Search Results (108)

Achaea lienardi is a polyphagous moth occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a fruit-sucking moth, causing secondary damage to fruit such as citrus and peaches, while the larval stage can cause significant tree defoliation, including in several indigenous trees, wattle, Eucalyptus, and castor oil plants, amongst others. In February and March of 2025, a massive outbreak of the caterpillars was observed in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa, feeding primarily on Tamboti trees (Spirostachys africana). Satellite imagery from the previous five years was examined, but no similar large defoliation events were observed during this period. Climate data for the last five years (September 2019–March 2025) were collated and examined to determine the conditions supporting the outbreak. Above average winter rainfall, early spring rains, sustained rains, and high humidity in January and February, with warm nighttime temperatures, likely acted in concert to create favourable conditions for the caterpillar outbreak. This outbreak coincided with historic outbreaks of the African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) in the summer rainfall areas of South Africa where precipitation, temperature, solar radiation, and humidity were found to be critical factors affecting armyworm outbreaks. Further research is required to determine specific criteria to enable predictions of future outbreaks. Full article

Grapholita molesta is a globally significant fruit pest. Females achieve maximal reproductive output through efficient sperm utilization following a single copulation. Post-mating maturation of eupyrene sperm is a critical step in reproductive success. Here, we report that a male accessory gland-derived serine protease (named GmAGSP1) is essential for this process. GmAGSP1 was only distantly related to other identified sperm-activating SPs, and its transcript was highly expressed in the AG at 48 h after emergence. RNAi-mediated knockdown of GmAGSP1 in males did not affect courtship rate, copulation duration, or mating frequency, whereas male fertility decreased significantly. Mating with GmAGSP1-knockdown males markedly impaired eupyrene sperm maturation in the spermatophores, with phenotypes including failure of eupyrene sperm bundles to dissociate normally and marked reduction in viability of the dissociated eupyrene sperm. Finally, untargeted metabolomic analysis preliminarily demonstrated marked alterations in multiple metabolic pathways within the spermatophore following mating with GmAGSP1-knockdown males. This study advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of “sperm activation in the spermatophore’s metabolic microenvironment mediated by male AG-derived SP” while providing critical insights for the development of novel genetic control strategies targeting G. molesta. Full article

Citrus pests and diseases severely impact fruit yield and quality. However, existing object detection models face limitations in complex backgrounds, target occlusion, and small target recognition, and they struggle to be efficiently deployed on resource-constrained devices. To address these issues, this study proposes a lightweight pest and disease detection model, YOLOv11-RDTNet, based on the improved YOLOv11n. This model integrates multi-scale features and attention mechanisms to enhance recognition performance in complex scenarios, while adopting a lightweight design to reduce computational costs and improve deployment adaptability. The model introduces three key enhancement features: First, shallow RFD (SRFD) and deep RFD (DRFD) downsampling modules replace traditional convolution modules, improving image feature extraction accuracy and robustness. Second, the Dynamic Group Shuffle Transformer (DGST) module replaces the original C3k2 module, reducing the model’s parameter count and computational demand, further enhancing efficiency and performance. Lastly, the lightweight Task Align Dynamic Detection Head (TADDH) replaces the original detection head, significantly reducing the parameter count and improving accuracy in small-object detection. After processing the collected images, we obtained 1382 images and constructed a dataset containing five types of citrus pests and diseases: anthracnose, canker, yellow vein disease, coal pollution disease, and leaf miner moth. We applied data augmentation on the dataset and conducted experimental validation. Experimental results showed that the YOLOv11-RDTNet model had a parameter count of 1.54 MB, an mAP50 of 87.0%, and a model size of 3.4 MB. Compared to the original YOLOv11 model, the YOLOv11-RDTNet model reduced the parameter count by 40.3%, improved mAP50 by 4.8%, and reduced the model size from 5.5 MB to 3.4 MB. This model not only improved detection accuracy and reduced computational load but also achieved a balance in performance, size, and speed, making it more suitable for deployment on mobile devices. Additionally, the research findings provided an effective tool for citrus pest and disease detection with small sample sizes, offering valuable insights for citrus pest and disease detection in agricultural practices. Full article

