InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100746
Xinya Yang, Guangsheng Li, Cai Wang
{"title":"Evidence of Cuticle Chemicals of <i>Heortia vitessoides</i> (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Larvae Influencing the Aggregation Behavior of Conspecific Larvae.","authors":"Xinya Yang, Guangsheng Li, Cai Wang","doi":"10.3390/insects15100746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100746","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Heortia vitessoides</i> (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a severe pest of <i>Aquilaria</i> plants, which produce high-priced agarwood. The larval stage of this pest is gregarious, usually forming large aggregates during young instars and becoming solitary during the fifth instar. We hypothesize that the cuticle chemicals of young-instar <i>H. vitessoides</i> larvae could promote larval aggregating, whereas the cuticle chemicals of late-instar larvae would no longer attract young-instar larvae. In this study, two-choice tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of cuticle extracts of second- and fifth-instar <i>H. vitessoides</i> larvae on the aggregation preference of second-instar larvae. Results show that significantly more larvae aggregated on the leaves treated with the hexane extract of second-instar <i>H. vitessoides</i> larvae than on untreated leaves. However, the hexane extract of fifth-instar larvae had no significant effect on the aggregation preference of the second-instar conspecific larvae. Interestingly, acetone extracts of both second- and fifth-instar <i>H. vitessoides</i> larvae repelled the second-instar conspecific larvae throughout the 8 h experiment. Our study shows that cuticle chemicals of <i>H. vitessoides</i> larvae may play a role in the group dynamics of this pest, which may contribute to screening novel attractants and repellents for <i>H. vitessoides</i>. Detailed chemical analyses of the extracts and identification of the compounds involved in larval attracting and repelling would be valuable in future studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100744
Nicholas Paul Collinson, Khageswor Giri, Jatinder Kaur, German Spangenberg, Mallik Malipatil, Ross Cameron Mann, Isabel Valenzuela
{"title":"Evaluating the Effects of <i>Epichloë</i> Fungal Endophytes of Perennial Ryegrass on the Feeding Behaviour and Life History of <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i>.","authors":"Nicholas Paul Collinson, Khageswor Giri, Jatinder Kaur, German Spangenberg, Mallik Malipatil, Ross Cameron Mann, Isabel Valenzuela","doi":"10.3390/insects15100744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100744","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The bird cherry-oat aphid, <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> (L.), is an economically significant pest of pasture grasses, the latter being capable of hosting several fungal endophyte-perennial ryegrass symbiota rich in alkaloids and toxic to vertebrates and invertebrates. Measuring aphid feeding behaviour can provide insights into the effectiveness and mode of action of different fungal endophytes. This study investigated the effects of different <i>Epichloë</i>-perennial ryegrass symbiota on the feeding behaviour of <i>R. padi</i> using the electrical penetration graph technique while also assessing the aphid life history. In most cases, endophytes had significant feeding deterrence and paired fecundity and mortality effects. But, in some instances, endophytes with the highest aphid mortality did not significantly deter feeding, suggesting a more complicated scenario of interactions between the relative concentration of metabolites, e.g., host plant defence response metabolites and alkaloids, and/or physical changes to leaf morphology. Overall, this study sheds light on the mode of action of <i>Epichloë</i> endophytes against aphids and highlights the importance of <i>Epichloë</i>-perennial ryegrass symbiota in the management of insect pests such as aphids in pasture-based grazing systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508369/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100743
Murtaza Khan, Changhee Han, Nakjung Choi, Juil Kim
{"title":"RNAseq-Based Carboxylesterase <i>Nl-EST1</i> Gene Expression Plasticity Identification and Its Potential Involvement in Fenobucarb Resistance in the Brown Planthopper <i>Nilaparvata lugens</i>.","authors":"Murtaza Khan, Changhee Han, Nakjung Choi, Juil Kim","doi":"10.3390/insects15100743","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100743","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbamate insecticides have been used for over four decades to control brown planthopper, <i>Nilaparvata lugens</i>, but resistance has been reported in many countries, including the Republic of Korea. The bioassay results on resistance to fenobucarb showed that the LC<sub>50</sub> values were 3.08 for the susceptible strain, 10.06 for the 2015 strain, and 73.98 mg/L for the 2019 strain. Compared to the susceptible strain, the 2015 and 2019 strains exhibited resistance levels 3.27 and 24.02 times higher, respectively. To elucidate the reason for the varying levels of resistance to fenobucarb in these strains, mutations in the <i>acetylcholinesterase 1</i> (<i>ACE1</i>) gene, the target gene of carbamate, were investigated, but no previously reported mutations were confirmed. Through RNA-seq