2023년에 국내에서 보고된 적이 없던 외래흰개미 3종이 각각 인천, 서울, 창원에서 발견되었다. 종 동정 결과, 인천에서 출현한 종(Coptotermes gestroi)은 Subterranean termite로 밝혀졌으며, 서울과 창원에서 출현한 종 (Cryptotermes domesticus, Incisitermes minor)은 Drywood termite로 밝혀졌다. 본래 우리나라에는 Subterranean termite 흰개미가 2종이 분포하고 있다고 보고되어 있었으나, 새로운 과 또는 속의 외래흰개미가 발견되면서 국민 들의 우려가 커지고 있다. 국내에서는 일부 외래흰개미를 법적으로 지정(유입주의 생물 2종, 관리병해충 15종)하 여 관리하고 있는데, 해당 흰개미와 그 외의 신규 흰개미의 출현으로 인한 피해가 우려되는 상황이다. 본 연구에서 는 ‘23년 유입된 3종 및 기존 법정관리 외래흰개미, 그리고 국내 유입과 위해가 우려되는 외래흰개미 5과 (Archotermopsidae, Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae, Termopsidae)를 조사하였으며, 이들의 생태적 특 징과 외국의 사례를 통해 외래흰개미 대비 방법에 대하여 고찰하였다.

2023년 경상북도 상주시 떫은감 과수원에서 잎 표피아래 굴을 파고 들어가면서 원형 또는 부정형의 식흔자국 을 남기는 증상을 관찰하였다. 해충의 유충은 녹색에서 적색으로 변하며 번데기 단계를 거쳐 성충(길이 3㎜, 갈색) 이 되어 탈출하였다. 본 해충에 대해 잎에서의 피해증상과 실험실에서 유전분석 결과 Genbank(GU816671,486bp DNA liner, 2016)에 등재되어 있는 감잎가는나방(Cuphodes diospyrosella)으로 동정되었다. 일본에서 1957년 최초 보고 후 우리나라에서는 주로 경남 창원과 진주의 농약 무살포 및 유기농 단감원에서 발생하였으나, 이번 경북지 역에 처음 발견되어 떫은감 재배 농업인과 현장지도원의 감잎가는나방에 대한 피해증상 진단에 활용할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

Group movements of insects are bases for unravelling origin of social behavior of animals and are important in both theoretical (e.g., evolution) and practical (monitoriing) aspects. Automatic recognition and effective computational methods were developed for characterizing multi-individual interactions in laboratory conditions. Movements of Drosophila species in different genetic strains were continuously observed across days. Characteristic behaviors are objectively expressed based on parameter extraction and data structure visualization. Group activities, including aggregation, inter-individual interactions and arena positioning were objectively characterized in different photo- and scoto-phases according to machine-learning and spatio-termporal patterning techniques. Individual-group relationships are presented regarding how individual movements would contribute to formulating group activities. Usefulness of automatic monitoring of insect group movement is further discussed for a basis for genetic functioning in behavioral aspect.

서부마른나무흰개미(신칭)는(Incisitermes minor) 미국 서부와 멕시코 북부를 포함하여 북미 서부가 원산인 종이며 주택을 포함한 목조 구조물에 치명적인 해충이다. 국내에선 2023년 9월 외래생물신고센터를 통해 경남 창원시 진해구의 한 가정집에서 흰개미 유시충이 발견되었다는 민원 신고로 처음 확인되었다. 그 이후 주변 지역 조사 결과 민원인 주택 주변에서 군집비행하는 흰개미 유시충 및 목재 피해 흔적을 통해 군체를 발견 확인하였다. 또한, 최초발견지에서 약 1km 떨어진 한 아파트 단지의 정자 및 그 일대에서 추가 군체가 확인되었다. 본 연구에서 는 채집된 흰개미의 형태와 유전자 정보를 통해 대상종을 확인하였고, 발견 및 피해 상황 정보를 통해 향후 해당 종의 관리를 위한 기초자료를 제공하고자 한다.

Here we review the genus Nycteola of the Nolidae (Lepidoptera). As the result of this study, we recognized already synonymized species N. costalis Sugi, 1959 of N. coreana (Leech, 1900) and newly recorded species N. dufayi Sugi, 1982. Whlie the number of Korean Nycteola species remain unchanged, the composition has been changed.

