Pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) play an important role in recognition, transmission and processing of insect pheromones. In this study, a cDNA named Ac-ASP1 encoding a PBP was cloned (from the Chinese native honeybee, Apis cerana cerana. The predicted protein has six conservative cysteines in mature peptide, a typical symbol of odorant binding proteins (OBPs). The sequence had been submitted into GenBank and registered is the accession no. DQ449670. The profile of spatio-temporal expression of Ac-ASP1 was identified by real-time PCR. The results of absolute quantitation showed that Ac-ASP1 was expressed at a higher level in antenna (2.07×10⁶ copy number/μg), but at a less level in other tissues including head, thorax, abdomen, wings and legs (10.2 copy number/μg); while the results of relative quantitation revealed that Ac-ASP1 was expressed in two high abundance periods: from larva to the 6th day of adult and around the 21st day of adult. These results may provide the reference to ascertain the function of Ac-ASP1 involved in signal recognition and transmission of queen pheromone.

In order to compare the activity differences between the prokaryotic expressed MBP-MpAFP5 and GST-MpAFP5, the two recombinant prokaryotic expression plasmids pGEX-4T-1-Mpafp5 and pMAL-p2x-Mpafp5 were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) to obtain two different fusion antifreeze proteins of Microdera punctipennis dzhungarica. The two fusion proteins were purified by affinity chromatograph. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that both of the fusion antifreeze proteins were highly expressed in soluble fractions. The thermal hysteresis activities （THA） of GST-MpAFP5 and MBP-MpAFP5 at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL were measured as 0.51℃ and 1.336℃, respectively. The ice crystal morphology of both proteins displayed pyramid shape. Cryoprotection to bacteria experiments showed that the two fusion proteins could protect bacteria survival at subzero 7℃ temperature. Comparatively, MBP-MpAFP5 had higher protective activities than GST-MpAFP5. These results provide basic data for application of the insect antifreeze proteins in the future.

Larval spiracle morphology of Parasarcophaga crassipalpis (Macquart) was studied in detail under microscope, and the corresponding morphological indexes were collected and analyzed by digital image processing equipment. The results showed that structural traits of anterior and posterior spiracles regularly changed along with larval growth. When the 2nd and 3rd instars overlapped, special morphological features occurred. This stage could be an ideal age indicator to determine the decisive time for possible use in forensic entomology. Measurements of the ratio of length and width of anterior spiracle chamber and the average optical density of anterior and posterior spiracles were confirmed as larval age markers. This study further confirms the correlation between morphological indexes and postmortem interval as long as the investigator accounts for the development data of the species.

The meadow moth，Loxostege sticticalis L., is an important farming migratory pest in North China, and the understanding of the exact overwintering area and migratory path for the pest is essential for establishing a population forecasting system. In this study, we developed a long-term monitoring observation of the pest using a vertical-looking radar (VLR), checked up the ovarian develop ment and collected the number of meadow moths in light trap at different points during the peak migration period of meadow moth. We also analyzed the weather background during the major immigration period, especially, low altitude airflow and large-scale atomspheric circulation. Finally, we did numerical simulation on migration dynamics of meadow moth with Hysplit_4 (HYbrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory). The results showed that meadow moths during June 7－9 showed a typical physiological characteristic of migrating insects and the moths usually took advantage of strong winds to fly and formed main migrating layers at 300-500 m above ground level (agl), mainly at 400 m (agl), and lasted 9 h in one night. Part of the meadow moth population in the northeast of China immigrated from Wumeng, Inner Mongolia, and part from the middle-east part of Mongolia and the border areas of China and Russia. It is so inferred that population intercourse of the meadow moth may exist between China and neighboring countries.

Effects of Nicotiania tabacum and N. rustica on the development，food utilization and population growth of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) under both experimental and natural conditions were studied comparatively. The results showed that：(1) In laboratory condition with 26±1℃，relative humidity of 75%±5% and photoperiod of 16L∶8D，when reared on N. rustica，the development duration of  H. armigera larvae significantly prolonged， while the survival rate of both 1st and 2nd instar larvae and the fecundity of female adults reduced notably，the net reproductive rate (R₀=30.5374) and innate capacity of increase (r_m=0.0951) decreased compared with those reared on N. tabacum.(2) There were no significant differences in the approximate digestibility (AD) and the relative growth rate (RGR) of the 6th instar larvae reared in the two tobacco species. Compared to the larvae feeding on N. tabacum，both the efficiency conversation of ingestion (ECI) and digestion (ECD) to N. rustica significantly decreased， while the relative consumption rate (RCR) increased significantly. (3) The 2nd generation population of H. armigera in N. tabacum fields (I=1.9922>1) increased faster than that in N.rustica fields， which were influenced mainly by “tobacco and others"，especially in early stage of larvae. The increase of the 3rd generation population slowed down in N. tabacum fields (I=1.5994>1)，which declined in N. rustica fields (I=0.6434<1). The early stage larvae were mainly affected by tobacco resistance and rainfalls，while the late stage larvae were infected easily by pathogens. These results showed that N. rustica was less suitable to the reproduction and increase of H. armigera compared to N. tabacum.

