Rawania petasata (Melichar, 1903), breeding on leaves of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre is redescribed and illustrated. Male specimens collected from Karnataka and Sri Lanka exhibited a pair of short, tooth-like processes at the base of the aedeagal shaft, a feature previously overlooked in the original description. Besides Pongamia, this species was also found on mango, Mangifera indica Linnaeus and cashew, Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus in Karnataka. These leafhoppers were collected from newly emerged leaves of these plants during March 2024 and 2025. A key to distinguish the genus Rawania Ghauri from Empoascini genera of Oriental region with a similar forewing venation namely, forewing with all the three apical veins arising independently from forewing cell m [apical veins Radial Posterior (RP) and Median Posterior (MP) not confluent at base] is also provided.

Experimental rearing of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) in eight different cereals such as rice, wheat, oats, barley, sorghum, maize, finger millet and pearl millet has revealed that the pest can complete lifecycle in all of them. Rice and maize are found to be providing optimum living conditions to the pest and within them it can complete its lifecycle in 41 to 45 days, in maize with a mean shortest developmental duration of 40.72 days (egg 6.52, larva 28.45 and pupa 5.75 days). Maize was found to provide more viable living conditions than rice, as adults and developing stages of S. oryzae reared in it was significantly larger with higher adult longevity (female 18.60 days, male 12.56 days) compared to other cereals. In contrast, oats caused longest developmental period of 66.47 days (egg 13.70, larva 42.46, pupa 10.31 days), with female and male longevity reduced to 8.50 and 6.50 days respectively, and noticeable production of miniature adults due to developmental stress. Comparison with span of lifecycle in rice, rearing in wheat resulted delay of 6 days but pearl millet and barley caused delay of 12 days, finger millet resulted 16 days of delay in development while oats extended development by nearly 24 days beyond any cereal. In accordance with increase in developmental delay, body size decreased significantly across cereals, with smallest larval and adult dimensions recorded in oats. The sex ratio also varied, peaking in maize (M:F::1:1.92) and declining sharply in oats (M:F::1:0.074). Similarly, total life span was shortest in maize (female 59.42; male 54.07 days) and longest in oats (female 76.21; male 58.30 days). Morphometric observations showed that early and late instar larva measured 0.30-0.85 and 0.80-2.13mm respectively, pupae 2.58-3.77 and adults 2.60-4.53mm, with maize consistently producing the largest dimensions. Head capsule width of larval instars, a marker of health and viability prospective adults developed in maize, is significantly higher than those larvae developed in rice.

In the present study, it was established that the efficacy of synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from leaves of Tiliacora acuminata against 3rd instar larvae of the filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito. AgNPs was synthesized by10 g of air-dried leaves of T. acuminata crushed and put into a beaker containing 100ml distilled water, boiled for 10 minutes at 600C temperature and further treated with 10-3 M solution of silver nitrate and boiled at 600C temperature. Nano particles were isolated by centrifuged the solution at 10,000 rpm for 15 minutes. Different concentrations of (1-5 ppm) of synthesized AgNPs were tested against Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. Characterizations of AgNPs were carried out by UV-vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) procedures. Cent percent mortality was observed at 5 ppm concentration of AgNPs against the 3rd instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus. UV-vis spectrophotometer confirmed AgNPs from leaves of T. acuminate with a maximum absorption band at 450nm. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the rough surface of the synthesized nanoparticles. From TEM analysis it was revealed that the shape of nanoparticles was ranging from oval to quasi spherical with an average diameter of 50-70nm. Their crystalline structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern. It is concluded that AgNPs from leaves of T. acuminata established excellent mosquito larvicidal activity against Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Pesticide absorption is a complex process in which pesticides undergo transformation and affect plant metabolic processes and hence investigated the metabolic fate of emamectin benzoate, a macrocyclic lactone insecticide. Residues of emamectin benzoate followed first order kinetics in field with pre-harvest intervals of 1.96 and 2.54 days respectively, at single and double dose of applications. Both in leaves and fruits of okra, the emamectin benzoate metabolites, emamectin B1a1 and emamectin B1b1 accumulated up to third day and the metabolite 4'’-deoxy-4'’-epi-N-methylaminoavermectin-b1-benzoate was detected only in fruits and was absent in okra leaves. A comprehensive evaluation of metabolic variations in okra induced by emamectin benzoate compared to the unsprayed plant samples was conducted by UHPLC-ESI-Q-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) and data analysed by compound discoverer 3.3. The metabolomic results suggested that emamectin benzoate could affect the plants defence mechanism, and a total of 818 metabolites including organic acids, amino acids, phenolics, flavonoids and fatty acids, were clearly altered. The content of defence-related L-proline and other proline related compounds were significantly increased by emamectin benzoate. Many phenolics and flavonoids, such as hyperoside and quercetin, were significantly accumulated, which could benefit the plant to alleviate the stress conditions due to the application of insecticide.

Hyllus semicupreus (Simon, 1885) is called as heavy jumper spider. Observations of this species as non-sexual cannibalism phenomenon on Nerium oleander plants. H. semicupreus species sample was analysed by DNA barcoding for confirmation. The result was analysed with the other Hyllus species followed by NCBI.

