Current Research in Insect Science最新文献

{"title":"Public and media interest in bed bugs-Europe 2023","authors":"Peter Brimblecombe ,&nbsp;Gabi Mueller ,&nbsp;Pascal Querner","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In late summer of 2023 bed bug (<em>Cimex lectularius</em>) infestations received much media attention especially from Paris Fashion Week (2023–09–25/2023–10–03). Concern in France has grown in recent years and the public may have been sensitised from the recent release of the report <em>Les punaises de lit: impacts, prévention et lutte</em> from the Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire. Additionally, families returning from summer travel for the start of the school year (2023–09–04) may have brought <em>Cimex</em> spp. with them. A belief, typically false, that they are associated with poor housekeeping and the commercial sensitivity of infestations makes quantitative data on the occurrence and frequency of the insects difficult to find. Often it was based on the number of consultations with physicians and enquiries about bed bugs. Our study has used Google search frequency (Google Trends) to assess the growth and spread of public interest. It found that concern over the Paris outbreak spread to neighbouring countries and was an inverse function of distance. Health issues are a popular topic in science journalism and articles with bad news, threat, continuity and geographic proximity helped generate considerable media activity such that the public perceptions of the problem were enhanced and suggests that government agencies need to collect well standardised data on bed bug occurrence. Google Trends proved a sensitive tool to follow the public concern over an insect that invokes considerable dread.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100079"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266651582400009X/pdfft?md5=febdcbd73e3c5fbef06660ce109d829d&pid=1-s2.0-S266651582400009X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140533442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The nutritional dimension of facultative bacterial symbiosis in aphids: Current status and methodological considerations for future research","authors":"François Renoz","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2023.100070","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2023.100070","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Aphids are valuable models for studying the functional diversity of bacterial symbiosis in insects. In addition to their ancestral obligate nutritional symbiont <em>Buchnera aphidicola</em>, these insects can host a myriad of so-called facultative symbionts. The diversity of these heritable bacterial associates is now well known, and some of the ecologically important traits associated with them have been well documented. Some twenty years ago, it was suggested that facultative symbionts could play an important role in aphid nutrition, notably by improving feeding performance on specific host plants, thus influencing the adaptation of these insects to host plants. However, the underlying mechanisms have never been elucidated, and the nutritional role that facultative symbionts might perform in aphids remains enigmatic. In this opinion piece, I put forward a series of arguments in support of the hypothesis that facultative symbionts play a central role in aphid nutrition and emphasize methodological considerations for testing this hypothesis in future work. In particular, I hypothesize that the metabolic capacities of <em>B. aphidicola</em> alone may not always be able to counterbalance the nutritional deficiencies of phloem sap. The association with one or several facultative symbionts with extensive metabolic capabilities would then be necessary to buffer the insect from host plant-derived nutrient deficiencies, thus enabling it to gain access to certain host plants.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100070"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515823000197/pdfft?md5=18ed72756397d672297a36e389ee7606&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515823000197-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138991901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Generation of specific immune memory by bacterial exposure in the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae)","authors":"Nashrin F. Patel ,&nbsp;Shüné V. Oliver","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>There is a growing body of evidence that invertebrates can generate improved secondary responses after a primary challenge. This immunological memory can be primed by a range of pathogens, including bacteria. The generation of immunological memory has been demonstrated in mosquitoes, with the memory primed by a range of initial stimuli. This study aimed to examine whether insecticide resistance affects the capacity to generate immunological memory. The primary hypothesis was tested by examining the capacity of genetically related laboratory-reared <em>Anopheles arabiensis</em> strains that differ by insecticide resistant phenotype to generate immunological memory. The competing hypothesis tested was that the bacterial virulence was the key determinant in generating immunological memory. Immune memory was generated in F1 females but not males. Immunological memory was demonstrated in both laboratory strains, but the efficacy differed by the insecticide resistant phenotype of the strain. An initial oral challenge provided by a blood meal resulted generated better memory than an oral challenge by sugar. The efficacy of memory generation between the two bacterial strains differed between the two mosquito strains. Regardless of the challenge, the two strains differed in their capacity to generate memory. This study therefore demonstrated that insecticide