Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology最新文献

{"title":"Is there a three-instar pathway in the development of the Japanese pine sawyer? A revised hypothesis for the life cycle","authors":"Su Bin Kim ,&nbsp;Jin Woo Heo ,&nbsp;Dong-Soon Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Japanese pine sawyer (JPS), <em>Monochamus alternatus,</em> is the primary vector of the pine wood nematode, the causal agent of pine wilt disease. Despite more than five decades of intensive research, its complete life cycle—particularly the developmental pathways defined by larval instar number prior to pupation—remains incompletely resolved. This study reexamines JPS’s life cycle from the perspective of instar-pathway (IP) selection. While four- and five-instar pathways (4-IP and 5-IP) have been documented, empirical support for a three-instar pathway (3-IP) has remained inconclusive. We tracked the full developmental trajectories of individually marked larvae from egg hatch to pupal chamber construction under near-natural field conditions. Special attention was given to tunnel-digging behavior, a characteristic sequence of boring and entrance-hole plugging that precedes overwintering. Our observations indicate that the initiation of tunnel-digging behavior coincides with the completion of IP selection. All individuals committed to an IP only after reaching at least the fourth instar, most frequently during the mid- to late fourth instar stage. No explicit evidence was found for pupation or adult emergence following a 3-IP. Reanalysis of previously published datasets likewise failed to provide convincing support for a 3-IP. These results suggest that the fourth instar represents a critical developmental threshold for progression toward pupation and adult emergence. Variation beyond this threshold allows some individuals to continue growth into a fifth instar, resulting in alternative 5-IP. The present study redefines JPS’s developmental framework and provides an improved foundation for future modeling of its phenology and population dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102537"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396882","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":"Efficacy of Orius strigicollis (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) with extended patch residence time by artificial selection against Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in greenhouse strawberries","authors":"Tomoya Katsuno,&nbsp;Tomokazu Seko,&nbsp;Aki Sagisaka,&nbsp;Ritsuko Murakami","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102528","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thrips are major pests in greenhouse strawberries, and their management is increasingly difficult due to the development of resistance to chemical insecticides. Biological control agents represent a promising alternative. In Japan, the predatory bug <em>Orius strigicollis</em> is commercially available for thrips control, but its poor establishment under low prey density in strawberry crops has limited its effectiveness. To address this, selected lines of <em>O. strigicollis</em> with reduced walking activity and extended patch residence time were developed through artificial selection. While these selected lines showed significant performance in eggplants, their efficacy in strawberries remained unclear. In this study, we evaluated their performance in strawberries against <em>Frankliniella intonsa</em>. Laboratory predation assays revealed no significant difference in thrips consumption between selected and wild-type lines on a strawberry flower. In three-year greenhouse trials, the selected lines exhibited improved establishment, resulting in higher numbers of adults and nymphs and thrips suppression compared to wild-type lines. <em>Orius strigicollis</em> nymphs overlapped spatially with thrips larvae in young green fruits, which may have contributed to significant suppression of <em>F. intonsa</em> populations. These findings suggest that artificial selection for extended patch residence time can enhance the efficacy of <em>O. strigicollis</em> as a biological control agent in greenhouse strawberry cultivation. Combining selected lines with other management techniques, such as predatory mites or supplementary food, may further improve thrips control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102528"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188518","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":"Haplotype screening of the pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Cultures in South Korea","authors":"Hyeon Yoo ,&nbsp;Seunghyun Lee ,&nbsp;Jinbae Seung ,&nbsp;Jounga Son ,&nbsp;Min-Jung Kim ,&nbsp;Seunghwan Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102526","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102526","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pinewood nematode (PWN), <em>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</em>, was introduced to South Korea in the 1980 s and initially caused pine wilt disease (PWD) primarily in <em>Pinus densiflora</em> and <em>Pinus thunbergii</em> in the southern regions. The first infestation in <em>Pinus koraiensis</em> was reported in 2008, and severe outbreaks have recently been observed in <em>P. koraiensis</em> stands in the central regions of Korea. To examine whether this new outbreak pattern reflects the presence of distinct haplotypes, we analyzed sequences from 25 PWN isolates maintained through successive breeding. We sequenced three loci: mitochondrial cytochrome <em>b</em> (cytb), the nuclear protein-coding gene cellulase, and the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS). These regions were selected to maximize the utility of publicly available sequences for comparison. Both cytb and ITS sequences showed complete genetic identity. In contrast, cellulase sequences exhibited five haplotypes differing by up to three nucleotide substitutions, but geographic or host-associated patterns were not detected. These results suggest that the recent PWN outbreak is not attributable to the emergence of a novel haplotype of PWN but may instead be driven by other ecological or environmental factors that have not yet been identified.