The baculovirus expression system (BES) utilize the p10 or polyhedrin promoter, a very late promoter that exhibits strong transcriptional activity primarily at the end of viral infection, to produce useful recombinant proteins. The burst sequence of the very late promoter is essential for strong transcription, and VLF-1 is a transcription factor that binds specifically to the burst sequence, and it has been reported that it can regulate the amount and timing of expression of protein by the very late promoter. Recently, a VLF-1 constitutively expressing cell line was constructed to increase the production of the target protein, but the effect was minimal. In this study, to find the optimal VLF-1 expression conditions to increase target protein production efficiency, we controlled the expression of VLF-1 through various promoters and evaluated the target protein expression efficiency by the p10 promoter accordingly.

쌍별귀뚜라미는 국내에서 식용 및 파충류의 먹이로 사용되는 중요한 산업곤충으로 알려져있다. 2023년 국내 쌍별귀뚜라미 농가에서 쌍별귀뚜라미 덴소바이러스 감염이 확인되었으며 바이러스 억제제가 요구되는 실정 이다. RNA 간섭(RNAi)은 dsRNA를 이용해 목적 유전자의 발현을 억제할 수 있는 작용기작을 가지며, 바이러스 특이적 시퀀스를 이용한다면 효과적으로 타겟 바이러스의 증식을 저해할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 덴소바이러스 에 감염된 귀뚜라미에 덴소바이러스 특이적 dsRNA를 제작하여 주입(injection)하고, 바이러스 발현 저해 효과를 관찰했다. 바이러스 감염 수준은 qPCR로 평가하였으며 dsRNA를 접종한 결과 체내 바이러스양이 감소함을 확인 했다. 이 연구는 향후 RNAi를 이용한 쌍별귀뚜라미 덴소바이러스 억제제 개발에 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다.

The habitat of Drosophila melanogaster is the environment of fruit decay/fermentation which emits high concentrations of chemicals. Our recent studies revealed that D. melanogaster has been evolutionarily adapted to its habitat through tolerance to chemicals and induction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) plays an important role for chemical tolerance. To determine the correlation between AMPs and the chemical tolerance pathway, we hypothesized that expression of AMPs is induced by tissue damages or ROS caused by chemical exposure and AMPs activate antioxidant enzymes, thereby inducing chemical tolerance in D. melanogaster. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the induction levels of genes associated with necrosis (EGR and BSK), apoptosis (Dronc, Dcp1, and Drice), antioxidant physiology (SOD1, SOD2, CAT, Trxr1, GstD2, and GstD5), and SAM metabolism (Gnmt and Foxo) in D. melanogaster exposed to three chemicals, 2-phenylethanol, ethanol, and acetic acid. As a result, above genes were induced in chemical-exposed fly, and this supports our hypothesis of chemical tolerance pathway in D. melanogaster.

Honey bee plays an important role in pollinating plants. Recently, however, declines in honey bee populations have been reported in many countries, and pesticides have been pointed out as one of the factors contributing to honey bee loss. To determine the effects of pesticides on honey bee behavior, we investigated the homing ability of honey bee exposed to four pesticides (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, fenitrothion, and carbaryl). In addition, the changes in expression levels of genes associated with ‘learning and memory’ (cGMP-dependent protein kinase foraging, Kruppel homolog 1, Adenlyate cyclase 3, Early growth response protein 1, Hormone receptor 38) were examined after pesticide treatment in forager bee. The four pesticides tested in this study generally reduced the homing ability of foragers. In the examination of gene expression, learning and memory-related genes were induced by the exposure to acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and carbaryl, whereas fenitrothion decreased the expression of these genes in honey bee. Although further studies are needed, this suggests that pesticides may have negative effects on honey bee behavior and behavior-related gene expression.

This study focused on the genomic analysis of Anopheles kleini and Anopheles pullus, both vectors of vivax malaria within the Anopheles Hyrcanus group. Using Illumina NovaSeq600 and Oxford Nanopore platforms, we identified 126 and 116 contigs, along with 40,420 and 32,749 genes from An. kleini and An. pullus, respectively. The assembled genome sizes were 282 Mb for An. kleini and 247 Mb for An. pullus, which are within a similar range to the sizes previously estimated by digital PCR (249 Mb and 226 Mb). We are currently also estimating the genome sizes of other Anopheles spp. and manually curating key genes determining vectorial capacity.

