To be effective, management strategies of invasive alien species cannot ignore their spatiotemporal behavior particularly those exerting serious damages to human activities. The black planthopper Ricania speculum is an Asian insect that has been reported as an alien invasive species in Italy, where it threatens local plant diversity, including important crops. In our work, we analyzed the activity rhythms of this species through circular statistics and the efficiency of chromotropic traps to capture adult individuals. Captures were carried out in central Italy, where the black planthopper is showing a remarkable range expansion, after its first discovery in 2009. We observed that the species was mainly crepuscular, with a high intersexual activity overlap. Activity rhythms changed between July–August and September–October, with changing heliophany, but peaked at sunset and were the lowest in the second half of the night and early morning. The insects were mostly caught by green traps, particularly in September, which is the period of egg-laying inside the leaves; conversely, orange ones were avoided, and yellow ones captured proportionally to their local availability. Strategies for controlling this species should consider concentrating trapping effort during the activity peak, using green sticky traps to enhance the capture success of each trap, with the lowest impact over non-target species.

We documented one of the most species-rich assemblages of tropical rain-forest Auchenorrhyncha, comprising 402 phloem- and xylem-feeding species, by sampling adults from forest vegetation. Further, we reared 106 species from larvae sampled on 14 plant species. Both xylem- and phloem-feeding guilds exhibited wide host-plant ranges, as 74% of species fed on more than one plant family. In comparison, using data extracted from the temperate-zone literature, phloem-feeders exhibited lower host specificity in Papua New Guinea than in Germany, because in Papua New Guinea they were dominated by generalist Fulgoroidea while in Germany by specialist Membracoidea. The similarity of Auchenorrhyncha assemblages from different plant species was unrelated to the phylogenetic distance between their hosts. Host specificity, abundance and species composition of Auchenorrhyncha assemblages were unrelated to the optimum of their host plant species on succession gradient from secondary to primary forest. Higher host specificity did not lead to greater species richness in Auchenorrhyncha assemblages feeding on different plant species, but the number of species feeding on a particular plant species was a strong predictor of the Auchenorrhyncha abundance on that plant. These patterns suggest that Auchenorrhyncha assemblages on these plant species are not saturated with species and determined by division of limited resources among competitors, but instead are dependent on the number of colonizers from the regional species pool.

To estimate the net effect of climate change on natural populations, we must take into account the positive and negative effects of temperature oscillations and climate variability. Warming because of climate change will likely exceed the physiological optima of tropical insects, which currently live very close to their thermal optima. Tropical insects will be negatively affected if their optima are exceeded otherwise warming may affect them positively. We evaluate the demographic responses of the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, to summer warming in subtropical and tropical Taiwan, and examine the effects of diel temperature oscillation on these responses. Aphids were reared at four temperatures (current summer mean, +1.4, +3.9 and +6.4 °C), the latter three simulating different levels of warming. At each average temperature, aphids experienced constant or oscillating (from −2.9 to +3.6 °C of each mean temperature) regimes. As the simulated summer temperatures increased, so did the negative effects on life-history traits and demographic parameters. Compared with aphids reared in constant temperatures, aphids reared in oscillating temperatures developed more slowly and had a longer mean generation time, but their net reproductive rate was higher. These findings demonstrate that climate warming will affect demographic parameters and life-history traits differentially. Studies that use constant temperatures are unlikely to accurately predict biotic responses to climate change.

Diverse agroecosystems offer phytophagous insects a wide choice of host plants. Myzus persicae is a polyphagous aphid common in moderate climates. During its life cycle it alternates between primary and secondary hosts. A spatial genetic population structure may arise due to environmental factors and reproduction modes. The aim of this work was to determine the spatial and temporal genetic population structure of M. persicae in relation to host plants and climatic conditions. For this, 923 individuals of M. persicae collected from six plant families between 2005 and 2008 in south-eastern Spain were genotyped for eight microsatellite loci. The population structure was inferred by neighbour-joining, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and Bayesian analyses. Moderate polymorphism was observed for the eight loci in almost all the samples. No differences in the number of alleles were observed between primary and secondary hosts or between geographical areas. The proportion of unique genotypes found in the primary host was similar in the north (0.961 ± 0.036) and the south (0.987 ± 0.013), while in the secondary host it was higher in the north (0.801 ± 0.159) than in the south (0.318 ± 0.063). Heterozygosity excess and linkage disequilibrium suggest a high representation of obligate parthenogens in areas with warmer climate and in the secondary hosts. The FST-values pointed to no genetic differentiation of M. persicae on the different plant families. FST-values, AMOVA and Bayesian model-based cluster analyses pointed to a significant population structure that was related to primary and secondary hosts. Differences between primary and secondary hosts could be due to the overrepresentation of parthenogens on herbaceous plants.

