Life table data of the green pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) reared on four different resistant alfalfa varieties, i.e., 5S43, TG4 CW044026 (abbreviated as TG4), TG7 CW2883 (abbreviated as TG7), and Aurora were analyzed using the age-stage, two-sex life table. A higher proportion of alate adults were observed on 5S43, TG7, and Aurora; while a higher proportion of apterous adults occurred on TG4. The contributions of alate aphids to the finite rate of increase (λ), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and net reproductive rate (R₀) were higher than apterous aphids on 5S43, TG7, and Aurora, while apterous aphids contributed more to λ, r, and R₀ on TG4. The highest population parameters were observed on TG4 (r = 0.208 d⁻¹, λ = 1.231 d⁻¹, and R₀ = 18.8 offspring/individual), while the lowest values were on TG7 (r = 0.129 d⁻¹, λ = 1.138 d⁻¹, and R₀ = 9.9 offspring/individual). Because the age-stage, two-sex life table is capable of describing the stage differentiation, it enables the calculation of the stable stage distribution (SSD). A higher proportion of adult A. pisum was observed in SSD than in fourth instar nymphs. Population simulation showed the stage structure will approach SSD. Because the R₀ and the mean generation time (T) values do not reflect the population growth rate, their use as population fitness parameters should be avoided. These findings can be utilized in helping to select resistant alfalfa varieties to effectively manage the pea aphid.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the praying mantises Asiadodis yunnanensis was characterized in this study. The circular molecule is 15,416 bp in length (GenBank accession no. MN037794), containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The nucleotide composition is asymmetric (39.5% A, 15.1% C, 9.6% G, 35.8% T), with an overall A + T content of 75.3%. The gene arrangement of A. yunnanensis is identical to that observed in other praying mantises. Seven PCGs are initiated with typical ATN start codons, Four genes (cox1, nad3, nad4L, and nad6) begin with TTN, nad1 begin with GTT, and nad5 use CTT, as initiation codon. Twelve PCGs stop with complete termination codon TAA and TAG, whereas nad5 uses incomplete termination codon (T––). Twenty reading frame overlaps and seven intergenic regions are found in the mitogenome of A. yunnanensis. The phylogenetic relationships based on 13 PCGs show that A. yunnanensis clusters closest to the species of Mantidae.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the praying mantises Mekongomantis quinquespinosa was characterized in this study. The circular molecule is 15388 bp in length (GenBank accession no. MN267041), containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The nucleotide composition is asymmetric (39.0% A, 15.8% C, 9.8% G, 35.4% T), with an overall A + T content of 74.4%. The gene arrangement of M. quinquespinosa is identical to that observed in other Mantidae family praying mantises. Ten reading frame overlaps and seven intergenic regions are found in the mitogenome of M. quinquespinosa. The phylogenetic relationships based on 13 PCGs show that M. quinquespinosa clusters closest to the species of Mantidae.