{"title":"Interseeding cover crops into established corn fields affects invertebrate abundance and diversity and elevates the activity of generalist predators.","authors":"Michael M Bredeson, Jonathan G Lundgren","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag096","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ecologically simplified corn fields lack the plant diversity-derived resources necessary for supporting robust beneficial insect populations capable of preventing pest outbreaks. Interseeding cover crops into established corn is a way that farmers can diversify cropland plant communities and restore ecosystem functions. Here, we examine how foliar, epigeic, and subterranean arthropod communities differ between corn monocultures and corn interseeded with cover crops. We also examine how predator activity and predation are affected by interseeded cover crops in corn fields. Predators, herbivores, numerous individual taxa, and all combined arthropods were more abundant on the soil surface in interseeded corn fields. Adding cover crops also increased the number of epigeic species. Within the subterranean environment, community structure was similar in the bare soil and interseeded corn fields, and only 4 commonly collected species differed in abundance. Below-ground arthropod diversity increased when cover crops were interseeded in corn fields. Community characteristics in the corn foliage were not affected by the cover crops. Twice as many wax moth (Galleria mellonella (L.)) sentinel larvae were eaten by generalist predators in cover-cropped corn (45.5%) than in corn monocultures (22.6%). The effect of cover crops on corn stand density and yield varied significantly between study locations. Diversification of the corn agroecosystem by interseeding cover crops had a spatially compartmentalized effect on invertebrates in corn fields, favoring the abundance and diversity of surface-dwelling invertebrate fauna and predator activity. This management tool should be further explored by researchers and farmers, as it is a viable method for conserving biodiversity and bolstering biological control of crop pests.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13581462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148982885","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}
Patricia Romero-Arellano, Luis A Ibarra-Juárez, Daniel Carrillo, Olinda Velázquez, Larissa Guillén
{"title":"Influence of ovarian maturity, age, and mating status on the antennal responses of wild and laboratory reared Xyleborus affinis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) to ethanol.","authors":"Patricia Romero-Arellano, Luis A Ibarra-Juárez, Daniel Carrillo, Olinda Velázquez, Larissa Guillén","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag093","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Xyleborus affinis Eichthoff is a neotropical ambrosia beetle that, in certain regions such as the United States and Mexico, has been associated with exotic phytopathogenic fungi causing extensive tree mortality. Although studies relating its olfactory response to volatile compounds and trapping systems have been published, factors such as the insect's physiological condition, which can affect its recognition or response to odors, have not been studied. Here, we evaluated the electroantennographic (EAG) response of wild and laboratory reared X. affinis females to 70% ethanol, a compound known to attract these insects. The experimental design was developed to consider and compare the following conditions: (i) females collected inside and outside host-galleries, (ii) sexual maturity (with mature and immature ovaries), (iii) age (0, 1, 3, and 5 d after emergence), and (iv) mating status (virgins and mated). Our results indicate that most of the wild females located outside the galleries were sexually mature but exhibited significantly lower EAG response than those inside the galleries. Regarding mating status, mated females exhibited significantly stronger antennal responses compared to virgins, whereas age did not affect antennal sensitivity. Finally, we provide images of the hitherto undescribed reproductive system of X. affinis females, a key element that enabled this investigation. The information generated offers a useful foundation for future studies aimed at understanding the physiological mechanisms and other critical factors related to sensory perception and reproductive condition. For example, factors that may influence the behavior and attraction of X. affinis females to host semiochemicals.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600378/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148874493","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":"Selection and evaluation of reference genes for RT-qPCR normalization across developmental stages and tissues in Dermestes maculatus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae).","authors":"Lele Tian, Yang Xia, Guojing Xu, Yinghao Zhai, Yanjie Shang, Yadong Guo","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag114","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is widely used for gene expression quantification, and stably expressed reference genes are essential for accurate data normalization. However, validated reference genes are not yet available for the hide beetle, Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), an economically important stored-product pest and a forensically relevant necrophagous beetle. In this study, 8 candidate reference genes (RPL4, RPL13A, RPL27, RPS3, RPS18, RPS28b, GAPDH, and EF1α) were systematically evaluated across 8 developmental stages, 