Serbia has recently begun facing a serious problem with the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), which was first recorded in October 2015. This species belongs to the Pentomidae family and is notorious for causing extensive damage to plants. During the winter, it tends to gather in urban areas, such as houses and different man-made facilities, which has raised concerns among producers and citizens. The population of this species has rapidly increased, causing significant economic damage to cultivated plants. However, despite the alarming situation no natural enemies have yet been identified in Serbia. Therefore, research in 2022 was focused on collecting stink bug eggs to investigate the presence of egg parasitoids. The study identified two foreign Hymenoptera species for the European region, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) and Tr. mitsukurii (Ashmead) (Scelionidae), recorded for the first time in Serbia. Additionally, the list of egg parasitoid species belonging to the Hymenoptera order includes seven local species: Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy), from the Eupelmidae family; Ooencyrtus sp., from the Encyrtidae family; and Telenomus turesis (Walker), Tr. basalis (Wollaston), Tr. belenus (Walker), Tr. colemani (Crawford), and Tr. semistriatus (Nees von Esenbeck), from the Scelionidae family. In total, nine egg parasitoid species were, for the first time, reported as parasitizing H. halys and related species in Serbia.

Urban areas are often populated by specific species of insects, some colorful and appealing, such as ladybugs and butterflies, and others irritating as nuisance bitters or as vectors of pathogens of public health importance. Mosquitoes in urban areas often utilize habitats adjacent to human residences, while phytophagous insect species such as stink bugs often colonize ornamental plants and utilize human-made structures including houses as overwintering shelters. This article discusses the early detection and the current distribution of two invasive mosquito species, Aedes albopictus Skuse 1894 and Ae. japonicus (Theobald 1901), in Serbia, introduced in 2009 and 2018, respectively. From the first findings until today, regular monitoring has been carried out and the establishment of both species in the newly invaded areas has been confirmed. Both species can become nuisance species, especially at high population densities, but more importantly, they are capable of transmitting a wide variety of arboviruses of public health importance. This article also discusses two invasive stink bug species Halyomorpha halys Stål 1855 and Nezara viridula Linnaeus 1758, introduced in Serbia in 2015 and 2008, respectively. These two stink bug species have also been monitored, and the establishment of their populations in the country has been confirmed. Both species have caused damage to a wide range of crops and ornamental plants and sometimes become nuisance pests in urban areas.

Invasive species such as Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855), the brown marmorated stink bug, pose a significant threat to agriculture due to their rapid spread and adaptability. The aim of this study is to assess the phenotypic variability of H. halys populations by analyzing the size and shape morphology of the anterior and posterior wings and to determine whether geometric morphometrics can serve as a cost-effective alternative to genetic methods for tracking invasion patterns. Populations from four southern European countries (Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Greece) with 540 specimens and 2,160 wings were analysed and showed clear phenotypic differences in wing morphology consistent with the known invasion dynamics previously determined by genetic studies. Mahalanobis distances highlight the close morphological relationship between the Serbian and Slovenian populations, suggesting common ancestry or recent gene flow, while the Greek and Croatian populations show significant differences, suggesting different invasion pathways or rapid morphological adaptation. The Greek population exhibited lower phenotypic plasticity, whereas the Serbian population displayed the greatest variation, likely reflecting the influence of multiple invasion sources. These results show that wing morphology can reliably detect invasion-related patterns and phenotypic plasticity and is a valuable tool for biomonitoring in integrated pest management programs, especially in areas where genetic methods are less feasible. This study highlights the utility of geometric morphometrics in monitoring the spread and adaptation of invasive species such as H. halys in different environments.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important agricultural crops in the world; however, its production is often threatened by several harmful insects, one of which is the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of several biological control methods against this pest. A randomized block design was used in the study, which included three treatments: parasitic wasps (Trichogramma brassicae), common green lacewings (Chrysoperla carnea), a combination of both agents and a control. The results showed that the treatment with T. brassicae wasps, as well as their combination with C. carnea predators, significantly improved the maize grain yield over the control treatment. The same combined treatment significantly improved the yield over treatments with only Trichogramma and only C. carnea predators, suggesting a higher efficacy of the combination of both agents in improving grain yield. Fewer tunnels and larvae in stalks, compared to other treatments, including the control, were also observed in this treatment. The reduced number of tunnels and larvae in stalks directly enabled plants to allocate more resources into grain development, which contributed to improved grain yield. In light of the growing focus on minimizing insecticide applications to mitigate environmental impacts, a combination of parasitic wasp and lacewings predator could be a suitable biological alternative to the use of chemical insecticides.

Urban environments are frequently populated by different insect species. Some of them are very beautiful and appealing to the people around them, such as ladybugs and butterflies, while some others are molestants and even dangerous to public health. Mosquitoes often inhabit urban environments by staying close to their hosts (humans, birds, etc.), while phytophagous species such as stinkbugs find hosts among ornamental plants and shelters during the winter around humans. This article describes the early discoveries and distribution of two invasive mosquito species, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae), which were recorded in Serbia in 2009 and 2018, respectively. Both species are important for human health, due to their nuisance behavior and because they are vectors of many viruses. On the other hand, in 2015 and 2008, two invasive stinkbug species, Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) were observed to spread, respectively. Since then, these species have disrupted human population in urban areas, but also damaged a range of crops and ornamental plants. All species have been monitored in the territory of Serbia, and establishment and distribution have been confirmed so far.