Taxonomic identification and biological traits of Platystethynium triclavatum (Donev & Huber, 2002), comb. n. (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae), a newly recorded egg parasitoid of the Italian endemic pest Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

The little known fairyfly (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae), Platystethynium (Platystethynium) triclavatum (Donev & Huber, 2002), comb. n. from Pseudocleruchus Donev & Huber, 2002, is newly recorded as an egg parasitoid of Barbitistes vicetinus Galvagni & Fontana, 1993 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae). This bush-cricket is endemic to northeastern Italy (mainly Euganean Hills of Veneto Region), where it has recently become an economically significant agricultural and forest pest. Data on discovery, distribution, and some remarkable biological traits of this gregarious egg parasitoid are presented. Its identification and availability of many well-preserved fresh specimens have made possible to re-define Pseudocleruchus Donev & Huber, 2002 syn. n., with type and the only described species Pseudocleruchus triclavatus Donev & Huber, 2002, as a synonym of Platystethynium Ogloblin, 1946 and its nominate subgenus, P. (Platystethynium), and also to describe the brachypterous male of P. (Platystethynium) triclavatum. It is the first known male for the entire genus. Enlarged mandibles of the megacephalous males are used to chew holes in the hard chorion of the host egg, allowing fully winged females, whose mandibles are strongly reduced and do not cross over, to emerge after mating with the males inside it. Up to 136 individual parasitoids (about 77 on average) can hatch from a single egg of B. vicetinus, with their sex ratio being strongly female biased (80–97% females per egg)

Worldwide tests of generic attractants, a promising tool for early detection of non-native cerambycid species

A large proportion of the insects which have invaded new regions and countries are emerging species, being found for the first time outside their native range. Being able to detect such species upon arrival at ports of entry before they establish in non-native countries is an urgent challenge. The deployment of traps baited with broad-spectrum semiochemical lures at ports-of-entry and other high-risk sites could be one such early detection tool. Rapid progress in the identification of semiochemicals for cerambycid beetles during the last 15 years has revealed that aggregation-sex pheromones and sex pheromones are often conserved at global levels for genera, tribes or subfamilies of the Cerambycidae. This possibly allows the development of generic attractants which attract multiple species simultaneously, especially when such pheromones are combined into blends. Here, we present the results of a worldwide field trial programme conducted during 2018-2021, using traps baited with a standardised 8-pheromone blend, usually com-plemented with plant volatiles. A total of 1308 traps were deployed at 302 sites covering simultaneously or sequentially 13 European countries, 10 Chinese provinces and some regions of the USA, Canada, Australia, Russia (Siberia) and the Caribbean (Martinique). We intended to test the following hypotheses: 1) if a species is regularly trapped in significant numbers by the blend on a continent, it increases the prob-ability that it can be detected when it arrives in other countries/continents and 2) if the blend exerts an effective, generic attraction to multiple species, it is likely that previously unknown and unexpected spe-cies can be captured due to the high degree of conservation of pheromone structures within related taxa. A total of 78,321 longhorned beetles were trapped, representing 376 species from eight subfamilies, with 84 species captured in numbers greater than 50 individuals. Captures comprised 60 tribes, with 10 tribes including more than nine species trapped on different continents. Some invasive species were captured in both the native and invaded continents. This demonstrates the potential of multipheromone lures as ef-fective tools for the detection of 'unexpected' cerambycid invaders, accidentally translocated outside their native ranges. Adding new pheromones with analogous well-conserved motifs is discussed, as well as the limitations of using such blends, especially for some cerambycid taxa which may be more attracted by the trap colour or other characteristics rather than to the chemical blend

