The need to use environmentally friendly substances in agriculture for pest control has become increasingly urgent in recent years. This was generated by humanity’s awareness of the harmful effects of chemicals with increased persistence, which accumulated in nature and harmed living beings. Essential oils are among the most important biopesticides and could significantly contribute to the expansion of ecological agriculture, replacing traditional methods. However, for judicious use, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the mechanisms by which these oils act on both harmful and useful insects. An important step in transitioning from theory to practice is adapting essential oil application technologies for open fields, overcoming the difficulties created by their high volatility and low remanence, which results in a rapid reduction in the toxic effect. The review proposes an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of the existing literature on these subjects, aiming to provide researchers with some potential future study directions and practitioners with a solid base of information regarding the interaction between insects and essential oils.

Biopesticides, alongside the expansive growth of conventional agriculture, emerged as a hopeful avenue for mitigating the environmental impact of synthetic chemicals. Essential oils derived from various plant species are regarded as environmentally friendly and have been suggested by numerous researchers for combating the pest species. However, in addition to their detrimental effects on harmful species, these essential oils exert varying degrees of impact on non-target species with which they share ecological relationships. This review serves the dual purpose of updating data on the use of the essential oils as biopesticides, considering the substantial increase in research output in the recent years. Simultaneously, it aims to provide a focused synthesis on the essential oils currently approved for commercial use as biopesticides, and shedding light on their impact on beneficial pollinator species, which may inadvertently suffer from the application of substances deemed safe by most users.

Plant species in the Lamiaceae family are known worldwide for their therapeutic potential, conferred in particular by the great diversity of essential oils they produce. Although much less known and cultivated than the “star” species of this family, Salvia yangii (formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia) presents special potential both medicinally and as an ornamental species due to its special abilities to withstand conditions unfavorable to other related species. This paper explores the specialized literature from both a bibliometric and comprehensive point of view, in order to systematize the existing information about this species from the last 28 years. S. yangii is a species with a rich array of bioactive compounds, such as terpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils, offering promising therapeutic effects including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Despite its significant potential, this species remains insufficiently studied and undervalued; further research is needed to fully understand its medicinal and ecological value, optimize extraction methods, and explore its broader applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and eco-friendly solutions in phytoremediation.

Megastigmidae comprises more than 200 species in 12 genera. Megastigmus has a worldwide distribution with more than 150 species. Over 80% of these species are recorded from the Australian and Palearctic region, with a few from Afrotropical and Oriental regions, but none from the Neotropical region. We describe a new species of Megastigmus obtained from the seeds of Pemphis acidula in the Maldives Archipelago. This is the first mention of Megastigmidae having as a host plant a species from Lythraceae. It is also the first recorded association of Chalcidoidea with the genus Pemphis and the first mention of Megastigmidae and Megastigmus in the Maldives Archipelago. We provide a detailed description of the species, focusing on its morphology, using both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Megastigmus irinae Popescu n. sp. is a strictly phytophagous species, with each larva consuming a single seed. Currently, M. irinae is an endemic species found only in the Maldives Archipelago. However, considering the distribution of its host plant, P. acidula, which ranges from East Africa to Southeast Asia, Australia, Micronesia, and French Polynesia, we anticipate that future research could significantly expand the known range of this interesting new species.

Rubus species are affected by the gall inducer Lasioptera rubi (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), which produces galls predominantly on the stem but sometimes also on the petiole. The presence of these neo-structures at the stem level can affect their survival and implicit production in raspberry crops. The purpose of the present study is to achieve the first detailed description of the histological and morphological peculiarities of these galls, which present great variability from these points of view. Three morphotypes were described in the galls produced in the stem, depending on the position of the larval chambers and the degree of damage to the vascular system. The histochemical investigations highlighted the presence of reducing sugars and proteins as the main nutrients in the gall tissues, as well as the presence of polyphenols and terpenoids as secondary products of metabolism. Indoleacetic acid was identified near the larval chambers and in the neighboring tissues, its presence having an important role in the changes in the morphogenesis of the secondary xylem in the stem and in inducing the appearance of meristematic nodules in the gall structure.

Leucorrhinia pectoralis is included in the Bern Convention (Appendix II), the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) (Annexes II and IV), the IUCN European Red List of Dragonflies, the IUCN Red List of Mediterranean Dragonflies and in the Red List of Dragonflies of the Carpathians. Typical environments for this species are peatlands, a habitat that is in decline and needs special protection throughout Europe. In the summer of 2014 we investigated ROSCI0247 “Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei” and identified two males of Leucorrhinia pectoralis. At 4.5 km from this protected area, within the same period, we found several dozen individuals of L. pectoralis in a peat exploit area, called “Turbamin”, an example of human activities contributing accidentally to maintain a rare and protected species in nature.