Spodoptera eridania and S. ornithogalli (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which are polyphagous pests that damage various crops such as tomatoes and beans are regulated quarantine species that are highly likely to invade South Korea. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly and accurately identify the presence of S. eridania and S. ornithogalli in crop fields to effectively eradicate as a regulated quarantine species. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, which allows for rapid in-field identification. To develop the LAMP　assay, we selected target species-specific genomic regions from the whole-genome sequences of one target and 13 other lepidopteran species. We validated each five and six primer sets that consistently produced positive reactions in S. eridania and S. ornithogalli, respectively. To test the sensitivity of the each locus, LAMP reactions were performed using various reaction times using crude DNA, which was extracted from various types of adult tissues. All sensitivity tests were also successful.

Five insecticides (Acrinathrin, Dinotefuran, Emamectin benzoate, Chlorfenapyr and fluxametamide) approved for tomato cultivation were evaluated in Frankliniella occidentalis populations collected from Chungcheong province (Cheongyang, Chungju and Gongju). Leaf dip bioassay was used to evaluate resistance levels (LC50). Bioassays on Acrinathrin demonstrated higher LC50 concentration in evaluated populations. In particular, the Chungju population was 745.61 times the recommended concentration of the insecticide. Other remarkable resistance levels were recorded for the Dinotefuran with 435.06 times and 196.29 times the recommended concentrations for the populations from Chungju and Gongju, respectively. Bioassays for Emamectin benzoate, Chlorfenapyr and Fluxametamide showed low resistance to insecticides in the evaluated populations.

The box tree moth (BTM, Cydalima perspectalis Walker) is a pest that infests various plants within the Buxus genus. Although a specific parasitoid wasp species associated with the BTM has been observed in the Republic of Korea, no research on this species has been published. Here we describe the fundamental biological and morphological characteristics of this parasitoid. We placed the wasp under the genus Eriborus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae). Eriborus sp. parasitizes within the living host body, with one wasp emerging from each host. The parasitism rate in collected BTM populations was 33.1%. The emergence rate was 87.1%, with all emerging adults being females, resulting in a sex ratio of 0. The pupal period averaged 9.5 days, and the adult lifespan averaged 10.5 days. Eriborus sp. parasitized BTM larvae from the first to the fourth instar and reproduced by parthenogenesis. Eriborus sp. exhibited morphological differences compared with previously reported Eriborus species in Korea, particularly in the length of the ovipositor sheath. In addition, the proportion of the highest similarity in nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I DNA was only 94.53%, rendering species identification using GenBank’s mt cytochrome c oxidase 1 DNA sequences unfeasible. These data suggest Eriborus sp. could be used as a biological control agent for managing BTM infestations.

Yellow flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis is mainly controlled using chemical control methods. But the continuous use of chemical pesticides in greenhouse may contribute to development of insecticide resistance. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the insecticidal activity of eleven insecticides against the WFT occurring in greenhouse pepper cultivation in the Gyeonggi province. The results showed no resistance in treatments with emamectin benzoate, fluxametamide, and flometoquin while high levels of resistance were recorded in treatments with acrinathrin, acetamiprid, and dinotefuran. The Anseong and Yeoju population was more resistant against spinetoram and chlorfluazuron, respectively, than populations from other regions.

This research explores the complex interdependencies and dynamic interactions governing the adaptation of species co-evolving within the framework of Eco-Evo-Neuro-Devo, using the fascinating fig-wasp mutualism as a model system. Figs, which have many flowers blooming inside the fruit, are completely dependent on fig wasps as pollinators. The fig-wasp mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where fig trees provide a habitat and food source for specific wasp species, while the wasps, in turn, facilitate pollination and seed dispersal for the fig tree. The fig wasp is born and grows inside the fig fruit and becomes an adult. After mating, the female fig wasp is covered with pollen and enters another fruit, pollinates it and lays eggs there. In addition to the fig-wasp mutualism, additional interactions among hyperparasitic wasps, called non-pollinating fig wasp (NPFW), and flies, nematodes are frequently observed, shaping the co-evolution of the symbionts in the fig community. This study aims to identify the symbionts that make up the symbiotic system, their ecological interactions and genome evolution, and build a model to explore the mechanisms of symbiotic evolution at the molecular level. Sampling and identifying figs and fig-related insects through fieldwork in Korea, various techniques including GC-MS, in situ staining, electrophysiology, and diverse omics tools including WGS, RNA-seq will be implemented to investigate how chemical ecologies of the fig community shape the chemosensory systems of species. Additionally, we will build a cross-platform with Drosophila to narrow the distance between model species and non-model species, facilitating comparative studies across different model organism systems.

Our study examined a total of 60 dead wood samples (Quercus spp.), collecting 30 samples each in summer and winter, and measured various environmental variables in the field. These samples were classified into three decay classes: fresh, intermediate, well-decayed. We sampled saproxylic beetles within the collected dead wood using emergence traps. Conducted a cluster analysis to explore their relationships of saproxylic beetle and environmental variables. Our results revealed that season and decay class were significant environmental variables affecting saproxylic beetle communities. These results highlight the sensitivity of saproxylic beetles to fluctuations of environment and climate. In summary, our study highlights the intricate relationships between environmental variables and saproxylic beetles and suggests that different types of dead wood should be maintained in forests.