Calyptra Ochsenheimer, 1816 is an important genus of fruit piercers and blood feeders with 18 described species worldwide. Both sexes of all Calyptra species pierce fruit. Adults feed upon and damage soft-skinned (e.g., Rubus and Vitis) and thicker-skinned fruits (e.g., Ficus and Citrus) in subtropical and tropical Asia. These moths are rare examples of a lepidopteran lineage that uses its fruit-piercing mouthparts to pierce the skin of vertebrate animals occasionally. In China, 10 species of this genus have been reported. Here, we identified seven species of the genus Calyptra Ochsenheimer, 1816 from Chinese fauna, including C. gruesa, C. thalictri, C. hokkaida, C. albivirgata, C. orthograpta, C. fletcheri, and C. lata. Detailed illustrations of male and female external morphology and genital structures are provided. A comprehensive worldwide checklist of the genus Calyptra is also included. This study highlights significant taxonomic revisions and morphological features for this genus within Chinese fauna. Full article

The Manchurian fruit moth, Grapholita inopinata (Heinrich) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an important pest of fruit crops, particularly apples (Malus spp., Rosaceae), and is classified as a quarantine pest in many European countries and other world regions. Until recently, this species was known only in Northeastern China, Japan, and Russia (from Eastern Siberia and the Far East). To determine the westernmost distribution of G. inopinata and assess its abundance, we conducted nine-year pheromone monitoring across 13 administrative regions of Russia from 2014 to 2018 and 2021 to 2024. A total of 1866 traps were deployed, capturing 31,962 G. inopinata specimens in 1811 traps. The species was newly detected in eight regions—seven in Asian Russia and one in European Russia (Perm Krai). These findings doubled the moth’s known range on the Asian continent and extended its western boundary to 56° E in European Russia. Between 2021 and 2024, G. inopinata was generally found at low densities across the surveyed regions (≤10 males per trap per week), with the exception of Perm Krai, Omsk, and Novosibirsk Oblasts, where moderate abundance (up to 38 males per trap per week) was recorded. In contrast, from 2014 to 2018, moderate to high population densities (up to 94 males per trap per week), including mass occurrences (over 100 males per trap per week), were observed in Krasnoyarsk Krai, with an absolute peak capture of 303 males in one trap in June 2017. Notably, in 2015–2017, male flight activity in southern Krasnoyarsk Krai exhibited two distinct peaks: one in mid-to-late June and another from late July to mid-August, indicating the development of two generations. This is the first-ever record of a bivoltine seasonal cycle for G. inopinata in Siberia. These findings are critical for improving pest risk assessments and developing early detection strategies, supporting more effective monitoring and management approaches of this orchard pest. Full article

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) biopesticides offer the potential for highly targeted pest control with minimal off-target impacts. Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are an important pest of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that are primarily managed by synthetic pesticides. A next-generation treatment using a varroa-active dsRNA, vadescana, has been developed to target calmodulin expression in varroa. We evaluated the potential exposure of non-target species to vadescana. First, we assessed potential gene silencing effects on 39 arthropods with known genomes via bioinformatics. Three mite species, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), and European earwigs (Forficula auricularia) showed theoretical potential for off-target effects. These in silico results could be used to help inform risk assessments. Second, we conducted vadescana feeding trials on the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), a common beehive associate. There were no significant differences in wax moth reproduction, survival, or adult F2 wing length between vadescana-fed and control groups. Male F2 body weight was slightly but significantly lower in wax moths exposed to the highest vadescana dose, with no such effect observed in female moths. Calmodulin gene expression was unaffected in wax moths. Our hazard assessment of vadescana’s lethal and sublethal effects on wax moths indicates minimal impact following continuous dietary exposure far greater than any exposure that might be expected in the field, in line with the bioinformatics findings. This biopesticide appears highly varroa-specific and likely has fewer non-target effects than many current varroa control methods. Full article

