{"title":"Bacterial diversity in the honey sac during bee foraging on winter-flowering flora and dominant <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> inhibits <i>Hafnia alvei</i>.","authors":"Miao Wang, Wenzheng Zhao, Danyin Zhou, Jian Huang","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1555434","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1555434","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The bacterial diversity of two bee species in the process of honey collection during the flowering season of three different floral sources in the winter was studied. The common bacterium in all samples was <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the present study, we collected nectar, honey sacs, and fresh honey during the winter flowering season of <i>Agastache rugosa</i>, <i>Prunus cerasoides</i>, and <i>Brassica rapa</i>. The pure culture method was used to count and analyze the number of bacteria, they were identified using 16S rRNA sequencing, similarities were compared in NCBI, and the common dominant bacterial species <i>B. subtilis</i> in all samples using phylogenetic analysis and intersection analysis were determined to conduct further bacteriostatic experiments.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that the most abundant quantity of bacteria could be found in the honey sacs, compared to in nectar or fresh honey. At the same time, the highest abundance of bacteria could be found in the honey sacs of <i>A. cerana</i> when collected on <i>Brassica rapa</i>, while the highest abundance of bacteria could be found in the honey sacs of <i>A. mellifera</i> when collected on <i>Prunus cerasoides</i> and <i>Agastache rugosa</i>. A total of 33 bacterial species were isolated, with variations in their distribution across different sample types and sources. The inhibitory effect of 10<sup>-1</sup>-10<sup>-5</sup> on <i>Hafnia alvei</i> by <i>B. subtilis</i> was very significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong><i>B. subtilis</i> was identified in all sample sources, indicating the potential importance of <i>B. subtilis</i> as a probiotic in the bee gut for honey production, and <i>B. subtilis</i> could promote the disease resistance and health of honeybees in winter.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1555434"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11933029/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712717","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}
Allan H Smith-Pardo, Laura M Pérez, Hugo A Benítez
{"title":"Unlocking species identity: geometric morphometrics of head and thorax shapes in invasive and non-invasive quarantine-significant thrips (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia).","authors":"Allan H Smith-Pardo, Laura M Pérez, Hugo A Benítez","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1558242","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1558242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study use landmark based geometric morphometrics (GM) of the head and the thorax on eight species of thrips of the species-rich genus <i>Thrips</i>. Among the selected species, four were classified as common and not significant, while four were identified as quarantine-significant and agriculturally important in the USA. The results indicate the potential for using both sets of landmarks, which, in some cases, were complementary. When one set did not reveal significant differences in shape, the other provided valuable insights. The geometric morphometric analysis of the selected landmarks revealed statistically significant differences in head morphology and the configuration of setal insertion points on the mesothorax and metathorax. Principal component analysis (PCA) served as the primary method to examine the ordinal distribution of the eight species within the morphospace. The analysis highlighted <i>T. australis</i> and <i>T. angusticeps</i> as the most morphologically distinct species in terms of head shape, while <i>T. nigropilosus</i>, <i>T. obscuratus</i>, and <i>T. hawaiiensis</i> exhibited the greatest divergence in thoracic morphology. The results further demonstrate the potential of geometric morphometric (GM) methods for identifying taxa that are challenging to distinguish using traditional taxonomy based on external morphology. This is particularly relevant for morphologically conservative taxa, such as thrips with minimal or no wing venation (a feature often used in GM studies of winged insects), species complexes (e.g., <i>T. hawaiiensis</i> and related species examined in this study), and taxa exhibiting morphological similarity due to convergent evolution associated with shared ecological niches.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1558242"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11931392/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143702623","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}
P S Soumia, Dhananjay V Shirsat, Vadivelu Karuppaiah, Pratap A Divekar, Vijay Mahajan
