Physiological Entomology最新文献

{"title":"Trade-offs in thermal response: Schizotetranychus brevisetosus winter eggs outperform summer eggs at low temperatures","authors":"Miki Yamawaki,&nbsp;Katsura Ito","doi":"10.1111/phen.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Maternal physiological conditions influence offspring performance in egg-diapausing arthropods. However, the adaptive significance of maternal conditions shaping offspring thermal responses during development is not well understood. In the spider mite <i>Schizotetranychus brevisetosus</i> (Acari: Tetranychidae), females oviposit distinct types of eggs in summer and winter on evergreen host leaves (<i>Quercus glauca</i> L.). To test whether these maternally determined egg types modulate offspring thermal responses, we compared the development and survival between individuals from the two egg types across nine constant temperatures (15–35°C). Developmental rates increased linearly with temperature for all stages. Regression analyses showed that immature individuals from winter eggs had significantly lower developmental threshold temperatures (<i>t</i>₀) and higher thermal constants (<i>K</i>) than those from summer eggs during several developmental stages. Notably, protonymphs and deutonymphs from winter eggs developed faster at low temperatures, while those from summer eggs developed faster at high temperatures, indicating a trade-off in thermal responses. Survival analyses supported this pattern: survival to adulthood was higher in individuals from winter eggs at 15°C, while survival of those from summer eggs was higher at ≥32.5°C. These corresponding trends in development and survival suggest that the maternal environment affects offspring thermal performance. In the field, winter eggs develop during March, when night temperatures fall below 10°C, whereas summer eggs develop when temperatures are high, sometimes exceeding 30°C. Thus, our findings suggest the occurrence of adaptive maternal effects. These effects may help to maintain the long-term fitness of herbivorous arthropods in seasonally fluctuating environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 3","pages":"435-445"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/phen.70037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148667517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Effects of a propolis-based diet on fatty acids, cuticular hydrocarbons and immune system in worker honey bees (Apis mellifera)","authors":"Enzo Dominguez,&nbsp;Carmen Rossini,&nbsp;Paloma Moran Giardini,&nbsp;María de la Paz Moliné,&nbsp;Sandra Medici,&nbsp;Silvina Quintana,&nbsp;Martin J. Eguaras,&nbsp;Liesel B. Gende,&nbsp;Natalia Damiani","doi":"10.1111/phen.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Propolis contributes to the health of <i>Apis mellifera</i> colonies and has been proposed as an additive in artificial bee diets due to its antimicrobial capacity against common pathogens. However, the sublethal effects of propolis consumption remain poorly understood. To assess these effects, newly emerged bees were fed a sugar-based diet supplemented with propolis for ten days, and changes in physiological and immune parameters were evaluated. Total lipids, fatty acids, cuticular hydrocarbons and the expression of immune-related and <i>vitellogenin</i> genes were determined. Bees fed with propolis exhibited changes in fatty acid content, cuticular hydrocarbons and immune gene expression, characterized by increased levels of saturated fatty acids, methyl-alkanes and <i>hymenoptaecin</i> expression, along with reduced amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids and alkanes. These findings suggest that long-term dietary intake of propolis may induce physiological changes in worker bees that could affect individual homeostasis and processes mediated by cuticular hydrocarbons. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and evaluate the potential therapeutic role of propolis in beekeeping.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 3","pages":"406-419"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148667533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptome analysis reveals genes differentially expressed and enriched in response to gregariousness in Galleria mellonella waxworms","authors":"Ignacio Arias,&nbsp;Giovanni Larama,&nbsp;Ricardo Godoy,&nbsp;Paula Lizana,&nbsp;Ana Mutis,&nbsp;Herbert Venthur","doi":"10.1111/phen.70034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.70034","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Insects represent an enormous group of organisms with an extraordinary array of identified species, and others yet to be identified, habiting the most diverse regions. Likewise, insects present different behaviours depending on their needs, adapting their life cycles. An example is gregariousness, an aggregation behaviour common, but not limited, to social insects. One reported mechanism that underlies gregarious behaviour is growth promotion, especially among insect larvae. In this study, waxworms of <i>Galleria mellonella</i> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a worldwide distributed moth, were used due to their gregarious behaviour. An exploratory RNA-seq approach was performed in order to identify transcriptional responses upon gregariousness. Results indicate upregulation of a greater number of genes when they are gregarious compared with individualized waxworms. Enrichment analysis suggests distribution of genes across biosynthesis of amino acids and carbon metabolism pathways with high significance. Key differentially expressed genes, such as a general odorant-binding protein 2, might indicate specific roles for gregariousness in lepidopterans. This study deepened our understanding of genes involved in waxworms aggregation, with potential targets in metabolism, defence and/or communication.