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102526"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396881","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":"Microbial azurin exhibits potent insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella without phytotoxic effects on cabbage","authors":"Fawzya AlOmari ,&nbsp;Deyala M. Naguib","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing prevalence of insecticide resistance among agricultural pests highlights the urgent need for novel, effective, and environmentally safe insecticidal agents. Azurin, a redox-active protein produced by <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, was evaluated for its insecticidal potential against <em>Plutella xylostella</em> (diamondback moth) larvae and its phytotoxicity on cabbage (<em>Brassica oleracea</em> var. capitata). Larval bioassays revealed that azurin exhibited potent toxicity, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.008 mg/mL after 24 h of exposure. Time- and dose-dependent increases in larval mortality were observed, and azurin-treated larvae showed significant biochemical alterations. Acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, and carboxylesterase activities were significantly reduced by 47.36%, 37.168% and 48.27%, respectively, indicating interference with neural and detoxification pathways. Conversely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were markedly elevated, alongside a 122.64% increase in malondialdehyde (MDA), reflecting enhanced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Phytotoxicity evaluation of azurin at its insecticidal concentration (0.1 mg/mL) on cabbage plants revealed no adverse effects. All measured parameters—plant height, leaf number, leaf area, biomass, and chlorophyll content (SPAD)—remained unaffected or slightly improved in treated plants, confirming the compound’s safety for crop application. These findings suggest that azurin exerts its insecticidal activity via a multi-targeted mechanism involving neurotoxicity and oxidative stress, while exhibiting no phytotoxicity to host plants. Azurin holds promise as a bioinsecticidal agent for integrated pest management and warrants further development for sustainable agricultural use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102523"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034738","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":"Nanoscale γ-Fe2O3 supplementation to enhance nutritional uptake, immune response, and cocoon yield in Bombyx mori L.: An in vivo approach","authors":"Ramanan Adikesavan ,&nbsp;Govindaraju Kasivelu ,&nbsp;Madesh Kamalakannan ,&nbsp;Kannan Malaichamy ,&nbsp;Santhiya Panchalingam","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102524","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mulberry silkworm (<em>Bombyx mori</em> L.) is a significant economic Lepidopteran insect, which mainly feeds on mulberry leaves and produces silk as a cocoon. The present study demonstrated the utilization of naturally available seaweed biomass for the preparation of γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs). The particles are physicochemically characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with EDX, which confirmed the phase composition, crystal structure, surface morphology and elemental distribution. The average size of the γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs is 27 nm, with a rod-like and predominantly spherical shape. Further, γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs were used as dietary supplementation with different concentrations (10, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L) and evaluated for nutritional indices, immunological parameters, biochemical/enzymatic analysis, economic traits, bio-distribution and molecular docking with serine protease, vitelline-degrading protease and low molecular mass lipoprotein. Among various concentrations of γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs supplemented, the 100-mg/L concentration showed enhanced growth, survival, and economic traits of silkworm in comparison to the untreated (control). In the present study, the results suggest that phycogenic γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs hold potential to establish new methods to boost nutritional, immunological health and cocoon economic traits in silkworm <em>B. mori</em> and provide new clues for its broad sericulture applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102524"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074173","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":"Efficacy of a tebuconazole-copper-boron formulation against termites and wood borers in Ailanthus excelsa and Mangifera indica","authors":"Jyoti Papola ,&nbsp;Rashmi Ramesh Shanbhag ,&nbsp;R. Sundararaj ,&nbsp;Anil Kumar Sethy ,&nbsp;Rakesh Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102513","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102513","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the efficacy of a novel wood preservative combining the organic fungicide tebuconazole with the inorganic salts copper sulphate, boric acid and amine oxide against termites and wood borers. While tebuconazole is mainly used to control fungal growth, its potential to protect wood from insect damage was examined. Copper sulphate and boric acid, known for insecticidal properties, were added to enhance resistance, while amine oxide served as a surfactant to improve treatment penetration. Formulations with these components were tested on two hardwood species, <em>Ailanthus excelsa</em> and <em>Mangifera indica</em>, to assess resistance against termites and wood borers. This specific combination and species have not been studied previously. The control samples exhibited over 50 % weight loss due to termite attack, while treated samples showed less than 10 % loss. The number of exit holes in control specimens averaged 36.02 ± 5.85 % for <em>A. excelsa</em> and 29.60 ± 2.02 % for <em>M. indica</em>, compared to only 5.27 ± 1.24 % and 7.36 ± 0.81 % in treated samples. Results highlight the potential of this formulation as an effective wood preservative.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102513"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145838208","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":"Efficacy of Native Entomopathogenic Nematodes in the Biological Control of Leucoma wiltshirei (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) in oak forests of Iran","authors":"Reihaneh Gholami Ghavamabad ,&nbsp;Seyedeh Masoomeh Zamani ,&nbsp;Yazdanfar Ahangaran ,&nbsp;Hassan Askary","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wiltshire’s white, <em>Leucoma wiltshirei</em> Collenette, 1938 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) is a major defoliator of oak forests in Iran, particularly in Fars Province. This study evaluated the efficacy of three native entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) <em>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</em> Poinar, 1976 (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae), <em>Steinernema borjomiense</em> <span><span>Gorgadze et al. 2018</span></span> (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), and <em>Oscheius onirici</em> (Torrini et al., 2015) (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) for the biological control of <em>L. wiltshirei</em> larvae under laboratory and field conditions. Laboratory assays assessed nematode survival and infectivity in water and water–olive oil mixtures at 14 °C and 24 °C over different post-treatment intervals. The highest infective juvenile (IJ) survival (94.33%) was observed at 14 °C on day 1 in the water-based mixture with <em>S. borjomiense</em>, which also maintained 8.33% viability at 24 °C after 14 days. Infectivity tests demonstrated significant larval mortality, with <em>H. bacteriophora</em> causing 95% mortality at 14 °C on day 7 in the water–olive oil mixture. Mortality was 84% and 45% for <em>S. borjomiense</em> and <em>O. onirici</em>, respectively, under the same conditions. In field trials conducted in 2023 and 2024, nematode suspensions were applied to oak tree trunks to target overwintering larvae. <em>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</em> produced the highest mortality (51.91% in 2023 and 57.15% in 2024), followed by <em>S. borjomiense</em> (40.21–43.12%) and <em>O. onirici</em> (37.05–38.85%) after 14 days. These results highlight the potential of native EPNs, particularly <em>H. bacteriophora</em>, as effective and environmentally sustainable agents for managing <em>L. wiltshirei</em> in Iranian oak forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102530"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396883","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":"Insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae, leishmanicidal activity, and cytotoxicity against human cells of a synthesized thiourea compound and a column chromatography fraction (AF5) from the n-hexane soluble fraction of Artemisia scoparia","authors":"Mirza Gul ,&nbsp;Muhammad Zahid ,&nbsp;Hazrat Ali ,&nbsp;Muhammad Said ,&nbsp;Sajjad Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Effective control of <em>Aedes aegypti</em> is significant because this mosquito is the vector of dengue virus. Current strategies for controlling <em>A. aegypti</em> rely on the use of synthetic insecticides, which have serious environmental consequences including toxicity to non-target species and resistance development in the target insect. Safer alternatives for mosquito control include botanical insecticides and thioureas due to their lower toxicity to non-target organisms and lower risk of resistance development in the target insect. This study aimed to investigate the larvicidal potential of a column chromatography fraction (AF5) from the n-hexane soluble fraction of <em>A. scoparia</em> flowers, and a novel thiourea, N-((4-chlorophenyl)carbamothioyl)-2-phenylacetamide against the dengue vector <em>A. aegypti</em>, as well as their leishmanicidal activity and cytotoxicity against a human normal cell line (BJ). AF5 was obtained by silica gel column chromatography, and its chemical composition was identified by GC–MS. The major compounds were 12-Oleanen-3-yl acetate, (3α)- (45.35%), followed