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Reproductive microbiota is known to modulate host immunity, reproductive physiology, and longevity, yet their interactions with host genetics, sex, and mating status remain relatively underexplored in most insects. Some studies suggest that species (and even populations) can vary in the microbial communities associated with their reproductive tissues. Sexually transmitted microbes can also directly influence population growth and reproductive fitness, making them relevant even for applied insect management strategies. The economically relevant, Black Soldier Fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens), is known for its applications in organic waste management and sustainable food production. Despite several papers on the larval gut microbiota, there is no study (to date) that explores the reproductive microbiota of adults. This study characterizes the reproductive microbial communities of eight genetically distinct BSF populations using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results revealed striking, sex-specific microbial signatures within reproductive tissues, dynamically shaped by mating. Virgin females harboured diverse and functionally intriguing taxa, including Staphylococcus, Brevibacterium, and Corynebacterium, which likely supported ovarian maturation and reproductive readiness. Remarkably, mating triggered a dramatic shift, with unclassified Enterococcaceae emerging as the dominant taxon in mated females, suggesting selective microbial retention or transmission with potential implications for post-mating longevity. In contrast, although mated males showed enrichment of Rhodococcus_C_375578, their overall microbiota composition remained comparatively stable pre- and post-mating. Most notably, the genetic lineage significantly influenced the magnitude of sex- and mating-related bacterial shifts in reproductive microbiota. These novel findings advance the understanding of the complex dynamics of reproductive microbiota in insects and provide a foundation for optimizing breeding strategies and colony management in commercial BSF production systems.

Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) are a group of lactic acid bacteria with unique growth characteristics, that is, poor growth on glucose. Their growth is enhanced in the presence of fructose or external electron acceptors. These organisms inhabit fructose-rich environments such as flowers, fruits, and pollinating insects, particularly honey bees. Apilactobacillus spp. and Fructobacillus spp. are representatives of FLAB, although they belong to phylogenetically distant clades. These organisms commonly possess markedly small genomes with a low number of coding DNA sequences. Furthermore, their genomes are characterized by a markedly reduced number of genes involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism. Genome reduction in FLAB reflects convergent adaptation to fructose-rich environments rather than general genome streamlining. The two distinct FLAB genera, Fructobacillus and Apilactobacillus, independently lost more than 100 genes in statistically similar orders. In contrast, genes involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism exhibited reversed orders of loss between the two genera. Furthermore, FLAB genomes lack an intact bifunctional alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (adhE), which causes their poor growth on glucose. A comparative genomic study suggested the evolutionary process underlying adhE gene decay during adaptation to the fructose-rich environments, including pollinating insects. In conclusion, FLAB represent a unique example of habitat-driven convergent reductive evolution that can be investigated across multiple biological scales - from individual genes to whole genomes - in the diverse LAB group with a wide range of habitats, and partially share the fructophilic evolution with eukaryotic yeasts found in fructose-rich habitats.

High annual honey bee colony losses are associated with environmental and biological stressors, including virus infections. In insects, the octopamine pathway orchestrates the "fight-or-flight" response, regulating energy mobilization, temperature, and flight. We determined that sacbrood virus (SBV) infections induce expression of an octopamine receptor and enhance honey flight performance, whereas deformed wing virus (DWV) infections reduce flight performance, but how viruses interface with this pathway remained unknown. To elucidate the relationships between the octopamine response, virus infection, and flight, honey bees were infected with SBV or DWV and exposed to octopamine (OA), epinastine (EP)-an OA receptor antagonist, or both OA and EP; flight and gene expression were assessed. Pharmacologic manipulation revealed that octopamine supplementation rescued flight deficits in DWV-infected bees, but diminished performance in SBV-infected bees, while blocking octopamine receptors altered these effects. Transcriptome analyses indicated that SBV infections, and DWV infection with OA treatment, activated honey bee metabolic pathways, and that SBV infected bees had greater expression of genes involved in OA synthesis, unless treated with OA. These results provide mechanistic insight for virus-specific impacts on honey bee flight, which may have consequences on foraging efficiency, colony health and virus transmission. Differential virus-specific impacts on honey bee flight performance are regulated by octopamine signaling and chemical stressors affecting this pathway may impact colony health.