analysis focusing on the expression of detoxification enzyme genes as an alternative resistance mechanism, it was found that the carboxylesterase gene <i>Nl-EST1</i> was overexpressed 2.4 times in the 2015 strain and 4.7 times in the 2019 strain compared to the susceptible strain. This indicates a strong correlation between the level of resistance development in each strain and the expression level of <i>Nl-EST1</i>. Previously, <i>Nl-EST1</i> was reported in an organophosphorus insecticide-resistant strain of Sri Lanka 2000. Thus, <i>Nl-EST1</i> is crucial for developing resistance to organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides. Resistance-related genes such as <i>Nl-EST1</i> could serve as expression markers for resistance diagnosis, and can apply to integrated resistance management of <i>N. lugens</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508480/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100742
Christopher B Brown, Peter J T White
{"title":"Entomologists in the K-12 Classroom: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Christopher B Brown, Peter J T White","doi":"10.3390/insects15100742","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100742","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Engaging the public is a common practice in science disciplines and is deeply rooted in the discipline of entomology. These efforts to engage specific target groups within the general public are well studied, especially extension efforts to engage farmers and agricultural stakeholders, but this is not the case for K-12 educational spaces. Here, we conducted a scoping review to (1) determine the characteristics of entomology outreach efforts engaging K-12 populations and (2) identify opportunities for improvement based on the synthesis of those characteristics. We systematically searched five databases to identify 42 publications relevant to the parameters of this project. Analysis of characteristics indicated that entomology outreach efforts in K-12 classrooms tend to be reflective, are more often published in educationally focused journals, and rarely evaluate the interventions employed. Opportunities for improvement were identified from these trends, and from them we suggest that the practice of K-12 outreach benefits from (i) publishing in entomology-focused journals, (ii) including non-academic authors, (iii) evaluating interventions, (iv) including student data, and (v) considering axes of diversity and inclusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508782/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100739
Ariela Cantu, Edgar O Aviles-Rosa, Nathaniel J Hall, Paola A Prada-Tiedemann
{"title":"Evaluation of Volatile Organic Compounds from Spotted Lanternfly (<i>Lycorma delicatula</i>) Eggs Using Headspace Odor Sampling Methods.","authors":"Ariela Cantu, Edgar O Aviles-Rosa, Nathaniel J Hall, Paola A Prada-Tiedemann","doi":"10.3390/insects15100739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100739","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species native to China. It was first discovered in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014. It is known to cause great economic damage by destroying various crops, specifically grape vines, and therefore, several efforts have been made to control and mitigate its spread from the Northeast. Canine detection is a useful detection tool; however, it is crucial to understand the volatile organic compounds emitting by this pest to better direct canine training paradigms to prevent false alerts and to understand potential volatile markers of importance indicative of this species. The purpose of this study is to address the gap in research regarding the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of SLF to better inform pest control mitigation strategies. Instrumental analysis was performed utilizing SPME-GC/MS on cold-killed SLF eggs, dried crickets, and tree bark. Differences in detected VOCs within each sample set depicted distinctive odor profiles for each matrix tested. Storage of these samples also depicted VOC accumulation variation as a function of time, thereby providing implications for long-term storage and sample handling for these types of training aids in canine applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508497/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.3390/insects15100741
Diego Arraztio, Amanda Huerta, Andrés Quiroz, Washington Aniñir, Ramón Rebolledo, Tomislav Curkovic
{"title":"Factors to Male-Female Sex Approaches and the Identification of Volatiles and Compounds from the Terminalia of <i>Proholopterus chilensis</i> (Blanchard) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Females in <i>Nothofagus obliqua</i> (Mirb.) Oerst. (Nothofagaceae) Forests in Chile.","authors":"Diego Arraztio, Amanda Huerta, Andrés Quiroz, Washington Aniñir, Ramón Rebolledo, Tomislav Curkovic","doi":"10.3390/insects15100741","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100741","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During the spring-summer seasons between 2019 and 2023, in the localities of Maquehue (La Araucanía Region) and Llifén (Los Ríos Region), we collected 262 virgin <i>Proholopterus chilensis</i> (1 female/2.3 males) specimens emerging from the live trunks of <i>N. obliqua</i> trees, an atypical sex ratio in Cerambycidae, suggesting high male competition for