Millière (Pyralidae, Phycitinae): An Emerging Grapevine Pest in Greece.

The honeydew moth, Millière (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is native to the Mediterranean Basin. However, it has recently been reported as an emerging grapevine pest in southern European Union countries and in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America. This may be attributed to the global warming trends.

Parametric Design and Mechanical Characterization of a Selective Laser Sintering Additively Manufactured Biomimetic Ribbed Dome Inspired by the Chorion of Lepidopteran Eggs.

The current research aims to analyze the shape and structural features of the eggs of the lepidoptera species sp. (Lepidoptera, Nympalidae) and develop design solutions through the implementation of a novel strategy of biomimetic design. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the chorion reveals a medial zone that forms an arachnoid grid resembling a ribbed dome with convex longitudinal ribs and concave transverse ring members.

The ongoing range expansion of the invasive oak lace bug across Europe: current occurrence and potential distribution under climate change.

In recent years, the oak lace bug, Corythucha arcuata, has emerged as a significant threat to European oak forests. This species, native to North America, has in the last two decades rapidly extended its range in Europe, raising concerns about its potential impact on the continent's invaluable oak populations. To address this growing concern, we conducted an extensive study to assess the distribution, colonization patterns, and potential ecological niche of the oak lace bug in Europe.

Three new species of Afropselaphus Jeannel, 1950 (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from Greece and a redescription of Pselaphogenius treskanus (Karaman, 1940).

Three new species of the genus Afropselaphus Jeannel, 1950, Afropselaphus taygetensis sp. n., Afropselaphus tymficus sp.

Climate, host and geography shape insect and fungal communities of trees.

Non-native pests, climate change, and their interactions are likely to alter relationships between trees and tree-associated organisms with consequences for forest health. To understand and predict such changes, factors structuring tree-associated communities need to be determined. Here, we analysed the data consisting of records of insects and fungi collected from dormant twigs from 155 tree species at 51 botanical gardens or arboreta in 32 countries.

Uncovering the Male Presence in Parthenogenetic (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae): Insights into Its mtDNA Divergence and Reproduction Strategy.

(Hemiptera: Marchalinidae), an endemic species in Greece and Turkey, is a major contributor to the annual honey production in its native range. However, in the areas that it invades, lacking natural enemies, it has detrimental effects on pine trees and potentially contributes to tree mortality. Although it was originally reported as thelytokous, males were later reported in Turkey and on several of the islands of Greece.

Photosynthetic and defensive responses of two Mediterranean oaks to insect leaf herbivory.

Insect herbivory is a dominant interaction across virtually all ecosystems globally and has dramatic effects on plant function such as reduced photosynthesis activity and increased levels of defenses. However, most previous work assessing the link between insect herbivory, photosynthesis and plant defenses has been performed on cultivated model plant species, neglecting a full understanding of patterns in natural systems. In this study, we performed a field experiment to investigate the effects of herbivory by a generalist foliar feeding insect (Lymantria dispar) and leaf mechanical damage on multiple leaf traits associated with defense against herbivory and photosynthesis activity on two sympatric oak species with contrasting leaf habit (the evergreen Quercus coccifera L.

Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs.

International trade in plants and climate change are two of the main factors causing damaging tree pests (i.e. fungi and insects) to spread into new areas.

Nematodes in the Pine Forests of Northern and Central Greece.

In the context of plants or plant products protection by harmful organisms, measures have been taken by EU countries in order to prevent their introduction and establishment into the EU, and also limit their expansion in case they do enter. Such a case is (Parasitaphelenchidae, Nematoda), already recorded in Portugal and Spain. So, Member States should take all the appropriate steps in order to monitor and confine if necessary susceptible plants and/or plant products.

Phenology and Potential Fecundity of in Greece.

Tanasijtshuk (Diptera, Chamaemyiidae) is the most abundant predator of the giant pine scale (GPS), (Hemiptera, Margarodidae) in Greece. GPS is native to Greece and Turkey, where it is not considered a pest of spp., but a valuable resource for pine honey production.

Alientoma, a Dynamic Database for Alien Insects in Greece and Its Use by Citizen Scientists in Mapping Alien Species.

Invasive alien species have been increasingly acknowledged as a major threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem services, while their adverse impacts expand to human health, society and the economy on a global scale. Insects represent one of the most numerous alien organismic groups, accounting for about one fifth of their total number. In Greece, a large number of alien insects have been identified, currently reaching 469 species.

Immediate and Delayed Mortality of Four Stored-Product Pests on Concrete Surfaces Treated with Chlorantraniliprole.

Chlorantraniliprole is an effective pesticide against a plethora of pests, but its efficacy against stored-product pests is very poorly explored. In this study we treated concrete surfaces with four different doses of chlorantraniliprole (0.01, 0.

