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Beetles of Eastern North Americais a landmark book--the most comprehensive full-color guide to the remarkably diverse and beautiful beetles of the United States and Canada east of the Mississippi River. It is the first color-illustrated guide to cover 1,406 species in all 115 families that occur in the region--and the first new in-depth guide to the region in more than forty years. Lavishly illustrated with over 1,500 stunning color images by some of the best insect photographers in North America, the book features an engaging and authoritative text by noted beetle expert Arthur Evans. Extensive introductory sections provide essential information on beetle anatomy, reproduction, development, natural history, behavior, and conservation. Also included are tips on where and when to find beetles; how to photograph, collect, and rear beetles; and how to contribute to research. Each family and species account presents concise and easy-to-understand information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range. Organized by family, the book also includes an illustrated key to the most common beetle families, with 31 drawings that aid identification, and features current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other guides. An unmatched guide to the rich variety of eastern North American beetles, this is an essential book for amateur naturalists, nature photographers, insect enthusiasts, students, and professional entomologists and other biologists. Provides the only comprehensive, authoritative, and accessible full-color treatment of the region's beetlesCovers 1,406 species in all 115 families east of the Mississippi RiverFeatures more than 1,500 stunning color images from top photographersPresents concise information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range for each species and familyIncludes an illustrated key to the most common beetle families

Background The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters belong to a large superfamily of proteins that have important physiological functions in all living organisms. Most are integral membrane proteins that transport a broad spectrum of substrates across lipid membranes. In insects, ABC transporters are of special interest because of their role in insecticide resistance. Results We have identified 73 ABC transporter genes in the genome of T. castaneum , which group into eight subfamilies (ABCA-H). This coleopteran ABC family is significantly larger than those reported for insects in other taxonomic groups. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this increase is due to gene expansion within a single clade of subfamily ABCC. We performed an RNA interference (RNAi) screen to study the function of ABC transporters during development. In ten cases, injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into larvae caused developmental phenotypes, which included growth arrest and localized melanization, eye pigmentation defects, abnormal cuticle formation, egg-laying and egg-hatching defects, and mortality due to abortive molting and desiccation. Some of the ABC transporters we studied in closer detail to examine their role in lipid, ecdysteroid and eye pigment transport. Conclusions The results from our study provide new insights into the physiological function of ABC transporters in T. castaneum, and may help to establish new target sites for insect control.

Tribolium castaneum is a member of the most species-rich eukaryotic order, a powerful model organism for the study of generalized insect development, and an important pest of stored agricultural products. We describe its genome sequence here. This omnivorous beetle has evolved the ability to interact with a diverse chemical environment, as shown by large expansions in odorant and gustatory receptors, as well as P450 and other detoxification enzymes. Development in Tribolium is more representative of other insects than is Drosophila, a fact reflected in gene content and function. For example, Tribolium has retained more ancestral genes involved in cellcell communication than Drosophila, some being expressed in the growth zone crucial for axial elongation in short-germ development. Systemic RNA interference in T. castaneum functions differently from that in Caenorhabditis elegans, but nevertheless offers similar power for the elucidation of gene function and identification of targets for selective insect control.

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is the most destructive pest of stored grain commodities. To control the attack of this insect pest, it is important to develop non-hazardous alternatives to replace fumigants. This study examined the fumigant toxicity and repellent activity of seven essential oils (Chinopodium ambrosiodes, Pinus roxburghii, Zanthoxylum armatum, Lepidium sativum, Azadirachta indica, Baccharis teindalensis, and Origanum majorana) against adult T. castaneum under controlled laboratory conditions. The fumigant toxicity and repellent activities of essential oils were tested using five different doses (62.5, 125, 250, 500, and 1000 µg) in vapour-phase fumigation and four-arm olfactometer bioassays, respectively. In vapor-phase fumigation bioassays, mortality data were recorded after 24, 48, and 72 h. The results showed that C. ambrosiodes and P. roxburghii essential oils are potential fumigants against adult T. castaneum. In repellency bioassays, a one-week-old adult population of T. castaneum was used to test the repellency potential of the essential oils. The results indicated that C. ambrosiodes and P. roxburghii had significant repellency potential against T. castaneum. Overall, we conclude that these essential oils have strong repellent and fumigant properties and can be used as potential repellent compounds to deter the insects.

