Background: Flowers are one of the important microhabitats promoting beetle diversity, but little is known about variation in the diversity of these insects at higher elevations. We do not know how divergent habitats influence the distribution of beetles among montane flora. Methods: We sampled beetles systematically in angiosperm flowers at 12 sites at two elevations (2700 m and 3200 m) and in two habitats (meadows and forests) for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) on the Yulong Snow Mountain in Yunnan, southwestern China. Beetle diversity among sites were compared. Their interactions with flowers of identified plant species were analyzed using bipartite networks approach. Results: We collected 153 species of beetles from 90 plant species recording 3391 interactions. While plant species richness was lower at the higher, 3200 m elevation regardless of habitat type, beetle species richness was not significantly different among sites. Plant-beetle interaction networks were strongly modular and specialized. The structure of networks showed greater differences between elevations than between habitats. The turnover of networks was determined by species composition showing a weak influence by interaction rewiring. Conclusion: Our study showed a high diversity of beetles in flowers at higher elevations within this mountain complex. The role of beetles in plant–insect interactions within some sections of temperate, montane sites appear to be underestimated and warrant further study.

Three new species ofCarinostigmusTsuneki from the Oriental Region of China are described:Carinostigmus frontirugatusBashir & Ma,sp. nov.,C. latidentatusBashir & Ma,sp. nov., andC. vesulcatusBashir & Ma,sp. nov.In addition, ten species are reported, of whichCarinostigmus palawanensis(Tsuneki) is recorded in China for the first time. A key to known and new species of the genusCarinostigmusTsuneki from China is provided.

Four new species of genus Passaloecus Shuckard, (Crabronidae: Pemphredoninae: Pemphredonini) from China are described, namely P. bisulcatus Bashir & Ma, sp. nov., P. profundesulcatus Bashir & Ma, sp. nov., P. tuberangustus Bashir & Ma, sp. nov., and P. tuberculiformis Bashir & Ma, sp. nov. In addition, eight Palearctic species are reported, of which P. turanicus Gussakovskij and P. turionum Dahlbom are first records for China. A key to the species of Passaloecus from China is provided.

Two new species of the genus Psen Latreille, 1796, namely Psen fronistriatussp. nov. and Psen scabrosussp. nov. are described and illustrated from China. A key to the Chinese species of Psen is also provided.

Aphelinus asychis is an important aphid endoparasitoid. Under field and greenhouse conditions, high temperature is one of the factors limiting the application of A. asychis for biological pest control. To explore the potential role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and heat shock proteins (HSPs) in this process, we identified 11 genes encoding TRP channels and nine genes encoding HSPs. Three proteins (AasyTRPA5, AasyPyrexia, AasyPainless) that belong to transient receptor potential ankyrin (TRPA) subfamily and nine HSPs are involved in the response to high temperature. We also investigated the survival of A. asychis and the response of the identified TRP channels and HSPs to high temperature. The results showed that the maximum temperature that allowed A. asychis survival was approximately 41 degrees C; females had higher survival rates than that of the males at 40 and 41 degrees C. Short-term heat-shock resulted in increased expression of Aasyshsp in males, and Aasyhsp40, Aasyhsp68, Aasyhsp70-4, Aasyhsp70-5 and Aasyhsp90 were upregulated and then downregulated, whereas Aasyhsp70-3 was upregulated at 41 degrees C. Moreover, Aasyhsp40 and Aasyhsp90 showed higher expression levels in females, while Aasyshsp and Aasyhsp70-3 presented opposite expression patterns. At temperature above 35 degrees C, expression of AasyPyrexia in females was significant higher than that in males, whereas AasyPainless and AasyTRPA5 presented higher expression in males at 40 and 41 degrees C, respectively. Altogether, these results indicate that protection against thermal stress in A. asychis is coordinated by TRP channels and HSPs. These findings provide a basis for understanding the potential mechanism of A. asychis in response to high temperatures.