Driven by the human demand for tea beverages, tea production has expanded worldwide. Tea production in China, the world's largest tea producer, is constrained by Dendrothrips minowai and Matsumurasca (Matsumurasca) onukii. Various management measures for controlling these pests have been developed, but their implementation requires knowledge of the pest distribution, which is currently insufficient. Therefore, precise management of these pests is a major challenge. Using optimized MaxEnt models for the distributions of the two pests across the current and future timeframes, we predicted the overlap of their suitable habitats. The central and southern provinces of China were identified as the primary suitable habitats of both pests at the current time. The suitable habitats will diverge in the future, with D. minowai habitats declining by 29.70-61.90% and M. onukii habitats increasing by 8.05-43.62%. These results demonstrate species-specific responses to climate change. Despite a decrease in overlap areas, the current and future overlap areas consistently coincide with some major tea-growing areas such as Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, and Fujian. The predicted overlap areas can aid the identification of priority areas, optimization of resource allocation, and dynamic adjustment of management measures, improving the precision and efficiency of managing the two pests.
Pesticide use remains important in modern agriculture, vector control, and household pest management. However, exposure to pesticide active ingredients and residues remains a persistent public health concern. In addition to active ingredients, people may also be exposed to other constituents of commercial pesticide formulations, such as adjuvants and solvents, which can influence overall toxicity and health outcomes. These exposures may occur among direct applicators and may also affect other populations through contaminated air, water, soil, food, clothing, and household surfaces. This narrative review examines pesticide exposure from a community health perspective, emphasizing occupational, para-occupational, residential, dietary, drinking-water, airborne, and cumulative exposure pathways. It highlights vulnerable groups, including agricultural workers, children, pregnant women, women in agricultural communities, older adults, people with chronic illness, and marginalized rural populations. Evidence reviewed in this article links pesticide exposure with acute poisoning, respiratory effects, neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes, cancer-related risks, reproductive and developmental effects, endocrine and metabolic disruption, cardiovascular outcomes, dermatological reactions, immune dysregulation, and biomarker-based subclinical changes. Beyond disease endpoints, pesticide exposure may also affect household income, education, mental well-being, food security, livelihoods, and intergenerational health. Major challenges include weak exposure assessment, underreporting, limited biomonitoring in low- and middle-income settings, and inconsistent community-level indicators. Strengthening surveillance, risk communication, integrated pest management, safer storage and disposal, protective regulation, and community-centered biomonitoring is essential to reduce pesticide-related health burdens.
Climate change is increasingly altering the ecological dynamics of apple orchard ecosystems, creating new challenges for sustainable management of phytophagous mites. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought periods, and increasing climatic variability influence mite population dynamics, destabilize predator-prey interactions, and reduce the effectiveness of traditional pest management approaches. This review examines sustainable mite management in apple orchards through the interconnected perspectives of ecological stability, climatic stress, and resilience-oriented agroecosystem management. Particular attention is given to the ecological mechanisms underlying mite outbreaks, including climate-driven acceleration of reproduction, trophic destabilization, biodiversity loss, and disruption of biological regulation processes. The ecological limitations of both conventional chemical control and biological control strategies are critically analyzed, highlighting issues related to pesticide-induced ecological disturbance, resistance development, climatic sensitivity of natural enemies, and operational constraints. The review further explores resilience-oriented management frameworks based on ecological intensification, habitat diversification, conservation biological control, adaptive management, and system-oriented regulation. Current research gaps are identified, including the lack of long-term ecological studies, insufficient integration of climatic and ecological datasets, limited development of resilience indicators, and underrepresentation of continental and semi-arid orchard systems. The findings suggest that future sustainable mite management should move beyond reactive pest suppression toward ecosystem-based approaches that strengthen ecological resilience and adaptive capacity under increasing climatic uncertainty.
