Abstract Eusocial insects can employ various behavioural and physiological disease defences to avoid, resist tolerate pathogen infections in their closely related packed colonies, termed social immunity. Recent studies have shown that several molecules serve insect immunity, including chemical odours, venoms, immune-related proteins, etc. However, whether how microRNAs (miRNAs), whose precursor...

Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect from which the dye is derived. There are other species in the genus Dactylopius which can be used to produce cochineal extract, but they are extremely difficult to distinguish from D. coccus, even for expert taxonomists, and the latter scientific name (and the use of the term "coch...

Mounting scientific evidence indicates that pathogens can regulate insect populations. However, limited dispersal and sensitivity to abiotic conditions often restricts pathogen regulation of host populations. While it is well established that arthropod biological vectors increase pathogen incidence in host populations, few studies have examined whether arthropod mechanical vectors (an organism ...