Exploration-exploitation model of moth-inspired olfactory navigation.

Navigation of male moths towards females during the mating search offers a unique perspective on the exploration-exploitation (EE) model in decision-making. This study uses the EE model to explain male moth pheromone-driven flight paths. Wind tunnel measurements and three-dimensional tracking using infrared cameras have been leveraged to gain insights into male moth behaviour.

Effects of Natural Habitat and Season on Cursorial Spider Assemblages in Mediterranean Vineyards.

Natural habitats adjacent to vineyards are presumed to have a positive effect on the diversity of natural enemies within the vineyards. However, these habitats differ in vegetation structure and seasonal phenology and in turn could affect the species composition of natural enemies. Here, we compared the species richness and diversity and the composition of spider assemblages in several locations within three commercial vineyards and the nearby natural habitats in a Mediterranean landscape in northern Israel.

Sib-mating enhances fitness in a haplodiploid beetle.

Inbreeding is generally avoided in animals due to the risk of inbreeding depression following an increase in homozygous deleterious alleles and loss of heterozygosity. Species that regularly inbreed challenge our understanding of the fitness effects of these risks. We investigated the fitness consequences of extended inbreeding in the haplodiploid date stone beetle, Coccotrypes dactyliperda.

Open-source computational simulation of moth-inspired navigation algorithm: A benchmark framework.

Olfactory navigation is defined as a task of a self-propelled navigator with some sensors capabilities to detect odor (or scalar concentration) convected and diffused in a windy environment. Known for their expertise in locating an odor source, male moths feature a bio-inspirational model of olfactory navigation using chemosensory. Many studies have developed moths-inspired algorithms based on proposed strategies of odor-sourcing.

Novel RNA Viruses from the Transcriptome of Pheromone Glands in the Pink Bollworm Moth, .

In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome obtained from the pheromone gland isolated from two Israeli populations of the pink bollworm to identify viral sequences. The lab population and the field samples carried the same viral sequences. We discovered four novel viruses: two positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, Pectinophora gossypiella virus 1 (PecgV1, a virus of ) and Pectinophora gossypiella virus 4 (PecgV4, unclassified), and two negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, Pectinophora gossypiella virus 2 (PecgV2, a virus of ) and Pectinophora gossypiella virus 3 (PecgV3, a virus of ).

Special Issue: Ecology of Sex and Sexual Communication in Insects.

Sexual reproduction places constraints on both the place and time in which individuals can reproduce, as the sperm and ova need to meet in a certain location within a specific time frame for successful reproduction [...

Pheromone gland transcriptome of the pink bollworm moth, Pectinophora gossypiella: Comparison between a laboratory and field population.

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, is a world-wide pest of cotton and in some parts of the cotton growing region is controlled by the mating disruption technique using synthetic sex pheromone. The sex pheromone consists of two compounds, (Z,Z)- and (Z,E)-7,11-hexadecadienyl acetates, in about a 50:50 ratio. However, recently, a population with sex pheromone compound ratios of about 62:38 were found in cotton fields that use mating disruption in Israel.

Moth-inspired navigation algorithm in a turbulent odor plume from a pulsating source.

Some female moths attract male moths by emitting series of pulses of pheromone filaments propagating downwind. The turbulent nature of the wind creates a complex flow environment, and causes the filaments to propagate in the form of patches with varying concentration distributions. Inspired by moth navigation capabilities, we propose a navigation strategy that enables a flier to locate an upwind pulsating odor source in a windy environment using a single threshold-based detection sensor.

Precopulatory behavior and sexual conflict in the desert locust.

Studies of mating and reproductive behavior have contributed much to our understanding of various animals' ecological success. The desert locust, , is an important agricultural pest. However, knowledge of locust courtship and precopulatory behavior is surprisingly limited.

Does mating disruption of Planococcus ficus and Lobesia botrana affect the diversity, abundance and composition of natural enemies in Israeli vineyards?

Background: Mating disruption (MD) employs high doses of a pest's synthetic sex pheromone in agricultural plots, to interfere with its reproduction. MD is assumed to have few behavioral effects on non-target arthropods, because sex pheromones are highly species-specific and non-toxic. Nevertheless, some natural enemies use their host's sex pheromones as foraging cues, and thus may be attracted to MD plots.

Copulation with immature females increases male fitness in cannibalistic widow spiders.

Copulatory cannibalism of male 'widow' spiders (genus Latrodectus) is a model example of the extreme effects of sexual selection, particularly in L. hasselti and L. geometricus where males typically facilitate cannibalism by females and mate only once.

Female detection of the synthetic sex pheromone contributes to the efficacy of mating disruption of the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana.

Background: Studies of the mechanisms by which mating-disruption techniques control insect pest populations have traditionally focused on the effects of the species-specific sex pheromone on the male moths, while neglecting possible direct effects of the pheromone on females. Here, the effects of exposure to synthetic species-specific sex-pheromone on Lobesia botrana (European grapevine moth) females were tested.

Results: Females in vineyards that were treated with mating-disruption pheromone burst into short bouts of flying more frequently, but called significantly less frequently than females in untreated plots.

Effects of radiation on inherited sterility in the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana).

Background: The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an alternative, environmentally friendly method for controlling insect pests. In the Lepidoptera, a low dose of gamma irradiation causes inherited sterility (SIT-IS), leading to full sterility in females but only partial sterility in males, which successfully compete with wild males for mates. This study examined the effect of a low radiation dose (150 Gy) on the fitness parameters of male and female Lobesia botrana, a polyphagous and major pest of vineyards found in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

Fitness cost of pheromone production in signaling female moths.

A secondary sexual character may act as an honest signal of the quality of the individual if the trait bears a cost and if its expression is phenotypically condition dependent. The cost of increasing the trait should be tolerable for individuals in good condition but not for those in a poor condition. The trait thus provides an honest signal of quality that enables the receiver to choose higher quality mates.

Developmental patterns in the polyembryonic parasitoid wasp Copidosoma koehleri.

Polyembryony is a unique mode of development in which multiple genetically identical embryos develop from a single egg. In some polyembryonic species a proportion of the embryos develop into soldier larvae, which attack competitors in the host. We studied the development of the polyembryonic wasp Copidosoma koehleri in its host Phthorimaea opercullela.

Pest management programmes in vineyards using male mating disruption.

Israeli vine growers have been reluctant to adopt the mating disruption technique for control of the European vine moth, Lobesia botrana Den. & Schiff. Since the chemically controlled honeydew moth, Cryptoblabes gnidiella Mill.

Vitex agnus-castus is a preferred host plant for Hyalesthes obsoletus.

Hyalesthes obsoletus Signoret (Homoptera: Cixiidae) is a polyphagous planthopper that transmits stolbur phytoplasma (a causative agent of "yellows" disease) to various weeds, members of the Solanaceae, and wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) in Europe and the Middle East. Planthoppers were collected by hand vacuuming eight native plant species.

Mating disruption of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): effect of pheromone formulations and concentrations.

The reluctance of Israeli vine growers to adopt the mating disruption technique to control the moth Lobesia botrana Den. & Schiff. has been attributed to the high cost of this method compared with that of traditional insecticide control.