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}
Allan H Smith-Pardo, Karina M Torres, Silvana V Paula-Moraes
{"title":"Validation of wing geometric morphometrics in <i>Chrysodeixis</i> spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to support pest identification in invasive species survey programs.","authors":"Allan H Smith-Pardo, Karina M Torres, Silvana V Paula-Moraes","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1542467","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2025.1542467","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Looper moths of the genus <i>Chrysodeixis</i> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Plusiinae) are important pests of many crops and native plants worldwide. <i>Chrysodeixis chalcites</i> (Esper) is listed as an invasive species for the United States with records of interception. Native species of the Plusiinae subfamily are morphologically similar and commonly cross-attracted in survey trapping programs for <i>C. chalcites</i>, such as <i>Chrysodeixis includens</i> (Walker), a native economic pest. The species identification relies on male genitalia dissection and DNA analysis. These processes are time and cost-consuming and require expertise. In this work, we evaluated the use of wing geometric morphometrics (GM) as a tool to overcome the identification challenges associated with the complex morphologies of <i>Chrysodeixis</i> spp. The cleaned wings of specimens with validated identification were photographed under a digital microscope, and seven venation landmarks were annotated from the images. The digital coordinates of the wing landmarks were analyzed in MorphoJ. Our results validated the use of GM for distinguishing the invasive <i>C. chalcites</i> from the native <i>C. includens</i>. A limited number of landmarks on the center of the wing was used to address the challenges in GM for trap-collected lepidopteran pests. Future automation of the novel application of GM for identifying <i>C. includens</i> can be explored in trapping systems for IPM and surveys for the invasive <i>C. chalcites</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"5 ","pages":"1542467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11811107/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143412212","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}
Giselher Grabenweger, Giulia Torrini, William D Hutchison
{"title":"Editorial: Focus on <i>Popillia japonica</i>: New research for IPM of the Japanese beetle.","authors":"Giselher Grabenweger, Giulia Torrini, William D Hutchison","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1532825","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1532825","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1532825"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11804108/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143384921","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":"Repellents against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> bites: synthetic and natural origins.","authors":"Melissa Noguera-Gahona, Cindy Peña-Moreno, Natalia Quiñones-Sobarzo, Caroline Weinstein-Oppenheimer, María Guerra-Zúñiga, Ximena Collao-Ferrada","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1510857","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1510857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dengue fever, transmitted by mosquitoes of the <i>Aedes</i> genus, particularly <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, has emerged as a global health issue. With the expansion of this mosquito to new geographical areas, driven by factors such as climate change, the need for preventive measures like using insect repellents has become critical. The present review explores the current state of the art on topical mosquito repellents, both synthetic and natural, used globally, especially in regions where dengue is endemic. Among synthetic repellents, DEET is the most widely used, supported by investigations demonstrating its efficacy and safety, although concerns about its toxicity exist in exceptional cases. Other compounds, such as picaridin, IR3535, and PMD are also common and offer alternatives with variable safety and efficacy profiles. Natural repellents, such as essential oils of citronella, lemon eucalyptus, and clove, have proven effective against <i>Aedes aegypti</i>. However, they present challenges due to rapid volatilization and the limited duration of their protective effect. To address these issues, combinations of essential oils and synthetic compounds have been proposed to improve efficacy and safety. Finally, the review highlights the complexity and the challenges of developing new repellents, including the high costs and lengthy timelines for commercialization, as well as the importance of continued research to improve the efficacy and safety of these products.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1510857"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11795662/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143256555","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":"Government and farmer responses to the fall armyworm outbreak in mainland Southeast Asia.","authors":"Eiichi Kusano, Nipon Poapongsakorn, Urairat Jantarasiri, Kamphol Pantakua, Cuong H Tran, Khin Akari Tar, Thong Kong, Viengsavanh V Phimphachanhvongsod, Youichi Kobori","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1455585","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1455585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Native to the Americas and highly polyphagous, the fall armyworm (FAW), <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has garnered attention for causing significant damage, primarily to maize.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study synthesizes FAW emergence, government responses, and farmer reactions in mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA), and assesses the feasibility of government-recommended measures in terms of efficacy and cost-efficiency.