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

Barbitistes vicetinus outbreaks in forest ecosystems (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Barbitistes vicetinus (Galvagni & Fontana, 1993) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) is a bush-cricket endemic of north-east Italy, described in the early 1990s and considered a rare species for the following ten years. Since 2008 repeated and destructive outbreaks occurred in hilly areas causing heavy defoliations to forests and close crops. In order to improve the little knowledge currently available on this species, the present PhD project focused mainly on biological and ecological aspects concerning reproduction, site selection and population dynamics. Reproduction was studied over 18 sites in 3 consecutive years (2013-2015), testing the influence of both vegetation type and soil cover on the maternal laying preference and egg hatching of the species. Nymph density was assessed for the first time during outbreaks, showing mean values of over 1 million individuals/ha. In this respect, the highest nymph density was recorded in forest with soil covered by broadleaf litter, without a gradient from inner forest to edge. Our results indicated, however, that cultivated habitats did not offer suitable oviposition sites to B. vicetinus, although the adults are commonly found also in crops where they can cause severe damage. In the same sites, during 4 consecutive years (2013-2016), we also investigated the hatching phenology in order to better understand the nymph’s population dynamics and to clarify the role of the environmental factors affecting these aspects. A strong positive effect of temperature on the hatching start as well as on the hatching duration was found, although the species is however able to hatch also at low temperature (6°C). Elevation and exposure, affecting temperature, were demonstrated to regulate phenology and duration of the hatching period. Moreover, the spatial ecology of B. vicetinus was investigated over the whole outbreak area (200 sites in 2014 and 2015) assessing local and landscape variables driving population density and defoliation severity. We found a strong negative effect of forest fragmentation on the pest population density at relatively small spatial scale (250-500 m). In addition, the presence of a non-host alien tree species (i.e., the black locust) across the landscape further reduced the population density irrespective of local (10 m) tree composition. At local scale, B. vicetinus was however able to feed on a wide array of broadleaves tree species, causing severe defoliation with leaf damage up to 40% of the canopy. At regional scale, instead, the population declined from 2014 to 2015 mainly in sites where the defoliation has been more severe in the previous year. Above all, this work provides the first basal knowledge about bio-ecology of outbreaking populations of this species. The new insights on the hatching phenology and oviposition site preference, for instance, represent crucial information to predispose an effective outbreak management. In addition, the forecasting of the outbreak risk based on landscape composition and structure of areas potentially exposed to infestations will be furtherly useful. Finally, the comparison of our results to those concerning other outbreaking bush-cricket species, could lead to a better understanding of the pest - host plants relationships occurring in other model species.Barbitistes vicetinus (Galvagni & Fontana, 1993) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) è un ortottero forestale endemico dell’Italia nord-orientale descritto nei primi anni ’90 e considerato specie rara per almeno 10 anni dopo il suo primo rinvenimento. Dal 2008, intense pullulazioni si sono ripetute nel suo areale collinare, causando gravi defogliazioni ai boschi e alle colture limitrofe. Al fine di approfondire le scarse conoscenze attualmente disponibili e fornire un primo approccio alla gestione delle esplosioni demografiche, il presente lavoro si focalizza principalmente su indagini biologiche ed ecologiche inerenti a questa specie. In particolare, la riproduzione di B. vicetinus è stata studiata in 18 siti nel corso di 3 anni consecutivi (2013-2015), testando l’influenza della tipologia di vegetazione e della copertura del suolo sulla scelta dei siti di deposizione e sulla schiusa delle uova. Per la prima volta la densità di popolazione è stata indagata durante una pullulazione, facendo registrare valori medi superiori a 1 milione di individui/ha. I risultati ottenuti col presente lavoro indicano che, nonostante gli individui adulti di questa specie possano frequentemente alimentarsi sulle coltivazioni agrarie causando danni anche gravi, queste aree non costituiscono siti preferenziali per l’ovideposizione. Infatti, le più elevate densità di neanidi sono state rinvenute in aree boscate e con terreno coperto la lettiera di latifoglie, senza che, peraltro, venisse evidenziato un gradiente di densità progredendo dal margine del bosco verso il suo interno. Negli stessi siti, in 4 anni consecutivi (2013-2016), il presente lavoro ha inoltre considerato la fenologia delle schiuse con l’obiettivo di incrementare le conoscenze sulla dinamica di popolazione delle neanidi e chiarire il ruolo di alcuni fattori ambientali nei riguardi di questi aspetti. Un effetto significativo della temperatura è stato riscontato sulle tempistiche di schiusa, evidenziando che la specie è in grado di schiudere anche a temperature basse (6°C). E’ stato inoltre dimostrato un ruolo fondamentale dell’altitudine e dell’esposizione sulle schiuse, ancora una volta in relazione al fattore temperatura. Un’indagine specifica ha preso in considerazione l’ecologia spaziale della specie, studiando come diverse variabili, su differenti scale spaziali, influenzano la densità di popolazione. In due anni consecutivi (2014-2015) lo studio ha indagato 200 siti ricadenti entro l’area coinvolta dalle pullulazioni. Su una scala spaziale relativamente piccola (250-500 m) è stato riscontrato un effetto negativo della frammentazione forestale sulla densità di popolazione dell’insetto. Inoltre, sulla stessa scala spaziale, la presenza di specie forestali alloctone e sgradite all’insetto, in particolare la robinia, è corrisposta ad un’ulteriore riduzione della presenza di B. vicetinus, indipendentemente da quale fosse la composizione forestale su scala locale (10 m). Proprio su una scala locale, invece, si evince come l’insetto sia in grado di alimentarsi su un’ampia gamma di latifoglie forestali, causando intense defogliazioni, con danni medi fino al 40% nelle specie più colpite. Su una scala di paesaggio, la popolazione è globalmente diminuita tra il 2014 e il 2015, con un maggiore effetto dove la defogliazione dell’anno precedente era stata più intensa. Il presente lavoro fornisce le prime conoscenze di base per questa specie riguardo la bio-ecologia di popolazioni in fase di pullulazione. Le informazioni acquisite riguardo la fenologia di schiusa e la scelta dei siti di ovideposizione rappresentano il primo passo per una gestione razionale delle esplosioni demografiche. Inoltre, l’analisi previsionale delle pullulazioni, basata sulla conoscenza della composizione del paesaggio nelle aree potenzialmente a rischio, potrà fornire un ulteriore contributo in tal senso. Infine, la comparazione di queste conoscenze con quelle relative ad altri ortotteri forestali potrà condurre a una maggiore e migliore comprensione del rapporto fitofago - pianta ospite anche in altri contesti modello

