Ecology of extremely female-biased pest insect Hyperlasion breviantenna Sueyoshi et al., 2022 (Diptera: Sciaridae) occurring as outbreaks

Abstract

Abstract Since approximately 2004, outbreaks of the sciarid species Hyperlasion breviantenna Sueyoshi et al., 2022, have occurred at Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan. We attempted to identify the reason for the outbreaks through ecological research. According to the results of our investigation on the annual occurrence and ecological characteristics of this species, it occurs various habitats only in the rainy season and adults only emerge in the morning. These individuals were only females. From the researches of this species at Tajimi-city, Gifu, Japan, both females and males of this species usually emerges at the soil of forest edges rather than inside forests. The areas of forest edges emerged males were limited depend on places. Males and females with intact wings, but only females come to houses or buildings. Small woodlands, gardens, and parks are the areas of origin in urban areas. We show that outbreaks of these insects leads are rarely nuisances because of the many fascinating characteristics of these pests.