{"title":"Unravelling the complete mitochondrial genomes of <i>Thrips tabaci</i> Lindeman and <i>Thrips parvispinus</i> Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and their phylogenetic implications.","authors":"P S Soumia, Dhananjay V Shirsat, Vadivelu Karuppaiah, Pratap A Divekar, Vijay Mahajan","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1536160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2025.1536160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Onion (<i>Allium cepa</i> Linnaeus) is an important vegetable crop valued for its nutritional properties and economics worldwide. Onion cultivation faces serious threats from pests and diseases, particularly onion thrips (<i>Thrips tabaci</i>), which cause substantial yield losses. Recently, Black thrips (<i>Thrips parvispinus</i>), an invasive key pest of chili, have been reported to cause severe damage in onion crop and is likely to devastate the onion cultivation in near future. Therefore, this study was conducted to address the knowledge gap concerning the genetic basis and evolutionary history of <i>T. tabaci</i> and <i>T. parvispinus</i> through sequencing of their mitochondrial genomes. <i>T. tabaci</i> and <i>T. parvispinus</i> were collected from different locations in Maharashtra, India, and reared in the laboratory. The mitochondrial genomes of <i>T. tabaci</i> and <i>T. parvispinus</i> were sequenced to a length of 15,277 and 15,285 bp, respectively. Both genomes exhibited similar gene organization with regard to thirteen protein-coding genes and two <i>rRNA</i> genes. <i>T. tabaci</i> contained 19 <i>tRNA</i> genes whereas <i>T. parvispinus</i> contained 18 <i>tRNA</i> genes. The evolutionary positions of <i>T. tabaci</i> and <i>T. parvispinus</i> within the Thysanoptera order were elucidated through phylogenetic analysis of the mitogenomes of 15 thrips species. These findings provide crucial insights into the genetic makeup and evolutionary dynamics of both the thrips species, thereby aiding the development of novel and sustainable pest management strategies to mitigate their impacts on crops in the changing climate scenario.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1536160"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11906450/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143653021","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}
Chaoyang Zhao, Cesar Escalante, Alana L Jacobson, Kipling S Balkcom, Kassie N Conner, Kathleen M Martin
{"title":"Metatranscriptomic and metagenomic analyses of cotton aphids (<i>Aphis gossypii</i>) collected from cotton fields in Alabama, USA.","authors":"Chaoyang Zhao, Cesar Escalante, Alana L Jacobson, Kipling S Balkcom, Kassie N Conner, Kathleen M Martin","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1461588","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1461588","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1461588"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11897474/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143618137","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}
Jean Pierre Kapongo, Morel Libere Comlan Kotomale, Alphonsine Muzinga Bin Lubusu, Romuald Simo Nana, Donald Rostand Fopie Tokam, Grace Suzert Nottin Mboussou
{"title":"Sustainable control of the bird cherry-oat aphid (<i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> L.) in northwestern Ontario using <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> delivered by bumblebees.","authors":"Jean Pierre Kapongo, Morel Libere Comlan Kotomale, Alphonsine Muzinga Bin Lubusu, Romuald Simo Nana, Donald Rostand Fopie Tokam, Grace Suzert Nottin Mboussou","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1468262","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1468262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> is one of the main vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), which affects the grain yield of oats. Several biological control strategies have been studied to control this pest, one of which is Bee Vectoring Technology (BVT) using bumblebees. We tested the efficacy of <i>Beauveria bassiana</i>, as vectored by bumblebees, and a direct spray application of neem (a natural bio-insecticide derived from the <i>Azadirachta indica</i> tree) on aphids. An assessment of the pest's impact on the plots surveyed in northwestern Ontario revealed incidence rates of 80%. The use of bumblebees as a dispersal agent of <i>B. bassiana</i> significantly reduced the aphid population (0.542 ± 0.147b) compared to the untreated control (0.125 ± 0.069a). The application of diluted neem also showed a reduction in the aphid population (0.708 ± 0.221a). Although the products used controlled the pests, they had no effect on the aphid's natural enemy, the ladybug. Therefore, the dissemination of <i>B. bassiana</i> by the bumblebee <i>Bombus impatiens</i> leads to a decrease in the vector <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> population and consequently reduces the severity of barley yellow dwarf disease in oat fields.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1468262"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11879966/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143569356","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":"Evaluation of candidate reference genes for gene expression research in <i>Vespula vulgaris</i>.","authors":"Gemma M McLaughlin","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1495626","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1495626","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong><i>Vespula vulgaris</i> is an invasive wasp that causes considerable detriment to native birds and invertebrates in New Zealand. Reducing at least 80% of invasive wasp densities is necessary to manage the problems this species presents to its invaded range. To explore the function of target genes for the genetic management of <i>V. vulgaris</i>, screening of appropriate reference genes is crucial for conducting the reverse transcriptase-quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The selection of appropriate reference genes is an important but often overlooked consideration when delving into RNA research. Many studies rely on one of two tried and trusted reference genes widely used in the literature, which may not be suitable for the normalization of data under particular variables.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Here, I selected six reference genes of <i>V. vulgaris</i> and evaluated their stability across two conditions: developmental stage and sex by using five different tools for analysis: the <i>ΔCt</i> method, <i>geNorm</i>, <i>NormFinder</i>, <i>BestKeeper</i>, and <i>RefFinder</i>.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Differing appropriate reference genes for different research foci: <i>TBP</i>, <i>EF1A</i>, <i>RPL18X3</i>, and <i>CAPZB</i> for developmental stage treatment, and <i>KTB</i>, <i>EF1A</i>, and <i>CAPZB</i> amongst the sexes.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>My study further emphasizes that there is no \"one size fits all\" reference gene, and advocates for analysis of reference gene suitability when conducting gene quantification experiments.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1495626"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865910/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525935","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}