6 tissue types, and all samples. All primer pairs showed good amplification efficiency and specificity. Expression stability was assessed using the comparative ΔCt method, BestKeeper, NormFinder, and geNorm, and the rankings were integrated using RefFinder. The resulting rankings showed that RPS28b was the most stable gene across developmental stages, whereas RPL4 ranked first across tissues and all samples. Pairwise variation analysis using geNorm showed that 2 reference genes were sufficient for normalization in all 3 datasets, supporting RPL4 and RPS28b as the optimal reference-gene combination. GAPDH was consistently the least stable gene in all datasets. Validation of PMP7 expression supported RPL4 and RPS28b as suitable reference genes, whereas GAPDH altered the apparent expression pattern. This study provides the first validated RT-qPCR normalization framework for D. maculatus and supports future studies of developmental regulation, RNA interference, functional genomics, pest management, and forensic entomology.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13668882/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149182266","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}
Ziting Cheng, Qi Peng, Lili Geng, Jie Zhang, Ting Geng, Kui Wang, Changlong Shu
{"title":"Transcriptomic analysis reveals that high-protein artificial diet enhances reproductive performance of Protaetia brevitarsis (Lewis) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).","authors":"Ziting Cheng, Qi Peng, Lili Geng, Jie Zhang, Ting Geng, Kui Wang, Changlong Shu","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieag112","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insects have emerged as promising sustainable alternative protein sources, among which Protaetia brevitarsis (Lewis) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) exhibits considerable potential for valorizing lignocellulosic wastes (e.g. crop straw) into high-value proteins. The larvae of this species are traditionally used in medicine and as a health food, but the underdeveloped rearing technology for adults has impeded large‑scale commercialization and application. Thus, the development and optimization of artificial diets represent a critical breakthrough for overcoming this bottleneck. Herein, we integrated expression profile analysis to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying nutritional digestion in P. brevitarsis and the regulatory effects of different diets on its growth and reproductive performance. Transcriptomic analyses further unveiled the core nutritional metabolic traits of P. brevitarsis: the larval midgut exhibited broad and high-level expression of genes involved in carbohydrate, fat, and vitamin digestion and absorption, supporting active metabolism of multiple nutrients; in contrast, adults displayed a pronounced demand for proteins. Notably, although adult intestines exhibited fewer total expressed genes, the protein digestion and absorption pathway was exceptionally active, highlighted by 7 core protease genes each displaying a Fragments Per Kilobase of transcript per Million mapped reads value exceeding 10,000. This pattern underscores the high protein demand of adults, laying a robust theoretical foundation for the artificial rearing of P. brevitarsis and the precise formulation of artificial diets. Feeding trials demonstrated that adults fed a high-protein artificial diet exhibited significantly increased body weight from the third week post-feeding, with cumulative egg production 1.62-fold higher than that of the apple-fed control group. Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights for the development of artificial diets for economically important insects and the sustainable advancement of the insect rearing industry, ultimately contributing to mitigating global protein demand pressures.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13637846/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149110906","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}
Stepan Ryba, Yupa Hanboonsong, Jana Prodelalova, Martin Kulma, Hung Quang Tran, Hai Thanh Duong, Nguyen Phuc Cam Tu, Vlastimil Stejskal
{"title":"Saturation kinetics of iodine accumulation in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): implications for feed biofortification.","authors":"Stepan Ryba, Yupa Hanboonsong, Jana Prodelalova, Martin Kulma, Hung Quang Tran, Hai Thanh Duong, Nguyen Phuc Cam Tu, Vlastimil Stejskal","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag098","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Iodine deficiency remains a widespread nutritional concern, and biofortification of feed ingredients is a promising complement to salt iodization. Insects, such as the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), are gaining attention as sustainable protein sources, yet little is known about their capacity to accumulate iodine. This study quantified dose-dependent iodine accumulation and excretion, and assessed adverse effects, in T. molitor larvae reared on diets spanning more than 3 orders of magnitude of supplemented iodine; saturation kinetics here refers to dose-dependent rather than temporal behavior. Larval iodine increased with supplementation but followed a strongly non-linear trend, a pattern compatible with saturable, carrier-mediated uptake, although no direct mechanistic evidence was obtained. Within the range in which larvae remained viable, accumulation conformed to a saturation model, allowing the half-saturation constant and maximum attainable enrichment to be estimated; at higher doses, larvae did not survive and could not be depurated. Frass iodine rose far more steeply than larval iodine, indicating that surplus iodine was excreted rather than retained. Bioaccumulation efficiency declined progressively with dietary dose, exceeding unity only at low supplementation levels, where larvae concentrated iodine above dietary concentrations. Observational signs of toxicity emerged at elevated supplementation, including growth retardation, heterogeneous development, and increased mortality, culminating in complete population collapse. Practically, the enrichment achievable within the range tolerated by larvae already exceeds concentrations reported as toxic to some target species, indicating that safe inclusion levels will be set by the receiving animal rather than the insect's accumulation capacity.