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 3","pages":"397-405"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148667318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selected commercial Bacillus probiotic strains improve the performance of black soldier fly larvae, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)\u0000 Certaines souches commerciales de probiotiques Bacillus améliorent les performances des larves de la mouche soldat noire, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)","authors":"Zaabwe Thaddeus,&nbsp;Chirwa Elias,&nbsp;Mzengereza Kumbukani,&nbsp;Kang'ombe Jeremiah,&nbsp;Ndhlovu Abigail,&nbsp;Nyirenda Robert,&nbsp;Chimango Mtekateka","doi":"10.1111/phen.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The inability of black soldier fly larvae to efficiently extract and assimilate nutrients from diverse organic substrates leads to the production of small-sized and poor-quality larvae. Suboptimal nutrient digestion reduces overall biomass yield, survival and overall larval quality. Incorporating exogenous probiotics into black soldier fly larvae feeding systems is important in improving overall black soldier fly production. The study focused on the use of an exogenous <i>Bacillus</i> probiotic strain mixture to improve larval survival, growth and nutrient accumulation. A total of 1500 four-day-old black soldier larvae were manually counted in triplicate for each treatment and subjected to exogenous <i>Bacillus</i> probiotic strain mixture inoculation levels using a poultry feed. Four inoculation levels were used: P0 (0 colony-forming unit [CFU]/kg) as a control, P1 (4 × 10¹⁰ CFU/kg) as treatment 1, P2 (8 × 10¹⁰ CFU/kg) as treatment 2 and P3 (12 × 10¹⁰ CFU/kg) as treatment 3. The experiment was carried out in the laboratory under a completely randomised design. Larvae were reared under ambient conditions, with an average temperature of 28 ± 1.09°C and relative humidity of 70 ± 8.1%, using a poultry feed with a pH of 8.2 ± 1.0. Significant differences among inoculation levels for length, weight, survival and proximate composition were recorded (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Significantly higher growth, survival rates and protein content were observed in larvae fed on P2-inoculated feed (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Findings of the present study demonstrate that exogenous <i>Bacillus</i> probiotic strain mixtures not only enhance larval growth but also survival rates and nutrient accumulation, thereby increasing overall production.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 3","pages":"537-546"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148667513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 2","pages":"E1-E3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148067264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 2","pages":"250-260"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148081097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of analytical microscopic methods to investigate general morphology of immature stages of L. sericata","authors":"Hatice Tosyagulu Celik,&nbsp;Sibel Kaymak,&nbsp;Nilüfer Vural,&nbsp;Salih Mollahaliloglu","doi":"10.1111/phen.70017","DOIUrl":"10.1111/phen.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Lucilia sericata</i> (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a fly species of forensic and medical importance due to its ability to promote wound healing and reduce local inflammation in medical applications, and to colonize in decomposing vertebrate remains. Although the species is of great importance for both medical and forensic applications, its use is often dependent on proper species identification and the availability of developmental data. Morphological information for each life stage is traditionally used for identification. In this context, the study examined the structures and ultrastructure of the egg, larva and pupa stages of <i>L. sericata</i> using a stereomicroscope, light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results provided important data on the morphological structure of <i>L. sericata</i>. The obtained results indicate a median area extending along the dorsal region in the form of a distinct and straight line in <i>L. sericata</i> eggs. Hexagonal networks around this structure were found as another characteristic feature. In the 3rd instar larvae, the number of anterior spiracles and their arrangement structure were found to be another specific feature. The unique arrangement and surface structure of the pupal structure was also one of the distinctive features of <i>L. sericata</i> pupae. In conclusion, the morphological examination of <i>L. sericata</i> was considered to contribute to the literature regarding its identification and to be a useful study in terms of entomology.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 1","pages":"193-203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146199406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mushroom body variation in beetles (Coleoptera): A challenge for future research","authors":"Jiří Dvořáček,&nbsp;Dalibor Kodrík","doi":"10.1111/phen.70013","DOIUrl":"10.1111/phen.