Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology最新文献

{"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}

{"title":"Ecological interactions among plants, honeybees, and microbes: implications for sustainable ecosystems","authors":"Prem Siva Naga Teja Alapati ,&nbsp;Dharmender Kumar ,&nbsp;Baljeet Singh Saharan","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102519","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102519","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honeybees are social insects recognized for their olfactory and symbolic communication abilities. They are attracted to plants by detecting chemical compounds such as floral volatiles in nectar, low-concentration phenolics, sugar compounds, spiroacetals, linalool, and 1,4-dimethoxybenzene. Additionally, they respond to lures of Japanese beetles and queen bee pheromones but are repelled by certain chemical compounds. Pesticide residues and antimicrobials sprayed by farmers, like neonicotinoids, show detrimental effects on the growth of honeybees and their gut microflora. Floral nectar, often colonized by yeasts and bacteria, undergoes chemical modifications due to microbial byproducts or antibiotics, influencing pollinator perception and health. These microbial interactions affect honeybee foraging behaviors and direct interactions. While visiting flowers, honeybees inadvertently transfer microbes to their hives, which aid in various activities such as breaking down complex substances and carbohydrate digestion. The honeybee microbiota, comprising lactic acid bacteria (LAB), <em>Bacillus</em> spp., fungi, and yeast, also supports ecosystem health and productivity. Thereby, the microbial metabolites, such as various types of amino acids and fatty acids, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as 2-phenylethanol and acetaldehyde, etc., can modulate nectar chemistry and pollinator behavior by the functional mechanism. Overall, honeybees play an integral role in sustaining ecosystems through their interactions with plants and microbiota. Honeybee microbiome engineering and microbial biocontrol strategies are sustainable approaches that can improve honeybee health and also safeguard pollination mechanisms. This review discusses the intricate relationships between honeybees, plants, and microbes, emphasizing the significance of understanding these dynamics for sustainable development and also the ethical considerations of using honeybees as microbial vectors. Hence, the honeybees contribute to the sustainable development of nature ecology conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102519"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881311","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":"Temporal dynamics of insecticide-resistance mutations in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) within northern immigration regions","authors":"Ya-Jun Qu ,&nbsp;Jin-Cui Chen ,&nbsp;Hui-Juan Li ,&nbsp;Shuai-Yu Wang ,&nbsp;Xue-Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ary A. Hoffmann ,&nbsp;Sen-Shan Wang ,&nbsp;Shu-Jun Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The diamondback moth (DBM), <em>Plutella xylostella</em> (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a migratory pest of cruciferous crops. This species cannot survive winters in high-latitude regions, where populations primarily consist of migrants from year-round breeding areas. The movement of these moths between regions can influence insecticide resistance patterns in the recipient region by introducing resistant alleles from source populations. In this study, we investigated the adult population dynamics of DBM in two recipient locations in northern China over multiple years and analyzed variation in resistance mutations during this period. The two sampling locations showed similar DBM population dynamics, with the three highest peaks in the number of captured DBM occurring in late May, late June, and mid-August. Among the 16 loci, Q4594L showed the highest mean frequency, followed by A1060T and G324A. Although average frequencies of resistance mutations remained relatively stable across years, there were marked fluctuations in May to June and August to September, which may be related to the introduction of varied sources by migration and/or local selection. Additionally, we found that deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were common for many of the resistance loci. Our study demonstrated variation in resistance mutation frequency in the DBM, likely caused by immigrants from various sources and local selection. These results provide novel insights into the temporal dynamics of insecticide resistance in DBM. They may help in targeting chemical control of this pest, but additional data are required to understand the impacts of long-distance migration versus local selection on resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102532"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188520","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":"The bumblebee Niemann–Pick type C2 protein binds to sperm and is upregulated in the antennae under thermal stress","authors":"Bo Yeon Kim ,&nbsp;Jin Myung Kim ,&nbsp;Hyung Joo Yoon ,&nbsp;Kwang Sik Lee ,&nbsp;Byung Rae Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Niemann–Pick type C2 protein (NPC2) in insects is involved in various physiological processes, including lipid metabolism, immune response, chemical communication, and sperm viability. However, the expression profile of NPC2 under thermal stress remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the binding of the bumblebee <em>Bombus terrestris</em> NPC2 (BtNPC2) protein to sperm, as well as the <em>BtNPC2</em> gene expression patterns in male <em>B. terrestris</em> tissues under thermal stress. Binding assays were performed using recombinant BtNPC2, and the specific BtNPC2 antibody demonstrated that BtNPC2 binds to the sperm surface; thus, BtNPC2 functions as a sperm-binding protein in the seminal fluids of males. Furthermore, <em>BtNPC2</em> was highly expressed in the testes and antennae of <em>B. terrestris</em> males, with a significant upregulation in expression noted in the antennae under high-temperature stress. These findings suggest that BtNPC2 may play a role in the physiological responses conducted in the antennae of bumblebees under thermal stress. Our results support the multifunctional roles of NPC2 in bumblebees.