The richness and relative abundance of honeybee species were assessed from the Uttarkashi area in Uttarakhand, India. Surveys were conducted in twelve agroclimatic zones from March to May 2025 using the aerial netting technique for the collection of honeybees foraging on different floral resources. Of the total of 291 specimens, the representation included five honeybee species: Apis cerana F., A. mellifera L., A. laboriosa Smith, A. florea F. and A. dorsata F. Predominant one was A. cerana, representing 57.7 per cent of the total population, followed by A. mellifera (19.2%), A. laboriosa (11.6%), A. florea (5.8%) and A. dorsata (5.4%). These results indicate the predominance of both native and invasive species of honeybees in the area. Shannon (H2) and Simpson (1–D) diversity indices were highest for A. cerana (0.3172 and 0.333), indicative of its broad adaptability and even distribution of specimens across the habitats.

The butterfly fauna of Kerala state in southern India with respect to taxonomy, population status, and distribution is discussed. The recent taxonomic changes and justifications for the same are mentioned. The current checklist of butterflies of the Western Ghats stands at 337 species, including 41 endemics while that of Kerala stands at 328 species with 40 WG endemics. Amongst the states lying along the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, Kerala has the highest butterfly diversity with 19 Papilionidae, 32 Pieridae, 97 Nymphalidae, two Riodinidae, 96 Lycaenidae, and 82 Hesperiidae species. Twenty-two butterflies are in the IUCN Red List of threatened species, of which two are Near Threatened and the rest are in the Least Concern category. Regarding WLPA 1972 and its amendments, it was observed that of the 70 species listed from Kerala, four are protected under Schedule I only, one species under Schedule I & II, one under Schedule II and IV, one under Schedule IV, and 63 species under Schedule II. Thirty-six species are migratory. Taxonomic evidences for splitting of the two Western Ghat Argynnis into A. hybrida Evans, 1912 and A. castetsi Oberthür, 1891; distinguishing Elymnias caudata Butler, 1871 from E. hypermnestra undularis (Drury, 1773); separating Abisara bifasciata suffusa Moore, 1882 from A. echerius prunosa Moore, 1879, Baracus hampsoni Elwes & Edwards, 1897 from B. subditus Moore, [1884]; and the species level elevation of Western Ghat taxa namely Bindahara moorei Fruhstorfer, 1904, Ancema sudica (Evans, 1926), Halpe hindu Evans, 1937, and Hyarotis coorga Evans, 1949, from the northeast Indian taxa are provided. A subspecies of Spotted Royal–Tajuria maculata sureshi ssp. nov., is described from Kerala. In addition, an updated checklist of the known larval hostplants of butterflies of Kerala is provided containing more than 1800 larval feeding records with over 350 new observations, and about 800 species of plants.

Among the insecticides evaluated for bioefficacy against lepidopteran pests (diamond back moth, Plutella xylostella, leaf webber, Crocidolomia binotalis Zell and tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura Fab), chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @10g a.i ha-1 was most effective. Incidence of diamond back moth was 0.72±0.11 and 0.47±0.07 larvae plant-1, respectively after first and second spray, leaf webber 0.62±0.10 and 0.54±0.08 larvae plant-1 respectively, after first and second spray and tobacco caterpillar 0.91±0.07 and 0.65±0.08 larvae plant-1, respectively, after first and second spray. Flubendiamide 20 WG @25g a.i ha-1 was next best and novaluron 10 EC @75g a.i ha-1 which was least effective. The maximum yield of 264.54 q ha-1 was obtained from chlorantraniliprole. while the minimum yield of 215.60 q ha-1 was recorded in novaluron. The highest cost-benefit ratio of 1:33.23 was recorded in chlorantraniliprole, while the lowest ratio of 1:6.69 in novaluron.

The study evaluated the toxic effects of quinalphos 25% EC, deltamethrin 2.8% EC, bifenthrin 8% SC, thiamethoxam 25% WG, thiacloprid 21.7% SC, thiamethoxam 12.6% + lambda-cyhalothrin 9.5% SC, propargite 57% EC, hexythiazox 5.45% EC, fenpyroximate 5% EC, and spiromesifen 22.9% SC on various life stages of Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi (Esben-Petersen) in laboratory conditions, including eggs, larvae (1st, 2nd and 3rd instars) and adults. The results showed that quinalphos, deltamethrin and spiromesifen had significantly high ovicidal activity percentages of 56, 43.3 and 42.7 per cent, respectively, on C. z. sillemi eggs. The toxicity of the pesticides on C. z. sillemi larvae gradually increased over time after application and decreased with the increasing life stage of the larvae. Quinalphos and deltamethrin exhibited 100 per cent mortality across all larval stages of C. z. sillemi. Similarly, quinalphos and deltamethrin caused 100 per cent adult mortality after 24 hours of application, followed by thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin and thiacloprid, (which showed 92 and 60% mortality, respectively, after 96 hours). However, pesticides such as bifenthrin, thiamethoxam, hexythiazox, fenpyroximate, and propargite did not exhibit significant acute toxicity on eggs, larvae, and adults of C. z. sillemi. Furthermore, the pesticide-treated adults were evaluated to determine sub-lethal toxicity effects on the pre-oviposition period, post-oviposition period, fecundity, fertility, adult emergence, and adult longevity. The findings indicated that thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin, spiromesifen, thiacloprid, and propargite-treated adults experienced reduced longevity, fecundity, and fertility.

A new species of the genus Chloroplaga Hampson was identified in Mizoram, India, through detailed morphological and genitalia analysis. This discovery emphasizes the unexplored biodiversity of the region and the necessity of conservation efforts in such ecologically rich habitats.