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13589572/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008389","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":"Molecular characterization and seasonal, sex-associated expression patterns of HSP genes in Eurygaster integriceps (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae).","authors":"Fatemeh Abdollahi, Azam Amiri, Ali R Bandani","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag097","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Seasonal environmental variation may be associated with heat-shock protein (HSP) transcription in insects with annual diapause cycles. The Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps (Puton), occupies contrasting field and shelter habitats across its univoltine life cycle. We combined transcriptome-guided annotation, motif and conserved-domain analysis, localization prediction, fragment-based structural modeling, phylogenetic placement, and RT-qPCR to characterize partial Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 sequences and compare their whole-body transcript abundance among 4 field-sampled groups and between sexes. The translated fragments contained family-associated motifs and conserved-domain matches, showed high similarity to hemipteran homologs, and clustered with corresponding Halyomorpha halys Stål sequences, supporting provisional annotation of the 3 partial transcripts. Expression patterns differed among genes. Hsp70 abundance was higher in the summer-sampled group than in the other sampling groups across sexes, whereas Hsp90 showed a sex-dependent pattern, with higher abundance in summer-, autumn-, and winter-sampled males than in spring-sampled males and lower abundance in winter-sampled females than in spring-sampled females. Hsp60 also showed a sex-by-sampling-group pattern, but within-sex comparisons with the spring group were not supported after multiple-comparison adjustment. Because sampling phase covaried with habitat, altitude, cohort, and physiological context, these results describe associations among field-collected groups rather than isolated effects of season or diapause. The study supports provisional sequence-based annotations and identifies gene- and sex-associated transcript patterns that can guide controlled, tissue-resolved investigations of HSP regulation in E. integriceps.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13587250/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148990266","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}
Mahendra Pawar, Zachary Yenser, Jess Kansman, Sara Hermann
{"title":"Non-consumptive effects of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) derived semiochemicals on Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae).","authors":"Mahendra Pawar, Zachary Yenser, Jess Kansman, Sara Hermann","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag113","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biological control agents are central to Integrated Pest Management, where they suppress herbivorous pests through direct consumption. However, natural enemies can exert non-consumptive effects (NCEs) on prey when predation risk is detected, altering behavior, physiology, or life-history traits in ways that reduce predation risk but impose fitness costs associated with anti-predator defense. Often, NCEs reduce pest pressure on plants via risk-induced changes in herbivore prey feeding, reproduction, and immigration/emigration. Predator-emitted odors are important risk cues, yet predator-derived semiochemicals remain underexplored as tools for pest management. Aphid prey detect predation risk of lady beetles by eavesdropping on their odor cues. However, the specific semiochemicals that signal predation risk have not been explored. Here, we investigated whether a synthesized blend containing key pyrazine semiochemicals produced by the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), can induce NCEs in the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). In Y-tube olfactometer assays, both alate and apterous M. persicae preferred to orient toward plant odors rather than toward plants with the synthetic methoxypyrazine blend. Exposure to the synthetic methoxypyrazine blend reduced aphid fecundity in laboratory and greenhouse arenas but did not alter aphid survival or induce production of alate morphs. In the greenhouse experiment, aphid populations were 27% lower on plants exposed to the synthetic blend by day 14. These findings demonstrate that predator-derived semiochemicals can induce NCEs in aphids, suggesting a promising area of exploration for a semiochemical-based strategy for Integrated Pest Management.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13671757/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194787","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}