깡충거미과의 모습을 의태하여 시각적 포식자인 깡충거미로부터 자신을 보호하는 전략은 여러 나비목 곤충 에서 진화하였다. 하지만 나비목 곤충이 깡충거미 간의 의사소통 신호를 의태한다는 가설은 제안된 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 깡충거미과의 구애/영역성 행동을 의태하는 것으로 추정되는 붉은꼬마꼭지나방(Atkinsonia ignipicta)의 빗살 모양 더듬이와 추켜 올린 다리가 포식을 단념시키는 의태 신호로 작동하는지 실험적으로 검증 하였다. 깡충거미 의태라 추측되는 붉은꼬마꼭지나방의 형태적 및 행동적 특성들을 단계적으로 제외한 뒤 포식 자(흰눈썹깡충거미, Evarcha albaria)와의 조우 시 생존을 비교하였다. 연구 결과, 붉은꼬마꼭지나방은 비슷한 크기의 비-의태 나방에 비해 포식자의 공격을 덜 받았으며, 더듬이나 다리 중 하나라도 결여되었을 때 흰눈썹깡충 거미의 공격이 증가하였다. 이는 붉은꼬마꼭지나방의 더듬이와 다리 모두가 시각적 방어의 중요한 신호로 작동 한다는 것을 시사한다. 하지만 흰눈썹깡충거미가 붉은꼬마꼭지나방을 향해 구애/영역성 행동을 보이지 않았다 는 점에서 깡충거미의 낮은 공격 빈도가 같은 깡충거미 종류로 오인해서인지 다른 이유에서인지는 불투명하다. 그러나 사층깡충거미(Marpissa pulla)는 붉은꼬마꼭지나방을 상대로 영역성 행동을 잦은 빈도로 보였으며, 이는 붉은꼬마꼭지나방의 형태가 깡충거미 의태 효과를 가진다는 것을 보여준다.

Distractive marking, as conceptualized by Abbott H. Thayer, refers to diminutive patterns of contrasting colors on an animal’s body. Thayer hypothesized that these patterns augment camouflage by diverting predatory focus from the outline of the prey, however, the evidence was insufficient. In this study, we verified the hypothesis that the presence of distractive markings confers a survival advantage under specific conditions. Specifically, the experiment aimed to ascertain whether the existence of lichens on trees hinders the visual detection of prey, given that lichens resemble distractive markings. The experimental design involved human subjects as predators and artificial moth images on a monitor as prey. The survival of moths with and without distractive markings was compared, also considering the influence of the presence of lichens in the background. As an analysis result, the survival likelihood of moths was statistically significantly hindered when the distractive marking was present. This result contradicts Thayer‘s hypothesis and implies the presence of a function distinct other than the enhancement of camouflage.

Vespa mandarinia (Vespidae: Hymenoptera) is one of the two largest true hornets known to science. The species is a noted predator of social Hymenoptera and a significant pest of managed honey bees in its native range, but is also known to feed on a wide variety of other species when available. Most of the prey records for V. mandarinia are derived from visual observations in Japan, with sparse observations from other parts of its native range. A population of V. mandarinia was detected in North America in 2019 and five nests were removed between 2019 and 2021. We extracted DNA from larval meconia from four nests collected in Washington State, USA, and amplified the CO1 region to determine the potential prey base. We compared these with sequences generated from three nests in the Republic of Korea, and with prey pellets collected from foraging hornets at several locations in Korea. Results indicate that the prey base was much wider in the ROK than the USA, although social Hymenoptera were the most abundant and common prey items in both regions. Prey range seems to be bound by an intersection of organism size and local biodiversity, with little evidence to suggest that the latter is a limiting factor in colony success.

The Korea Forest Service has designated seven alpine tree species—Abies koreana, A. nephrolepis, Juniperus chinensis, Picea jezoensis, Pinus pumila, Taxus cuspidata, and Thuja koraiensis—as threatened with extinction in Korea. In 2023, we conducted a study on the seasonal occurrence of insect pests, focusing mainly on two coleopteran taxa (Cerambycidae and Scolytinae) and two hemipteran taxa (Aphrophoridae and Cicadellidae) in subalpine forests dominated by A. koreana, A. nephrolepis, Picea jezoensis, Thuja koraiensis, and Taxus cuspidata. We utilized three types of traps—Malaise trap, Lindgren funnel trap, and window trap—in eight investigation locations in Korea. In this presentation, we present the study results and discuss the effects of insect pests on alpine coniferous trees in Korea.

Climate change has made outbreaks of insect-transmitted plant viruses increasingly unpredictable. Understanding spatio-temporal dynamics of insect vector migration can help forecast virus outbreaks, but the relationship is often poorly characterized. The incidence of Beet curly top virus (BCTV) was examined in 2,196 tomato fields in California from 2013-2022. In addition, we experimentally showed dispersal of the beet leafhopper, the only known vector of BCTV is negatively correlated with plant greenness, and we estimated spring migration timing using a vegetation greenness-based model. Potential environmental factors and spring migration time of beet leafhoppers were associated with BCTV incidence. We found BCTV incidence is strongly associated with spring migration timing rather than environmental factors themselves. In addition, the vegetation greenness-based model was able to accurately predict the severe BCTV outbreaks in 2013 and 2021 in California. The predictive model for spring migration time was implemented into a web-based mapping system, serving as a decision support tool for management purposes.