Stenogiffardia Evans, 1977 is considered the senior synonym of Pratura Theron, 1982 syn. nov. and Doraturella Emeljanov, 2002 syn. nov., resulting in four new combinations. Duraturopsis Melichar, 1908 syn. nov. is considered a junior synonym of Chiasmus Mulsant and Rey, 1855, resulting in one new combination. Figures of the ovipositor of Stenogiffardia parvula (Kirkaldy) are provided for the first time, and habitus images of S. parvula and Chiasmus katonae (Melichar) comb. nov. are provided.

Mealybugs are major pests of grapevines worldwide. They cause economic losses by lowering the cosmetic value of fruits, reducing yields, transmitting viruses and resulting in the quarantine or rejection of produce in international trade. Knowledge of the species present in a vineyard is important for the adjustment of management strategies. We surveyed and accurately characterized the mealybugs infesting vineyards in one of the main production areas of Chile; 164 mealybugs were sampled from 26 vineyards in four regions of Chile and identified by DNA sequencing for two markers (cytochrome oxidase I and internal transcribed spacer 2) and morphological examination. Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) was the most common species, followed by Pseudococcus meridionalis Prado and Pseudococcus cribata González. Molecular variability at the COI and ITS2 loci was observed in both P. viburni and P. cribata. A comparison of haplotypes of P. viburni worldwide provides support for a recent hypothesis that this species is native to South America, a finding with direct consequences for management. Neither Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni & Tozzetti) nor Planococcus ficus Signoret were found.

Microvelia picinguaba sp. nov., Microvelia ubatuba sp. nov., Paravelia gabrielae sp. nov. and Rhagovelia pseudotijuca sp. nov. are described. The male of Microvelia ioana is described. Microvelia mimula and Microvelia aemulana are synonymized. Microvelia hinei, M. ioana, Microvelia longipes, Microvelia pulchella, Microvelia venustatis, Oiovelia brasiliensis, Oiovelia cunucunumana, Paravelia basalis, Paravelia itatiayana, Rhagovelia denticulata, Rhagovelia hambletoni, Rhagovelia janeira, Rhagovelia robusta, Rhagovelia tenuipes, Rhagovelia zela and Stridulivelia ayacucho are recorded for the first time from São Paulo State. New locality records are given for Husseyella diffidens, Rhagovelia accedens, Rhagovelia aiuruoca, Rhagovelia henryi, Rhagovelia lucida, Rhagovelia modesta, Rhagovelia occulcata, Rhagovelia trepida and Rhagovelia triangula.

Ile Amsterdam (37°50′S, 77°30′E, 55 km2) and Ile Saint-Paul (38°43′S, 77°31′E, 7 km2) are very isolated volcanic islands which were originally colonized by a few invertebrate fauna and flora. Invasive species richness has then increased along with human activity. A three-year monitoring programme (1997, 2000, 2001) and a summer campaign (2007) allowed species diversity, host plants, abundance and phenology of introduced aphids and natural enemies to be described. Seven cosmopolitan aphid species have been found on Ile Amsterdam (Aulacorthum solani, A. circumflexum, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Myzus ascalonicus, M. cymbalariae, M. ornatus and Rhopalosiphum padi) and three on Ile Saint-Paul (A. solani, M. cymbalariae and R. padi). On Ile Amsterdam, these aphids were found on 28 host plants (out of 57 sampled plants), mainly introduced species. Phylica arborea was the only native plant much colonized by one aphid species, A. circumflexum. Aphids were mainly present on the base or in this vicinity. One Hymenopteran parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae, and two hyperparasites (Dendrocerus aphidum and Phaenoglyphis villosa), probably introduced along with their host, were collected. Aphid activity is very low during the autumn (March–May) and at a maximum in spring and summer. Their density and diversity decrease with distance from the research station. From these results, the possible impact of aphids on native plants is discussed.

