Laboratory of Experimental Entomology

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Studies conducted in the laboratory of experimental entomology and biological control theory are devoted to different aspects of insect ecology and physiology. Themes of works traditionally combine fundamental scientific problems and elaboration of particular methods of insect and plant pests’ control.

At present, the main part of investigations conducted in the laboratory is devoted to different aspects of regulation of seasonal and daily cycles. Objects of studies performed during last ten years included as useful entomophages and parasitoids used for biological control, so insect pests. For example, studies of regulatory mechanisms of seasonal cycles in invasive pest species (the Asian ladybeetle, the brown marmorated stink bug) allowed clarifying forecasts of their future distribution. Experiments conducted on oviphagous parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma revealed a series of previously unknown trans-generation effects associated with diapause (state of winter rest) regulation, presumably bases on an epigenetic inheritance, i.e., on the inter-generation transition of relatively stable changes in gene expression. These results are important not only for insect physiology and genetics, but also for the practice, because trichogrammas are widely used for biological control of agricultural and forestry insect pests and induction of the diapause is an obligatory condition of long storage of trichogrammas in biofactories.

Staff

6 Employees (5 Researchers, 1 Collection Keeper).

Sergey Ya. Reznik (Head of Laboratory, Principal Researcher, Doctor of Biological Sciences)

Natalia D. Voinovich (Senior Researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences)

Andrey N. Ovchinnikov (Senior Researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences)

Antonina A. Ovchinnikova (Junior Researcher)

Konstantin G. Samartsev (Senior Researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences)

Taisiya Ya. Umarova (Senior Collection Keeper)

Topic of State Assignment

“Insect taxonomy, morphology, ecophysiology and evolution”
PI: Doctor of Biological Sciences S.Yu. Sinev
No. 122031100272-3

Laboratory collections

Laboratory supports “living collection”: laboratory populations of pest insects (peach aphid, Mediterranean flour moth, brown marmorated stink bug) and useful insects used for insect pest control (ladybirds, trichogramma, gabrobracon).

Main publications of the Laboratory staff

Reznik S.Ya., Voinovich N.D. 2022. Photoperiod-independent diapause-inducing thermal response of Trichogramma larvae: Pattern and mechanisms. Journal of Applied Entomology, 146 (5): 586-595. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12981

Reznik S.Ya., Voinovich N.D. 2021. Influence of temperature on the restoration of the ability of Trichogramma principium to undergo diapause. Journal of Insect Physiology 132: 104271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104271

Samartsev K., Hao D.-J., Li T. A new species of the genus Pseudocyanopterus van Achterberg, Cao & Yang (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) from China // Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 2021. Vol. 86. P. 79–92. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.86.70971

Samartsev K., van Achterberg C. Afrotropical species of the genus Sculptolobus Yang, van Achterberg & Chen (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae). In: Proshchalykin M.Yu., Gokhman V.E. (Eds). Hymenoptera studies through space and time: A collection of papers dedicated to the 75^th anniversary of Arkady S. Lelej // Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 2021. Vol. 84. P. 301–325. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.84.68702

Samartsev K., Ku D.-S. New records of Braconinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from South Korea // Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 2021. Vol. 83. P. 21–72. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.83.63353

Pazyuk I.M.. Dolgovskaya M.Yu., Reznik S.Ya., Musolin D.L. 2020. Is diapause not needed? Long-term storage potential of zoophytophagous plant bug Dicyphus errans in relation to day length, temperature, and trophic regimes. Biocontrol Science and Technology 31 (1): 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2020.1828279

Reznik S. Ya., Ovchinnikov A.N., Ovchinnikova A.A., Bezman-Moseyko O.S., Belyakova, N.A. 2020. Photoperiodic, thermal, and trophic responses of a predatory ladybird Cheilomenes propinqua. Journal of Applied Entomology 145 (1-2): 134–144. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12833

Reznik S.Y., Voinovich N.D., Samartsev K.G. 2020. Grandmaternal temperature effect on diapause induction in Trichogramma telengai (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Journal of Insect Physiology 124: 104072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104072

Reznik S.Y., Voinovich N.D. 2019. The photoperiodic response to single nights suggests a rapidly damping oscillator in Trichogramma telengai (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). The Canadian Entomologist 151 (4): 456-464. https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2019.31

Musolin D.L., Dolgovskaya M.Y., Protsenko V.Y., Karpun N.N., Reznik S.Y., Saulich A.K. 2019. Photoperiodic and temperature control of nymphal growth and adult diapause induction in the invasive Caucasian population of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys. Journal of Pest Science 92(2): 621-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01080-1

Ovchinnikov A.N., Belyakova, N.A., Ovchinnikova A.A., Reznik S.Y. 2019. Factors determining larval cannibalistic behavior in invasive and native populations of the multicolored Asian ladybird, Harmonia axyridis. Entomologia Generalis 38(3): 243–254.https://doi.org/10.1127/entomologia/2019/0702

Reznik S.Y., Ovchinnikov A. N., Ovchinnikova A. A., Belyakova N.A. 2018. Costs and benefits of interlarval cannibalism in Harmonia axyridis. Journal of Applied Entomology. 142 (1-2): 223–229. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jen.12405

Voinovich N. D. & Reznik S. Y. 2017. On the factors inducing the inhibition of diapause in the progeny of diapause females of Trichogramma telengai. // Physiological Entomology. 42(3): 274-281. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/phen.12202

Reznik S.Ya., Dolgovskaya M.Yu., Ovchinnikov A.N., Belyakova N.A. 2015. Weak photoperiodic response facilitates the biological invasion of the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Journal of Applied Entomology, 139(4): 241–249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12158

Reznik S.Ya., Samartsev K.G. Multigenerational maternal inhibition of prepupal diapause in two Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) // Journal of Insect Physiology. 2015. Vol. 81. P 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.06.012

Vaghina N.P., Voinovich N.D., Reznik S.Ya. 2014. Maternal thermal and photoperiodic effects on the progeny diapause in Trichogramma telengai Sorokina (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). // Entomological Science, 17(2): 198–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/ens.12045

Reznik S.Ya., Vaghina N.P., Voinovich N.D. 2012. Multigenerational maternal effect on diapause induction in Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). // Biocontrol Science and Technology, 22(4): 429–445. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2012.662942

Reznik S.Ya., Voinovich N.D., Vaghina N.P. 2011. Maternal regulation of Trichogramma embryophagum Htg. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) diapause: Photoperiodic sensitivity of adult females. // Biological Control, 57(2): 158–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.02.005

Reznik S.Ya. 2011. Ecological and evolutionary aspects of photothermal regulation of diapause in Trichogrammatidae. Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology 47(6): 512-523. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0022093011060020

Laboratory staff participate in the following grants

RSF No. 21-16-00050. “Formation of the current ranges of invasive herbivorous insects and their ecophysiological adaptations to the conditions of the Southern Russia” (PI D.L. Musolin, SPbFTU).

RSF No. 20-66-47010. “The ecological and genetic principles for bio-resource screening of insects and mites for biological pest control” (PI N.A.Belyakova, ARIPP).

RFBR No. 20-04-00185–а. “Interaction of micro- and macroevolutionary processes in determining of the variability of thermal constants of insects development” (PI E.B.Lopatina, SPbSU).