Orientation-dependent photonic bandgaps in gold-dust weevil scales and their titania bioreplicates

• Norma Salvadores Farran,
• Limin Wang,
• Primoz Pirih and
• Bodo D. Wilts

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1–10, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.1

• complex biological structures and obtaining photonic crystals with desired optical properties [23][24]. In this work, we characterized natural photonic crystals found in the scales of the gold-dust weevil, Hypomeces squamosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Herbst 1795), a pest of several crops [25][26][27

Ultrablack color in velvet ant cuticle

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Wencke Krings,
• Juliana Reis Machado,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1554–1565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.122

• a matte black appearance due to the presence of (often hierarchical) surface microstructures. For example, in the beetle Alaus oculatus (Coleoptera: Elateridae), there are two large dorsal circular spots known as eyespots. Within these spots, fixed setae are present in a concave structure, and the

• underlying cuticle features a microstructured topography [26]. These concave structures scatter light and enhance absorption by melanin, serving as an antireflective feature and creating ultrablack colors [26]. In another beetle species, Euprotaetia inexpectata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a complex

Functional morphology of cleaning devices in the damselfly Ischnura elegans (Odonata, Coenagrionidae)

• Silvana Piersanti,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Wencke Krings,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Manuela Rebora

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1260–1272, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.102

• together form an anatomical cluster called strigil [26][27][30]. In Coleoptera the protibial antennal cleaning organ is the main argument in support of a clade Geadephaga [31]. Studies on insect grooming can provide valuable data on the functional morphology of insect micro- and nanostructures and can

Comparative analysis of the ultrastructure and adhesive secretion pathways of different smooth attachment pads of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

• Julian Thomas,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Thies H. Büscher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 612–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.52

• various insect groups (for example, Coleoptera [5], Hemiptera [41], Diptera [42][43], Orthoptera [5][20][44], and Blattodea [45]), knowledge on the differences in the internal ultrastructure and fluid transportation between different types of smooth attachment pads located on the same tarsus is scarce

Insect attachment on waxy plant surfaces: the effect of pad contamination by different waxes

• Elena V. Gorb and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 385–395, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.35

• experimentally supports the contamination hypothesis. Keywords: adhesion; Chrysolina fastuosa; Chrysomelidae; Coleoptera; epicuticular wax projections; tenent setae; traction force; Introduction It has been shown in numerous experimental studies that insects possessing hairy adhesive pads (i.e., specialized

• septempunctata (L.) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) on microporous substrates able to absorb both polar (water) and non-polar (oil) fluids clearly showed a strong reduction of the attachment force on these substrates compared to reference smooth solid substrates [24]. The latter result has been explained by

• ) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) proved the primary effect of absorption of the insect pad secretion by the porous substrate on the insect attachment force [25]. According to the contamination hypothesis, wax projections can completely or partially detach from the plant surface and adhere to the insect pads

The origin of black and white coloration of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Manuela Rebora,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Silvana Piersanti,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 496–508, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.41

• been described mainly in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera [16][17]. As far as Diptera are concerned, investigations on structural colours are scanty. The aim of the present investigation is to describe in detail the nanostructures and microstructures of the scales in the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus

Interaction between honeybee mandibles and propolis

• Leonie Saccardi,
• Franz Brümmer,
• Jonas Schiebl,
• Oliver Schwarz,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 958–974, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.84

• coleoptera [25] where used as a reference point. Tip pressures were calculated as suggested by [25]: where Fa is the applied force and A is the contact area obtained from the contact radius. With each propolis sample, a set of ten single measurements was performed, each on a different spot on the spoon

Polarity in cuticular ridge development and insect attachment on leaf surfaces of Schismatoglottis calyptrata (Araceae)

• Venkata A. Surapaneni,
• Tobias Aust,
• Thomas Speck and
• Marc Thielen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1326–1338, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.98