The study was conducted in tropical lowland forest in the Dumoga Bone National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. It sought (a) to establish the typical densities of sap-sucking Hemip tera, (b) to quantify the intensity of Hemiptera feeding on leaves, and (c) to investigate, using multivariate techniques, the relationships between Hemiptera density and/or feeding damage and a range of leaf or plant characteristics. Only 3% of shrubs examined had colonial Hemiptera feeding on growing shoots. Feeding punctures on leaves were common but the insects which produced them such as the Cicadellidae and various Heteroptera were scarce. Coccoidea and Aleyrodoidea were the dominant and ubiquitous Hemipterans, feeding primarily on the surface of the leaves. Psylloidea were relatively rare and Aphidoidea were not recorded. For the complete data set, which included all leaves examined, there were few significant correlations, either singly or in combination, between the various measures of insect abundance and the state of the 17 leaf characteristics recorded. However, when the data for young leaves were extracted there was evidence to suggest that the number of feeding punctures cm−2 of leaf and the number of coccids cm−2 of upper leaf surface increased rapidly to a maximum as the young leaf aged and certain characters changed accordingly. Other more stable leaf characteristics such as hairiness, spininess, glossiness, etc. explained only a small additional amount of the total variance in Hemiptera abundance.

We assess the genetic history and population structure of Cicada barbara in Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula, based on analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The divergence between Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula populations was strongly corroborated by the molecular data, suggesting genetically isolated populations with a low level of gene flow. The Ceuta population from Spanish North Africa was more similar to the Iberian populations than the surrounding Moroccan populations, suggesting that the Strait of Gibraltar has not been acting as a strict barrier to dispersal while the Rif Mountains have. The Iberian Peninsula specimens showed a signature of demographic expansion before that which occurred in Morocco, but some of the assumptions related to the demographic parameters should be considered with caution due to the small genetic variation found. The high haplotype diversity found in Morocco implies higher demographic stability than in the Iberian Peninsula populations. These results do not, however, suggest a Moroccan origin for Iberian cicadas; but the most northwest region in Africa, such as Ceuta, might have acted as a southern refuge for Iberian cicadas during the most severe climatic conditions, from where they could expand north when climate improved. The separation of two subspecies within C. barbara (C. barbara lusitanica and C. barbara barbara) finds support with these results.

DL-β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) is a non-protein amino acid that is an effective inducer of resistance against a variety of plant pathogens. However, examples of BABA-induced resistance against insect herbivores have not been reported. We applied BABA as a soil drench to legumes and monitored its effects on the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris). On tic bean (Vicia faba var. minor), BABA increased aphid mortality, caused a reduction in the mean relative growth rate of individual insects and lessened the intrinsic rate of population increase (rm). BABA also caused significant reductions in the growth rate of A. pisum on pea (Pisum sativa), broad bean (Vicia faba var. major), runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), red clover (Trifolium pratense) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). No direct toxic effects of BABA against A. pisum were found, and no phytotoxic effects that may have caused a reduction in aphid performance were detected. Possible mechanisms behind this BABA-induced inhibition of aphid performance are discussed.

The nuclear DNA content of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennnadius) was estimated using flow cytometry. Male and female nuclei were stained with propidium iodide and their DNA content was estimated using chicken red blood cells and Arabidopsis thaliana L. (Brassicaceae) as external standards. The estimated nuclear DNA content of male and female B. tabaci was 1.04 and 2.06 pg, respectively. These results corroborated previous reports based on chromosome counting, which showed that B. tabaci males are haploid and females are diploid. Conversion between DNA content and genome size (1 pg DNA = 980 Mbp) indicate that the haploid genome size of B. tabaci is 1020 Mbp, which is approximately five times the size of the genome of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. These results provide an important baseline that will facilitate genomics-based research for the B. tabaci complex.