A new Department of Defense contingency pesticide usage database (CPUD) was developed for collecting and reporting overseas pest management operations data. The CPUD contains data that was downloaded from the Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System (DOEHRS) and thousands of additional records that were never uploaded into the DOEHRS system. The CPUD contains 282,491 individual pesticide usage records from contingency operations worldwide. This new database is easy to use and interrogate to analyze the data and develop summary graphs and charts. The new CPUD is easily searchable and provides carefully selected and comprehensive data criteria for use by entomology, public health, epidemiology, environmental health, medical and operational professionals and is a significant improvement over current data stored in DOEHRS.
RNA interference (RNAi) is a specific pest-control technology, yet its standalone application is limited by issues of low efficiency, instability, and high cost. This review aims to build a framework for "RNAi synergistic enhancement" to overcome these hurdles, with a core strategy of combining RNAi with synergistic agents. In this context, five key target pathways amenable to RNAi intervention-neural transmission, energy metabolism, cuticle synthesis, immunity, and detoxification networks-are summarized, and some categories of synergistic agents (such as chemical/botanical pesticides, insect growth regulators, and biocontrol microorganisms) are proposed to achieve a "1 + 1 > 2" effect. Subsequently, a synergistic RNAi paradigm is introduced, from a simple mixture to nano-fusion co-assembly, encompassing the screening of synergistic factors, assembly mechanisms, and their control efficacy. Finally, the transformation from pursuing isolated efficacy to designing programmable "synergistic systems" is discussed, which requires addressing integrated challenges, including temporal action coordination, carrier biocompatibility, comprehensive risk assessment, and the establishment of tailored regulatory standards. This review provides a systematic blueprint for developing the next generation of efficient and sustainable RNA-based synergistic pesticides.
The continuous escalation of pest resistance leads to the ineffectiveness of most conventional pesticides, which has posed a serious threat to global food security and public health. Metabolic resistance regulated by core detoxification enzymes and penetration resistance mediated by thickened body wall/intestine are the key drivers for resistance evolution. Most existing publications focus on the functional analysis of individual target, which makes it difficult to achieve broad-spectrum resistance management. To this context, this review systematically outlines four key transcription factor-mediated metabolic signaling pathways, and analyzes the mechanism of penetration resistance mediated by body wall/intestinal thickening, aiming to identify effective RNA interference (RNAi) targets for resistance management. Subsequently, this review proposes the design/construction strategy of nano-enabled co-delivery platforms, and elaborates on their synergistic mechanisms compassing stability, foliar adhesion and plant uptake, etc. Finally, this review summarizes the application cases of nano-enabled co-delivery platforms in pest resistance management, and outlines the prospects of this technology, including multi-target coordinated interference, field adaptability improvement, etc. Overall, this work provides abundant synergistic RNAi targets for broad-spectrum resistance management, which is particularly important for design/development of multicomponent RNA nano-pesticides toward global resistant pests.
Strategies that reduce dependence on synthetic pesticides while maintaining crop productivity are increasingly emphasized in sustainable agriculture. Here, we developed a bioinspired plant protein-based delivery system consisting of quercetin-loaded soy protein isolate (SPI)-zein nanocapsules. Spray drying was employed as a structural engineering strategy to assemble and immobilize nanocapsules into pomegranate-like hierarchical particulate aggregates. SEM, fluorescence spectroscopy, FT-IR, UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD and TGA were employed to characterize quercetin-loaded SPI-zein systems prepared at different SPI:zein ratios. Structural and morphological analyses revealed spherical nanocapsules embedded within interconnected protein aggregates. The formulation with an SPI:zein ratio of 1:2 exhibited the best overall performance, including an encapsulation efficiency of 75.2%, loading capacity of 3.23%, pH-responsive release behaviour, enhanced rainfastness, and improved photochemical and storage stability. Notably, pre-spray-dried nanocapsule dispersions did not significantly improve rainfastness or photoprotection, whereas the spray-dried hierarchical structures exhibited enhanced resistance to wash-off under rainfall conditions, improved protection against UV-induced quercetin photodegradation, and more sustained quercetin release. These findings highlight the functional importance of the engineered pomegranate-like hierarchical architecture. Furthermore, biological assays using pea seedlings (Pisum sativum L.) and black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) demonstrated effective pest deterrence and promotion of plant growth. Our delivery system represents a promising platform for dual-function agrochemical delivery.