 

The bionomics of two parasitoids Encarsia Formosa and En. sophia on Bemisia tabaci and host competition between the two parasitoids were investigated in the laboratory. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in length of hind leg tibia between two parasitoids. The ovipositor and egg size of En. sophiawere longer than those of En. formosa, and eggs ready to be laid by one-day old female wasp of En. Sophia was less than those of En. formosa. The time taken by En. Sophia in both host checking and ovipositing were significantly shorter than that of En. formosa, whereas the rounds turned during host checking by a wasp of En. Sophia were less than those by a wasp of En. formosa. The developmental time of En. Sophia egg was about 24 h, which was significantly shorter than that of En. Formosa egg. The pupal duration of En. Sophia was also significantly shorter than that of En. formosa. The developmental time from egg to adult for En. Sophia was about 72 h shorter than that for En. formosa. In 24 h, the total oviposition in combination treatment of one En. formosa and one En. Sophia was 14.0 eggs, which is more than that in combination treatment of two En. formosa (10.2 eggs) and significantly more than that in combination treatment of two En. Sophia female wasps (9.5 eggs). The mean number of eggs loaded in parasitized host in combination treatment of two wasp species (1.73 eggs) was significantly higher than

that in combination treatment of females from one wasp species, which were 1.29 and 1.39 eggs for En. formosa and En. sophia, respectively. In combination treatment of two wasp species, the numbers of eggs laid in host parasitized by two wasp species were 1.21 and 1.43 for En. Formosa and En. sophia, respectively, and were significantly more than those in the hosts parasitized by only one wasp species, which were 1.06 and .19 for En. Formosa and En. sophia, respectively. The results suggest that female wasps of both En. Sophia and En. Formosa can recognize the existence of another species, and En. Sophia has higher competence than En. formosa.

The morphology，musculature，and ultrastructure of legs of Bittacus planus Cheng and B. implicates Huang et Hua adults were described and illustrated based on observations with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Adult hangingflies have three pairs of legs with similar structure，all being raptorial with grasping structure formed from the fourth and fifth tarsomeres，unique in Insecta. It has been found for the first time that the femoro-tibial extensor b is composed of an elongate thin tendon arising proximally from a small triangular femoral muscle. The tendon of pretarsal flexor is modified into a strong flexor muscle in a shuttle-shaped swollen area，bearing distally a process which is blocked by a Y-shaped pedestal in a notch. The relationships between the predating habits of adults and the structure of raptorial legs were analyzed，and the characteristics of the raptorial legs of hangingflies and mantids are tentatively compared.

The genus Iragoides Hering has been considered as a junior synonym of Phlossa Walker. The both genera contain 12 species together. However, the type species of Phlossa does not accord with that of Iragoides in the male and female genitalia. Therefore, the genus name Iragoides Hering is available and restored here. In Iragoides, the juxta has minute spines in the posterior portion or a pair of membranous processes bearing hair at each side in the male genitalia, and the corpus bursae has two signa which usually are trigonal plates bearing minute spines in the female genitalia. In Phlossa, the juxta is typical, without any spines or processes in the male genitalia, and the corpus bursae has a crescent signum in the female genitalia. Four species of the genus Phlossa Walker and five species of the genus Iragoides Hering are recognized from China, including I. lineofusca, a new species described herein. Iragoides elongate Hering is reported for the first time in China. The photographs and the genital illustration of the examined species are given. Keys to the Chinese species of both two genera are provided. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

In order to understand the role of androgen receptor-like (AR-like) during the oogenesis of termites，method of immunocytochemical localization was employed to investigate the location of AR-like at different stages of female reproductives and workers during the oogenesis of Reticulitermes aculabialis. The results indicated that the AR-like existed in all ovaries of the last instar nymphs，the swarming females and the workers. AR-like was located in the cytoplasm of oocytes at the differentiation stage and the growth stage，but it was located in the follicular cells at the yolk forming stage. In the ovary of the workers，AR-like was distributed in the cytoplasm of oocytes at the differentiation stage and the growth stage. Yolk forming stage did not exist in workers. The results suggest that AR-like plays an important role in oogenesis of termites: as the ovary development of workers is restrained the oogenesis of workers is similar to the level of last nymph，but the workers could turn into reproductives acording to the demand of the termite colony.

Andrena camellia Wu is one of the major insect pollinators of Camellia oleifera found in Jiangxi and Hunan, China. In 2006-2007, we surveyed morphological features of all stages except adult, life history, and behaviour of both larvae and adults in Yichun, Jiangxi. The results indicated that this species occurs one generation a year in Yichun. Adults start to emerge in around middle October. Males normally emerge 3 days earlier than females, and die after copulation with females several days later. The life of males spans around 18 days after evacuating nests, while that of females 38 days. Larvae last 24 days or so, with pupae 30 days. Females can copulate with males at the same day as they emerge. They select localities to build their nests nearby where they emerge. Both pollens and nectar are carried into cells in the nest to make ball-like food for their offspring，and one cell for one ball-like food, and one ball for one egg.