In vivo visualization of butterfly scale cell morphogenesis in Vanessa cardui

During metamorphosis, the wings of a butterfly sprout hundreds of thousands of scales with intricate microstructures and nano-structures that determine the wings’ optical appearance, wetting characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and aerodynamic behavior. Although the functional characteristics of scales are well known and prove desirable in various applications, the dynamic processes and temporal coordination required to sculpt the scales’ many structural features remain poorly understood. Current knowledge of scale growth is primarily gained from ex vivo studies of fixed scale cells at discrete time points; to fully understand scale formation, it is critical to characterize the time-dependent morphological changes throughout their development. Here, we report the continuous, in vivo, label-free imaging of growing scale cells of Vanessa cardui using speckle-correlation reflection phase microscopy. By capturing time-resolved volumetric tissue data together with nanoscale surface height information, we establish a morphological timeline of wing scale formation and gain quantitative insights into the underlying processes involved in scale cell patterning and growth. We identify early differences in the patterning of cover and ground scales on the young wing and quantify geometrical parameters of growing scale features, which suggest that surface growth is critical to structure formation. Our quantitative, time-resolved in vivo imaging of butterfly scale development provides the foundation for decoding the processes and biomechanical principles involved in the formation of functional structures in biological materials.

The genome sequence of the painted lady, Vanessa cardui Linnaeus 1758

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Vanessa cardui (the painted lady; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The genome sequence is 425 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 32 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z sex chromosome assembled. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 12,821 protein coding genes.

Seguimiento plurianual (2013-2016) del vuelo invernal de mariposas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) en el campus de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide, de Sevilla (sur de España)

Durante los inviernos 2013/2014, 2014/2015 y 2015/2016 y la primera mitad de la primavera que siguió a cada uno de ellos, fue estudiada la fenología de la fase adulta de las mariposas diurnas presentes en el campus de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide, de Sevilla (España). El número de especies observadas a lo largo de esos inviernos (12), la abundancia de cada una de ellas y los cambios en la diversidad fueron analizados. Ejemplares de Artogeia rapae, Vanessa atalanta, Vanessa cardui, Pieris brassicae, Colias crocea, Tomares ballus y Zerynthia rumina fueron observados todos los inviernos. Por último, para todas las especies halladas en este estudio ha sido realizado un estudio comparativo entre el inicio del periodo de vuelo aquí registrado y aquél que aparece recogido en la bibliografía consultada.

Фітосанітарний моніторинг шкідливої ентомофауни посівів сої в умовах рисових зрошувальних систем

Мета. Визначення видового складу ентомофагівта виявлення домінуючих шкідників посівів сої у корот-коротаційних рисових сівозмінах Південного СтепуУкраїни. Методи. Польовий, лабораторний, розрахунко-во-порівняльний і статистичний. Результати. Отриманоінформацію щодо видового складу шкідників у посівахсої та встановлено їх домінуючі види у короткоротаційнихрисових сівозмінах: метелик лучний (Margaritia sticticalis L.),сонцевик будяковий, або чортополохівка (Vanessacardui L.), клоп трав’яний (Lygus rugulipennis Popp.), клоплюцерновий (Adelphocoris lineolatus Goeze.), щитниклюцерновий (Piezodorus lituratus F.), трипс тютюновий(Thrips tabaci Lind.), совка-гамма (Autographa gamma L.),совка люцернова (Chloridea viriplaca Hfn.), коник зелений(Tettigonia viridissima L.), прус італійський (Calliptamusitalicus L.), попелиця велика злакова (Sitobion avenae F.),кліщ павутинний звичайний (Tetranychus urticae Koch.),сарана мароканська (Dociostaurus maroccanus Thunb.),цикадка шестикрапкова (Macrosteles laevis Kib.); цика-дка смугаста (Psammotettix striatus L.), елія носата (Aeliarostrata Bsh.), довгоносик смугастий бульбочковий(Sitona lineatus L.), довгоносик сірий щетинистий (Sitonacrinitus Hfn.), совка бавовникова (Helicoverpa armigera),вогнівка акацієва (Etiella zinckenella Tr.). Висновки.Кількість виявлених видів шкідників у посівах сої становила: ряд лускокрилих (Lepidoptera) – 38,0%; ака-риформні кліщі (Acariformes) 22,0%, бахромчастокрилі(Thysanoptera) – 17,0%, напівтвердокрилі (Hemiptera) –10,0%, представники ряду рівнокрилих (Homoptera) – 5,0%,прямокрилих (Orthoptera) – 5,0% та твердокрилих(Coleoptera) – 3,0%. Домінуючими видами в умовах рисо-вих чеків були: метелик лучний (Pyrausta sticticalis L.) –15 екз./м2, трипс тютюновий (цибулевий) (Thripstabaci Lind.) – 50 екз./м2, звичайний павутинний кліщ(Tetranychus urticae Koch.) – 47 екз./рослину, сонце-вик будяковий (чортополохівка) (Vanessa cardui L.) –від 2 до 5 екз./м2.

Timing of mating, reproductive status and resource availability in relation to migration in the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui

In many migratory insects, migration occurs during the pre-reproductive phase of the life cycle. This trait probably arises from a trade-off between migration and reproduction and in females has been termed as the ‘oogenesis-flight syndrome’. However, the generality of this syndrome has been questioned, especially for monomorphic insects. We studied the relationship between migration and reproduction in the highly cosmopolitan painted lady butterfly, which in the Palaearctic undertakes the longest known multi-generational migration circuit of any insect. We tested for the oogenesis-flight syndrome in both spring and autumn migrants in two regions linked by migration, North Africa and northern Spain. Field observations were combined with laboratory experiments to determine the lifespan and the age at first mating to unravel the reproductive strategy observed in individuals captured in the wild. Females and males wait on average around 5–6 days before mating, and field data revealed that mating frequencies increase rapidly once females reach a medium wing wear category. There were seasonal differences in mating frequencies in the study regions depending on whether the region acted as a source or as a destination for migrants, and in the latter case there were almost twice as many mated females. Moreover, about 80% of females collected during migratory flights were unmated, the remaining females having mated only very recently. Our results thus strongly indicate that the painted lady fulfils the oogenesis-flight syndrome, as migration is concentrated in its relatively short pre-reproductive period. Field data also showed a high positive correlation between mating frequency and host plant abundance, which suggests that mated females have the ability to locate potential breeding areas. This, together with the very high fecundity estimated from over 1000 eggs in laboratory trials, makes the painted lady one of the most successful migratory insects on Earth.