Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is a pathogenic fungus that can cause life-threatening meningitis, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems. The current standard treatment involves the combination of amphotericin B and azole drugs, but this regimen often leads to inevitable toxicity in patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new antifungal drugs with improved safety profiles. We screened antimicrobial peptides from the hemolymph transcriptome of Blaps rhynchopetera (B. rhynchopetera), a folk Chinese medicine. We found an antimicrobial peptide named blap-6 that exhibited potent activity against bacteria and fungi. Blap-6 is composed of 17 amino acids (KRCRFRIYRWGFPRRRF), and it has excellent antifungal activity against C. neoformans, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.81 μM. Blap-6 exhibits strong antifungal kinetic characteristics. Mechanistic studies revealed that blap-6 exerts its antifungal activity by penetrating and disrupting the integrity of the fungal cell membrane. In addition to its direct antifungal effect, blap-6 showed strong biofilm inhibition and scavenging activity. Notably, the peptide exhibited low hemolytic and cytotoxicity to human cells and may be a potential candidate antimicrobial drug for fungal infection caused by C. neoformans.

Yunnan is located on the southwest border of China, with a complex geographical environment and rich biodiversity, which is the first stop for many migratory pests to enter China. In recent years, Ceracris kiangsu has migrated into China through the China–Laos border line. The migratory C. kiangsu has shown typical characteristics of migratory locusts, which has seriously jeopardized the ecological security, biosecurity and food security of China. In order to prevent and control C. kiangsu from the source as soon as possible, this study used hotspot analysis and trajectory analysis to clarify the migration dynamics, source regions and migration corridors of C. kiangsu. The results showed that the migratory C. kiangsu was mainly distributed in the towns of Jiangcheng County, and the source regions were concentrated in Phongsaly, Laos. There are three cross-border migration corridors of C. kiangsu, among which the Laos–Niuluohe border migration corridor running through the entire migration cycle is the most important corridor. The study answered three key questions about the prevention and control of C. kiangsu. Ascertaining when C. kiangsu arrived at Yunnan, where it came from, and where the population then went will greatly improve the efficiency of the prevention and control of C. kiangsu as well as provide a theoretical basis for subsequent monitoring and early warning.

Danaus genutia, commonly known as the tiger butterfly, is a visually appealing species in the Danaidae family. As it is not currently classified as endangered, it is excluded from key protected species lists at national and local levels, limiting focus on its population and habitat status, which may result in it being overlooked in local butterfly conservation initiatives. Yunnan, characterized by high butterfly diversity, presents an ideal region for studying habitat suitability for D. genutia, which may support the conservation of regional biodiversity. This study employs the MaxEnt ecological niche model, predictions regarding suitable habitat distribution, and trends for D. genutia and identifying primary environmental factors influencing their distribution. The results indicate that the niche model that includes interspecies relationships provides a distribution prediction closely aligned with the observed range of D. genutia. Under current climatic conditions, highly suitable habitats for both D. genutia and its host plant, Cynanchun annularium, are located predominantly in the Yuanjiang River Valley. Optimal conditions occur at average annual temperatures of 19.80–22 °C for D. genutia and 22–24 °C for C. annularium. The distribution range of C. annularium is a vital biological factor limiting D. genutia’s habitat. By 2040, projections under four future climate scenarios indicate a potential increase in the total area of suitable habitats for D. genutia, with a general trend of northward expansion.

This study aims to determine the local host plant range for Yuanjiang River Valley Danaus genutia (Cramer, 1779) and evaluate the effects of different host plants on its growth, development, and reproductive success. This research assesses adult oviposition preferences and larval feeding tendencies on various host plants. An age-stage, two-sex life table was constructed to analyze the butterfly’s growth, development, reproductive success, survival rates, and other physiological aspects on different host plants. Population dynamics over the next 60 days were simulated to offer a comprehensive evaluation of the host plant suitability for D. genutia. The results indicated that D. genutia adults preferred laying eggs on Cynanchum corymbosum, followed by C. annularium, C. rostellatum, and Asclepias curassavica, with very few eggs laid on Calotropis gigantea and Dregea volubilis. Larval feeding preferences were observed in the order of C. annularium > C. corymbosum > C. rostellatum, with A. curassavica consumed only by first-instar larvae, while C. gigantea and D. volubilis were avoided. Under identical room temperature conditions, larvae feeding on C. annularium and C. corymbosum completed a full generation. Larvae feeding on C. annularium exhibited shorter developmental periods and higher early survival rates compared to those feeding on C. corymbosum, with no significant differences in adult longevity, sex ratio, or number of eggs per female. Female adults did not die immediately after laying eggs. No significant differences in the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproduction rate (R₀), or doubling time (T_d) were found between populations feeding on the two host plants. However, the gross reproductive rate (GRR) and mean generation time (T) were significantly lower in the population feeding on C. corymbosum. These results confirm C. annularium and C. corymbosum as host plants for D. genutia larvae and provide a theoretical and scientific basis for the conservation of the Yuanjiang River Valley D. genutia population.