Tomasz E Koralewski, Michael J Brewer, Leonel L Deleon, Norman C Elliott, Kristopher Giles, Adrianna Szczepaniec, Ashleigh M Faris
{"title":"Activity of sorghum aphid and its natural enemies in the context of agroecological and weather conditions.","authors":"Tomasz E Koralewski, Michael J Brewer, Leonel L Deleon, Norman C Elliott, Kristopher Giles, Adrianna Szczepaniec, Ashleigh M Faris","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1503044","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1503044","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Agroecological-oriented areawide pest management leverages the innate ability of agroecosystem to suppress pests, and thus to utilize ecosystem services, a key component of sustainable agriculture. A growing body of knowledge on interactions between pests and their natural enemies allows us to recognize the complexity of these interactions that often depend on environmental circumstances. Sorghum aphid, <i>Melanaphis sorghi</i> (Theobald) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a recent but established pest of sorghum in the Great Plains of North America. Both predators and parasitoids prey on sorghum aphid but their activity and impact change throughout the area and throughout the year. Both landscape and weather factors have been shown to affect the abundance and numerical responses of these insects, consistent with observations in other aphid species. In this study we used data on counts of sorghum aphids, lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and parasitoid wasps <i>Aphelinus nigritus</i> Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and <i>Lysiphlebus testaceipes</i> (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) collected in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas states of the United States. We analyzed insect dynamics in the context of landscape and weather factors. We built multiple regression models using data from the years 2017-2019 for metrics such as maximum number of insects per leaf, response time of natural enemies to pest presence, and speed of increase in insect abundance. Our results indicate that various aspects of landscape composition, landscape configuration, and weather affect various insect groups and various aspects of insect dynamics in the field. Moreover, characteristics of specific landscape categories seemed to be more informative than overall measure of landscape diversity. Our study provides insights on interactions along both spatial and temporal scales, with the latter considered understudied.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1503044"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525974","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}
Sofia V Prieto, Bianca Orrù, Elena Gonella, Alberto Alma
{"title":"Effect of symbiont-targeted control of <i>Halyomorpha halys</i> on the co-occurring pentatomid community.","authors":"Sofia V Prieto, Bianca Orrù, Elena Gonella, Alberto Alma","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1520065","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1520065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Several native species in the family Pentatomidae are recorded in north-western Italy, associated with different crops. The arrival of <i>Halyomorpha halys</i> led to a reorganization of the role of other pentatomids, some of them becoming secondary pests. Symbiont-targeted control strategies, which disrupt beneficial interactions in stink bugs, have so far been applied to <i>H. halys</i>. However, this approach could also be useful for controlling other pentatomid pests. Additionally, the effects of this strategy on non-target stink bug species need further investigation to assess its potential impact on agroecosystems. Here the effect of symbiont disruption was assessed for stink bugs that share host crops (<i>e.g.</i>, hazelnut, wheat, soybean) or the environment (especially wild areas adjacent to crops) with <i>H. halys</i> in north-western Italy (<i>Carpocoris purpureipennis</i>, <i>Dolycoris baccarum</i>, <i>Graphosoma italicum</i>, <i>Palomena prasina</i> and <i>Rhaphigaster nebulosa</i>). Their symbionts were identified as allied to the genus <i>Pantoea</i> through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and also other bacteria were detected in the V4 ventricle of the midgut. Strikingly, variable symbiont infection was found across species. Laboratory tests were conducted assessing the consequences of symbiont deprivation during the first nymphal instar. Egg masses treatment with an anti-symbiont formulation affected hatching rates in <i>D. baccarum</i> and <i>G. italicum</i>, while the mortality rates during the first instar increased in <i>C. purpureipennis</i> and <i>G. italicum</i>. A correspondence between mortality induction and the alteration of symbiont infection rates was observed, with species showing the highest infection drop being the most affected by treatments. These results provide new insights into pentatomid symbionts and reveal significant variability in the response to symbiosis disruption, likely due to species-specific intensity of symbiotic interactions. The consequences of this variability are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1520065"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11836026/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143461486","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}