Research on animal disability (defined here as the loss of a critical adaptation that impacts the animal's stability, mobility, typical behaviour, or perception) remains limited, often focusing on individual case studies or a narrow range of taxa, particularly mammals. This reflects broader taxonomic biases in behaviour and welfare sciences, which may contribute to differences in the care and management of disabilities across species in human care. Zoological organisations offer an ideal opportunity to research animal disability, yet the prevalence of disability and related care practices has not been previously documented. To address this, a survey was shared with organisations accredited through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to assess the prevalence and taxa of animals with disabilities, explore care staff perceptions of disabled animal welfare, and document modifications provided to animals with disabilities. There were 115 respondents, representing 45 organisations (approximately 19% of AZA-accredited organisations). All but one organisation (98% of organisations surveyed) reported having an animal with a disability in their care, suggesting that animals with disabilities may be common in zoological organisations. Animals with disabilities were reported from all vertebrate groups as well as arachnids, insects, and other invertebrates. Birds, mammals, and reptiles were the most likely to receive care and management modifications for their disability. Animal care staff perceived the welfare of animals with disabilities as similar to animals without disabilities. These data can serve as a foundation for future research on animal disability that can inform strategies to enhance welfare for animals in human care.

Agricultural intensification, driven by increasing food demand, is one of the main drivers of global biodiversity loss. Pesticides, including fungicides, may increase crop yield but pose substantial threats to the environment. However, our current knowledge on the effects of fungicides on biodiversity suffers from less research interest compared to other pesticides and a neglect of insect herbivores. We here investigate the effects of a commercially available, ready-to-use difenoconazole fungicide on a non-target insect, the butterfly Pieris napi, under controlled laboratory conditions. When being fed with fungicide-treated host plants, butterfly larvae showed a strongly reduced survival (15%) compared to controls (60%). Survival in larvae treated with the fungicide plus an insecticide was only 1%. Sublethal effects of the fungicide included prolonged development and reduced adult size. Our results indicate a surprisingly high toxicity of the tested fungicide formulation on P. napi. Based on the available literature, we speculate that triazole fungicides may be in general toxic to Lepidoptera and potentially other herbivorous insects. This study contributes to the growing evidence that fungicides may well be involved in the loss of insect biodiversity in agricultural landscapes at the global scale.

Insects inhabiting temperate regions use photoperiodic cues to predict seasonal changes and regulate diapause. In some species, maternal photoperiodic experience determines offspring diapause fate. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying transgenerational transmission of seasonal information remain poorly understood. In the parasitoid jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis, females exposed to long-day conditions produce offspring that develop continuously, whereas those exposed to short-day conditions produce offspring destined for diapause. Previous studies have shown that maternal juvenile hormone (JH) levels increase under long-day conditions and promote non-diapause development in offspring, suggesting that JH may participate in the transfer of maternal photoperiodic information. Here, we investigated whether this effect is mediated through canonical maternal JH signalling pathways or through changes in egg endocrine state. RNA interference-mediated silencing of methoprene-tolerant, taiman, and krüppel-homologue 1 did not alter offspring diapause fate. In contrast, eggs from long-day females contained significantly higher JH III levels than those from short-day females, and topical application of JH III to eggs from short-day females promoted non-diapause development. These findings suggest that photoperiod-dependent variation in egg JH levels contributes to offspring diapause determination and support a role for egg endocrine state as an intermediary between maternal environmental perception and offspring developmental fate.