Genetic variation in the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) from 11 geographically separated sampling locations (Slovenia, France, Greece, Italy, Madeira, Japan, Guadeloupe, Galapagos, California, Brazil and Botswana) was studied by sequencing 16S and 28S rDNA, cytochrome b and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene fragments and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Sequencing revealed 11 distinct haplotypes clustering into lineages A, B and C. Lineage C was characteristic for a single analysed specimen from Botswana. Lineage B was detected in Japan, and it probably arose in Asia. Haplotypes of European and American specimens belonged to lineage A; specimens from France, Slovenia, Madeira and Brazil shared highly similar haplotypes (>99%) from subgroup A1, while all the specimens from Greece, California, Galapagos and Guadeloupe shared a haplotype from subgroup A2. RAPD data were more variable but consistent with mtDNA sequences, revealing the same clustering. They separated the Botswanian specimen from Japanese specimens and from a group of more closely related specimens from Europe and America. Sequence and RAPD results both support the African origin of N. viridula, followed by dispersal to Asia (lineage B) and, more recently, by expansion to Europe and America (lineage A). RAPD analysis revealed two highly supported subgroups in Japan, congruent with mtDNA lineages A2 and B, suggesting multiple colonization of Japan. Invariant sequences at the 28S rDNA combined with other results do not support the hypothesis that cryptic (sibling) species exist within the populations investigated in this study.

The sensory receptors on the antennal flagellar segments and on the rostral tip of four adult hemipteran insects were identified and compared using scanning electron microscopy in order to better understand the role of sensillae in the process of host plant selection and the structural adaptations of feeding organs for phytophagy. The species studied are Riptortus pedestris Fabricius (Alydidae), Elasmolomus sordidus (Fabricius) (Lygaeidae), Cyclopelta siccifolia Westwood (Pentatomidae) and Chrysocoris purpurea (Westwood) (Pentatomidae). Differences in the distribution and arrangement of sensory receptors in the hemipteran families were noted, especially in the shape of the antennal apices, which are of taxonomical significance. A large array of trichoid basiconic and coeloconic sensillae is distributed on the antennal surface. Distal antennal segments have more sensillae and more types of sensillae than the proximal segments, indicating their prominent role in host plant surface exploration. There is only a slight variation in the shape of the stylets owing to the similarity in feeding habits. The mandibular tips are straight and sharp and do not contain any hooks or barbs as in carnivorous species.

Grazing by large herbivores is well-known to influence plant communities, while much fewer studies have been carried out on grazing effects on invertebrates. In Norway, some 2.2 million sheep graze on outlying pastures during summer, most of them in the alpine zone, but no study has reported the relative impact of sheep grazing on invertebrate communities relative to other environmental factors such as the plant community and altitude. A fully replicated landscape-scale experiment (2.7 km2) was performed with no, low (25 per km2) and high (80 per km2) sheep densities in an alpine habitat of Norway (1050–1300 m a.s.l.). The increased vulnerability hypothesis (H1) predicts that the more folivorous invertebrates, the higher the grazing pressure by sheep, as large herbivore grazing may stress the plants so they are more vulnerable to insect herbivory. The increased defence hypothesis (H2) predicts increased levels of general anti-herbivore defences, and thus a lower abundance of invertebrates with increasing sheep densities. Contrary to both predictions, no evidence was found that sheep grazing affected invertebrate richness, or abundance of folivorous, predatory or detritivore invertebrates – in a community dominated by Diptera and Hemiptera. Demonstrating an effect will always be a function of sample size, but at least our study shows that other environmental variables (such as plant species richness and functional plant richness) are more important determinants than sheep grazing for the selected invertebrate groups. Our study was short-term (first year of grazing) mainly designed to test specific hypotheses related to induced plant defences; long-term effects are probably owing to the impact sheep may have on vegetation composition, primary production, litter cover and soil properties.