Female mating success for the tortricids codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella, Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Grapholita molesta, European grape vine moth (EGVM), Lobesia botrana, and five leafroller (LR) species under various mating disruption (MD) programs was reviewed at a time when new dual sex lures can provide alternative tools to assess female mating. Previous reliance on passive assessments such as tethering and virgin female-baited traps with laboratory moths are at odds with active trapping methods of wild moths. Additive factors such as delayed mating, adjustments in female behaviors, and greater levels of natural control may or may not contribute to the apparent success of MD. Current MD programs are not based solely on research, as economics and commercialization require some compromise. The complete sex pheromone blend is not always used. A delay in mating has been reported from the field with one study and suggested that reductions in fecundity would likely be minimal. There is no evidence that MD works better with low population densities. MD is an established technology, but the new dual sex lures are showing that the density of mated females is rather high. Efforts to improve the efficacy of MD are ongoing with a small cadre of researchers. Full article

A four-component blend comprising pear ester, DMNT, linalool oxide, and acetic acid (CM4K) was identified as a potent allelochemical lure for both sexes of codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella (L.). Studies conducted from 2020 to 2022 in Washington State (USA) examined factors which could impact the lure’s relative performance. The CM4K lure was effective across a range of mating disruption programs and was equally attractive in monitoring wild and sterile CM. The lure remained attractive for at least 10 weeks. Total catch in traps baited with the CM4K was significantly less impacted than a sex pheromone lure located near mating disruption dispensers and female catches were largely unaffected. Traps with the CM4K lure caught significantly more females and fewer males when placed near clusters of fruits in a trellised orchard. Two factors were found to significantly impact the relative performance of the CM4K to sex pheromone lures: the CM4K lure was only equivalent to sex pheromone lures in pear MD orchards, and apple and pear orchards with vigorous weed growth. This is the first report of a monitoring lure for a tortricid moth being negatively impacted by the background odor of non-host weed species present within an orchard. Full article

Madagascar, renowned for its unique biodiversity, faces significant environmental threats. Despite their vital ecosystem services, invertebrates, such as Lepidoptera, remain understudied, especially within the Malagasy Island. Indeed, butterflies and moths often serve as biodiversity indicators. This study investigates lepidopteran community structure across different habitat types: protected areas and anthropized areas, represented by forest edges and agroforestry through four expeditions to Madagascar’s moist eastern forests. Both sampling methods were employed including butterfly nets and fermented fruit-baited traps. While nets accounted for 90% of captures, highlighting operator bias, bait traps captured unique species, emphasizing the complementarity of these methods. With over 891 captured specimens, 418 macrolepidopterans were identified at the species level for a total of 50 species. Protected forests hosted 80% of endemic Lepidoptera reliant on specialized ecological niches, while anthropized zones were dominated by common generalist species which are resilient to habitat changes. While the species richness and composition of sampled microlepidoptera are similar, habitat fragmentation created diverse environmental conditions, hosting specific populations. Conservation challenges persist, particularly for endemic species vulnerable to poaching. It is crucial to continue sampling Madagascar’s lepidofauna, as this offers considerable potential for the sustainable maintenance of ecosystems and the long-term preservation of biodiversity of the Malagasy Island. Full article

The poplar moth, Leucoptera sinuella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. It was first identified in Chile in 2015 and has since become a significant pest in the agricultural sector. Additionally, economic losses are further aggravated by the presence of L. sinuella pupae in nearby fruit orchards. This study investigated the presence of a male-produced sex pheromone in L. sinuella, focusing on the hairpencil (HP) glands, which are known as dissemination structures for male pheromones in lepidopterans. Male HP glands were solvent-extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Chemical microderivatization and comparisons of mass spectra and retention indices of natural compounds with synthetic standards led to the identification of two compounds: (Z)-3-decenyl hexanoate (the major component) and (Z)-3-decen-1-ol (a minor component). Although electrophysiological assays did not show detectable antennal responses to (Z)-3-decenyl hexanoate, behavioral bioassays demonstrated its role as a short-range courtship signal in L. sinuella. Males with ablated hairpencils exhibited significantly reduced courtship success compared to controls; however, exposure of females to synthetic (Z)-3-decenyl hexanoate or HP extract restored male courtship success. To our knowledge, (Z)-3-decenyl hexanoate has not been previously reported as a sex pheromone component in any insect species, making this discovery an intriguing addition to the diversity of chemical communication in insects. Full article