Trace metal pollution is an increasing threat to wildlife, driven by the growing demand for these elements in technologies. Because metals contaminate floral resources, they represent a major but poorly understood risk for bee communities, including social species such as bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). In particular, the sublethal consequences of metal exposure for bumble bee colony development remain scarcely documented, and the associated metal excretion process occurring at the larva-pupa interface in these holometabolous insects is still unclear. Here, we exposed queenless microcolonies of the buff-tailed bumble bee Bombus terrestris (L.) to field-realistic concentrations of copper (692 µM) or cadmium (7.38 µM), and assessed their effects on sucrose syrup consumption, worker survival, egg-laying event and brood development. We also quantified metal concentrations in larval and prepupal tissues to investigate potential metal excretion during development. Copper, but not cadmium, had detrimental effects on microcolony performance, as shown by reduced worker survival, delayed egg laying and impaired brood development. Workers exposed to copper also reduced their consumption of contaminated sucrose syrup, suggesting a possible behavioral avoidance to mitigate toxicity. In addition, metals were found at higher concentrations in larval than in prepupal tissues, indicating that metal excretion likely occurs at the larval-pupal interface. Overall, our study strengthens current knowledge on the effects of trace metals in social bees and provides evidence for a potentially important excretion process occurring during larval development.

Seminatural streams and irrigation canals can act as important refuges for freshwater biodiversity in intensively managed landscapes, but they are also highly vulnerable to habitat degradation and biological invasions. In the northwestern Po Valley (Northern Italy), this secondary hydrographic network hosts the last remaining populations of Isoëtes malinverniana, a critically endangered endemic quillwort that has undergone a severe decline in recent decades. Despite the ecological relevance of benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of habitat conditions, their communities have never been investigated in relation to the distribution of this species. We characterized macrobenthic communities in nine seminatural streams, including current and historical sites of I. malinverniana occurrence and one recent reintroduction site. Macroinvertebrates were sampled in spring 2025 together with basic physicochemical variables. Community composition, diversity patterns, and the occurrence of alien taxa were compared among streams to explore their relationship with the presence of I. malinverniana. Benthic assemblages were dominated by insects, particularly Chironomidae, while mollusks and crustaceans contributed less to total abundance. Only four alien taxa were recorded, yet their abundance varied markedly among streams. Streams hosting extant populations of I. malinverniana showed low levels of alien macroinvertebrates and environmental conditions indicative of limited disturbance, whereas historical sites of species loss and the reintroduction site exhibited higher proportions of alien taxa and signs of habitat alteration. Although overall macroinvertebrate diversity was higher where I. malinverniana is absent, this pattern was largely driven by alien species. These results indicate that macrobenthic community composition, particularly the presence of alien taxa, reflects environmental gradients critical for the persistence of I. malinverniana. Integrating macrobenthic assessments into monitoring programs may therefore support conservation and management actions for this critically endangered species.

Satellite DNAs (satDNAs) are a major component of eukaryotic genomes, playing key roles in chromosome organization, heterochromatin formation, and genome evolution. Although satellitomes have been increasingly characterized in insects, most studies focus on monocentric species, leaving holocentric systems comparatively understudied. Here, we investigate the satellitomes of two pentatomid bugs, Edessa meditabunda and Edessa loxdalii, which exhibit unusually large heterochromatin blocks for holocentric chromosomes. Using an integrative approach combining genome analysis and molecular cytogenetics, we identified 31 satDNA families shared between species. E. loxdalii shows higher satDNA abundance and lower sequence divergence, consistent with recent amplification and homogenization, whereas E. meditabunda exhibits lower abundance and higher divergence, suggesting more advanced sequence degeneration. SatDNA landscape analyses indicate distinct evolutionary trajectories, with evidence of multiple amplification waves and differential repeat turnover. Despite these differences, both species share a conserved set of satDNAs, including highly abundant families that dominate their satellitomes, supporting the library hypothesis. Compared to other Pentatomidae species with low heterochromatin content, there is no overall increase in satDNA abundance in Edessa, but rather amplification of specific families. Chromosomal mapping revealed that these amplified satDNAs are major components of terminal heterochromatin blocks, while less abundant families show chromosome-specific distributions, including accumulation on the Y chromosome, with signs of evolutionary differentiation between species. Overall, this study provides new insights into satellitome organization and evolution in Pentatomidae, highlighting the role of satDNAs in shaping chromosome architecture in holocentric systems.