by Urs-12-en-24-oic acid, 3-oxo-, methyl ester, (+)- (23.35%) in AF5. N-((4-chlorophenyl)carbamothioyl)-2-phenylacetamide was synthesized from potassium thiocyanate, 4-chloroaniline, and phenylactylchloride, and characterized by FT-IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C) spectroscopy. The larvicidal, leishmanicidal, and cytotoxic activities were determined. AF5 and N-((4-chlorophenyl)carbamothioyl)-2-phenylacetamide displayed high larvicidal activity, exhibiting LC₅₀ values of 14.11 µg/mL and 14.77 µg/mL, respectively, against <em>A. aegypti</em> larvae, and were inactive against leishmania parasite, exhibiting IC₅₀ value greater than 100 µg/mL against <em>Leishmania tropica</em> promastigotes. Moreover, AF5 displayed significant cytotoxicity, exhibiting IC₅₀ value of 4.1 ± 0.15 µg/mL, while N-((4-chlorophenyl)carbamothioyl)-2-phenylacetamide displayed no cytotoxicity, exhibiting value of % inhibition less than 50% (&lt; 50% inhibition at 30 µg/mL) against the human normal cell line (BJ). These investigations specify that thioureas are promising alternatives to synthetic insecticides for managing mosquitoes effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102533"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188521","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":"Conversion of wheat straw by black soldier fly larvae and fertilization effects of frass","authors":"Xifeng Wang ,&nbsp;Ruohan Wang ,&nbsp;Junzhao Wei ,&nbsp;Rui Hu ,&nbsp;Ziling Wang ,&nbsp;Haifeng Li ,&nbsp;Pengxiao Chen ,&nbsp;Jianhang Qu ,&nbsp;Mingjun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the feasibility and optimization strategies for utilizing black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to bioconvert wheat straw into frass-based organic fertilizer. Different larval densities (200, 300, and 400 larvae per group) were tested to evaluate the conversion efficiency of wheat straw, larval growth performance, fertilizer characteristics of the frass, as well as its effects on soil microbiota and the growth of radish. The results demonstrated that BSFL effectively degraded wheat straw, with the group containing 300 larvae (TH group) exhibiting the best overall performance: a straw conversion rate of 42.9%, a significant reduction in cellulose crystallinity to 47.75%, an increase in total nitrogen content in the frass to 18.35 g/kg, and a germination index as high as 180%, indicating full maturation and the absence of phytotoxicity. Microbial community analysis revealed a significant increase in the abundance of cellulose-degrading taxa in the TH group frass, including the phylum Bacteroidota and genera such as <em>Acinetobacter</em>. Pot experiments further confirmed that radish seedlings amended with TH frass showed the best growth performance, with increased leaf number and enhanced abundance of beneficial microbial groups (e.g., <em>Chitinophagaceae</em>) in the soil. This study provided an environmentally friendly novel approach for the efficient valorization of wheat straw, demonstrating that BSFL could not only process low-value agricultural waste but also produce high-quality organic fertilizer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102527"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188884","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":"Identification and stress-responsive expression analysis of two Hsp70 genes in Epicauta impressicornis under temperature and diapause conditions","authors":"Qing Yang ,&nbsp;Yangyang Liu ,&nbsp;Xuyu Ran ,&nbsp;Ling Yang ,&nbsp;Jiankun Long ,&nbsp;Zhimin Chang ,&nbsp;Xiangsheng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The blister beetle <em>Epicauta impressicornis</em> is known for producing cantharidin, a compound that exhibits anticancer properties. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) plays a vital role in helping insect adapt to stress. The aim of this study was to clone and characterise two <em>Hsp70</em> genes (<em>EiHsp70-1</em> and <em>EiHsp70-2</em>) from this beetle, and to investigate how they are expressed in response to temperature variations and diapause. The full-length cDNA sequences of <em>EiHsp70-1</em> and <em>EiHsp70-2</em> were cloned and bioinformatically analysed using available transcriptomic data (PRJNA679947). Two cytosolic <em>Hsp70</em> genes were successfully identified, each of which contained conserved signature motifs and a C-terminal EEVD sequence. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a high degree of homology with <em>Hsp70s</em> from other insects, particularly <em>E. impressicornis</em>, emphasising evolutionary conservation. The two <em>Hsp70</em> genes in <em>E. impressicornis</em> exhibited the lowest levela of expression on day 3 of the fifth instar, with the highest levels observed in thoracic tissue and during diapause. Expression was strongly up-regulated under high-temperature stress (36 °C), followed by low-temperature stress (12 °C), and was lowest at 30 °C. The expression patterns observed for <em>EiHsp70-1</em> and <em>EiHsp70-2</em> suggest their potential roles in enhancing thermal tolerance and modulating diapause-related stress responses in <em>E. impressicornis.</em> This research lays the groundword for understanding of <em>Hsp70</em> function in insect stress adaptation, particularly during overwintering under extreme temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102521"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188886","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}