Biotic threats for 23 major non-native tree species in Europe.

For non-native tree species with an origin outside of Europe a detailed compilation of enemy species including the severity of their attack is lacking up to now. We collected information on native and non-native species attacking non-native trees, i.e.

Bark and Wood Boring Insects-Past, Present, and the Future Knowledge We Need.

Bark and wood-boring insects represent a very diverse group of insects that includes bark and ambrosia beetles, cerambycids, weevils, jewel beetles, or even anobiids from the order of beetles (Coleoptera), but in the broader sense other insect orders like Lepidoptera (e [...

Effective Defense of Aleppo Pine Against the Giant Scale Through Ecophysiological and Metabolic Changes.

Aleppo pine () is widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and in other areas of the world, where it has been introduced due to its adaptive capacity to xerothermic conditions. The giant pine scale often infests Aleppo pine, as well as other pines, in several southeastern European countries, causing pine declines. When combined with the expected intensified heat and drought events in eastern Mediterranean, the impact of this biotic parameter on the host pines may be exacerbated.

New Data on the Range Expansion of the Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) 'ENA clade' in Greece: The Role of Bacterial Endosymbionts.

The pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis and Schiffermüller), is an important insect in the Mediterranean region, as it defoliates pines and its urticating hairs can cause allergic reactions in humans and animals. Moreover, this species exhibits an interesting genetic structure as recently a distinct East-North African mtDNA lineage ('ENA clade') has been described. This clade has been recently detected in Greek populations where it has currently expanded its range by replacing the 'endemic' T.

The Apennines as a cryptic Pleistocene refugium of the bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The Apennine Mountains in Italy are an important biogeographical region and of particular interest in phylogeographical research, because they have been a refugium during Pleistocene glaciation events for numerous European species. We performed a genetic study on the Eurasian bark beetle (Linnaeus, 1760), focusing on two Apennine (Italian) and two Central European (Austrian) locations to assess the influence of the Apennines in the evolutionary history of the beetle, particularly during the Pleistocene. We analysed a part of the mitochondrial gene and a set of 5470 informative genome-wide markers to understand its biogeography.

Limited Genetic Structure of Gypsy Moth Populations Reflecting a Recent History in Europe.

The gypsy moth, , a prominent polyphagous species native to Eurasia, causes severe impacts in deciduous forests during irregular periodical outbreaks. This study aimed to describe the genetic structure and diversity among European gypsy moth populations. Analysis of about 500 individuals using a partial region of the mitochondrial COI gene, was characterized by low genetic diversity, limited population structure, and strong evidence that all extant haplogroups arose via a single Holocene population expansion event.

New species of cynipid inquiline, Saphonecrus kuriphilusi (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini), from Dryocosmus kuriphilus galls in Greece.

Since Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) emerged worldwide as a dangerous pest of chestnuts, there is only one dubious record from Japan of a cynipid inquiline reared from its galls. This is the first comprehensively documented record of a cynipid inquiline, Saphonecrus kuriphilusi, new species reared from galls of D. kuriphilus in Greece.

Pleistocene climate cycling and host plant association shaped the demographic history of the bark beetle Pityogenes chalcographus.

Historical climatic oscillations and co-evolutionary dependencies were key evolutionary drivers shaping the current population structure of numerous organisms. Here, we present a genome-wide study on the biogeography of the bark beetle Pityogenes chalcographus, a common and widespread insect in Eurasia. Using Restriction Associated DNA Sequencing, we studied the population structure of this beetle across a wide part of its western Palaearctic range with the goal of elucidating the role of Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycling and its close relationship to its main host plant Norway spruce.

Revisiting the Distribution of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) and T. pityocampa ENA Clade in Greece.

In the present work, we sampled individuals of the processionary pine moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis and Schiffermüller; Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) from different areas of Greece between 2014 and 2016. These samples were sequenced for a 760-bp long mtDNA COI locus and the haplotypes retrieved clearly showed that the occurrence of T. pityocampa in Greece is being considerably restricted, with only 8 individuals out of the 221 exhibiting T.

Wolbachia infections and mitochondrial diversity of two chestnut feeding Cydia species.

Cydia splendana and C. fagiglandana are two closely related chestnut feeding lepidopteran moth species. In this study, we surveyed the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia in these two species.

Divergent evolutionary histories of two sympatric spruce bark beetle species.

Ips typographus and Pityogenes chalcographus are two sympatric Palearctic bark beetle species with wide distribution ranges. As both species are comparable in biology, life history, and habitat, including sharing the same host, Picea abies, they provide excellent models for applying a comparative approach in which to identify common historical patterns of population differentiation and the influence of species-specific ecological characteristics. We analysed patterns of genetic diversity, genetic structure and demographic history of ten I.