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From late 2018 to the rainy season of 2019, FAW infestations extensively emerged in MSEA maize fields. MSEA governments promptly issued strategies and guidelines through plant protection divisions/departments, which involved international organizations, foreign governments, and private web portals. Alongside the foliar application of emamectin benzoate (EMB), which is the most frequently mentioned method, MSEA governments advocated for integrated pest management (IPM)-oriented approaches. These include application methods of chemical insecticides, use of host plant resistance, biological control, cultural and interference methods, and local measures aimed at reducing chemical usage. Despite comprehensive recommendations, maize farmers primarily rely on EMB foliar treatment for FAW control.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>We highlight the need for further research and dissemination regarding the widely accepted foliar application of chemical insecticides, specifically in relation to human safety, improvements in application technology, and clear guidelines for large-scale outbreaks. On the other hand, the concentrative foliar application of chemical insecticides raises concerns about resistance evolution. Alternatives to foliar treatment with chemical insecticides, mainly EMB, such as seed treatment with diamides and neonicotinoids, genetically modified maize seeds approved only in Vietnam, and biological control, have demonstrated efficacy. Seed treatment provides cost and labor benefits for early-stage FAW infestation prevention. Validation of natural enemy rearing costs may prove advantageous as preliminary estimates suggest they could be relatively low. Not all strategies recommended by the government or widely discussed are necessarily relevant at farm-level. This study provides the following suggestions for the proposal of more acceptable strategies. 1) Studying the actual responses of governments and farmers with special emphasis on cost efficiency; 2) Making alternatives to EMB foliar application more cost-effective inclusive of the cost of labor; and finally, 3) Verifying the effectiveness of the alternative techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1455585"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11794807/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143256552","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}
Eric Yanchenko, Thomas M Chappell, Anders S Huseth
{"title":"Bayesian Optimization of insect trap distribution for pest monitoring efficiency in agroecosystems.","authors":"Eric Yanchenko, Thomas M Chappell, Anders S Huseth","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1509942","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1509942","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insect trap networks targeting agricultural pests are commonplace but seldom optimized to improve precision or efficiency. Trap site selection is often driven by user convenience or predetermined trap densities relative to sensitive host crop abundance in the landscape. Monitoring for invasive pests often requires expedient decisions based on dispersal potential and ecology to inform trap placement. Optimization of trap networks using contemporary analytical approaches can help users determine the distribution of traps as information accumulates and priorities change. In this study, a Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithm was used to learn more about the optimal distribution of a fine-scale trap network targeting <i>Helicoverpa zea</i> (Boddie), a significant agricultural pest across North America. Four years of pheromone trap monitoring was conducted at the same 21 locations distributed across ~7,000 square kilometers in a five-county area in North Carolina, USA. Three years of data were used to train a BO model with a fourth year designated for testing. For any quantity of trap locations, the approach identified those that provide the most information, allowing optimization of trapping efficiency given either a constraint on the number of locations, or a set precision required for pest density estimation. Results suggest that BO is a powerful approach to enable optimized trap placement decisions by practitioners given finite resources and time.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1509942"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11794318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143257779","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}
Emma Slone, Jessica Green, Navneet Kaur, Darrin L Walenta, Nicole P Anderson, Casey Cruse, Seth J Dorman
{"title":"Forecasting the seasonal phenology of <i>Agrotis ipsilon</i> in Oregon grass seed and vegetable agroecosystems.","authors":"Emma Slone, Jessica Green, Navneet Kaur, Darrin L Walenta, Nicole P Anderson, Casey Cruse, Seth J Dorman","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1505524","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1505524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Agrotis ipsilon</i> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a significant pest in Oregon grass seed and vegetable production systems. Effective management of this species relies on timely foliar insecticide applications targeting immature <i>A. ipsilon</i> larvae before crop damage is observed. Regionally specific phenological models serve as a critical component of effective areawide pest management plans to inform the timing of pest monitoring and management action. Seasonal modeling of <i>A. ipsilon</i> phenology is complicated by their migratory behavior and limited knowledge of temperature-dependent development on affected crop hosts. Growth chamber experiments at five constant temperatures (12 to 32°C) were conducted to determine the temperature-dependent development of <i>A. ispsilon</i> life stages on an artificial and perennial ryegrass diet. The completion of one <i>A. ipsilon</i> generation (egg-to-adult) required 658.71 ± 31.49, 601.98 ± 16.01, 648.47 ± 21.35 degree days with a base temperature threshold of 9.8°C for artificial diet, perennial ryegrass diet, and across both diet types, respectively. The timing of migrant adults was predicted with surface air temperature using non-linear regression with <i>A. ipsilon</i> abundance data collected from pheromone-baited traps in 77 total commercial grass seed (n = 57) and vegetable (n = 20) production fields across 19 sampling years (1996 to 2023). Developmental parameters and predictions of adult arrival were used to develop general and grass seed specific phenology model projections for <i>A. ipsilon</i> populations in Oregon. Regionally validated phenology models can be incorporated into decision support tools to forecast the spatiotemporal occurrence of crop-damaging life stages of priority insect pests.