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Several endemic species of Blaps occur in Tunisia, and the species Blaps nefrauensis nefrauensis has been reported in Moulares (urban zone in west-central Tunisia), where it lives and reproduces in home gardens and old buildings. The aim of this work is to study the life cycle of the darkling beetle, considering both field and laboratory rearing conditions. As a result, the beetle species has different developmental stages (egg, larva, prepupa, pupa, and adult) that last about 15 months. Each year during the same period, adults emerge (early summer) and expire (late autumn), larvae hatch (late summer) and pupate (early summer). There is only one generation per year. Females began laying eggs in late July. The eggs were ovoid, white, and about 2.7 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width. Embryogenesis took an average of nine days. The first instar larvae were at initially only 4.5 mm long and ivory white in color. A brief description of the newly egg hatched larva was provided; thus, the nerve fibers innervating the apical setae in the antennae and ligula were detected. Further light microscopic examination of the embryo before hatching from the egg pointed out that the antennal sensilla are protected during the embryogenesis stage.

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Background: The aims of this research is to investigate the potential activity of Salvia officinalis and various hairs responsible of secretion of essential oil. In Tunisia, biological activity of Salvia officinalis is poorly recorded. Salvia leaves contain various types of hairs (glandular and non-glandular). Methods: The investigation of different trichomes were carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM) apparatus. Antiradical potential were assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Antimicrobial activity was analysed using disc diffusion assay. The extracts of Salvia officinalis (SvOf), showed the following order of richness in phenolic contents: methanolic (70.76 mg GAE/g DW), aqueous (43.76 mg GAE/g DW) and infusion (9.42 mg GAE/g DW). The methanolic fraction records the highest levels of flavonoids (77 mg QE/g DW) compared with the aqueous extracts (33.19 mg EQ/g DW) and infusion (26.25 mg EQ/g DW). ME-SvOf showed higher value of free radical scavenging activity towards DPPH free radical and ferric reducing power. Results: The results revealed that main bioactive constituents in the methanolic fractions of sage leaves generally exhibited higher antibacterial effects. Overall, sage phytocompounds constitute a promising approach for the treatment of infectious diseases. Discussion: Functional groups detected in S. officinalis by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR) were mainly phenols, saccharides, amine and aromatic (Ar-H). Conclusion: Antiradical and antibacterial activities of Salvia officinalis are mainly due to phenolic content and other bioactive compounds. Non-glandular hairs are the most important trichomes in the Salvia leaves.