Due to the unbalanced distribution of their fauna and flora, which leads to the creation of a niche opportunities, it is generally accepted that island communities offer weak biotic resistance to biological invasion. In order to empirically test this statement, we compared resource use by ants in the understorey of an undisturbed New Caledonian rain forest recently invaded by the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. We tested the exploitation of: (1) food sources by placing baits on all trees with trunks greater than 5 cm in diameter; and (2) nesting sites on two tree species likely to shelter ant colonies. In non-invaded areas, the native ants occupied only 44.6% of the baits after 2 h of exposure, while in invaded areas all the baits were occupied by numerous W. auropunctata workers. Similarly, in non-invaded areas only 48.9% of Meryta coriacea (Araliaceae) trees and 64.5% of Basselinia pancheri (Arecaceae) sheltered ants, while in invaded areas W. auropunctata nested in 92.6–98.3% of these trees. Also, workers attended native Margarodidae (Hemiptera) for which they promoted the development of populations significantly larger than those attended by native ants. Thus native ants appear unable to efficiently exploit and defend several of the available food sources and nesting sites, providing a niche opportunity for an invader like W. auropunctata.

A new secondary sex character, here named the ‘tibial gland’, found on the forelegs of the males of a new spittlebug species, Augustohahnia dilatitibia sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) from New Guinea, is reported for the first time. The males of Augustohahnia dilatitibia sp. nov. are very distinct and unusual in having remarkably swollen fore tibiae with flat, bare and smooth prolateral surfaces. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the prolateral surface of the swollen fore tibiae is covered with numerous, very fine pores, with a density of 0.0068–0.0076 pores/μm2. The distance between the pores varies between 4.04 and 10.77μm. Each pore unit is composed of a deep cavity in which one central sponge-like, grooved disc is set. The opening of the cavity is c. 5.20–5.78 μm in diameter. The central, sponge-like disc in the cavity has a sponge-like apex with 55–65 longitudinal grooves and measures 4.34–4.55 μm in diameter. There are also one to three fine, nearly ellipsoidal pits (c. 0.35–0.48 μm wide and 0.62–0.85 μm long) on the marginal cuticle rim surrounding the central sponge-like disc. These pores are presumed to be male pheromone-producing glands. If so, this represents the first report of a possible male pheromone structure in cercopid spittlebugs. Two new species of the spittlebug genus Augustohahnia Schmidt (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea), A. dilatitibia sp. nov. and A. sanguinifrons sp. nov., both from New Guinea, are described and illustrated. A key to the four known species in Augustohahnia is provided.

The native terrestrial food web of sub-Antarctic islands is dominated by decomposers with rare herbivores and almost no predators. As a consequence of increasing human activities, the number of alien plants and invertebrates species, including phytophagous species, has been dramatically rising on these islands. These repeated introductions seem likely to have a great impact on the ecosystem functioning. This is the first detailed study on species diversity, host range and spatial distribution of aphids on French sub-Antarctic islands. Six cosmopolitan and polyphagous aphid species have been recorded on these islands. Five species have been found in the wild where they colonized native and introduced plants, and one species was confined to a glasshouse. Aphids colonized a littoral band and were limited to below 200 m a.s.l. Their spatial distribution is constrained by host plant distribution and temperature. The two dominant species, Myzus ascalonicus and Rhopalosiphum padi, are obligately parthenogenetic in these islands and have been observed to be active on plants during winter. The other species are also presumably obligate parthenogens because of the absence of host plants where sexual reproduction can occur. We suggest that polyphagy and parthenogenesis are major biological traits that influence colonization success by aphids in a sub-Antarctic environment.

A wide variety of Hemiptera species are found on the leaves of palms in humid tropical zones. Many of them are highly polyphagous, and generally once adult, only accidentally end up on palm leaves, on which they can nevertheless feed. Other hemipterans spend the whole of their developmental cycle on palms, and some seem to live on palms alone. Most of the Hemiptera have no economic impact on their hosts, since their population levels are rarely high enough to cause significant damage. However, some Heteroptera: Coreoidea and Homoptera: Coccoidea species can be very damaging primary pests. Others amongst the Homoptera: Fulgoroidea, Cicadelloidea and Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea transmit serious diseases that have decimated oil palm and coconut plantations, for example coconut lethal yellowing in Africa and the Caribbean, and oil palm and coconut trypanosome diseases in Latin America. Lastly, some Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea and Reduvioidea species are natural enemies of lepidopteran caterpillars.