The development of sustainable high-yield farming practices is crucial to support a growing human population while providing long-term solutions for the environmental impact of intensified agriculture. Nutrient-rich bio-residuals generated through the industrial production of insects hold a high but underexplored potential as an alternative to less sustainable fertilizers. In a two-year field experiment, we show that mustard plants grown in insect-exuviae-amended soil perform as well or even better than plants grown in soil amended with reference organic fertilizers. Improved plant performance was driven by increased plant growth in terms of height and width, a larger number of flowers produced, more interactions with pollinators, and a larger seed production compared to untreated plants. A parallel greenhouse experiment revealed that native root-associated microbial communities in exuviae-amended soil were more species-rich, less variable, and were characterized by several well-known plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria compared to those found in unamended soil or soil treated with reference fertilizer. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that valorizing insect-based bio-residuals can improve agricultural sustainability while simultaneously supporting a circular economy.

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is an infamous agricultural pest that inflicts significant harm on crops globally by directly feeding on them and indirectly transmitting viruses. Although it is believed that whiteflies inject saliva into their host plants to modulate plant defenses, however, due to their small size, study on the salivary proteome of whiteflies is still sparse and the roles of many salivary proteins remain elusive. This research employed four-dimensional data-independent acquisition (4D DIA) based proteomic techniques to analyze whitefly secreted saliva. In total, 2625 salivary proteins were identified. Bioinformatic analysis results showed that the secreted saliva proteins may play roles in hydrolysis, transport, protein binding and metabolism, and significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugars (SS), soluble protein (SP), and proline (PRO) in cucumbers. The expression of the salicylic acid (SA) response genes (PR1a, PR3, and PR5) were significantly induced. Additionally, exogenous methyl-salicylate (MeSA) treatment of cucumbers can significantly reduce the reproductive capacity and survival rate of whiteflies, and decrease the preference of whiteflies for host plants. This study's outcomes provide valuable insights into the interaction between plants and insects. It has been proved that the salivary proteins of whitefly participate in host plant defense responses by activating the SA signaling pathway, and provides basic data on the functional study of whitefly saliva elicitors and effectors, which can be used for development of novel strategies for pest management.

Insects that pollinate essential crops are frequently exposed to neurotoxic insecticides. Although most pollinators belong to insect lineages that diverged hundreds of millions of years ago, insecticide safety tests focus on a few model bee species. Here, we used comparative whole-brain transcriptomics to test whether sulfoxaflor and clothianidin elicit similar or distinct responses across four phylogenetically diverse pollinators: Bombus terrestris, Osmia bicornis, Lucilia sericata, and Vanessa cardui. Within each species, both insecticides produce broadly similar gene regulatory profiles, with more than 70% of differentially expressed genes shared. By contrast, transcriptional responses differed sharply across species, with no shared genes or pathways consistently disrupted. Unexpectedly, sulfoxaflor, promoted as a "bee-safe" alternative, provokes broader gene regulatory changes in non-bee species than clothianidin, a restricted neonicotinoid. Our findings reveal extensive transcriptional divergence in insecticide responses across pollinators, suggesting that risk assessments would benefit from greater phylogenetic diversity and novel molecular approaches.

Fatal anaphylaxis caused by stings from Hymenoptera insects remains challenging to diagnose postmortem owing to the lack of specific pathologic findings and the influence of postmortem changes on biochemical markers. Herein, we report a rare forensic case involving a 79-year-old woman who was found deceased with numerous hornet stings. Autopsy revealed severe laryngeal edema with substantial narrowing of the airway and extensive subcutaneous hemorrhage at the sting site. Postmortem femoral blood analysis revealed markedly elevated tryptase and histamine levels, indicating mast cell degranulation. There was no evidence of traumatic injury, resuscitation, or acute cardiac pathology. Despite the unusually high number of stings, toxic envenomation was excluded based on the biochemical profile and absence of systemic organ damage. This case highlights the forensic importance of integrating scene investigations, autopsy findings, and postmortem biochemistry to differentiate anaphylactic shock from venom toxicity in cases of death involving multiple stings. Overall, this study offers an efficient approach for postmortem diagnosis of fatal anaphylaxis in complicated sting-related deaths.