resistant phenotype affected the capacity of the two strains to generate immunological memory. Although this study needs to be replicated with wild mosquitoes, it does suggest that a potential role for insecticide resistance in the functioning of the immune system and memory generation of <em>An. arabiensis</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100085"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000155/pdfft?md5=e49bf5d732199bbc241ef1330c8dcee5&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000155-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140948285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diet specialization mediates drivers of Cucurbita herbivory in a semi-arid agroecosystem","authors":"Hannah L. Gray ,&nbsp;Nicholas A. Ivers ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Lopez ,&nbsp;Brad G. Peter ,&nbsp;Scott D. Longing ,&nbsp;Margarita M. López-Uribe ,&nbsp;Shalene Jha","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Herbivory is a major fitness pressure for plants and a key driver of crop losses in agroecosystems. Dense monocultures are expected to favor specialist herbivorous insects, particularly those who primarily consume crop species; yet, levels and types of herbivory are not uniform within regional cropping systems. It is essential to determine which local and regional ecological factors drive variation in herbivory in order to support functional agroecosystems that rely less on chemical inputs. Crops in the genus <em>Cucurbita</em> host a suite of both generalist and specialist herbivores that inflict significant damage, yet little is known about the relative contribution of these herbivores to variation in herbivory and how local- and landscape-scale <em>Cucurbita</em> resource concentrations, management practices, and natural enemies mediate this relationship. In this study, we tested whether three foundational ecological hypotheses influenced <em>Cucurbita</em> herbivory across 20 pumpkin fields in the semi-arid Southern High Plains Region of Texas. We used generalized linear mixed models and confirmatory path analysis to assess whether the Density-dependent Herbivory Hypothesis, Resource Concentration Hypothesis, or the Natural Enemies Hypothesis, could explain variation in <em>Cucurbita</em> herbivory and insect dynamics in the context of conventional agronomic practices. We found that herbivory increased over time, indicating that herbivores were causing sustained damage throughout the growing season. We also found that fields with higher local <em>Cucurbita</em> resources had lower herbivory, suggesting a resource dilution effect. Natural enemy communities were more abundant and taxonomically rich in sites with greater generalist herbivore abundance, though predator abundance declined over time, indicating that late-season crop fields are most at risk given high herbivory and low natural enemy-based control. Our findings also suggest that while local resource availability may drive the abundance and richness of arthropod communities, additional agronomic and phenological information is needed to anticipate herbivory risk in an agriculturally dominated landscape.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100087"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000179/pdfft?md5=117dada6a0d516c601975c6b711f0c98&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000179-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141328585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differentially expressed microRNAs in brains of adult females may regulate the maternal block of diapause in Sarcophaga bullata","authors":"Julie A. Reynolds ,&nbsp;Emma M. Waight","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100099","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100099","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The maternal regulation of diapause is one type of phenotypic plasticity where the experience of the mother leads to changes in the phenotype of her offspring that impact how well-suited they will be to their future environment. <em>Sarcophaga bullata</em> females with a diapause history produce offspring that cannot enter diapause even if they are reared in a diapause inducing environment. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs regulate diapause and, possibly, maternal regulation of diapause. We found significant differences in the abundances of several microRNAs (miR-125–5p, miR-124–3p, miR-31–5p, and miR-277–3p) in brains dissected from adult female <em>S. bullata</em> that had experienced diapause compared to females with no diapause history. We also found moderate differences in the mRNA expression of the circadian-clock related genes, <em>clock, clockwork orange,</em> and <em>period</em>. MiR-124–3p and miR-31–5p are part of a gene network that includes these circadian clock-related genes. Taken together our results suggest the maternal block of diapause in <em>S. bullata</em> is regulated, at least in part, by a network that includes microRNAs and the circadian clock.