females. Virgin specimens of both sexes were individually placed in panel traps in the field, capturing only males (n = 184) over the field study seasons and only in traps baited with females. This fact preliminarily suggests the <i>P. chilensis</i> females emit possible \"volatile or airborne\" pheromones (eventually being a long-range sex pheromone), something unusual in Cerambycinae, the subfamily to which it currently belongs, although the taxonomic status of the species is under debate. In Llifén and Santiago (Metropolitan Region), behavioral observations were conducted, which allowed us to define the conditions necessary for male-female encounters that were replicated when carrying out volatile captures (Head Space Dynamic = HSD) and collections of compounds from terminalias excised from females. In field trials, virgin females less than ten days old were more attractive than older ones and attracted males during the night, i.e., between 23:00 and 5:00 AM, when the ambient temperature exceeded 11.6 °C. The aeration of females under the conditions described above and subsequent analysis of extracts by GC-MS allowed the identification of compounds absent in males and the control, including two oxygenated sesquiterpenes, a nitrogenous compound (C<sub>20</sub>), and a long-chain hydrocarbon (C<sub>26</sub>). From the terminalia extracts, hentriacontane, heptacosane, and heneicosyl, heptacosyl and docosyl acetates were identified by GC-MS, and their roles are unknown in the development of short-distance sexual behaviors, but they could serve to mark a trail leading the male towards the female in the final stage of approach for courtship/mating. Thus, we proposed the hypothesis that <i>P. chilensis</i> females emit both a long-range and a trail-pheromone, which, if confirmed, would be a rare case in this family. The specific identity of the compounds obtained by HSD, as well as the activities of these chemicals and those obtained from the terminalias, should be evaluated in future behavioral studies, as well as regarding their potential to attract males under field conditions. The current document is the first report on volatiles obtained from aerations and compounds extracted from female terminalia in <i>P. chilensis</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508463/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Mitogenome-Based Phylogeny with Divergence Time Estimates Revealed the Presence of Cryptic Species within Heptageniidae (Insecta, Ephemeroptera).","authors":"Zhi-Qiang Guo, Chen-Yang Shen, Hong-Yi Cheng, Yu-Xin Chen, Hui-Yuan Wu, Kenneth B Storey, Dan-Na Yu, Jia-Yong Zhang","doi":"10.3390/insects15100745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100745","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heptageniidae are known for their flat heads and bodies and are divided into three subfamilies. Despite the extensive diversity within this group and considerable efforts made to understand their evolutionary history, the internal classifications and origin time of Heptageniidae remains controversial. In this study, we newly sequenced 17 complete mitogenomes of Heptageniidae to reconstruct their phylogenetic positions within this family. Because of the ambiguous time of origin, our study also estimated the divergence time within Heptageniidae based on five fossil calibration points. The results of BI and ML trees all highly supported the monophyly of Heptageniidae and three subfamilies. The phylogenetic relationship of Rhithrogeninae + (Ecdyonurinae + Heptageniinae) was also recovered. The divergence time showed that Heptageniidae originated from 164.38 Mya (95% HPD, 150.23-181.53 Mya) in the mid-Jurassic, and Rhithrogeninae originated from 95.54 Mya (95% HPD, 73.86-120.19 Mya) in the mid-Cretaceous. Ecdyonurinae and Heptageniinae began to diverge at 90.08 Mya (95% HPD, 68.81-113.16 Mya) in the middle Cretaceous. After morphological identification, analysis of the mitogenome's composition, genetic distance calculation, phylogenetic analysis, and divergence time calculation, we suggest that two different populations of <i>Epeorus montanus</i> collected from Aksu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (40°16' N, 80°26' E) and Xinyuan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (43°20' N, 83°43' E) in China are cryptic species of <i>E. montanus</i>, but further detailed information on their morphological characteristics is needed to fully identify them.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11509038/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-25DOI: 10.3390/insects15100738
Carina Ramos-Cordero, Elena Seris-Barrallo, Sandra Vacas, Vicente Navarro-Llopis, Estrella M Hernández-Suárez