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1505524"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11782255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143082815","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":"Pesticidal plant extract effect against major lepidopteran insect pests and their natural enemies in rice <i>Oryza sativa</i> L.","authors":"Atanu Seni, Rini Pal, Sanjukta Mohapatra, Dipankar Mandal, Sushil Kumar Bansude, Pinki Seth, Sarita Barla, Jubuli Sahu","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1500542","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1500542","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extracts of plants have been used to manage various insect pests, but little information is available about how effective they are in reducing crop damage or how they affect crop yield and beneficial insects in rice. Extracts from <i>Azadirachta indica</i> leaves, <i>Lantana camara</i> leaves, <i>Nerium oleander</i> leaves, <i>Aegle marmelos</i> leaves, <i>Allium sativum</i> cloves, and <i>Citrus limon</i> fruits, known to have insecticidal properties, were compared with two checks, viz., Azadirachtin 1% EC and standard insecticide Acephate 95 SG, for their efficacy against yellow stem borer (YSB), <i>Scirpophaga incertulas</i> (Walk.), and rice leaf folder <i>Cnaphalocrocis medinalis</i> (Guenee) and natural enemies in cultivated rice in Sambalpur, Odisha, India. Untreated rice plants served as control. An adjuvant, Tween 20 at 1%, was added with all the botanical extracts except the commercial formulation. Plant damage, insect population numbers, and yield were monitored during two consecutive wet seasons from 2022 to 2023. Mean rice yield was significantly higher in the <i>A. indica</i> and Acephate 95 SG treatments, i.e., 4.68 t/ha and 4.66 t/ha, respectively, compared to the control (2.27 t/ha) and were significantly at par with each other. The <i>L. camara</i> and <i>A. indica</i> treatments were effective against both the major lepidopteran rice insect pests. The highest cost-benefit ratio of (1:4.65) was obtained from the Acephate treatment and was closely followed by the <i>A. indica</i> treatment (1:3.74). All the studied botanicals had less impact on natural enemies than synthetic chemicals. Among these botanicals, the maximum mean population of predators (like spiders and carabid beetles) and parasitoids (like <i>Tetrastichus schoenobii</i>, <i>Telenomus dignus</i>, and <i>Trichogramma japonicum</i>) were observed in the <i>A. indica</i> and <i>A. marmelos</i> treatments. Although all the studied botanicals were effective against both the major insect pests in rice, the <i>A. indica</i>, <i>A. marmelos</i>, <i>A. sativum</i>, and <i>L. camara</i> treatments showed the most promising against rice insect pests, so they may be incorporated into integrated pest management of rice.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1500542"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11745943/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143019708","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}
Jordan Hernandez-Martelo, Tamara Contador, Sanghee Kim, Carla Salina, Claudia S Maturana, Manuel Suazo, Peter Convey, Hugo A Benítez
{"title":"Uncharted territory: the arrival of <i>Psychoda albipennis</i> (Zetterstedt, 1850) (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Maritime Antarctica.","authors":"Jordan Hernandez-Martelo, Tamara Contador, Sanghee Kim, Carla Salina, Claudia S Maturana, Manuel Suazo, Peter Convey, Hugo A Benítez","doi":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1481444","DOIUrl":"10.3389/finsc.2024.1481444","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite increasing awareness of the threats they pose, exotic species continue to arrive in Antarctica with anthropogenic assistance, some of which inevitably have the potential to become aggressively invasive. Here, we provide the first report of the globally cosmopolitan species <i>Psychoda albipennis</i> (Diptera, Psychodidae; commonly known as moth flies) in Antarctica during the austral summer of 2021/2022, with the identification confirmed using traditional taxonomic and molecular approaches. The species was present in very large numbers and, although predominantly associated with the drainage and wastewater systems of Antarctic national operator stations in synanthropic situations, it was also present in surrounding natural habitats. While it is unclear if <i>P. albipennis</i> is capable of long-distance dispersal, adult psychodid flies are known to travel more than 90 m from their emergence sites, and up to 1.5 km with wind assistance. Thus, once established in the natural environment of King George Island there appears to be a high risk of the species rapidly becoming invasive. The introduction of non-native species such as <i>P. albipennis</i> can be a significant driver of future biodiversity change and loss, and seriously impact ecosystem health. In vulnerable low diversity ecosystems, such as in the terrestrial environments of Antarctica, non-native species can lead to step changes in ecological functions and interactions, displace native species and, potentially, lead to the extinction of native biota.</p>","PeriodicalId":517424,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in insect science","volume":"4 ","pages":"1481444"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11685106/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142916365","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}