importance of suitable positive controls tailored to the specific bioassay types. We evaluated seven common insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, acetamiprid, novaluron, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos-methyl, and spinosad) against eggs, larvae, and adults as potential positive controls for each of the proposed assay methods. Dipping assays with ready-to-hatch eggs revealed several ingredients to cause mortality, but imidacloprid and clothianidin might be most suitable due to a robust concentration-response in reducing egg hatching as well as causing mortality of hatching neonates. Larval bioassays using artificial diet overlays revealed mortality caused by all insecticides, with imidacloprid exhibiting best mortality response curves as well as sublethal effects. Adult bioassays using artificial diet-core overlays revealed mortality caused by all insecticides tested, with acetamiprid exhibiting best mortality response curves. The provided lethal concentrations of each insecticide, as well as equations for concentration-response models, offer insights for researchers in selecting appropriate positive controls for screening new crop protection agents or assessing resistance levels against different life stages of this pest.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 7","pages":"685-705"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148208872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Offspring Dependency Is Not Reflected in the Social Immunity of Three Burying Beetle Species","authors":"Leon Müller,&nbsp;Laura Cherpion,&nbsp;Maximilian Körner","doi":"10.1111/eea.70109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70109","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Offspring dependency on parental care varies significantly across species, often driven by parental food provisioning and protection from predation. However, an often-overlooked factor is protection against pathogens through the exhibition of social immunity. However, if and how parental protection from microbial pressure shapes and scales with offspring dependency remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate both personal and social immunity in three species of <i>Nicrophorus</i> burying beetles—a model system known for elaborate parental care and social immunity. These species differ markedly in their offspring's ability to survive without parental care, ranging from independence to complete dependence on post-hatching care. We measured personal and social immunity in adult female and male beetles before, during, and outside of reproductive bouts. Our results show that species with more dependent offspring do not necessarily invest more heavily in social immunity, whereas reproductive state affected immunity differently across species. These findings emphasize the complexity of parent-offspring coadaptation, and the need for further study of the evolutionary trajectory from facultative to obligate family associations.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 7","pages":"625-638"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70109","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148209042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental Stress Drives Plasticity in Sexual Bimaturism in the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus, 1758)","authors":"Luis Rodrigo Arce-Valdés,&nbsp;Hayat Mahdjoub,&nbsp;Jordi Vilanova,&nbsp;Carlos López-Manzano,&nbsp;Rassim Khelifa","doi":"10.1111/eea.70113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70113","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Sexual bimaturism (SBM: differences between males and females in the timing of sexual maturity or adult emergence) is widespread in nature. Theoretical predictions suggest that SBM can evolve either directly by natural selection favoring males to emerge earlier to secure a female partner (direct selection hypothesis) or indirectly, by being physiologically coupled to other life history traits (indirect selection hypothesis), for example, sexual size dimorphisms (SSD). In insects, both processes lead frequently to males emerging earlier than females (protandry). Measuring the plasticity in the magnitude and direction of SBM across a gradient of larval environmental qualities can provide key insights into the underlying drivers of SBM. If SBM has been directly selected, the degree of protandry is expected to be independent of the environmental quality. Here, we measured the plasticity in SBM in the economically relevant black soldier fly (BSF; <i>Hermetia illucens</i> Linnaeus, 1758; Stratiomyidae: Hermetiinae) by exposing larvae to nutrient availability and humidity stress. Our results show that SBM can range between protandry and protogyny (females emerging earlier than males) depending on the environmental quality. Additionally, consistent with the indirect selection hypothesis, we found the degree of protandry to decrease as larval environmental quality improves. This ultimately leads to protogyny in optimal conditions. This result is consistent with the BSF life history traits and similar patterns observed in other dipterans. We suggest that SBM may be coupled to SSD in the BSF, thus leading to high plasticity that can shift between protandry and protogyny. The sensitivity of SBM to environmental quality suggests that it could be employed as a possible bioindicator of ecological stress in the field in species with high SBM plasticity.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 7","pages":"736-749"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70113","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148209043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prey DNA Detection in Lycosid Spiders Is Primarily Influenced by Time Since Feeding and Primer Choice","authors":"Jeffery Marker,&nbsp;Denis Lafage,&nbsp;Eva Bergman,&nbsp;Ann Erlandsson","doi":"10.1111/eea.70091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.70091","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Gut content analysis of common predators such as spiders using DNA metabarcoding has facilitated the understanding of community level predator–prey relationships in ecosystems. To interpret the DNA metabarcoding result correctly knowledge of different factors influencing persistence of prey DNA in the predator gut is crucial. Our study investigated four such factors; i.e., the effects of (1) starvation time prior to feeding; (2) time elapsed since feeding; (3) spider size; and (4) presence of egg sacs or spiderlings on the detection rate of prey DNA in the gut contents of field-collected Lycosidae spiders. We performed feeding trials in a controlled lab environment and analyzed predator gut content data using PCR and DNA metabarcoding techniques. We used two primer combinations (NoSpi2 with BR2 or fwhR2n) and three different prey species <i>Drosophila hydei</i>, <i>Gryllus bimaculatus</i>, and <i>Coecobrya tenebricosa</i> in our feeding trials. The NoSpi2-fwhR2n primer combination was more effective at amplifying a PCR product of the correct size compared to the NoSpi2-BR2 combination and was therefore used for the DNA metabarcoding. The results showed that time since feeding significantly influenced the detection rate of <i>Drosophila</i> and <i>Gryllus</i> DNA, with longer time intervals leading to decreased detection odds. Spider size, starvation time, and the presence of egg sacs or spiderlings had minimal or no influence on prey detection. This study highlights the importance of considering different factors that influence prey DNA detection in spider diet studies and using appropriate primers. Future research should account for variables such as prior gut contents, starvation period, and their potential interaction with spider metabolic rate.</p>","PeriodicalId":11741,"journal":{"name":"Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata","volume":"174 7","pages":"789-794"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eea.70091","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148209097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}