Latest Research Advances in Biology, Ecology, and Integrated Pest Management of Invasive Insects

The number of new invasive insects affecting agriculture has globally increased since the last century due to global climate change, the intensification of human movements and trade. Invasive insects represent significant threat to the agricultural industry as well as food security and are a major cause of crop loss. In addition, they can disturb the natural populating communities in the receiving environment, (surrounding nature?) resulting in bottom-up and top-down effects in local ecosystems. The ecological impact of new species could occur soon after their introduction or over a longer period of adaptation, but also primarily depends on rapid changes in their phenotypic plasticity and reproductive success, and on the absence of their specific natural enemies. Effects on local ecosystems could occur in terms of interspecific competition, niche displacement, and biodiversity loss, ultimately interfering in trophic interactions and in important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, pollination, and biological control of plant or insect pests. Moreover, the absence of a co-evolved relationship with endemic biocontrol agents and the regulatory limitations on classical biocontrol programs reduces the possibility to manage them, often forcing growers and local administrations to abandon sustainable management approaches.

This Research Topic welcomes all original research papers and reviews that focus on biological and ecological observations and on various methods used to control the invasive insects and to estimate their effectiveness over long time on agricultural crops. Research and dissemination of the results on this ever-present topic are crucial for sharing innovations within the scientific communities and for speeding up processes of their sustainable management.