As fumigants face increasing regulatory restrictions, resistance, and consumer pushback, it is vital to expand the integrated pest management (IPM) chemical toolkit for stored products. The production of biomass derived insecticides (e.g., bio-oil fraction) from byproducts of biofuel production may be a promising alternative source of chemistries for controlling stored product insects. These potential insecticidal bio-oils were fractionated based on boiling points (ranging from 115 to 230°C in one series and 245–250°C in another). Fractions were analyzed using GC-MS, and were found to be unique in composition. The lethality of these fractions was tested on Tribolium castaneum, Tribolium confusum, and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). Fractions were tested at concentrations ranging from 5–260 mg/ml to screen for efficacy against adults for durations of 2–8 hr sprayed on concrete arenas. In addition, a separate assay evaluated adult emergence of larvae after 6 wk with supplemental food in arenas, while repellency was evaluated against four stored product insect species in a laminar wind tunnel. A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions life cycle assessment was also performed, which found the use of the bio-oil fraction could reduce GHG emissions associated with the insecticide supply chain by 25–61% relative to a fossil-fuel based insecticide or pyrethroid. While adults were largely unaffected, we found that larval emergence was significantly suppressed compared to controls by roughly half or more. We also determined that there was minimal repellency to most fractions by most species. We conclude that the use of bio-oil fractions is a climate-friendly choice that may support IPM programs. Graphical Abstract

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have gained significant attention in nanotechnology due to their unique properties and potential applications in various fields, including insecticidal and antibacterial activities. The ZnO-NPs were biosynthesized by Eriobotrya japonica leaf extract and characterized by various techniques such as UV–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. The results of SEM revealed that NPs were irregular and spherical-shaped, with a diameter between 5 and 27 nm. Meanwhile, DLS supported that the measured size distributions were 202.8 and 94.7 nm at 11.1° and 90.0°, respectively, which supported the polydisperse nature of NPs, and the corresponding zeta potential was −20.4 mV. The insecticidal activity of the produced ZnO-NPs was determined against the adult stage of coleopteran pests, Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus) (Curculionidae) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Tenebrionidae). The LC50 values of ZnO-NPs against adults of S. oryzae and T. castaneum at 24 h of exposure were 7125.35 and 5642.65 μg/mL, respectively, whereas the LC90 values were 121,824.56 and 66,825.76 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the biosynthesized nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against three potato bacterial pathogens, and the size of the inhibition zone was concentration-dependent. The data showed that the inhibition zone size increased with an increase in the concentration of nanoparticles for all bacterial isolates tested. The highest inhibition zone was observed for Ralstonia solanacearum at a concentration of 5 µg/mL, followed by Pectobacterium atrosepticum and P. carotovorum. Eventually, ZnO-NPs could be successfully used as an influential agent in pest management programs against stored-product pests and potato bacterial diseases.

Background Insect wings are an excessively diverse structures, which have fascinated scientist for centuries. Coleoptera is the largest order in the insect group and the most successful animal on earth (Nature Communications 9(205):1–11, 2018). In order to adapt to the change in the environments, they developed strategies to cope up with different factors. The most distinctive feature of beetles is that the forewings are sclerotized into elytra; from this, they get their formal name (koleos = sheath, pteron = wing). The elytra play an important role in protecting the delicate hindwings and the dorsal surface of the abdomen. Besides its influence on protective the hindwing during flight, the forewings are open enough to allow the hindwings to unfold and function. Result The structural and mechanical properties in living organisms may improve the understanding of natural solutions and advance the design of novel artificial materials. In this paper, the morphological and histological structure of the wings of two species of beetles, Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum , has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The organic chemical function groups of the wings were detected using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Both Tribolium species have considerable variations regarding the total thickness, and width of the hemolymph space within the elytra. The elytra of both species bear conspicuous field of trichoid sensilla from dorsal side and numerous gland openings with a pit. The michrotrichia found on the ventral side may have an important role in wing folding. The presence of C–H stretching bands with the prevalence of methylene bands may indicate the presence of long-chain aliphatic acids in surface waxes in T. castaneum . The height of the spikes of the hindwings was remarkable by hydrogen-bonded O–H and N–H amide stretching vibration and was correlated to the thickness of the wing. Conclusion Insect wings are a core example of histological and morphological novelty. This study illustrates the morphological and histological structure of both the forewing and hindwing of Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum which were the most destructive pest stored products.

