The biogeographic patterns of the olive fly and its primary symbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola across the distribution area of the olive tree.

The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi, 1790), is the major insect pest of olives attacking both cultivated and wild olive. Bactrocera oleae carries a primary and vertically transmitted symbiont, the bacterium Candidatus Erwinia dacicola. As any primary symbiont, it plays an important role in the reproduction and lifespan of the fly.

Two new host records for Ferrière (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) from eggs of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera, Ensifera) in northeastern Italy.

The egg parasitoid Ferrière is reported for the first time from sentinel eggs of two species of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera), (Brunner von Wattenwyl) and (Fieber). In Italy, only two hosts of this parasitic wasp are known, one of which is a tettigoniid species. Exposure of sentinel eggs represented a useful method to detect new host associations of this parasitoid species that can search for their host's eggs in the ground.

Effect of summer temperature on prolonged diapause of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera) under realistic field conditions.

To face recurrent temperature changes, tettigoniids inhabiting temperate climates overwinter as eggs in a diapause stage, being able to postpone embryogenesis for one or more years. To date, it is unclear if species living in warm regions, especially under the Mediterranean climate, could exhibit a diapause for a single year or enter a prolonged diapause due to higher summer temperatures experienced by eggs immediately after oviposition. In this two-year study, we tested the effect of summer temperatures on diapause of six Mediterranean tettigoniid species under natural field conditions.

Selection of inter-row herbaceous covers in a sloping, organic, non-irrigated vineyard.

Inter-row vegetation in vineyards is classified as a service crop as it provides many ecosystem services. The vegetation is often removed but maintaining them can mitigate the negative effects on the environment. However, the type of species or mixture choice can affect their success.

Effect of repeated intakes of a neonicotinoid insecticide on the foraging behaviours of Apis mellifera in field trials.

Evaluating the effects of neonicotinoids on forager bees in conditions as near as possible to those in nature presents a considerable challenge. Tackling this challenge is, however, necessary to establish their negative side effects on these pollinators. For instance, it is still under debate the mechanism by which bees seem to recognize low-level contaminations of neonicotinoid insecticides in nectar and pollen of the flowers they visit and limit collection to protect themselves and their hive from a possible intoxication.

Increasing temperatures affect multiyear life cycle of the outbreak bush-cricket Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae).

Although outbreaks of rare species are unusual, several insect species have become emerging pests probably due to the ongoing environmental changes. Barbitistes vicetinus was first described in 1993 as an endemic bush-cricket of north-east Italy and was considered rare until 2008, when it became an established pest, causing severe damages to forests and crops. The possible role of temperature in changing its life cycle has still to be fully understood.

Comparative efficacy of BG-Sentinel 2 and CDC-like mosquito traps for monitoring potential malaria vectors in Europe.

Background: Different trapping devices and attractants are used in the mosquito surveillance programs currently running in Europe. Most of these devices target vector species belonging to the genera Culex or Aedes, and no studies have yet evaluated the effectiveness of different trapping devices for the specific targeting of Anopheles mosquito species, which are potential vectors of malaria in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge by comparing the performance of trapping methods that are commonly used in European mosquito surveillance programs for Culex and Aedes for the specific collection of adults of species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex.

Oviposition Deterrent Activity of Fungicides and Low-Risk Substances for the Integrated Management of the Olive Fruit Fly (Diptera, Tephritidae).

The control of is fundamental to decreasing the significant production loss in olive cultivation. However, traditional containment based on the use of synthetic insecticides has been encountering serious limitations due to their negative effect on human health and the environment. Within the scope of integrated olive fly management, the use of products with repellency and oviposition deterrent activity might represent a more eco-friendly solution.

New and confirmed records of fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) from Italy.

Background: Prior to this study, 141 species of Tephritidae were known to occur in Italy.

New Information: Italian records of nine species of the family Tephritidae (Diptera) are provided. Five species, (Loew, 1840), Merz, 1992, (Loew, 1856), (Meigen, 1826) and Jermy, 1961 are recorded from Italy for the first time, whereas four species, (Frauenfeld, 1857), (Meigen, 1826), Merz, 1992 and Merz, 1992, previously recorded in the Fauna Europaea database without reference to collection material, are confirmed and supplemented with host plant data and other collection data.

Studying genetic population structure to shed light on the demographic explosion of the rare species Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae).

Insect outbreaks usually involve important ecological and economic consequences for agriculture and forestry. The short-winged bush-cricket Barbitistes vicetinus Galvagni & Fontana, 1993 is a recently described species that was considered rare until ten years ago, when unexpected population outbreaks causing severe defoliations across forests and crops were observed in north-eastern Italy. A genetic approach was used to analyse the origin of outbreak populations.

Co-haplotyping symbiont and host to unravel invasion pathways of the exotic pest Halyomorpha halys in Italy.

The brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is a globally invasive species that harbours the primary bacterial symbiont 'Candidatus Pantoea carbekii'. In this work, P. carbekii was used as another genetic marker to investigate the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns of this important pest, in native and newly invaded areas, especially in Italy.

Emergence phenology and temperature effect on the post-diapause egg development in the bush cricket (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae).