Lepidopteran pests cause major agricultural losses, and overreliance on chemical pesticides raises environmental and health concerns. Genes controlling insect wing development offer promising targets for sustainable pest management. Here, we used the silkworm (Bombyx mori) as a model to investigate the transcription factor BmDll (BmDistal-less) in appendage development and to evaluate its potential as a target for RNA-based biopesticides. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of BmDll caused severe defects in adult antennae, thoracic legs, and wings, including shortening, hardening, scale loss and complete wing malformation. Transcriptomic and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analyses revealed that BmDll regulates cell differentiation and chitin assembly primarily through Hox and Notch signaling pathways. We developed chitosan (CS)/dsRNA (double-stranded RNA) nanoparticles targeting BmDll; oral delivery to silkworms and Spodoptera litura suppressed target gene expression and recapitulated the wing deformity phenotypes observed in the knockdown model. BmDll is a central regulator of lepidopteran appendage morphogenesis and a feasible target for dsRNA-based biopesticides. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of BmDll-dsRNA provides a novel, environmentally friendly strategy to disrupt appendage development in pest insects. This work demonstrates the translation of fundamental developmental gene discovery into a potential agricultural application. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
The ecological adaptations of insect pests, such as multi-niche colonization and physiological resistance to conventional chemicals, pose severe challenges to the sustainable production of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). The tobacco whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Brentidae), form a highly destructive, spatially separated pest complex. In this study, we evaluated the dual-niche pathogenicity of a Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) isolate, BbCF-2, generated via spaceflight mutagenesis, against C. formicarius and B. tabaci under controlled laboratory conditions. The mutated strain exhibited enhanced colony expansion and a high sporulation capacity (2.72 × 108 conidia/mL). Bioassays revealed that BbCF-2 possesses significantly increased virulence compared to the wild-type strain, capable of overcoming the distinct physiological and physical barriers of both targeted pests. Against the highly sclerotized subterranean C. formicarius adults, BbCF-2 achieved 92.68% mortality at 15 days post-inoculation at 1 × 108 conidia/mL, with an LC50 of 8.452 × 103 conidia/mL and an LT50 of 6.305 days. Concurrently, against the canopy-dwelling B. tabaci, the isolate demonstrated rapid lethal mycosis with an LT50 of 6.718 days, effectively reducing the adult vector population prior to their typical dispersal timeframe. These results demonstrate that the spaceflight-mutated BbCF-2 strain exhibits broad pathogenicity. By simultaneously targeting both foliar and soil-dwelling pests, this single-agent biological control strategy shows potential for integrated pest management, pending greenhouse and field evaluation.
Insect sex manipulation has emerged as a transformative approach in sustainable pest management. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying insect sex determination and their application in artificial sex manipulation, offering novel strategies for natural enemy breeding and pest control. We systematically examine key technologies enabling artificial sex manipulation, with a focus on the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS) through approaches such as the release of insects carrying dominant lethal genes (RIDL), RNA interference (RNAi), incompatible insect technique (IIT) and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Through critical analysis of successful applications in controlling fruit flies and mosquitoes, we demonstrate the practical efficacy of these technologies, identify key research priorities, and propose strategic optimizations. These advancements pave the way for next-generation pest control strategies characterized by precision, efficiency, and ecological sustainability, marking a significant leap forward in integrated pest management (IPM). © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
The oak lace bug, Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832) (Hemiptera: Tingidae), has emerged as an ecologically disruptive invasive pest across Eurasian Quercus forests, severely impairing foliar photosynthetic capacity and overall woodland vitality. By systematically reviewing 111 peer-reviewed studies, this comprehensive synthesis examines the biology, geographic invasion dynamics, ecological adaptability, and management of this species. We trace the spatio-temporal expansion of C. arcuata, highlighting how sub-zero thermal tolerance, climate-driven polyvoltinism, and phenological plasticity facilitate its rapid establishment across diverse climatic zones. Furthermore, we analyze monitoring frameworks-including MODIS satellite remote-sensing and citizen science networks-while acknowledging both their broad-scale utility and limitations in early detection. Given the severe ecotoxicological constraints of conventional synthetic insecticides, we critically evaluate sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) paradigms. Specifically, we investigate biorational formulations (such as spinosad) alongside promising biological control agents, notably the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria pseudobassiana and the oophagous micro-hymenopteran parasitoid Erythmelus klopomor. Ultimately, long-term silvicultural biosecurity requires a multifaceted IPM approach underpinned by continuous geospatial monitoring and rigorous ecological risk assessments prior to classical biocontrol deployments.
Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) is a major defoliator of oil palm in Malaysia, causing substantial economic losses. Farnesyl acetate (FA), a sesquiterpenoid compound, has been proposed as a potential insecticidal agent against M. plana, yet its molecular impact on larval physiology remains poorly understood. Here, we employed label-free quantitative proteomics, functional enrichment analysis, and targeted transcript assessment to characterize the temporal proteomic response of M. plana larvae at 7 and 14 days after treatment (DAT) with FA. Principal component analysis revealed robust separation between treated and control samples at both time points, indicating sustained treatment-driven proteomic restructuring. Early exposure (7 DAT) elicited a heterogeneous response involving stress-associated proteins, redox enzymes, and cytoskeletal regulators, whereas later exposure (14 DAT) produced a consolidated profile characterized by metabolic reprogramming, downregulation of ribosomal proteins, induction of heat shock proteins, and enrichment of RNA surveillance and mitochondrial pathways. Targeted transcript analysis qualitatively supported proteomic trends for HSP83 and aldehyde dehydrogenase X, although limited amplification precluded quantitative inference. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that FA exposure drives a shift from acute proteomic perturbation toward a maintenance-oriented physiological state, prioritizing proteostasis, energy management, and stress adaptation over growth and development. This integrated molecular perspective provides mechanistic insight into the chronic effects of FA, highlighting its potential to suppress larval performance and informing the development of biorational, physiology-based pest management strategies in non-model insects.
Ants dominate terrestrial ecosystems yet are often overlooked in temperate annual cropping systems. These social insects provide valuable ecosystem services in tropical and subtropical agriculture, but their potential roles in temperate row crops have received less attention. This review examines how no-till farming practices create opportunities for ants to establish and contribute to pest suppression, weed-seed removal, and soil improvement in temperate row crops. Unlike conventional tillage that may destroy ant colonies, no-till systems preserve nest architecture and foraging networks, allowing ant populations to persist across growing seasons. Evidence from multiple regions demonstrates that no-till fields support greater ant abundance, species richness, and predation activity than tilled systems. Cover crops further enhance ant communities by providing habitat complexity and alternative prey, while integrated pest management preserves beneficial populations through judicious insecticide use. Ants offer multiple mechanisms for pest control, including direct predation, non-consumptive deterrence, and season-long activity when other natural enemies are scarce. Their soil engineering activities create biopores that improve water infiltration and nutrient transport. Despite these potential benefits, critical knowledge gaps persist regarding ant community composition, seasonal activity patterns, and quantitative impacts on economically important pests in temperate systems. Future research should apply molecular gut content analysis and stable isotope techniques to reveal cryptic trophic interactions, develop economic valuations of ant-mediated services, and create practical decision-support tools for farmers. As agriculture faces pressure to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining productivity, conservation practices that support ant communities represent an underutilized strategy for sustainable intensification in temperate cropping systems. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
The gut microbiota influences host health, development, nutrition, and behavior, positioning it as a frontier research area in life sciences. Bactrocera dorsalis is a major agricultural pest, with a short life cycle, ease of laboratory rearing, and the availability of germ-free larvae. The gut microbiota of B. dorsalis is complex and relatively insensitive to environmental influences. Due to these advantages, B. dorsalis has emerged as a promising model organism for gut microbiota research. This review synthesizes the advantages of B. dorsalis as a model organism, detailing its gut structure and the composition of its microbiota across developmental stages, sexes, diets, and geographical populations-highlighting the dominance of Enterobacteriaceae as a core component. Key functional roles of gut microbiota in B. dorsalis are elucidated, including nutrient provisioning, regulation of development and reproduction, enhancement of environmental adaptability, behavioral modulation, pesticide resistance, and immune interactions. The mechanisms underpinning gut microbiota homeostasis, involving the host Duox/ROS system, NOX enzymes, and the Imd pathway, are also discussed. Limitations are addressed, alongside future directions for leveraging genetic tools to dissect host-microbe interplay. Furthermore, the potential applications of gut microbiota research-including probiotics for Sterile Insect Technique optimization, microbial-based attractants, and paratransgenesis for pest control-are emphasized. Collectively, B. dorsalis offers a platform for understanding intricate host-microbe interplay and inspires novel pest management strategies.
Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are well established as biological control agents, but their emerging role as endophytes reveals a broader and more powerful function in crop protection. By colonizing plant tissues, endophytic entomopathogenic fungi (EEPF) create a dynamic tripartite interaction between plants, fungi, and herbivores, enabling systemic, plant-mediated pest suppression. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the behavioral and ecological responses of herbivorous arthropods to EEPF-colonized plants, with an emphasis on the mechanisms and implications for integrated pest management (IPM). Growing evidence indicates that EEPF consistently modify herbivore behavior and performance across diverse crops and insect taxa. Colonization frequently alters feeding, host selection, and oviposition, often deterring pests, although mediated responses may vary among fungal species, host plants, insect taxa, and environmental conditions. These responses are driven by EEPF-induced changes in plant chemistry, including shifts in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and defensive metabolites. In parallel, EEPF impair insect fitness by delaying development, reducing survival, and lowering fecundity, thereby suppressing pest populations. These plant-mediated and behavioral changes extend to multitrophic interactions, potentially affecting associations with natural enemies and the transmission efficiency of some insect vectors of plant viruses. Despite rapid progress, critical gaps remain in resolving the mechanistic basis of these interactions and their stability under field conditions. Advancing the application of EEPF will require integrated approaches combining microbial ecology, chemical ecology, and insect behavioral biology. Harnessing these interactions offers a compelling pathway to reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides while enhancing the resilience and sustainability of agricultural systems.
Tuta absoluta is a globally significant invasive pest that has rapidly developed resistance to multiple classes of insecticides, highlighting the critical need for RNA interference (RNAi) targets for sustainable pest management. The insulin signaling pathway is a key regulator of insect reproduction; however, the role of PIK3AP, an adaptor protein that links receptor tyrosine kinases to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, remains poorly understood in Lepidopteran pests. In this study, TaPIK3AP was identified in T. absoluta, exhibiting elevated expression levels in the heads of female adults and during the early reproductive period. RNAi-mediated knockdown of TaPIK3AP reduced fecundity by 76%, decreased egg hatching rate by 43%, shortened the oviposition period by two days, and caused pronounced ovarian atrophy accompanied by impaired yolk deposition. Mechanistically, knockdown of TaPIK3AP led to the suppression of Vg and VgR expression, a reduction in juvenile hormone (JH) titer, downregulation of JH signaling genes, and a significant decrease in the transcript levels of key components of the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway, including mTOR, Rheb, and S6K. These findings demonstrate that TaPIK3AP integrates Vg, JH, and TOR signaling pathways to regulate female reproduction in T. absoluta, thereby identifying it as a potential molecular target for RNAi-based sustainable pest management strategies.