The eggs of the stored grain pests, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), T. confusum (Duval) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae) belonging to three age groups, 1, 2, and 3 days-old, were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation with 254nm wavelength (UV-C) for different durations to determine irradiation effects on egg-hatching and adult emergence. An increase in time of exposure to UV-rays caused a gradual decrease in the percentage of hatching of eggs in all age groups of eggs. No hatching occurred after 24 minutes of exposure in 2 and 3 day-old eggs of T. confusum. C. cautella eggs were less sensitive to UV-rays than were T. castaneum and T. confusum eggs. All the exposure periods significantly reduced the eclosion of adults in all the experimental insects. No adults emerged when 3 day-old eggs of T. castaneum were irradiated for 16 or 24 minutes, or from 2 and 3 day-old eggs T. confusum irradiated for 16 or 24 minutes.

Tribolium castaneum is one of the major pests of stored grains which causes extensive damages. To control this insect pest many synthetic chemical pesticides are used. However, continuous usage of synthetic fumigants causes pest resurgence, toxic residues, genetic resistance in pests, environmental contamination and health hazards etc., To avert these problems, essential oils are used as bio-fumigants to control the stored pests. They could act as best alternatives to synthetic fumigant in closed environment. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the pesticidal activity of Callistemon citrinus oil against Tribolium castaneum. GC-MS analysis of C. citrinus essential oil (EO) showed 10 compounds; among them, the major constituent was eucalyptol (1, 8-cineole) at 40.44%. The lethal concentration (LC.sub.50) values were 37.05 [mu]L/L (adults) and 144.31 [mu]L/L (larvae) at 24 and 48 hrs respectively. Exposure to C. citrinus EO significantly reduced the beetle fecundity, ovicidal activity, egg hatchability, larvae survival and emergence of adult. The effect of EO on enzymatic activity of T. castaneum adults was examined using Acetylcholinesterase, [alpha]-Carboxylesterase, [beta]-Carboxylesterase, Glutathione-S-Transferase, Acid and Alkaline phosphatase assays. The results indicated that the activity of detoxification enzymes drastically varied when compared with control. This EO had toxicant effects on all stages of the life of T. castaneum.

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is an economically important pest of stored products. As possible alternative to conventional insecticides for its management, plant essential oils have gained interest owing to their effectiveness and eco-friendly features. However, they also show some drawbacks, such as low stability, poor water solubility and diffusion, and limited persistence in the environment. A good strategy to overcome these disadvantages is represented by green nanotechnologies. Herein, we developed a nanoemulsion based on the essential oil from Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae) containing 81.2% of (E)-anethole and evaluated its toxicity on T. castaneum adults and F1 progeny, as well as its morphological and histological impact. The aniseed oil nanoemulsion was characterized by the formation of a semi-solid interphase between oil and water; mean drop size was 198.9 nm, PDI was 0.303, zeta potential was − 25.4 ± 4.47 mV, and conductivity was 0.029 mS/cm. The nanoemulsion showed toxicity on T. castaneum (LC50 = 9.3% v/v), with a significant impact on its progeny. Morphological and histological damages triggered by feeding and exposure to the aniseed nanoemulsion were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy. Overall, our findings showed that the development of nanoemulsions allows to improve the stability of P. anisum essential oil enhancing its efficacy against stored grain pests and contributing to reduce the use of harmful synthetic insecticides.