Gomphocerus sibiricus L., the dominant insect species in the alpine and subalpine grassland, overwinters with diapause at egg stage. In this study, cold tolerance and related cryoprotectants of G. sibiricus eggs were investigated. In particular, the supercooling point (SCP), water content, carbohydrates (trehalose, glucose, fructose, glycogen), polyols (glycerol, inositol, sorbitol), fat, and amino acids contents were evaluated at different developmental stages of G. sibiricus eggs collected under natural conditions. The SCPs of eggs were very low (−32.83 to −22.61°C) at mid‐diapause. Water content gradually increased during development. The fructose, glycerol, and sorbitol contents were significantly higher in diapausing eggs than in early embryogenesis stage and post‐diapause development stage. Glycogen content was high throughout the whole developmental period. The trehalose, glucose, and inositol contents were low during diapause compared to that in early embryogenesis stage and post‐diapause development stage. There were no significant differences in the fat content of eggs among all development stages. The total amino acid contents in eggs in the early embryogenesis and at the start of diapause were higher than that in post‐diapause eggs. The contents of Glu, Asp, Leu, Pro and Arg during diapause were significantly higher than those during post‐diapause development. Results indicate that G. sibiricus eggs have a high supercooling capacity. Successful overwintering can be attributed to the accumulation of glycerol, fructose, sorbitol, and amino acids (Glu, Asp, Leu, Pro and Arg). These findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of G. sibiricus to cold conditions.

This study aimed to elucidate the intra and interpopulation genetic variation of Pastor roseus in Xinjiang, China. Sequences of the mitochondrial genes COI and Cytb of 108 individuals from 10 distinct geographical populations across four regions of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region were analyzed. The mitochondrial genes were 1551 and 1143 bp in full length, respectively, and the AT content of bases was greater than the GC content. Based on the molecular variation in COI and Cytb , 62 and 69 haplotypes were detected, respectively; the average haplotype diversity ( H _d ) values were 0.976 ± 0.006 and 0.944 ± 0.018, respectively, and the nucleotide diversity (π) values were 0.00316 ± 0.00016 and 0.00292 ± 0.00021, respectively, indicating that there was high genetic diversity among the 10 population. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the major source of genetic variation was within the populations. Analysis of molecular signatures of neutrality indicated that Tajima's D value was not significant, but Fu's F _S was significant, suggesting that P. roseus populations have recently experienced a large population expansion, but that the populations are currently relatively stable and the selection pressure is low, The Bayesian Skyline Plot (BSP) results indicate that the expansion occurred approximately 0.0015 million years ago. Although the P. roseus currently maintains a high level of genetic diversity and population connectivity, its recent population decline and the geographical isolation risks faced by some populations cannot be ignored. To sustain its crucial ecological role as a natural enemy of locusts, future conservation strategies should focus on ensuring habitat quality, preserving migration route integrity, and facilitating gene flow among populations.