{"title":"Effect of Commercial Trap Design and Location on Captures of <i>Diocalandra frumenti</i> (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) on Palm Trees.","authors":"Carina Ramos-Cordero, Elena Seris-Barrallo, Sandra Vacas, Vicente Navarro-Llopis, Estrella M Hernández-Suárez","doi":"10.3390/insects15100738","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100738","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Diocalandra frumenti</i> (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is a weevil present in the Canary Islands, affecting economically important palms such as <i>Phoenix canariensis</i> H. Wildpret and its hybrids, for which there were no trapping tools. The larvae cause the main damage by burrowing galleries in the rachis of the leaves, causing premature drying and collapse. To develop an effective trap, six trials were carried out to evaluate the effect of trap type, design, colour, height, distance and location of the trap in relation to the palm tree on <i>D. frumenti</i> captures. This study confirms that the Econex<sup>®</sup> trap, green in colour, without a cover and with two ventilation holes of 2.5 cm in diameter, diametrically opposite each other and at 1 cm from the top of the base of the trap, baited with sugar cane and water, and placed between the first and second ring of green leaves of the palm canopy, is efficient in capturing <i>D. frumenti</i>. These results establish a basis for future research focused on the development of a specific trapping system based on semiochemicals to serve as a tool for detection, monitoring and mass trapping of <i>D. frumenti</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508261/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Deterrent Effects of Clary Sage Oil and Two Major Constituents against <i>Drosophila suzukii</i> (Diptera: Drosophilidae).","authors":"Yu Wang, Fengyi Wen, Xiangyi Zhou, Guoxing Chen, Chunxia Tian, Jiali Qian, Huiming Wu, Mengli Chen","doi":"10.3390/insects15100733","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100733","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Drosophila suzukii</i> (Diptera: Drosophilidae), spotted-wing drosophila, poses a significant threat to soft-skinned fruit crops in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, as well as in Asia. The application of chemical insecticides is the primary control strategy for <i>D. suzukii</i>; however, resistance has developed with the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides. Essential oils, considered potential alternatives to pesticidal strategies, exhibit potent toxic and sublethal behavioral effects against numerous pests, including <i>D. suzukii</i>. Clary sage oil repels a variety of agricultural and household pests; however, whether it has a repellent effect against <i>D. suzukii</i> remains unknown. Here, we found that clary sage oil exhibited dose-dependent repellency against <i>D. suzukii</i> adults in a T-maze assay, a two-choice assay and a two-choice attraction assay. Also, clary sage oil showed a significant repellent effect against <i>D. suzukii</i> larvae. Next, we explored the chemical constituents of clary sage oil by GC-MS and identified two major constituents, linalyl acetate (40.03%) and linalool (23.02%). Furthermore, the behavioral assays of linalyl acetate and linalool showed that both compounds conferred comparable repellency against <i>D. suzukii</i> adults and larvae. Finally, we found clary sage oil, linalyl acetate, and linalool elicited EAG responses in <i>D. suzukii</i>, especially clary sage oil, suggesting the repellency was mediated by the olfactory system. These findings indicate that <i>D. suzukii</i> shows olfactory-based behavioral avoidance of clary sage oil, linalyl acetate, and linalool. Clary sage oil and its major constituents may be possible alternatives in the management of <i>D. suzukii</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11509010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
InsectsPub Date : 2024-09-24DOI: 10.3390/insects15100732
Sam McGreig, Hollie Pufal, Chris Conyers, Eleanor P Jones, Edward Haynes
{"title":"Assessment of Surface Sterilisation Approaches for the Removal of Pollen DNA from <i>Philaenus spumarius</i>.","authors":"Sam McGreig, Hollie Pufal, Chris Conyers, Eleanor P Jones, Edward Haynes","doi":"10.3390/insects15100732","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100732","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dietary analysis of herbivorous insects relies on successfully eliminating surface contamination. If this cannot be performed reliably, then it will not be possible to differentiate between plants that the insect is feeding on and plants the insect has been in contact with, either directly or via pollen. Methods in the literature often use bleach and alcohol washes to remove contamination. We perform a controlled metabarcoding baseline study on a herbivorous, xylem-feeding insect, the Meadow Spittlebug (<i>Philaenus spumarius</i>), using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing, and identify possible contamination that persists after washes. Despite the reported success of methods in the literature, we find that contamination is still present, leading to possible false-positive results. We hypothesise that pollen is the main source of contamination, its robust nature making it difficult to remove, and conduct a further three experiments with the goal of removing pollen from the surface of <i>Philaenus spumarius</i>. This study investigates the effectiveness of robust bleach/Tween/alcohol washes, sterile gut excision (including combined with Distel application), and ultraviolet light as alternative sterilisation approaches. Overall, our findings indicate that we are unable to remove surface contamination and still detect signals that may originate in the gut. In no experiment did we unequivocally detect plant DNA that originated in the <i>P. spumarius</i> gut.</p>","PeriodicalId":13642,"journal":{"name":"Insects","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11508802/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}