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102531"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188887","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":"Body size- and water homeostasis-dependent temperature stress tolerance and transcriptional changes in red fire ant workers","authors":"Wei Gao ,&nbsp;Rui Peng ,&nbsp;Jian-min Yang ,&nbsp;Jian-lin Lu ,&nbsp;Hong-yun Cao ,&nbsp;Ying-huan Li ,&nbsp;Chun Li ,&nbsp;Wen Fu ,&nbsp;Jin Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The physiological processes that link body size to environmental temperature and humidity is vital for understanding the evolutionary significance of insect adaptation strategies and mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that both cold and heat stresses significantly affected the survival of <em>Solenopsis invicta</em> workers, with smaller worker ants showing higher mortality than larger ones. Workers who were provided with water or sucrose solution exhibited significantly higher survival under temperature stress than controls. Further measurements showed that smaller workers usually had a higher water loss rate than larger ones, especially under desiccation conditions. Body size- and temperature-specific transcriptional changes were found, where smaller workers had more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) than larger ones, suggesting that smaller workers are likely to incur greater temperature stresses. The most prominent changes were the remarkable upregulation of Hsps related genes in heat stressed workers, whereas their changes in cold stressed workers were not significant. Both cold and heat stresses induced significantly changes in small molecule protectants, antioxidants, cuticle and excretory related DEGs and pathways. Further, a Vasopressin-regulated water reabsorption pathway was enriched in both cold and heat stressed workers. Further analysis revealed 22 water balance related DEGs, such as <em>neurophysin</em>, <em>capa receptor</em>, and <em>diuretic hormone</em>. These results indicate that water homeostasis is crucial for the survival of ants under extreme hot and cold conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102518"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789438","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":"A C-type lectin from domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori) is involved in bacterial recognition and participates in prophenoloxidase activation","authors":"Yan Huang ,&nbsp;Jing Zhang ,&nbsp;Jingyao Shi ,&nbsp;Jie Wu ,&nbsp;Dan Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiaoling Zhao ,&nbsp;Dongxu Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>C-type lectins (CTLs), which belong to the superfamily of glycan-binding proteins, are characterized by the presence of one or more carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs). CTLs are involved in biological processes, such as immune recognition, intercellular signaling, cell adhesion, and pathogen clearance, and are widely distributed across diverse organisms, from invertebrates to vertebrates. In this study, we investigated the function of the C-type lectin gene named <em>BmIML-2</em>, in the innate immune response of the domestic silkworm, <em>Bombyx mori</em>. First, our results suggested that <em>BmIML-2</em> was highly expressed in fat body and its transcript levels were significantly up-regulated after induction by different species of bacteria. Afterwards, BmIML-2 was recombinantly expressed using a prokaryotic expression system to delve into its physiological function. Binding assays showed that recombinant BmIML-2 (rBmIML-2) exhibits binding capacity to bacteria, including <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Micrococcus luteus</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>. In addition, Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) demonstrated that rBmIML-2 also binds to cell wall components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN), with more intensely binding affinity to the former. Furthermore, encapsulation assays <em>in vitro</em> suggested that rBmIML-2 was able to accelerate encapsulation and melanization mediated by hemocytes. Finally, we demonstrated that rBmIML-2 significantly potentiates the stimulation pathway of prophenoloxidase (PPO) in plasma. In summary, our results demonstrate that BmIML-2 can act as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) involved in the host innate immune response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102522"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034739","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":"Exploring the relationship between dung beetles and mammalian species in Indian subcontinent","authors":"Sourabh Verma ,&nbsp;Neeraj Narayan ,&nbsp;Piyush Barnwal ,&nbsp;Nesamani Kandasamy ,&nbsp;Bhupendra Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dung beetles are opportunistic feeders that consume various types of mammalian dung. In our study at Valmiki Tiger Reserve, India, we collected 5,645 individual dung beetles from two sites. At Site 1 (Sal Forest with <em>Phoenix</em>), we