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100099"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142427255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of a receptor for the sex pheromone of the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus","authors":"Jacob A. Corcoran ,&nbsp;Walter F. Mahaffee","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The vine mealybug, <em>Planococcus ficus</em>, is a significant pest of vineyards in all major grape growing regions of the world. This pest causes significant aesthetic damage to berry clusters through its feeding behavior and secretion of \"honeydew\", which leads to significant decreases in crop marketability. More importantly, the vine mealybug is a vector of several grapevine viruses which are the causal agent of grapevine leafroll disease, one of the most destructive and economically devastating diseases of the grape industry worldwide. As there is no cure for grapevine leafroll disease, the only control measures available to reduce its spread are to remove infected vines whilst simultaneously controlling mealybug populations. Using transcriptomic libraries prepared from male and female mealybugs and a draft genome, we identified and evaluated expression levels of members of the odorant receptor gene family. Interestingly, of the 50 odorant receptors identified from these <em>P. ficus</em> genetic resources, only 23 were found to be expressed in females, suggesting this flightless life stage has a decreased reliance on the olfactory system. In contrast, 46 odorant receptors were found to be expressed in the alate male life stage. Heterologous expression of eight of these receptors, along with the obligate co-receptor, Orco, in HEK293 cells allowed for the identification of two receptors that respond to lavandulyl senecioate, the sole constituent of the sex pheromone used by this species. Interestingly, one of these receptors, PficOR8, also responded to the sex pheromone used by the Japanese mealybug, <em>Planococcus kraunhiae</em>. The data presented here represent the first report of odorant receptor gene family expression levels, as well as the identification of the first sex pheromone receptor, in soft-scale insects. The identification of a receptor for the vine mealybug sex pheromone will allow for the development of novel, species-specific pest control tools and monitoring devices.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100072"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000027/pdfft?md5=bced18244a5ee3ed95b4d77d872c0f54&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000027-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139653206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genotypes to natural infestation by scale insect pest Stictococcus vayssierei Richard (Hemiptera: Stictococcidae)","authors":"Patrice Zemko Ngatsi ,&nbsp;Bekolo Ndongo ,&nbsp;Zachée Ambang ,&nbsp;Pierre Eke ,&nbsp;William Norbert Tueguem Kuate ,&nbsp;Sylvere Landry Lontsi Dida ,&nbsp;Jude Ndjaga Manga ,&nbsp;Champlain Djiéto-Lordon","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cassava is mostly grown for its starchy roots, which ensure food security. However, it is heavily attacked by the African root and tuber scale (ARTS) <em>Stictococcus vayssierei</em> in Central Africa. This pest is a severe constraint to the production of cassava, food and income security for smallholder farmers. Crop resistance development through the selection of varieties with resistant traits against targeted pests is a promising approach to pest control. This study investigated cassava genotypes' response to natural infestation and determined their resistance levels against <em>S. vayssierei.</em> Six cassava genotypes (two local and four improved) were planted in a completely randomized block design with four replicates. Agronomic parameters and ARTS density were evaluated at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after planting (MAP). Biochemical content was determined on the pith and cortex of 12 MAP aged tuberous roots. As a result, the improved Excel variety recorded the highest scale density per plant with 102.83 ± 4.14 ARTS/P at 9 MAP. At 12 MAP, high activity of total cyanide (69.18 ± 0.88 and 69.16 ± 1.44 mg/kg) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (0.142 ± 0.020 and 0.145 ± 0.010 ΔA/min/mg) were observed in the cortex of the tuberous roots of the improved varieties TMS 96/0023 and TMS 92/0057 which were colonized by the lowest ARTS density. The local variety (Douma) had a high content of total phenols (44.87 ± 1.15 µg/g) in the pith. It also produced the highest yield (23.8 ± 2.9 t ha-1). Varieties TMS 96/0023, TMS 92/0057 and Douma may be the most suitable varieties for the control of ARTS stress.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100071"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000015/pdfft?md5=d51697f67b64c8403652943e90081fae&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000015-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139653207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stronger interspecific sexual differences may be favored when females search for mates in the presence of congeners","authors":"Alaine C. Hippee ,&nbsp;Marc A. Beer ,&nbsp;Allen L. Norrbom ,&nbsp;Andrew A. Forbes","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Why are some species sexually dimorphic while other closely related species are not? While all females in genus <em>Strauzia</em> share a multiply-banded wing pattern typical of many other true fruit flies, males of four species have noticeably elongated wings with banding patterns “coalesced” into a continuous dark streak across much of the wing. We take an integrative phylogenetic approach to explore the evolution of this dimorphism and develop general hypotheses underlying the evolution of wing dimorphism in flies. We find that the origin of coalesced and other darkened male wing patterns correlate with the inferred origin of host plant sharing in <em>Strauzia.</em> While wing shape among non-host-sharing species tended to be conserved across the phylogeny, shapes of male wings for <em>Strauzia</em> species sharing the same host plant were more different from one another than expected under Brownian models of evolution and overall rates of wing shape change differed between non-host-sharing species and host-sharing species. A survey of North American Tephritidae finds just three other genera with specialist species that share host plants. Host-sharing species in these genera also have wing patterns unusual for each genus. Only genus <em>Eutreta</em> is like <em>Strauzia</em> in having the unusual wing patterns only in males, and of genera that have multiple species sharing hosts, only in <em>Eutreta</em> and <em>Strauzia</em> do males hold territories while females search for mates. We hypothesize that in species that share host plants, those where females actively search for males in the presence of congeners may be more likely to evolve sexually dimorphic wing patterns.