Scabies, caused by an infestation of the skin with the itch mite (Sarcoptes scabiei), is highly contagious and classified as a prevalent neglected tropical diseases. The current diagnostic approach relies solely on clinical judgment based on symptoms, history, and microscopic observation by an experienced dermatologist. To enhance sensitivity and specificity, we developed an alternative method based on mite-derived DNA. Our method involves a quick DNA release from skin scraping samples and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) targeting the scabies mite-specific DNA sequences, enabling diagnosis within 30 minutes. Importantly, no cross-reactivity was observed when the sample was contaminated by two house dust mite species, and false positives were barely detected. Currently, we are in the process of developing a Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) kit for a scabies survey targeting school-age children in Timor-Leste as a global health project.

Parasites have co-evolved with their host for a long period of time, resulting in unique parasitic systems tailored to each host species. This makes them suitable for research on physiological function control through cross-species molecules like miRNA. The body louse, a vector of bacterial pathogens, is particularly valuable as a model insect due to their frequent feeding on human blood, which results in the continuous ingestion of human-derived miRNA and injection of salivary gland-derived miRNA into the human body. In this study, we conducted miRNA sequencing on body lice with mixed stages and identified 105 miRNAs, including 50 novel miRNAs. Sequence analysis of human miRNAs remaining in body lice and the functional analysis of these miRNAs are in progress.

The recent increase in the occurrence of common bed bug and tropical bed bug in shared areas highlights the need for rapid species identification at infestation sites, which is crucial for implementing targeted control measures due to differences in genetic and physiological traits. In this study, molecular diagnostic methods were developed using species-specific ITS2 sequences. Both multiplex PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocols with a DNA release method successfully distinguished between the two bed bug species regardless of developmental stages in 0.5~2.5 hours, even with dead specimens. Especially, LAMP's simplicity and speed make it applicable for rapid and accurate bed bug diagnosis at infestation sites.

천궁(Cnidium officinale Makino, COM)은 산형과(Umbelliferae)에 속하는 산림약용자원 중 하나로 뿌리나 지하 부를 건조한 후 약용으로 사용하는 여러해살이 산림약초 중 하나이다. 천궁(COM)은 고혈압, 진통 및 진정 등에 효과가 있다고 알려져 있어, 산림약용자원으로서 재배되는 품목 중 하나이지만 해충의 피해가 심각하여 방제에 어려움이 많이 있다. 천궁은 뿌리가 약재로 사용되지만 종근에 피해를 가하는 응애류 및 파리류 해충은 지하부에 활동하는 생태특성을 가지고 있어 피해초기에 발견하기 어려울 뿐만 아니라 방제가 어려운 실정이다. 천궁 (COM)은 연작이 되지 않은 작물 중에 하나이므로 재배포장을 매년 바꿔가면서 재배되고 있는 실정이다. 수확시 기는 가을이므로 재배하는 동안에는 정확한 병해충조사가 쉽지 않을 뿐만 아니라 정확한 발생시기 및 피해정도 를 확인하는 것이 어려운 실정이다. 본 연구의 목적은 천궁의 해충 및 천적곤충에 대해 조사하여 천궁의 해충종류 및 발생에 대해 이해하고 이를 기반으로 친환경 방제를 위한 천적류의 정보수집 및 분석 등을 위한 기초자료로 제공하고자 한다.

Spodoptera exigua is one of the worldwide distributed agricultural pest insects and has been known to show high resistance to conventional chemical insecticides. Autographa california multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) has been used as eco-friendly biological control agent for S. exigua, as it exhibits high level of host specificity, stability and safety. In this study, for formulation of AcMNPV, the optimal conditions for mass-production of AcMNPV polyhedra was established using S. exigua larvae. Mass-produced AcMNPV polyhedra was formulated as wettable powder using microencapsulation method and its control efficacy against S. exigua was evaluated both in laboratory and semi-field experiment. Chinese cabbage treated with the AcMNPV formulation showed significantly reduced damage rates, suggesting that the AcMNPV formulation in this study could be useful for control of S. exigua