found 2,680 beetles across 45 species, while at Site 2 (Mixed moist Deciduous Forest), we recorded 965 beetles from 30 species. The highest species richness at Site 1 was in spotted deer dung, while at Site 2, it was in human feces; sambar dung had the lowest species richness at both sites. <em>Sisyphus longipes</em> was the most abundant dung beetle species at Site 1, and <em>Onthophagus hamaticeps</em> at Site 2. Resource partitioning among dung beetle species was generally low, indicating low food specialization. However, some species, like <em>Paragymnopleurus sinuatus</em> and <em>Onthophagus crassicollis</em> at Site 1, exhibited high dung specialization, while <em>Copris sinicus</em> and <em>Sisyphus hirtus</em> showed more generalized feeding patterns. At Site 2, <em>Onthophagus hamaticeps</em> and <em>Onthophagus crassicollis</em> displayed high dung specialization, whereas <em>Caccobius unicornis</em> and <em>Onthophagus abreui</em> were more generalized. This study suggests that the dung preference of dung beetles is species specific, and varies with both the mammalian species and the feeding site.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102538"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396879","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":"Thermal and host-plant modulation of development, reproduction, and population growth of the spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)","authors":"T. Boopathi ,&nbsp;N. Anusha ,&nbsp;J.G. Prasuna ,&nbsp;K. Divya","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2026.102534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Temperature and host-plant quality are key ecological drivers influencing the physiology, reproduction, and population dynamics of poikilothermic insect pests by directly constraining metabolic rates and energy allocation typical of ectotherms. This study investigated the interactive effects of temperature (25, 30, and 35 °C) and host plants (cassava and eggplant) on the developmental duration, fecundity, longevity, and demographic parameters of the spiraling whitefly, <em>Aleurodicus dispersus</em> (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), under controlled conditions. Developmental rate increased with temperature within the tested range up to 30 °C, followed by a sharp decline at 35 °C, indicating thermal stress under the highest temperature treatment. Cassava consistently supported shorter developmental periods, higher fecundity, and greater intrinsic (r = 0.066 day⁻¹) and net reproductive rates (R₀ = 9.94 offspring female⁻¹) compared with eggplant. Regression analyses revealed overall negative associations between total developmental period and fecundity, and positive association between egg hatchability and adult emergence, largely reflecting temperature-driven differences among treatments. Age-stage, two-sex life table analysis indicated 30 °C as the most favorable temperature among those tested for population growth, while performance was substantially reduced at 35 °C. These findings highlight that temperature and host quality jointly shape the demographic potential of <em>A. dispersus</em>, offering valuable insights for forecasting pest outbreaks and developing climate-informed integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in tropical and subtropical cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102534"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396880","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":"Removing gut commensal bacteria affects nutritional performance of diapause-destined larvae of Helicoverpa armigera","authors":"Hoda Zamani,&nbsp;Azam Mikani,&nbsp;Mohammad Mehrabadi,&nbsp;Saeid Moharramipour","doi":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aspen.2025.102517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Helicoverpa armigera</em> (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly polyphagous species that undergoes pupal diapause when fifth-instar larvae are exposed to short day lengths, enabling survival under unfavorable conditions. Diapause-destined larvae accumulate nutritional reserves that sustain the pupal stage, yet the role of gut symbiotic bacteria in this process remains unclear. We eliminated gut microbiota with antibiotics and compared nutritional indices, approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), relative consumption rate (RCR), and relative growth rate (RGR), in diapause-destined (D) and nondiapause (ND) larvae during the fifth and sixth instars. Diapause-destined larvae with intact gut microbiota (D⁺) exhibited higher ECI, ECD, and RGR but lower RCR than antibiotic-treated larvae (D⁻), indicating efficient nutrient conversion and energy accumulation. In contrast, D⁻ larvae consumed more food but achieved lower growth efficiency, suggesting compensatory feeding. Similar trends were observed in nondiapause larvae, with ND⁺ individuals displaying higher growth efficiency than ND⁻ counterparts. Nutritional indices were generally greater in sixth instar larvae compared to fifth instar larvae, reflecting intensified reserve accumulation during the prediapause phase. Removal of gut bacteria reduced larval weight, fecal output, and conversion efficiencies, highlighting their importance in nutritional performance and biomass gain. These findings demonstrate that gut <strong>commensal</strong> bacteria play a critical role in optimizing nutrient utilization and supporting diapause preparation in <em>H. armigera</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15094,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Asia-pacific Entomology","volume":"29 1","pages":"Article 102517"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188517","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}