Automated image-based identification of adult insects is increasingly critical to biodiversity monitoring, pest management, and vector surveillance, yet practical deployment remains limited by data scarcity, field variability, and fine-grained taxonomic challenges. We conducted a PRISMA-guided literature review of computer-vision methods for insect classification and identification. A Web of Science Core Collection search (31 August 2024) retrieved 930 records; after deduplication (n = 2) and screening, 230 articles underwent full-text quality assessment using weighted criteria for taxonomy/methods, image capture, computational technique, sample size, and performance evaluation. Of these, 111 high-quality studies met inclusion thresholds. Data were extracted on taxonomic coverage, optical devices and experimental settings, algorithms and pipelines, datasets, and outcome metrics. Deep learning dominated the field; You Only Look Once variants were common for detection and ResNet/EfficientNet/MobileNet for classification; occasional hybrids combined Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) features with traditional classifiers. CNN-based and 1-stage detectors outperformed hand-crafted pipelines; transformers and self-supervised pre-training showed promise with limited labels. Despite strong laboratory performance, generalization to field conditions was hindered by illumination, occlusion, and pose variability. Public datasets were scarce and geographically skewed, limiting reproducibility and equitable benchmarking. Taxonomic coverage concentrated on Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera. We recommend advancing the field through comprehensive reporting beyond overall accuracy, the design of lifecycle-aware and domain-adapted models validated under field conditions, the establishment of diverse benchmarks with standardized imaging protocols, and the development of interpretable architectures suitable for deployment in embedded trapping systems.

Laboratory and field populations of insects can experience a decline in fitness and loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding depression and genetic drift, respectively. Matings among related individuals and small population size may also influence insect host microbiomes with consequences for fitness. In the dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the bacterial microbiome is largely environmentally determined, but recent studies have also revealed host genetic components. We generated a panel of 55 inbred lines from either of two founding outbred populations of Ae. aegypti to test for associations between life history traits, inbreeding, allelic diversity, and microbiome composition using ddRADseq and bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing on pools of mosquitoes. Effects of inbreeding were diverse, with severe composite fitness costs in many lines but minimal costs in others despite similar low levels of genetic diversity. We found no strong relationship between major life history traits across inbred lines, suggesting that any costs due to inbreeding were trait specific. Bacterial microbiome analysis of pooled samples from a subset of lines revealed common microbes across lines, with Elizabethkingia, Aeromonas, and Ralstonia being the most abundant. Despite bacterial composition varying widely, there was no clear relationship between microbiome composition and fitness or population origin. However, there were several significant positive correlations between the relative abundance of different microbial taxa across lines. Our results demonstrate diverse impacts of inbreeding on the fitness of mosquito populations but with limited impacts on the microbiome.

Temperature influences insect reproduction and the density of the maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia, which in turn manipulates host reproduction and alters arbovirus transmission. Wolbachia is used in mosquito control strategies, and thermal conditions may shape Wolbachia densities. Species-specific thermal tolerances have been documented in mosquitoes but little is known of thermal impacts on embryos. This study investigated Wolbachia density under elevated cyclical temperatures in Culex quinquefasciatus Say embryos, specifically to determine whether high temperatures reduced Wolbachia density. Experiments used cyclic thermal regimes that simulated high summer temperatures similar to those observed where Cx. quinquefasciatus occurs. The relationship between temperature and Wolbachia density was determined through Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) and relative quantification based on qPCR. The embryo developmental time and Wolbachia density were reduced at the high cyclic temperature (25 to 40 °C) when compared to the control (25 °C). The time for the embryonic maturation at the high cyclic temperature (25 to 40 °C) was reduced by 8 h compared to development at 25 °C. Integrated fluorescence density of FISH-labeled Cx. quinquefasciatus embryos was significantly lower under the elevated cyclic 25 to 40 °C temperature than at control 25 °C. Relative Wolbachia density by qPCR and ΔΔCt of the wsp gene was also lower under the cyclic elevated temperature. Elevated temperatures which reduce Wolbachia loads may disrupt cytoplasmic incompatibility or antiviral protection. The results herein suggest that environmental thermal regimes could disrupt Wolbachia density in mosquito embryos. This could have implications for Wolbachia‑based disease control strategies and merits further investigation.