Seyedeh Masoumeh Hosseini Mousavi, Seyed Ali Hemmati, Arash Rasekh
{"title":"Role of maize kernels on the fitness of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).","authors":"Seyedeh Masoumeh Hosseini Mousavi, Seyed Ali Hemmati, Arash Rasekh","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag104","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent outbreak of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), has caused considerable challenges to maize production, Zea mays L., in the world. Sustainable pest management through host plant resistance requires further confirmation of maize hybrids that reduce pest pressure during postflowering stage. In this study, the comparative resistance of kernels from 10 maize hybrids, including BC678, SC201, SC704, SC410, SC706, SC400, SC260, BK66, SC705, and BK65, was evaluated using the nutritional indices, demographic parameters, and enzymatic activities of Spodoptera frugiperda in relation to kernel biochemical traits. The selected hybrids are widely cultivated in Iran and represent the major maturity classes. Larvae fed on BC678 and SC705 exhibited lower efficiencies of conversion of ingested (ECI) and digested food (ECD), accompanied by higher relative metabolic rate and metabolic cost. In contrast, higher ECI and ECD values were observed on SC704 and SC400. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) ranged from 0.110 to 0.169 day-1 across treatments, with the lowest value recorded on SC705 and higher values on SC410 and SC706. Lower finite rate of increase (λ) and gross reproduction rate were also obtained on SC705. Decreased amylase activity was recorded on SC705. Moreover, larvae reared on SC705 displayed the highest peroxidase activity, while those reared on BC678 and SC705 showed increased superoxide dismutase activity. Variations in the concentrations of primary and secondary metabolites in the kernels significantly affected pest performance. The clustering results additionally classified SC705 as the least suitable hybrid for S. frugiperda, indicating its potential as a source of host plant resistance for maize breeding and as a component of integrated pest management programs to reduce insect damage during kernel development.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615655/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149061949","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}
Robert J Boyd, Kayla I Perry, Thomas P Franzem, Christie Bahlai
{"title":"Machine learning workflows detect ground-dwelling arthropods against heterogenous backgrounds.","authors":"Robert J Boyd, Kayla I Perry, Thomas P Franzem, Christie Bahlai","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag091","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Camera-based monitoring of arthropods is an emerging tool for studying activity, abundance, and behavior. However, many current approaches rely on custom-built camera systems and complex analytical workflows, which limit accessibility and broader adoption. In addition, most arthropod camera-monitoring systems image subjects against uniform backgrounds, conditions that may alter natural activity patterns and reduce ecological realism. Here, we present a camera-monitoring workflow designed to increase accessibility by using commercially available game cameras coupled with a streamlined image-processing pipeline. We evaluated the performance of this approach by imaging arthropods against a complex, heterogeneous background to assess its effectiveness under conditions more representative of field environments. Our object-detection model performed reliably across evaluation metrics and accurately identified arthropods captured in the images despite background complexity. These results demonstrate that low-cost, widely available camera systems can be integrated with simplified analytical workflows to enable effective arthropod monitoring without specialized hardware. This approach provides a scalable and accessible method for studying arthropods in more natural contexts and may facilitate broader adoption of camera-based monitoring in ecological research and biodiversity assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13533566/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148874524","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":"Detecting Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in retail plant stores in Southern California.","authors":"Eric G Middleton, Nayeli Lee","doi":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag105","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jisesa/ieag105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae: Karny) is an invasive pest that harms peppers and ornamentals. It has not been reported as present in Southern California but has a history of establishing in regions prior to official detection. We surveyed retail garden stores in San Diego and Orange Counties to determine if T. parvispinus was present in California but undetected, and found it on Capsicum, Dipladenia, Mandevilla, and Gardenia species across a year-long period. Our work demonstrates that T. parvispinus can spread to new areas undetected on nursery stock and validates sampling retail stores as a low-effort early detection method that can be used by researchers and regulators to find T. parvispinus on nursery stock.</p>","PeriodicalId":16156,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Insect Science","volume":"26 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555620/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148912225","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}