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In insects, attention has only been focused on the neural underpinnings of learning and memory in some model species such as the fruit fly <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> or the bee <i>Apis mellifera</i>. Current literature also includes a detailed description of the mushroom bodies (MBs), the part of the brain that is responsible for these abilities. An interesting group for similar studies in insects could also be beetles (Coleoptera); they are probably the largest animal group in terms of species, with an extraordinary morphological and ecological diversity that is also reflected at the neurobiological level. The morphological complexity of the MBs does not appear to be directly related to the position of the beetle family in the evolutionary tree, as taxa across evolutionary ranks have similar MB structures when exposed to similar adaptive pressures and lifestyles. Different levels of MB complexity are evident among related species across various families. In beetles, the entire spectrum of MB organisation can be observed: from simple (or absent) calyxes, with a small number of Kenyon cells and undivided MB lobes, through various degrees of compartmentalisation and enlargement of the synaptic surface, to an MB structure similar to Hymenoptera, some of whose representatives exhibit an exceptional level of associative learning. The structure of the MB can be regarded as an adaptive trait, evolving in response to selection pressures dictated by the efficiency and flexibility of behavioural output during information processing in the MB, which results from the interaction of the brain, the body and the environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 1","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/phen.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146199424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Clustering sperm: A statistical approach to identify sperm morph numbers in the Drosophila obscura species group","authors":"Fiona Messer,&nbsp;Helen White-Cooper","doi":"10.1111/phen.70006","DOIUrl":"10.1111/phen.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The <i>Drosophila obscura</i> species group is sperm heteromorphic. Sperm heteromorphism is the production of multiple sperm types, or ‘morphs', within a single male. In the case of the <i>obscura</i> species, males produce two or three sperm morphs of different sizes, simultaneously, within the same testis, and throughout their lifetime. A long sperm morph, the ‘eusperm’ is fertile, whereas shorter sperm morphs, the ‘parasperm’, are non-fertilising and protect the eusperm within the female reproductive tract. Many studies over the past 55 years have measured the sperm length of eusperm and parasperm in <i>obscura</i> species. One recent study found that <i>D. pseudoobscura</i> produces three sperm morphs, two parasperm and one eusperm, in contrast to the two morphs described in older studies of this species. Thus, the number of morphs made by some species in this clade is still in dispute. Here, we review sperm length data from previous studies and re-measure sperm of eight species including <i>D. pseudoobscura</i>. We used two statistical cluster analysis approaches to identify sperm morphs based on sperm and nucleus length, to test whether multiple parasperm morphs are present in more species than previously identified. We confirmed the presence of two parasperm morphs in <i>D. pseudoobscura</i>, and found that two closely related species, <i>D. persimilis</i> and <i>D. miranda</i>, also produce two parasperm morphs. <i>D. affinis</i>, <i>D. azteca</i>, <i>D. bifasciata</i>, <i>D. guanche</i> and <i>D. subobscura</i> produce a single parasperm morph, indicating that the presence of two parasperm is a derived feature in the <i>pseudoobscura</i> species subgroup.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 1","pages":"48-62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/phen.70006","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146206040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Nutrient landscape of a cricket nymph: How dietary protein and carbohydrate shape intake, performance, and body composition in the two-spotted cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus","authors":"Woomin Kwon,&nbsp;Kwang Pum Lee","doi":"10.1111/phen.70014","DOIUrl":"10.1111/phen.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the optimal amount and balance of macronutrients required by individual insects is essential for improving the yield and value of insects used as food and feed. Crickets are one of the most widely massproduced edible insects worldwide. Accordingly, there is a growing need to develop dietary formulations that optimize survival, growth, intake, food conversion, and body composition in cricket nymphs. Here, we applied the nutrient landscape approach to examine the combined and interactive effects of dietary protein and carbohydrate on a suite of nutritional traits in eighth-instar nymphs of the two-spotted cricket, <i>Gryllus bimaculatus</i> De Geer (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). The crickets were confined to one of 24 chemically defined diets varying in protein-to-carbohydrate ratio (P:C = 5:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:8) and protein plus carbohydrate concentration (P + C = 21, 42, 63, 84%). Food consumption increased with nutrient dilution, but this compensatory feeding was incomplete. Food utilization efficiency was maximized on nutritionally concentrated diets with a moderately carbohydrate-biased P:C ratio of 1:1.278. All performance traits were the highest on nutritionally concentrated diets, but each trait was maximized at a different P:C ratio. Cricket nymphs survived best at a highly protein-biased P:C ratio of 3.861:1. In contrast, both body mass at adult eclosion and relative growth rates (RGR) were maximized at carbohydrate-skewed P:C ratios of 1:1.473 and 1:1.470, respectively. When offered a food choice, nymphs self-selected a P:C ratio of 1:1.820, closely aligning with the ratios that maximized body mass and RGR. Body protein content was maximized at a P:C ratio of 1.140:1, whereas body lipid content peaked at 1:5.562. Our results have implications for enhancing the efficiency of cricket farming through diet optimization.</p>","PeriodicalId":20081,"journal":{"name":"Physiological Entomology","volume":"51 1","pages":"178-192"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/phen.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146199368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}