The plum fruit moth (PFM), Grapholita funebrana, and the oriental fruit moth (OFM), G. molesta, are closely related fruit moth species that severely damage fruit trees in Rosaceae. Both species share common primary sex pheromone components Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac. The secondary sex pheromone components of PFMs consist of Z8-12:OH, Z8-14:Ac, and Z10-14:Ac, while those of OFMs include Z8-12:OH and 12:OH. Previous researchers have proved that the inclusion of Z8-14:Ac and Z10-14:Ac did not augment PFM catches but inhibited OFM catches in orchards in Europe, thereby maintaining the species-specificity of the PFM sex attractant. However, which of these components, Z8-14:Ac or Z10-14:Ac, plays the major role in inhibiting OFM attraction remains unclear. In the current study, electroantennogram (EAG) assays indicated that both OFM and PFM males exhibited a moderate EAG response to Z8-14:Ac and Z10-14:Ac. Rubber septa loaded with varying ratios of Z8-14:Ac (1% to 30%) or Z10-14:Ac (5% to 110%) combined with a constant dose of Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac produced diverse trapping effects. Sex attractants containing Z8-14:Ac did not significantly affect the trapping of PFM males but drastically reduced the capture of OFM males, with the reduction reaching up to 96.54%. Attractants containing more than 10% of Z10-14:Ac simultaneously reduced the number of OFM and PFM males captured. Z8-14:Ac was indispensable for maintaining the specificity of sex pheromones. Fluorescence competitive binding assays of recombinant GmolPBP2 showed the lowest K_i value (0.66 ± 0.02 μM) among the PBPs/GOBPs from OFMs, suggesting that it is the most likely target for Z8-14:Ac. Molecular dynamic simulation and site-directed mutagenesis assays confirmed that the Phe12 residue, which forms a π–alkyl interaction with Z8-14:Ac, was crucial for GmolPBP2 binding to Z8-14:Ac. In conclusion, Z8-14:Ac is vital to the specificity of PFM sex pheromones inhibiting OFM attractants when added to Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac. This could be potentially used to develop species-specific sex attractants for the PFM. Full article

It is widely recognized that the phenology of insects, of which the life activities are closely tied to temperature, is shifting in response to global climate warming. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of climate change on the phenology of Carposina sasakii Matsumura, 1900 (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) across large temporal and spatial scales, through collecting and systematically analyzing historical data on the pest’s occurrence and population dynamics in China. The results showed that for overwintering adults, the first occurrence date in eastern, northwestern, and northern China has significantly advanced, along with the population peak in eastern and northwestern China. At the provincial level, the population peak date in Shandong province has also moved significantly earlier, as well as the population peak date in Shandong and Shaanxi and the end occurrence date in Ningxia. However, the population peak date in Jilin has experienced a delayed trend. For first-generation adults, the first occurrence date in northeastern, eastern, and central China has notably advanced, while the first appearance date in northwestern and northern China has significantly delayed. Additionally, the population peak in northwestern China has experienced significant delays, along with the final occurrence in northeastern and northwestern China. At the provincial level, the first occurrence date in Liaoning, Shandong, and Shanxi has significantly advanced, while Hebei has demonstrated a significant delay. The population peak time in Gansu and Shaanxi has displayed significant delays, and the end occurrence date in Liaoning, Shanxi, and Shaanxi has also shown significant delays. Furthermore, these findings integrated with the Pearson correlation results reveal spatial heterogeneity in C. sasakii’s phenological responses to climate warming at both regional and provincial scales. The phenology of C. sasakii and their changing patterns with climate warming vary by geographical location. This study provides valuable information for the future monitoring, prediction, and prevention of peach fruit moths in the context of climate warming. Full article