• been demonstrated to influence insect attachment [23]. Our experiments showed reduced traction forces of the model insects (female L. decemlineata, Coleoptera) on freshly unrolled and adult S. calyptrata adaxial leaf surfaces. The reduction in the traction forces of the beetles was almost 83% on the

• the point of leaf unrolling until adult leaf stages of S. calyptrata, the cuticular structure may influence the attachment and, thus, the activity of herbivores or pollinators (associated with the order, Coleoptera [45]). During young stages, however, the S. calyptrata leaves remain rolled-up, a type

• performing the traction experiments. For these experiments, female Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with hairy tarsal attachment system were used as model insect species. The beetles were collected from an organically farmed potato field in Kirchzarten area near

Physical constraints lead to parallel evolution of micro- and nanostructures of animal adhesive pads: a review

• Thies H. Büscher and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 725–743, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.57

• originating from the tarsus itself (Figure 2) and occur in different groups of insects. They are common in Coleoptera (e.g., [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95]), Dermaptera (e.g., [96]), Megaloptera [1][97][98], Strepsiptera [1][99], Mantophasmatodea [2][59

• ]). Parallel evolution: exemplified by Polyneoptera The Polyneoptera are a group of insects which comprises around 40.000 extant species and includes the majority of the hemimetabolous insects [122]. Although the number of taxa is much less than in other groups of insects, like Diptera or Coleoptera, many

• ][256][257][258] and hairy pads of reduviid bugs [111], flies [101][102], coccinellid [80][259], and chrysomelid beetles [260]. Footprints can be observed with the light microscope, especially under phase contrast. The hairy pad secretion was chemically studied mostly in representatives of Coleoptera

An iridescent film of porous anodic aluminum oxide with alternatingly electrodeposited Cu and SiO₂ nanoparticles

• Menglei Chang,
• Huawen Hu,
• Haiyan Quan,
• Hongyang Wei,
• Zhangyi Xiong,
• Jiacong Lu,
• Pin Luo,
• Yaoheng Liang,
• Jianzhen Ou and
• Dongchu Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 735–745, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.73

• with a change of the viewing angle [16][22]. By contrast, no rainbow effect occurs in the pigment colors. The artificial structural color is inspired from nature, e.g., the bright tail of the peacock feathers, the mixed cyan and green shell of the Coleoptera beetles, and the wings of butterflies [15

A comparison of tarsal morphology and traction force in the two burying beetles Nicrophorus nepalensis and Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera, Silphidae)

• Liesa Schnee,
• Benjamin Sampalla,
• Josef K. Müller and
• Oliver Betz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 47–61, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.5

• impulse for this study was our observed difference in the climbing ability of the two congeneric burying beetle species Nicrophorus nepalensis Hope 1831 and Nicrophorus vespilloides Herbst 1783 (Coleoptera, Silphidae). Because N. vespilloides beetles are, in contrast to N. nepalensis, unable to climb up

• previously described for N. humator and other beetles such as Cicindela campestris (Coleoptera, Cicindelinae) [8]. Such structures may prevent agglutination of hairs [23] and might be of special importance in a moist soil environment. In general, males seem to show adhesive hair tips with broader endings

• on the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which is known for its sexual dimorphism in adhesive hairs, have shown higher attachment forces for males on smooth surfaces and for females on rough surfaces. In this species, males possess additional hairs with

Effect of microtrichia on the interlocking mechanism in the Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

• Jiyu Sun,
• Chao Liu,
• Bharat Bhushan,
• Wei Wu and
• Jin Tong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 812–823, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.75

• [1], as seen in dragonfly wings, for example, that provide inspiration for the design and manufacture of micro air vehicles (MAVs). As a widely distributed order, Coleoptera includes species with various types of complex systems, and the hindwings of beetles are a highly developed deployable

• can be protected by the hard elytra. Various parts of the wings play important roles during wing folding in Coleoptera. In beetles, there is an interlocking system composed of the elytra and the thorax [4]. When the thorax and abdomen are interlocked, the forewings provide a complete cover for the