Barbitistes vicetinus outbreaks in forest ecosystems (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Barbitistes vicetinus (Galvagni & Fontana, 1993) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) is a bush-cricket endemic of north-east Italy, described in the early 1990s and considered a rare species for the following ten years. Since 2008 repeated and destructive outbreaks occurred in hilly areas causing heavy defoliations to forests and close crops. In order to improve the little knowledge currently available on this species, the present PhD project focused mainly on biological and ecological aspects concerning reproduction, site selection and population dynamics. Reproduction was studied over 18 sites in 3 consecutive years (2013-2015), testing the influence of both vegetation type and soil cover on the maternal laying preference and egg hatching of the species. Nymph density was assessed for the first time during outbreaks, showing mean values of over 1 million individuals/ha. In this respect, the highest nymph density was recorded in forest with soil covered by broadleaf litter, without a gradient from inner forest to edge. Our results indicated, however, that cultivated habitats did not offer suitable oviposition sites to B. vicetinus, although the adults are commonly found also in crops where they can cause severe damage. In the same sites, during 4 consecutive years (2013-2016), we also investigated the hatching phenology in order to better understand the nymph’s population dynamics and to clarify the role of the environmental factors affecting these aspects. A strong positive effect of temperature on the hatching start as well as on the hatching duration was found, although the species is however able to hatch also at low temperature (6°C). Elevation and exposure, affecting temperature, were demonstrated to regulate phenology and duration of the hatching period. Moreover, the spatial ecology of B. vicetinus was investigated over the whole outbreak area (200 sites in 2014 and 2015) assessing local and landscape variables driving population density and defoliation severity. We found a strong negative effect of forest fragmentation on the pest population density at relatively small spatial scale (250-500 m). In addition, the presence of a non-host alien tree species (i.e., the black locust) across the landscape further reduced the population density irrespective of local (10 m) tree composition. At local scale, B. vicetinus was however able to feed on a wide array of broadleaves tree species, causing severe defoliation with leaf damage up to 40% of the canopy. At regional scale, instead, the population declined from 2014 to 2015 mainly in sites where the defoliation has been more severe in the previous year. Above all, this work provides the first basal knowledge about bio-ecology of outbreaking populations of this species. The new insights on the hatching phenology and oviposition site preference, for instance, represent crucial information to predispose an effective outbreak management. In addition, the forecasting of the outbreak risk based on landscape composition and structure of areas potentially exposed to infestations will be furtherly useful. Finally, the comparison of our results to those concerning other outbreaking bush-cricket species, could lead to a better understanding of the pest - host plants relationships occurring in other model species