The tettigoniid Barbitistes vicetinus Galvagni & Fontana was described in 1993 as an endemic and rare bush-cricket of north-east Italy. Since 2008, this species has become a pest, causing repeated outbreaks with severe defoliations in broadleaf forests and neighbouring crops. Few data are currently available on ecology and life-cycle of this species, in particular about how temperature regulates egg-diapause and hatching phenology.

Tracking the origin and dispersal of the Asian chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) in Europe with molecular markers.

The Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus, is an invasive pest causing significant damage to chestnut trees (Castanea spp., Fagaceae). Originating from China, it has recently invaded a wide range of regions in Europe and North America.

Metagenomic analysis reveals changes of the Drosophila suzukii microbiota in the newly colonized regions.

The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a highly polyphagous pest of a wide variety of wild or cultivated berry and stone fruit. Originating from Southeast Asia, it has recently invaded a wide range of regions in Europe and North America. It is well known that insect microbiotas may significantly influence several aspects of the host biology and play an important role in invasive species introduction into new areas.

Bacterial communities associated with invasive populations of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in China.

The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a destructive insect pest of a wide range of fruits and vegetables. This pest is an invasive species and is currently distributed in some provinces of China. To recover the symbiotic bacteria of B.

Morphological and Molecular Identification of Anagrus 'atomus' Group (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) Individuals from Different Geographic Areas and Plant Hosts in Europe.

Morphological identification and molecular study on the COI gene were simultaneously conducted on Anagrus Haliday 'atomus' group individuals collected in the field in Italy or supplied from a UK biofactory. Females were morphologically identified as A. atomus L.

High genetic diversity in the Culex pipiens complex from a West Nile Virus epidemic area in Southern Europe.

Background: The Culex pipiens complex includes the most widespread mosquito species in the world. Cx. pipiens is the primary vector of the West Nile Virus (WNV) in Europe and North America.

Seasonal and Daily Activity Patterns of Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Vectors of Pathogens in Northeastern Italy.

The seasonal and daily activity of mosquito vectors of pathogens affecting animals and humans were studied in northeastern Italy at a site within the Po River Delta Park. A CDC-CO2 trap and a gravid trap were operated at 2-h intervals for 24 h every 15 d from May to October 2010. Overall, 5,788 mosquitoes comprising six species were collected, namely Culex pipiens L.

Efficacy of Two Common Methods of Application of Residual Insecticide for Controlling the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), in Urban Areas.

After its first introduction in the 1980's the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), has spread throughout Southern Europe. Ae. albopictus is considered an epidemiologically important vector for the transmission of many viral pathogens such as the yellow fever virus, dengue fever and Chikungunya fever, as well as several filarial nematodes such as Dirofilaria immitis or D.

Pattern of association between endemic Hawaiian fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and their symbiotic bacteria: Evidence of cospeciation events and proposal of "Candidatus Stammerula trupaneae".

Several insect lineages have evolved mutualistic association with symbiotic bacteria. This is the case of some species of mealybugs, whiteflies, weevils, tsetse flies, cockroaches, termites, carpenter ants, aphids and fruit flies. Some species of Tephritinae, the most specialized subfamily of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae), harbour co-evolved vertically transmitted, bacterial symbionts in their midgut, known as "Candidatus Stammerula spp.

A unique midgut-associated bacterial community hosted by the cave beetle Cansiliella servadeii (Coleoptera: Leptodirini) reveals parallel phylogenetic divergences from universal gut-specific ancestors.

Background: Cansiliella servadeii (Coleoptera) is an endemic troglobite living in deep carbonate caves in North-Eastern Italy. The beetle constantly moves and browses in its preferred habitat (consisting in flowing water and moonmilk, a soft speleothem colonized by microorganisms) self-preens to convey material from elytra, legs, and antennae towards the mouth. We investigated its inner and outer microbiota using microscopy and DNA-based approaches.

Antispila oinophylla new species (Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae), a new North American grapevine leafminer invading Italian vineyards: taxonomy, DNA barcodes and life cycle.

A grapevine leafminer Antispila oinophylla van Nieukerken & Wagner, sp. n., is described both from eastern North America (type locality: Georgia) and as a new important invader in North Italian vineyards (Trentino and Veneto Region) since 2006.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeling of enterobacteria associated with fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and persistence in their natural host Rhagoletis completa Cresson.

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are a highly successful, widespread group of insects that cause economic damage in agriculture. Data available so far on the composition of the bacterial community associated with their digestive tract indicate that members of Enterobacteriaceae are the species most often isolated. Bacteria naturally occurring in insect guts may be engineered and used to study the spatial and functional interactions of microbes within the insect system and offer one route to meet the demand for novel insect pest management strategies.

Evidence of two lineages of the symbiont 'Candidatus Erwinia dacicola' in Italian populations of Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) based on 16S rRNA gene sequences.

The close association between the olive fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and bacteria has been known for more than a century. Recently, the presence of a host-specific, hereditary, unculturable symbiotic bacterium, designated 'Candidatus Erwinia dacicola', has been described inside the cephalic organ of the fly, called the oesophageal bulb. In the present study, the 16S rRNA gene sequence variability of 'Ca.