The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta, is one of the most destructive orchard pests worldwide. Due to its behavior of boring into twigs and fruits, controlling the pest at the larval stage using insecticides is challenging. We studied the enemy species at the larval stage of G. molesta from seven fruit-growing areas by sampling peach shoots and fruits bored by its larvae. The occurrence and biological characteristics of the dominant enemy were verified using field investigation and laboratory experiments. The results showed that the dominant enemy species of larval G. molesta was identified as Therophilus festivus. The larval, cocoon, and pupal stages of T. festivus could not survive at 35 °C. The developmental durations of these three stages at 20 °C were significantly longer than those at 25 °C and 28 °C. Consecutive years of investigation in Xinxiang, China, indicated that T. festivus can parasitize G. molesta larvae collected at each generation. The parasitism rates in June (45.16%), July (63.50%), and August (48.37%) were significantly higher than those in April (15.27%). Most field research in China has focused on the release of parasitoids to control G. molesta eggs. Our study establishes a foundation for the control of G. molesta larvae using T. festivus. Full article

The plum fruit moth, Grapholita funebrana Treitschke, is one of the most significant borer pests, often causing huge economic losses in fruit production. However, the potential distribution range of this economically important pest is still poorly understood. For this study, we simulated an ensemble species distribution model to predict the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of G. funebrana at a global scale. The results show that the suitable habitats for this moth, under current environmental conditions, are mainly distributed in Europe; East Asia, including China and Japan; Central Asia; and some parts of America. In future projections, the suitable habitats are predicted to generally expand northward, while the suitable area will remain unchanged overall. However, the area of highly suitable habitat will decrease to only 17.49% of that found under current conditions. None of the nine factors used were revealed to be predominant predictors in terms of contributing to the model, suggesting that the integrated effects of these variables shape G. funebrana’s distribution. In this study, the distribution range that has been predicted, especially for the regions with a highly suitable habitat, poses a high risk of G. funebrana outbreaks, highlighting the urgency of pest management. Moreover, in the United States of America (USA) and Japan (for which G. funebrana distributions were not previously recorded), especially in areas highly suitable for this moth, monitoring and quarantine measures should be strengthened to prevent the colonization and further dispersal of this pest, as seen with its close relative G. molesta, which has become a cosmopolitan pest species, migrating from its native region (East Asia) to other continents, including the Americas. Full article

Integrated pest management relies upon mutual compatibility among pest control tactics. The fruit-boring moths Carposina sasakii and Grapholita molesta can be devastating pests of pome and stone fruit production. Trichogramma dendrolimi parasitizes the eggs of these pests, preventing their eclosion, but its efficacy can be reduced by other pest control tactics. We tested T. dendrolimi attraction to five colors, and moth attraction to six colors, in laboratory choice tests, and thereafter deployed yellow sticky cards in tandem with releases of T. dendrolimi in field trials in a pear orchard. Yellow sticky cards deployed at high density trapped T. dendrolimi and reduced their numbers post-release. They also trapped adult G. molesta, which appeared to compensate for reduced egg parasitism on this species, but not on C. sasakii, which had higher abundance in plots with yellow sticky cards. The cards also captured adult lacewings, likely reducing their numbers in the field, but did not capture large numbers of lady beetles. The results suggest that yellow sticky cards can be used at high density to control aphids, psyllids and leafhoppers in early spring (March and April) when natural enemies are in low numbers, then removed in May so as not to interfere with augmentative releases of T. dendrolimi that must be timed to coincide with peak flights of fruit-boring moths. This strategy should enhance the compatibility of yellow sticky cards with egg parasitoid releases. Full article