Barbitistes vicetinus outbreaks in forest ecosystems (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Barbitistes vicetinus (Galvagni & Fontana, 1993) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) \ue8 un ortottero forestale endemico dell\u2019Italia nord-orientale descritto nei primi anni \u201990 e considerato specie rara per almeno 10 anni dopo il suo primo rinvenimento. Dal 2008, intense pullulazioni si sono ripetute nel suo areale collinare, causando gravi defogliazioni ai boschi e alle colture limitrofe. Al fine di approfondire le scarse conoscenze attualmente disponibili e fornire un primo approccio alla gestione delle esplosioni demografiche, il presente lavoro si focalizza principalmente su indagini biologiche ed ecologiche inerenti a questa specie. In particolare, la riproduzione di B. vicetinus \ue8 stata studiata in 18 siti nel corso di 3 anni consecutivi (2013-2015), testando l\u2019influenza della tipologia di vegetazione e della copertura del suolo sulla scelta dei siti di deposizione e sulla schiusa delle uova. Per la prima volta la densit\ue0 di popolazione \ue8 stata indagata durante una pullulazione, facendo registrare valori medi superiori a 1 milione di individui/ha. I risultati ottenuti col presente lavoro indicano che, nonostante gli individui adulti di questa specie possano frequentemente alimentarsi sulle coltivazioni agrarie causando danni anche gravi, queste aree non costituiscono siti preferenziali per l\u2019ovideposizione. Infatti, le pi\uf9 elevate densit\ue0 di neanidi sono state rinvenute in aree boscate e con terreno coperto la lettiera di latifoglie, senza che, peraltro, venisse evidenziato un gradiente di densit\ue0 progredendo dal margine del bosco verso il suo interno. Negli stessi siti, in 4 anni consecutivi (2013-2016), il presente lavoro ha inoltre considerato la fenologia delle schiuse con l\u2019obiettivo di incrementare le conoscenze sulla dinamica di popolazione delle neanidi e chiarire il ruolo di alcuni fattori ambientali nei riguardi di questi aspetti. Un effetto significativo della temperatura \ue8 stato riscontato sulle tempistiche di schiusa, evidenziando che la specie \ue8 in grado di schiudere anche a temperature basse (6\ub0C). E\u2019 stato inoltre dimostrato un ruolo fondamentale dell\u2019altitudine e dell\u2019esposizione sulle schiuse, ancora una volta in relazione al fattore temperatura. Un\u2019indagine specifica ha preso in considerazione l\u2019ecologia spaziale della specie, studiando come diverse variabili, su differenti scale spaziali, influenzano la densit\ue0 di popolazione. In due anni consecutivi (2014-2015) lo studio ha indagato 200 siti ricadenti entro l\u2019area coinvolta dalle pullulazioni. Su una scala spaziale relativamente piccola (250-500 m) \ue8 stato riscontrato un effetto negativo della frammentazione forestale sulla densit\ue0 di popolazione dell\u2019insetto. Inoltre, sulla stessa scala spaziale, la presenza di specie 4 forestali alloctone e sgradite all\u2019insetto, in particolare la robinia, \ue8 corrisposta ad un\u2019ulteriore riduzione della presenza di B. vicetinus, indipendentemente da quale fosse la composizione forestale su scala locale (10 m). Proprio su una scala locale, invece, si evince come l\u2019insetto sia in grado di alimentarsi su un\u2019ampia gamma di latifoglie forestali, causando intense defogliazioni, con danni medi fino al 40% nelle specie pi\uf9 colpite. Su una scala di paesaggio, la popolazione \ue8 globalmente diminuita tra il 2014 e il 2015, con un maggiore effetto dove la defogliazione dell\u2019anno precedente era stata pi\uf9 intensa. Il presente lavoro fornisce le prime conoscenze di base per questa specie riguardo la bio-ecologia di popolazioni in fase di pullulazione. Le informazioni acquisite riguardo la fenologia di schiusa e la scelta dei siti di ovideposizione rappresentano il primo passo per una gestione razionale delle esplosioni demografiche. Inoltre, l\u2019analisi previsionale delle pullulazioni, basata sulla conoscenza della composizione del paesaggio nelle aree potenzialmente a rischio, potr\ue0 fornire un ulteriore contributo in tal senso. Infine, la comparazione di queste conoscenze con quelle relative ad altri ortotteri forestali potr\ue0 condurre a una maggiore e migliore comprensione del rapporto fitofago - pianta ospite anche in altri contesti modello