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100084"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000143/pdfft?md5=a83764839ccf5e095b826c63e0bd4d2e&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000143-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141057697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"α-Glucosidase isoform G contributes to heme detoxification in Rhodnius prolixus and its knockdown affects Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis","authors":"Fernanda Ferreira Maissner ,&nbsp;Carina Azevedo Oliveira Silva ,&nbsp;André Borges Farias ,&nbsp;Evenilton Pessoa Costa ,&nbsp;José Luciano Nepomuceno-Silva ,&nbsp;José Roberto da Silva ,&nbsp;Flávia Borges Mury","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The triatomine bug <em>Rhodnius prolixus</em> is a hematophagous hemipteran and a primary vector of <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em>, the causative agent of Chagas' disease (CD), in Central America and Northern South America. Blood-feeding poses significant challenges for hematophagous organisms, particularly due to the release of high doses of pro-oxidant free heme during hemoglobin digestion. In this arthropod, most of the free heme in the gut is aggregated into hemozoin (Hz), an inert and non-oxidative biocrystal. Two major components present in the perimicrovillar membranes (PMM) of triatomine insects have been previously implicated in heme crystallization: lipids and the biochemical marker of the PMM, the enzyme α-glucosidase. In this study, we investigated the role of <em>R. prolixus</em> α-glucosidase isoform G (Rp-αGluG) in heme detoxification and the effects of its knockdown on the insect physiology. The effect of α-glucosidase isoform G (αGluG) knockdown on <em>T. cruzi</em> proliferation and metacyclogenesis was also investigated. Initially, a 3D structure of Rp-αGluG was predicted by comparative modeling and then subjected to molecular docking with the heme molecule, providing <em>in silico</em> support for understanding the process of Hz biocrystallization. Next, adult females of <em>R. prolixus</em> were challenged with RNAi against Rp-αGluG (dsαGluG) to assess physiological and phenotypic changes caused by its knockdown. Our data show that the group challenged with dsαGluG produced less Hz, resulting in more intact hemoglobin available in the digestive tract. These animals also laid fewer eggs, which had a lower hatching rate. In addition, <em>T. cruzi</em> metacyclogenesis was significantly lower in the dsαGluG group. The present work demonstrates the importance of Rp-αGluG in heme detoxification, the digestive and reproductive physiology of <em>R. prolixus</em>, as well as its influence on the life cycle of <em>T. cruzi</em>. Since heme neutralization is a vital process for hematophagous bugs, our study provides useful information for the development of new strategies targeting the Hz formation and potentially affecting the vectorial transmission of Chagas disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100100"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142528945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bet-hedging in parasitoids: when optimization is not the best strategy to cope with climatic extremes","authors":"Joan van Baaren ,&nbsp;Guy Boivin ,&nbsp;Bertanne Visser ,&nbsp;Cécile Le Lann","doi":"10.1016/j.cris.2024.100076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2024.100076","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Bet-hedging occurs when unreliable environments select for genotypes exhibiting a lower variance in fitness at the cost of a lower mean fitness for each batch of progeny. This means that at the level of the genotype, the production of mostly non-optimal phenotypes may be favored when at least some phenotypes are successful. As extreme unreliable climatic events are increasing because of climate change, it is pertinent to investigate the potential of bet-hedging strategies that allow insects to cope with climate change. Evidence for bet-hedging is scarce in most insects, including parasitoids, but the unique lifestyle and biology of parasitoids leads to the expectation that bet-hedging may occur frequently. Here, we evaluate a range of parasitoid traits for which a bet-hedging strategy could be envisioned even if bet-hedging has not been identified as such yet. Under-identification of bet-hedging in nature could have resulted from a major focus of studies on parasitoid life history evolution and foraging behavior on optimality models, predicting how mean fitness can be maximized. Most environmental factors, however, vary unpredictably. Life history and behavioral adaptations are thus expected to be affected by environmental stochasticity. In this paper, we review different aspects of parasitoid behavior, physiology, and life histories and ask the question whether parasitoid traits could have evolved under selection by environmental stochasticity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34629,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Insect Science","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100076"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666515824000064/pdfft?md5=060d9305169ea52bc7f8d1816c38a8ef&pid=1-s2.0-S2666515824000064-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140042202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}