A critical component of integrated pest management is minimizing disruption of biological control by reducing the use of pesticides with significant non-target effects on natural enemies. Insecticide non-target effects testing for natural enemies has become increasingly common, but research examining the non-target effects of herbicides on natural enemies is scarce, and recommendations regarding herbicide selectivity are non-existent. We used meta-analysis to summarize laboratory bioassays testing non-target effects of herbicides on arthropod natural enemies and identify patterns in taxon susceptibility and active ingredient toxicity. Data were extracted from 78 papers representing 801 total observations. Herbicides increased natural enemy mortality and decreased longevity, reproduction, and predation. Mesostigmatan mites and hemipterans were the most sensitive to herbicides, and spiders, neuropterans, and hymenopterans were the least sensitive. Mortality was higher in juvenile predators versus parasitoids but did not differ between adults; parasitoid juveniles are likely better protected within the host. In terms of acute mortality, metribuzin, glufosinate, and oxyfluorfen were the most harmful herbicides. Only nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, pendimethalin, phenmedipham, atrazine, and urea did not increase natural enemy mortality. The large effect size of glufosinate is particularly concerning, as it is the most likely replacement herbicide for glyphosate in many crops. Many active ingredients remain under-studied. Our analysis indicates that herbicides have a strong potential to disrupt biological control in cropping systems.

A critical component of integrated pest management is minimizing disruption of biological control by reducing use of pesticides with significant non-target effects on natural enemies. Insecticide non-target effects testing for natural enemies has become increasingly common, but research examining the non-target effects of herbicides on natural enemies is scarce and recommendations regarding herbicide selectivity are non-existent. We used meta-analysis to summarize laboratory bioassays testing non-target effects of herbicides on arthropod natural enemies and identify patterns in taxon susceptibility and active ingredient toxicity. Data was extracted from 103 papers representing 801 total observations. Herbicides increased natural enemy mortality and decreased longevity, reproduction, and predation. Mesostigmatan mites and hemipterans were the most sensitive to herbicides and spiders, neuropterans, and hymenopterans were the least sensitive. Mortality was higher in juvenile predators versus parasitoids, but did not differ between adults; parasitoid juveniles are likely better protected within the host. In terms of acute mortality, metribuzin, glufosinate, and oxyfluorfen were the most harmful herbicides. Only nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, pendimethalin, phenmedipham, atrazine, and urea did not increase natural enemy mortality. The large effect size of glufosinate is particularly concerning, as it is the most likely replacement herbicide for glyphosate in many crops. Many active ingredients remain under-studied. Our analysis indicates that herbicides have a strong potential to disrupt biological control in cropping systems. Simple Summary: Reducing the use of pesticides that harm natural enemies of crop pests is important to pest management. Currently, there is limited information on how herbicides might affect natural enemies. The researchers found that herbicides increased natural enemy mortality and reduced their longevity and efficacy as predators. Some potential glyphosate replacement herbicides were more harmful than glyphosate. There was little or no data available for many herbicides and beneficial insects, indicating that much more research is needed on this topic.

Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is the most expensive and challenging insect pest of commercial pear trees in the Pacific Northwest. Integrated pest management (IPM) programs are working toward relying more heavily on natural enemies to reduce insecticide use. Trechnites insidiosus (Crawford) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is the main parasitoid of C. pyricola, but little is known about its biology in the region. Developing sampling tools is important for the deployment of IPM programs, including monitoring of natural enemies. In this study, we examined 2 conventional monitoring methods: beat trays and yellow sticky cards, in addition to screened sticky cards and 3D-printed cylinder traps. Additionally, we tested an overwintering trap for the collection of parasitized C. pyricola. The trapping methods were tested in orchards in Oregon and Washington. Unscreened cards caught the most T. insidiosus and C. pyricola, followed by screened cards, cylinder traps, and then beat trays. Beat trays sometimes failed to catch any T. insidiosus, even when it was found in abundance via other methods. Screened cards and cylinder traps reduced bycatch and increased ease of identifying T. insidiosus. Specimens from the cylinder traps were also more suitable for use in molecular analysis. The overwintering traps were effective at capturing parasitized C. pyricola, but were highly variable year to year. The ideal trapping method will vary based on research needs (e.g., DNA preservation, reducing bycatch, catching higher numbers), but both screened sticky cards and cylinder traps were viable methods for monitoring T. insidiosus and its host.