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. Here, we explored the effect of summer temperature on egg diapause and the effect of winter temperature on egg survival. Field observations showed that the proportion of embryos that can complete development at the end of summer ranged from zero to nearly 90% depending on summer temperatures. A substantial shift in the rate of development from 20% to nearly 80% occurred in a thermal range of about 1 degrees C. On the contrary, overwinter egg survival was high and constant (90%) across a wide range of winter temperatures that go well beyond both the cold and warm thermal limits of the current species range. Overall, the results suggest a potential key role of summer temperature warming on the outbreak propensity of this species that is able to switch from a multiyear to an annual life cycle with just a 1-2 degrees C warming

Can extensively managed perennial crops serve as surrogate habitat for orthopterans typical of dry calcareous grasslands?

Both agricultural intensification and abandonment are considered among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, especially for species typical of semi-natural grasslands. In the Mediterranean regions, semi-natural grasslands are often abandoned or replaced by perennial crops such as vineyards and olive groves with potential negative consequences on the associated diversity. However, when these crops are managed under low-intensity practices, their inter-row grass cover can potentially provide suitable habitats for grassland specialists. Here, we analysed the effects of land use on orthopterans by sampling 67 sites belonging to four different habitats (vineyards, olive groves, semi-natural grasslands and abandoned semi-natural grasslands) along a landscape composition gradient. Overall, species richness was highest in abandoned grasslands, while vineyards presented the lowest diversity. Semi-natural grasslands and olive orchards presented intermediate and similar species richness. However, this effect was significant only for Ensifera species, while species richness of Caelifera did not differ between the four habitats. Increasing forest cover within a scale radius of 500 m also increased Ensifera species richness probably providing undisturbed refugia at the margins. Orthopteran abundance was higher in semi-natural grasslands than in abandoned grasslands and vineyards. Despite the differences in species richness, we observed large overlap in species composition between olive groves and semi-natural grasslands suggesting that perennial crops managed under traditional, non-intensive practices can provide suitable habitats for orthopterans typical of semi-natural grasslands. In particular, olive groves appeared to be a better surrogate habitat than vineyards for the conservation of both Ensifera and Caelifera