The bean bug Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major soybean pest in Asia, increasingly threatened by rising temperatures. It is crucial to clarify the high-temperature lethal thresholds of R. pedestris for predicting population dynamics under climate warming. Previous physiological data showed that female adults have significantly higher heat tolerance than males, with HLT₅₀ values of 39.76 °C versus 38.45 °C and HLT₉₀ values of 42.99 °C versus 42.44 °C. This sex-specific difference suggests distinct molecular responses to thermal stress. To test this hypothesis, we performed transcriptome sequencing of adults exposed to 24 °C (control), 40 °C (sublethal), and 44 °C (lethal), with males and females treated separately. A high-quality assembly yielded 270,199 unigenes, with 71 heat shock protein (HSP) genes identified across six subfamilies (sHSP, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90, HSFs). HSPs exhibited a dual strategy: constitutive expression for basal proteostasis and strong induction—especially at 44 °C—for stress defense. Notably, responses were sexually dimorphic: females upregulated multiple stress-responsive HSPs (e.g., RpedHsp15.5-3, RpedHsp30.8) to protect reproduction, while males specifically induced RpedHsp83.6, possibly for signaling regulation. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed conservation within Hemiptera. These findings reveal the molecular basis of thermal adaptation in R. pedestris and identify key HSPs as potential targets for RNAi, HSP inhibitors, or precision thermal control.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a vital food and oil crop in China, yet its yield and quality are severely threatened by piercing–sucking damage caused by Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) to soybean pods. Under global climate warming and expanded soybean cultivation, temperature has become a key environmental factor driving the spread of and aggravated damage caused by R. pedestris. We investigated the effects of temperature (32, 36, 40, 42, and 44 °C) and exposure duration (1–4 h) on the energy substances and antioxidant enzyme activities in adult R. pedestris. These two factors also had significant effects on the pest’s energy substances and antioxidant defense. Under short-term high-temperature stress, the water loss rate and fat, total sugar, and glycogen contents increased significantly, while protein content showed a fluctuating upward trend, with distinct sexual differences in these responses; the water loss and energy substance levels within the lethal high-temperature range, around 44 °C, were generally higher than those in the sublethal range (36–42 °C). R. pedestris showed physiological changes consistent with enhanced heat tolerance and adaptability, including water balance regulation, carbohydrate and lipid accumulation, and modulation of protein synthesis and degradation. In the sublethal high-temperature range, antioxidant enzyme activity patterns were altered, and SOD activity was increased; meanwhile, the MDA content also rose, and POD and CAT activities decreased. In the lethal high-temperature range, the overall antioxidant enzyme activities were lower than in the suitable temperature range, with the POD activities and MDA content still rising. These results suggest that the dynamic adjustment of antioxidant enzyme activities may contribute to alleviating oxidative damage and rapid adaptation to temperature-induced oxidative stress in R. pedestris. These findings indicate that R. pedestris possesses physiological plasticity to cope with sublethal heat stress through metabolic reallocation and antioxidant defense activation, but extreme temperatures cause severe physiological disruption. This study provides insights into the thermal biology and heat resistance mechanisms of this pest under climate warming scenarios.

Mycterothrips glycines Okamoto (1911) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is rapidly increasing in fields, posing a new and potentially serious threat to soybean production in Northeast China. To clarify the population dynamics and screen effective insecticides against M. glycines, systematic monitoring and pesticide evaluation were conducted from 2024 to 2025. Occurrence dynamics were continuously monitored using yellow and blue sticky boards, while ten commonly used commercial insecticide formulations (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, sulfoxaflor, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, fenthion, pyridaben, abamectin, beta-cypermethrin, spinetoram) were hierarchically screened through laboratory bioassays, pot trials, and field spraying experiments. The results revealed a distinct ‘rise-and-fall’ occurrence pattern, with the initial, peak, and late occurrence periods occurring in mid-July, late July to early August, and mid-to-late August, respectively. Thiamethoxam and clothianidin exhibited the strongest toxicity against M. glycines (LC₅₀ values of 12.87 mg/L and 13.46 mg/L, respectively), achieving field control efficacies exceeding 85%, which were significantly superior to conventional agents such as imidacloprid and abamectin. The study identified the soybean flowering stage as the critical window for control, recommending preventive interventions when sticky trap monitoring indicates the initial population peak (around mid-July). This research fills the technical gaps regarding the occurrence dynamics of M. glycines and the lack of registered control products in China, providing essential support for precision monitoring and management of soybean thrips.