To explore barriers and facilitators to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep among low-income older adults (OA) and people with limited mobility (PLM) in urban and rural Mexico. A cross-sectional study with twelve focus groups. OA and PLM shared barriers and facilitators. Participants perceived more barriers than facilitators to physical activity, largely due to poor infrastructure, medical indications, physical fatigue, and safety concerns. Environmental factors such as noise, hot weather, insects, and screen use were shared barriers for sleep. However, social support encouraged physical activity, active breaks limited sedentary behavior, and relaxation techniques, and consistent bedtime routines enhanced sleep. For OA, personal motivation and green spaces were also physical activity facilitators. For PLM, family overprotection contributed to increased sedentary behaviors. This study highlights the need for inclusive public health initiatives that address structural and social barriers, fostering more active and healthier lifestyles for these populations.

Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy, anaphylaxis hospital admissions and anaphylaxis fatalities worldwide. These trends and sustained advocacy prompted a 2019 Parliamentary Inquiry into Allergies and Anaphylaxis. Among 250 submissions, the Centre for Food Allergy Research called for a national research-coordinating centre and comprehensive allergy research funding. In response to the inquiry, the Australian Government funded the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) in 2022, and its partner organisation, the National Allergy Council (NAC), to improve health, save lives and reduce the national burden of allergic disease. Here we describe the establishment and early impacts of the NACE. The NACE was established to build critical national research infrastructure and collaboration to transform consumer-centred allergy care. Four interconnected Pillars underpin the plan of action: (1) Transforming Allergy Care, codesigning national trials and embedded clinical research to address knowledge and practice gaps; (2) BioRepository and Discovery, developing Australia's first national Allergy BioRepository (ALBI) to support data-driven discovery; (3) Evidence and Translation, providing living evidence surveillance and synthesis to accelerate translation into policy and practice; and (4) Training and Innovation, building workforce capacity through postgraduate scholarships and fellowships. In just 3 years, the NACE has become a global exemplar, secured further funding and demonstrated excellence in high-impact research, rapid translation into policy and practice, and improved outcomes for people living with allergic disease. The NACE has united over 500 drug, food, insect and respiratory allergy experts. Over 1500 individuals with allergies are enrolled in five research programs initiated in clinical care, including more than 500 families in a national, standardised peanut oral immunotherapy program (ADAPT) and NACE-led evaluation study. The ALBI design and build are well-advanced, and over 5000 academic articles have been assessed through Australia's first drug and food allergy living evidence collections, underpinning clinical guidelines, public health programs and resources. The NACE has been recognised as an European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Advanced Research Centre and a World Allergy Organisation Center of Excellence. In December 2025, the NACE-NAC partnership secured further Federal Government funding to continue driving national impact.

Magnetic orientation is essential for subterranean termites during foraging and homing. Although neuronal mechanisms are known to be central to magnetoreception, the specific regulatory proteins involved in this process remain unclear. Here, we report that the expression of the neuronal protein nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the subterranean termite Odontotermes formosanus was significantly reduced under a strong magnetic field (0.1 mT) and upon elimination of the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field. RNA interference-mediated silencing of NOS led to significant downregulation of the magnetoreception gene Cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) and disrupted magnetic orientation in O. formosanus, indicating that NOS is integral to magnetoreception. Consistently, pharmacological inhibition of NOS by L-NAME decreased nitric oxide (NO) levels and abolished magnetic orientation. Together, our behavioural and molecular evidences suggest that NOS plays a critical regulatory role in termite magnetic orientation, which provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying insect magnetoreception.