https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/ Journal of Entomological Society of Iran en daily 1 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135777.html The genus Duta Nixon, 1922 (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Scelionidae), represented by a single species, D. bicolor Rajmohana, 2014, is first recorded in Western Asia, Iran. The specimens were collected from a desert area in the middle of the easternmost border of Iran, surrounded by native vegetation, including palm groves and tamarisk trees, as well as sub-mountainous terrain. Duta bicolor was originally described from the Oriental region, South India; its known distribution expanded into the Palaearctic as a trans-biogeographical element. This is also the fourth species of Duta from the Palaearctic region. The diagnostic characters are briefly described and illustrated. A preliminary world checklist is also generated to facilitate future revisionary studies on the genus. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135769.html Conserving native honeybees is vital for ecosystem stability and food security, yet the impact of changing landscapes on the pollen foraging of the red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea) remains poorly understood. The study investigated how landscape variation influences pollen foraging by Apis florea in West Bengal, examining its pollen resources and collection patterns across agricultural areas and forest edges. We conducted palynological analyses of corbicular pollen loads. The honeybee species exhibited floral constancy and polylecty, collecting a wide variety of pollen types (57 in total). The composition and predominant pollen sources varied between the two landscapes. In agricultural areas, predominant pollen sources were Coriandrum sativum, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, Luffa aegyptiaca, and Rhamphospermum nigrum. In contrast, at forest edges, several tree species such as Acacia auriculiformis, Eucalyptus tereticornis, and Terminalia arjuna were dominant, along with some crop species, including Coriandrum sativum and Rhamphospermum nigrum. However, the monthly number and diversity of pollen types did not differ significantly between the two landscapes. Based on diverse characteristics of bee-visited flowers, the honeybee species was considered a generalist forager. In conclusion, the red dwarf honeybee was adapted to diverse habitats. Agricultural land use influenced the botanical composition of pollen collected by honeybees, but did not appear to restrict overall pollen flow to colonies. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135779.html Several species of mosquitoes from the subfamily Culicinae play a significant role in public health as vectors of arboviruses. Of the over 3000 recorded Culicinae species worldwide, 43 are present in Morocco. Of these, 14 are recognized as potential vectors of viruses such as West Nile (WNV), Zika (ZIKV), yellow fever (YFV), and chikungunya (CHIKV). This study aims to update the distribution of mosquito species in north-eastern Morocco. Larval surveys conducted at 20 sites yielded the collection and identification of 13 species across four genera. Culex was the dominant genus with eight species and the widest distribution. Aedes followed this with three species. The genera Culiseta and Uranotaenia were each represented by a single species. Five of these species are potential arbovirus vectors, and seven are new records for the study region. This updated inventory of the culicid fauna, including new reports and data on ecological distribution, greatly enhances our understanding of the Culicinae community composition in north-eastern Morocco. These results provide a vital basis for assessing arboviral risks and implementing targeted vector control strategies, thereby helping to improve public health measures in the region. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135824.html To evaluate resistance levels and potential resistance mechanisms to chlorpyrifos and imidacloprid in Trialeurodes vaporariorum, six populations were collected from greenhouse-growing regions of Iran and assessed using leaf-dip bioassays followed by probit analysis of LC50 values and their 95% confidence limits. Compared with the susceptible FR population, the FL population exhibited the highest resistance to chlorpyrifos (15.04-fold) and imidacloprid (13.62-fold). Synergism assays with piperonyl butoxide (PBO), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), and diethyl maleate (DEM) showed that PBO and TPP produced strong synergistic effects against both insecticides in the FL population, whereas DEM showed only limited synergistic effects. Enzyme activity assays corroborated the synergism results, indicating that elevated esterase (EST) and mixed-function oxidase (MFO) activities, but not glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, were associated with resistance in T. vaporariorum. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) kinetic analysis showed that the Km and Vmax values in the FL population were approximately twofold lower and 2.5-fold higher, respectively, than those in the FR population, suggesting altered AChE kinetic properties. In addition, AChE inhibition assays revealed reduced sensitivity to most inhibitors in the FL population, whereas increased sensitivity to fosthiazate was observed. Overall, the findings suggest that reduced AChE sensitivity, together with elevated EST and MFO activities, may contribute to resistance to chlorpyrifos and imidacloprid in Iranian populations of T. vaporariorum. These findings provide a basis for resistance monitoring and support the development of effective insecticide resistance management strategies. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135766.html In a survey of oribatid mites (Oribatida) associated with citrus orchards in Bushehr Province (southwestern Iran), soil and litter samples were collected from seven localities in Dashtestan, Tangestan, Dashti and Jam counties between October 2021 and July 2022. A total of 27 species belonging to 22 genera and 16 families were collected and identified. Among them, the genus Annectacarus Grandjean, 1950 (Lohmanniidae), the species Peloptulus (P.) reticulatus Mihelčič, 1957 (Phenopelopidae), and Neoppia cf. minuta Bhattacharya & Banerjee, 1981 (Oppiidae) are recorded for the first time from Iran. Galumnidae, Oppiidae, and Lohmanniidae (each with three genera), as well as the families Scheloribatidae, Epilohmanniidae, and Euphthiracaridae (each with two species), showed the highest total identified species in the citrus orchards of the province. All recorded species are new records for Bushehr Province. Prior to the present study, no information was available on the oribatid mite fauna associated with citrus orchards in southwestern Iran. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135901.html Currently, 44 psyllid species are known to be associated with Hippophae rhamnoides worldwide. Despite this diversity, only Cacopsylla nasuta (Förster, 1848) has previously been recorded from Iran. Cacopsylla zetterstedti (Thomson, 1877) is reported here for the first time from Iran. In addition, an updated list of all psyllid species associated with H. rhamnoides is provided, along with an identification key for the species occurring in Iran. A geometric morphometric analysis of the forewing was conducted to examine diagnostic differences between the two studied species. This new record substantially expands the known distribution of C. zetterstedti in Asia. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135797.html The moth fauna of southeastern Iran’s protected areas remains largely unexplored. To help fill this gap, moths were sampled in Khabr National Park (Kerman Province) during six periods: September 2022, February and April 2023, October and December 2024, and February 2025. Light traps were used, and identifications were based on external morphology and genitalia characters. In total, 76 species were recorded, comprising three Lasiocampidae, four Sphingidae, 12 Erebidae and 57 Noctuidae. Furthermore, 28 species (two Lasiocampidae, one Sphingidae, five Erebidae and 20 Noctuidae) are reported for the first time from Kerman Province; illustrations of all these provincial new records are provided. One noctuid species, Sesamia christophi, is recorded here for the first time for Iran. Taken together, these findings highlight Khabr National Park as a remarkably rich area for moth diversity and point to the need for continued faunistic surveys in the region. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135943.html Curculio glandium Marsham (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a serious pest of oak trees in the Zagros Mountains, Iran. In this study, geo-statistical methods were used to simulate spatial distribution models for optimal management. The area of this strait is about 850 hectares; for this study, due to regional conditions, nearly 370 ha were examined. The desired area (Dalab Strait in Ilam province, Iran) was divided into six geographical height classes. For each class, an area of about 60 ha was selected, with 30 trees, and the latitude and longitude were determined. Monthly sampling was conducted on four oak fruits as the sampling unit in 2022 and 2023. In the laboratory, the number of oak fruits infected with the pest was counted. Data were normalized using one of the appropriate data transformation methods (logarithmic or Box-Cox Transformation), the cross-validation method was used to evaluate the efficiency of interpolation methods. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was used to assess the models; the data were analyzed using GS+ version 5.1 software. The results showed that, in the survey of the spatial distribution of oaks infected with C. glandium, after fitting the data from 12 sampling stages, nine cases were consistent with the spherical model and three with the exponential model. The degree of spatial dependence (C0/C0+C) varied from 0.501 to 0.981 in 2022 and from 0.501 to 0.973 in 2023. In addition, in both years under study, the highest pest density was observed at an altitude of 1540-1600 meters above sea level. According to the maps, population density was higher in the southern location than in other locations, and the northern location had the lowest density. The results of this study showed that using geostatistics enables successful sampling for forest pests, especially the acorn weevil. In the development of pest management systems, early warning and tracking programs are very important. Managing the pest's special place is an effective way to achieve the control operation. The results of this study can be used for optimal monitoring and control of the acorn weevil in oak forests. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135395.html The family Heleomyzidae (Diptera), with 720 known species, is a small family widely distributed worldwide but more abundant in the cooler temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In warmer areas, they are active mostly in autumn and winter or in caves. In this study, Heteromyza atricornis Meigen, 1830, as a cavernicolous species, is reported for the first time from Iran (West Azarbaijan Province, Mahabad-Bukan road, Sahoolan cave). The study presents the morphological and diagnostic characters of the species, accompanied by supporting photographs. https://jesi.areeo.ac.ir/article_135792.html HiveClean® is a miticide with oxalic acid as its main active ingredient, recommended for controlling the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor). This study evaluated the efficacy of this miticide and its side effects on honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies from mid-summer to mid-autumn of 2025 in Karaj, Iran. Sixteen mite-infested colonies were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 8) and control (n = 8) groups. Treatment colonies received HiveClean® three times at seven-day intervals, while control colonies were left untreated. Mite infestation levels were estimated using the alcohol wash method after the treatment period. Efficacy was assessed based on by the change in infestation levels. Side effects on brood and adult bee populations, as well as queen survival, were also monitored. After HiveClean® application, infestation levels in treated colonies changed from 2.25 ± 0.72% to 1.85 ± 0.63%, a difference that was not statistically significant (P > 0.999). The estimated efficacy of HiveClean® was 36.04 ± 23.06%. No significant side effects on colony populations or queen survival were observed. Overall, these results indicate the low efficacy of HiveClean® in controlling Varroa mites under the tested conditions. Further evaluation of this miticide in other seasons and regions is recommended.