Chemosensory-biology
Guides
Hyles lineata
white-lined sphinx, hummingbird moth
Hyles lineata is a large, abundant sphinx moth native to North and Central America, recognized for its distinctive hovering flight and striking wing pattern. Adults display a 2–3 inch wingspan with dark brown forewings marked by white longitudinal lines and black hindwings bearing a broad pink median band. The species exhibits unusual flexibility in activity patterns, flying at dusk, dawn, and occasionally during daylight hours to feed on nectar. Caterpillars show extreme color polymorphism, ranging from black with orange spots to lime green with black markings, and possess a characteristic posterior horn. This generalist feeder has been documented on over a dozen plant families and serves as a significant pollinator and occasional agricultural pest.
Trichogramma
Trichogramma wasps, egg parasitoid wasps
Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps that are endoparasitoids of insect eggs. With over 200 species worldwide, it is one of approximately 80 genera in the family Trichogrammatidae. These wasps are among the most extensively studied and widely used biological control agents globally, with more than a thousand published papers on their biology and applications. Trichogramma species have also gained attention in neuroscience research due to their extremely small brain size—fewer than 10,000 neurons—while still exhibiting complex behaviors.
biological-controlegg-parasitoidintegrated-pest-managementneuroscience-modelWolbachiamass-rearingagricultural-pest-managementChalcidoideaTrichogrammatidaeaugmentative-biological-controlinundative-releasesustainable-agriculturerice-pest-managementcotton-pest-managementorchard-pest-managementforest-pest-managementparthenogenesischemosensory-biologyminiaturizationbrain-evolution