Thaiane Verly, Federico G Fiad, Ana Laura Carbajal-de-la-Fuente, Sebastián Pita, Romina V Piccinali, Patricia A Lobbia, Paz Sánchez-Casaccia, Antonieta Rojas de Arias, María José Cavallo, Gisel V Gigena, Claudia S Rodríguez, María C Vega-Gómez, Miriam Rolón, Julieta Nattero
{"title":"Bug off or bug out: mapping flight secrets of <i>Triatoma garciabesi</i> (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) through climate, geography, and greenery.","authors":"Thaiane Verly, Federico G Fiad, Ana Laura Carbajal-de-la-Fuente, Sebastián Pita, Romina V Piccinali, Patricia A Lobbia, Paz Sánchez-Casaccia, Antonieta Rojas de Arias, María José Cavallo, Gisel V Gigena, Claudia S Rodríguez, María C Vega-Gómez, Miriam Rolón, Julieta Nattero","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1532298","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1532298","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong><i>Triatoma garciabesi</i> is a vector of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, the causative agent of Chagas disease, and is found across northwest and central Argentina, southern Bolivia, and western Paraguay. It frequently invades rural houses during the warm seasons and is common in peridomestic and wild environments. Recently, the existence of two lineages has been demonstrated based on variation in cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase I gene (<i>coI</i>). These lineages occur across the species distribution range and coincide with different ecological regions. Here, we aim to examine how phenotypic variation in flight-related traits is structured, determine the association between these traits and geographic distance, and identify the climatic, geographic, and/or vegetation cover variables that best explain the morphometric variation in flight-related traits.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 198 males of <i>T. garciabesi</i> from 24 populations in Argentina and Paraguay were included in this study, covering almost the entire <i>T. garciabesi</i> distribution range. Size and shape components of the forewing, membranous, and stiff portions of the forewing and head were measured using a landmark-based methodology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our study documents that the size component of the membranous and stiff portions showed significant variation across the species range. Although forewing and head shape did not show significant differences in Procrustes distances across all pairs of populations, the membranous and stiff portions did. There is a strong and consistent association between shape and geographic distances at all levels of comparison (species and lineage ranges). The size and shape components and the geographic, climatic, and/or vegetation indexes explained covariation in all flight-related traits.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong><i>T. garciabesi</i> appears to be a species sensitive to vegetation cover and landscape features. This study provides evidence for this by showing clear variation in flight-related traits across the species and lineage distribution range, as well as indications of isolation by distance and variation in flight-related traits according to climate, geography, and vegetation cover.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1532298"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11810922/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143412211","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":"Exploring the impact of xenobiotic drugs on forensic entomology for accurate post-mortem interval estimation.","authors":"Sapna Jain, Jonathan J Parrott, Gulnaz T Javan","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1411342","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1411342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forensic entomotoxicology is an emerging field within forensic entomology that investigates the effects of chemicals, drugs, and toxins on insect development and their implications for postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. This systematic overview delves into the influence of drugs such as Morphine, heroin, Opiates, and cocaine on the variables affecting the use of forensically significant insects as evidence tools. Notably, it has been observed that the presence of drugs does not appear to alter the progression of the lifecycle from the first instar to the emergence of flies, indicating that PMI estimations based on fly emergence remain unaffected by drugs. However, larvae treated with drugs frequently show delayed pupation, suggesting the need for further research into the impact of different compounds on various insect species over more extended observation periods. Additionally, conflicting results have been noted regarding how toxins can influence the developmental process in larvae, underscoring the necessity to assess the effect of different classes of compounds on other insect species. The study also recommends exploring factors such as the samples' collection site and the drugs' pathological implications to inspire future research. Furthermore, the paper underscores the potential for varying drug effects across insect species, emphasizing the complexity of interpreting drug impacts on PMI estimations. This systematic review was conducted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1411342"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11810894/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143401155","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}