Insect sex pheromones are widely used in pest management because of their high sensitivity and strong species specificity. However, the incorporation of pheromone analogs may modify insect behavioral responses, thereby weakening or improving the control efficacy. The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), is a major rice pest that is commonly managed using pheromone-based strategies. However, the effects of ester-type pheromone analogs on pheromone communication systems remain insufficiently understood. We examined the effects of incorporating (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:Ac) into a C. suppressalis sex pheromone blend. Electroantennogram recordings showed that Z11-16:Ac elicited antennal responses ranging from 0.06 to 0.22 mV, comparable with those induced by (Z)-13-octadecenal, a minor component of the natural pheromone. Dual-choice behavioral assays revealed that the addition of Z11-16:Ac reduced male attraction to pheromone sources by approximately 22.4 ± 31.8% (mean ± SD, n = 13; 95% confidence interval 3.2-41.7%). Exposure to Z11-16:Ac alone or in combination with the sex pheromone markedly reduced oviposition, with egg numbers reduced by 52-72% relative to untreated controls. Field trapping experiments further demonstrated that Z11-16:Ac consistently inhibited male attraction, with stronger inhibitory effects observed at higher doses. Male attraction was almost completely suppressed at higher doses (>75 μg) and reduced by 47% at lower doses (2.25 μg). These results demonstrate that Z11-16:Ac functions as a pheromone antagonist in C. suppressalis. Its consistent inhibitory activity under both laboratory and field conditions highlights its potential application in pheromone-based pest management strategies, including mating disruption and behavioral manipulation, offering an environmentally sustainable approach to controlling this economically important rice pest. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Lasioderma serricorne, and Tribolium castaneum are globally prevalent stored-product insect pests that cause significant economic losses due to contamination and damage to stored agricultural commodities. Traditional insecticides are harmful to health and the environment. In contrast, plant essential oils (EOs) offer a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative. This study investigates the insecticidal potential of EOs extracted from different parts of Heteropanax fragrans (Roxb.) Seem. against these insects. The EOs were extracted via hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 34 compounds were identified, with β-caryophyllene being the major constituent. The leaf essential oil (HL) showing the highest contact toxicity against L. serricorne (LD50 = 5.26 µg/adult) and T. castaneum (LD50 = 22.26 µg/adult). The branch essential oil (HB) was particularly effective against O. surinamensis (LD50 = 18.41 µg/adult). In terms of repellent activity, HL demonstrated high repellency rates of up to 94% against T. castaneum at the highest concentration (78.63 nL/cm2). These findings highlight the potential of Heteropanax fragrans EOs as eco-friendly botanical insecticides for the sustainable management of stored-product insect pests, offering a safer and more environmentally friendly approach to pest control in agricultural storage.
Intercropping flowering plants is an ecofriendly and sustainable orchard management practice, yet its effects on multiple ecosystem services remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a two-year field experiment using four species of intercropped flowering plants, including Sechuangzi Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson (Apiaceae), Japanese catnip Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. (Lamiaceae), rapeseed Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae), and hairy vetch Vicia villosa Roth. (Fabaceae), in an apple orchard. We selected 22 ecosystem service indicators to establish a comprehensive framework for assessing orchard ecosystem services. In 2020, 19 indicators differed significantly between intercropped flowering plant plots and clean-tillage control plots, while 18 indicators showed significant differences in 2021. The ecosystem service indicators were grouped into six composite multifunctional indicators representing pollination, pest control, habitat provisioning, food provisioning, nutrient cycling, and carbon stock, all of which showed significant enhancement in flowering plant plots compared with the controls. Crucially, these six composite indices demonstrated synergistic interactions, with no trade-offs observed. Compared to clean-tillage control plots, total ecosystem services in 2020 increased by 228% in C. monnieri plots, 222% in B. napus plots, 217% in V. villosa plots, and 126% in S. tenuifolia plots; in 2021, the increases were 248%, 214%, 209%, and 115%, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that intercropping selected flowering plants can improve multiple measured ecosystem service indicators in apple orchards. This practice may provide a promising orchard-floor management strategy for enhancing ecosystem service multifunctionality under the conditions of this two-year field experiment.
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.