The tobacco budworm, Chloridea (Heliothis) virescens (F.), has evolved resistance to numerous insecticides in the field. In tobacco, chlorantraniliprole can be applied as either a preventative systemic soil application at or near transplant, or a foliar application timed to current treatment thresholds. With a novel mode of action chlorantraniliprole provides an option for rotation with other insecticides to reduce the probability of insecticide resistance development. However, specific usage patterns in tobacco have the potential to increase the risk of resistance development to this insecticide. In particular, soil applied treatments may expose C. virescens to sublethal concentrations of the insecticide. We studied chlorantraniliprole susceptibility in nine field populations and one laboratory strain of C. virescens using a diet incorporation bioassay. Mortality was measured at 7, 10, and 14 d after exposure. Our results demonstrated that bioassays should be evaluated at 14 d after exposure to optimize interpretation of the dose–response due to the antifeeding properties of chlorantraniliprole. We observed low variation within field-collected populations. Field populations were as susceptible as the laboratory strain; the resistance ratio at the 14-d evaluation for field-collected populations ranged from 1.01 to 1.05. A discriminating dose of 0.117, 0.080, and 0.070 μg a.i./g diet could be used at 7, 10, and 14 d, respectively. Larval growth varied between field populations. Two field populations continued growing on diet containing chlorantraniliprole and differed in size from the laboratory and other populations. Further evaluation of growth inhibition will be necessary.

Temperature impacts many aspects of species biology and ecology. A continuing struggle for studies in thermal ecology is accurate assessment of critical thermal maxima CT _max . Identifying when loss of equilibrium (LOE) occurs has been criticized for being too subjective. This is particularly true of small organisms, such as insects, where the loss of coordination can be difficult to observe. As such, ecologists have often used lack of movement as a proxy for LOE. Here, we designed, tested, and present a guide to recycling surplus gas chromatographs for use as a thermal chamber that allows accurate and high throughput assessment of CT _max at relatively low cost. We found the GC to be an adequate heating chamber for thermal experiments. Installation of a rotating rack that can hold glass observation vials allows for rapid identification of loss of equilibrium in subjects. We evaluated the CT _max of a common generalist predator in the Arizona cotton agroecosystem, Collops vittatus . Additional tests of static heat exposure also revealed that this chamber can be used for assessing the impacts of heat stress on predatory behavior. We hope to encourage other ecologists to use this guide to recycle surplus laboratory equipment for use in thermal ecology studies. We believe that our thermal insect carousel can be used for CT _max , lethal temperature, and behavioral bioassays.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the practice of science, including the field of entomology. Once viewed primarily as a tool for data analysis, AI is now reshaping publishing, research, and teaching in ways that raise both opportunities and concerns. To capture this pivotal moment, we organized a symposium at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America titled “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Entomology: An Aid to Publishing, Research, and Teaching.” Presentations highlighted diverse applications of AI, from generative models that translate Extension materials for underserved audiences, to computer vision systems detecting stored product pests, to tools accelerating the digitization of insect collections, and to experimental manipulations of dominance hierarchies in social insects. Collectively, these case studies illustrate how AI can enhance efficiency, expand the scope of questions that can be asked, and democratize access to advanced research tools. At the same time, they emphasize the importance of careful oversight, given risks such as mistranslations, misclassifications, and overreliance on generative outputs. Beyond research, AI is already reshaping scientific publishing. Drawing on symposium discussions and a review of current policies, we propose baseline recommendations for authors, reviewers, and editors that are now integrated into Entomological Society of America publishing policies. These include transparent disclosure of AI use in acknowledgments and methods, alongside clear boundaries on acceptable applications. Our synthesis underscores that while AI can accelerate entomological science, ongoing dialogue, validation, and ethical guardrails are essential to ensuring trust, integrity, and creativity in the discipline.