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is widely used as an environmentally friendly insecticide compared to chemical insecticides. However, challenges such as difficulty in direct practical application, limited efficacy duration, and stability have been identified. To solve these issues, formulation-based research is being extensively conducted. In this study, the high insecticidal activity strain Bt IMBL-B9, identified in previous research, was subjected to large-scale cultivation using a fermentor. Subsequently, various formulations were developed through formulation processes. and characteristics such as their wettability, suspensibility and particle size were assessed to select the optimized formulation.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is one of the economically important agricultural pests globally, as it attacks a wide range of vegetable and horticultural crops. In this study, we evaluated spatial repellent and oviposition deterrent activities of T.urticae in response to fifteen compounds derived from ester-containing natural products. To evaluate the tests, we used bridge two-choice test and host two-choice test in laboratory conditions. Among the eight compounds showed spatial repellent and oviposition deterrent activities against T. urticae at the 20 mg dose and some compounds had the activities at lower dose. We also conducted two-choice test with a blend and single compounds to determine which showed stronger spatial repellent and oviposition deterrent activities. In host two-choice test, we evaluate repellence between distance of compounds. This study concluded that series compounds from ester-containing natural products have the potential to be used managing T. urticae in the field.

The Euonymus defoliator moth, Pryeria sinica Moore (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae), is a pest that causes considerable damage to the Euonymus genus, especially Euonymus alatus and Euonymus japonicus. The biological characteristics of P. sinica have been studied in China, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States, but there has been no research conducted on this species in Korea. Also, P. sinica has two dormant phases in each generation, one as eggs in winter and the other as pupae in summer. Our purposes are to study the biological characteristics of Korean populations of P. sinica and to examine the effects of temperature and photoperiod on summer diapause. The biological characteristics were investigated in laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 ℃, 65 ± 1% R.H., 16L:8D) and the number of eggs in an egg mass, developmental periods and mortality rate in each larvae stage, and adults’ life span were determined. The results showed that 190.7 ± 31.64 eggs were contained in one egg mass and it took 25.57 ± 0.61 days from 1st larval stage to the pre-pupal stage. P. sinica has 4 larval stages and each stage took 4.28 ± 0.21, 6.2 ± 0.55, 6.02 ± 0.68, and 8.93 ± 0.88 days. The mortality rate of larvae peaked at 22.5% in 3rd larval stage. The adults’ life span was 4.67 ± 0.97 days in males and 4.61 ± 1.82 days in females. To study summer diapause, we divided pupae into 4 groups. Both low temperature and short daytime were effective in shortening the pupal stage. The pupal stage was the shortest in group D (122.12 ± 1.24 days), in which the initial condition was 25 ℃-16L:8D and the altered condition was 16 ℃ -12L:12D, and the longest in group A (161.92 ± 3.15 days, 25 ℃-16L:8D). These data could be utilized to propose the optimal timing for controlling the population of P. sinica.

본 연구는 검거세미밤나방(Agrotis ipsilon) 성페로몬 트랩에 혼재하여 유살되는 은무늬밤나방아과 형태적 분류와 동정법 수립을 위해, 날개 무늬의 형태계측학 분석을 실시하였다. 은무늬밤나방아과 개체는 2023년 11월 부터 12월까지 제주도 애월읍 일대에서 채집되었으며, 콩 해충으로 알려진 콩은무늬밤나방(Ctenoplusia agnata) 을 비롯하여, 다양한 농작물을 가해하는 것으로 알려진 붉은금무늬밤나방(Chrysodeixis eriosoma)의 수컷 성충이 포획되었다. 앞날개의 형태 및 무늬를 가지고 현장에서 쉽게 동정할 수 있는 형태적 특징을 도출하기 위하여, 각 성충 개체의 앞날개를 잘라 현미경 카메라로 촬영하고, 앞날개의 내횡선, 아외연선, 반점 크기 등 15개의 형질 을 측정하였다. 또한 각 형질 간의 상관관계를 분석하였으며 빈도분포를 통하여 두 종간 분리되는 형질을 파악하 였다. 최종적으로 다변량 분석법을 적용하여 두 집단이 어떻게 군집을 이루는지 분석하고, 날개형태만으로 붉은 금무늬밤나방과 콩은무늬밤나방을 구분할 수 있는 방안을 제시하였다.

Western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor, is distributed southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Invasions had been reported to Canada, China, Hawaii and Japan. Incisitermes minor may be introduced through wooden structures. In California and Arizona, it caused economic damage of about $250 million. In September 2023, it was discovered in a house in Changwon-city, Korea and a joint investigation was conducted by APQA and other government agencies. The 16S rRNA sequence was used in the molecular epidemiological investigation to trace the origin of the invasion. Five individuals found in Changwon and 18 foreign sequences collected by NCBI were compared. A total of 462bp of base sequences were compared, and the genetic distance was observed to range from a minimum of 0.000 to a maximum of 0.1791. They were most genetically similar to the California individual in the United States.