• abdominal segment extends again, HW2 will not be moved away, and the microtrichia will act as a braking device. The folding results from the structure and elasticity of the cuticles of the veins, which are discontinuous between the proximal and distal parts of the veins in Coleoptera [23]. An investigation

Structural and tribometric characterization of biomimetically inspired synthetic "insect adhesives"

• Matthias W. Speidel,
• Malte Kleemeier,
• Andreas Hartwig,
• Klaus Rischka,
• Angelika Ellermann,
• Rolf Daniels and
• Oliver Betz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 45–63, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.6

• , adhesive systems employed in prey-capture, such as the sticky labial pads (paraglossae) of Stenus species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), seem largely to depend on such energy-dissipating effects of both the viscous adhesive and the highly elastic (resilin-containing) pad material in order to attain

Surface roughness rather than surface chemistry essentially affects insect adhesion

• Matt W. England,
• Tomoya Sato,
• Makoto Yagihashi,
• Atsushi Hozumi,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Elena V. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1471–1479, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.139

• error for all XPS data used to determine surface composition was estimated to be ±2%. Insect force tests Insect attachment ability was studied in traction experiments with tethered adult seven-spotted ladybird beetles Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) by using a load cell force

Influence of ambient humidity on the attachment ability of ladybird beetles (Coccinella septempunctata)

• Lars Heepe,
• Jonas O. Wolff and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1322–1329, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.123

• wet adhesive system of C. septempunctata? (2) Is the attachment ability in both sexes likewise affected by ambient humidity? Experimental Animals For this study, the seven-spotted ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata LINNAEUS 1758 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) was chosen (Figure 1A). This beetle

Functional diversity of resilin in Arthropoda

• Jan Michels,
• Esther Appel and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1241–1259, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.115

• (1) the storage of kinetic energy at maximum wing deflection, for example during the upstroke when the wing hinge ligament is stretched, and (2) wing acceleration during the downstroke by elastic recoil [5][28][82]. In other insects, such as Lepidoptera, some Coleoptera and some Hymenoptera, these

The hydraulic mechanism in the hind wing veins of Cybister japonicus Sharp (order: Coleoptera)

• Jiyu Sun,
• Wei Wu,
• Mingze Ling,
• Bharat Bhushan and
• Jin Tong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 904–913, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.82

• 43210-1142, USA State Key Laboratory of Automotive Dynamic Simulation, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China 10.3762/bjnano.7.82 Abstract The diving beetles (Dytiscidae, Coleoptera) are families of water beetles. When they see light, they fly to the light source directly from the water. Their hind

• japonicus Sharp (order: Coleoptera) was investigated. The motion characteristics of the blood in the veins of the structure system show that the veins have microfluidic control over the hydraulic mechanism of the unfolding process. A model is established, and the hind wing extending process is simulated

• folding actions [2]. In a previous work [20], we investigated the various hydraulic forces for the unfolding process of the hind wings in Dorcus titanus platymelus (Lucanidae, Coleoptera), which is a xylosaprophagous beetle, and its hind wings are folded down to 55% of their full length. In this paper

Insect attachment on crystalline bioinspired wax surfaces formed by alkanes of varying chain lengths

• Elena Gorb,
• Sandro Böhm,
• Nadine Jacky,
• Louis-Philippe Maier,
• Kirstin Dening,
• Sasha Pechook,
• Boaz Pokroy and
• Stanislav Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1031–1041, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.116

• beetles Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) walking on five different substrates: four wax surfaces plus a hydrophilic smooth glass used as a reference sample. Two main questions were addressed. (i) Do insects perform differently on smooth glass and wax coated samples? (ii) How do

Impact of cell shape in hierarchically structured plant surfaces on the attachment of male Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

• Bettina Prüm,
• Robin Seidel,
• Holger Florian Bohn and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 57–64, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.7

• development of biomimetic technical surfaces. Experimental Insects and plant species Beetles constitute the largest order within the class of insects, and their attachment pads are of the hairy type [28]. In the present study the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was