scholarly journals Hydrocarbon Signatures of the Ectoparasitoid Sphecophaga vesparum Shows Wasp Host Dependency

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Cintia Akemi Oi ◽  
Robert L. Brown ◽  
Ian Stevens ◽  
Tom Wenseleers
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Hydrocarbon Composition ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Vespula Vulgaris ◽  
Vespula Germanica ◽  
Main Host ◽  
Linear Alkanes ◽  
Chemical Profiles

Sphecophaga vesparum often parasitizes nests of vespid wasps such as Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica. Inside the colonies, the ectoparasitic larvae feed on the immature forms of the wasps. There are two adult forms of S. vesparum. The large, winged adults emerge from either rigid yellow cocoons or the orange cocoons used for overwintering. The small, brachypterous females emerge from soft, white cocoons. The species is facultative deuterotokous, producing mostly parthenogenic females and infrequently producing males. Here, we describe the production of chemical compounds related to the different developmental forms of the parasitoid S. vesparum (larvae, pupae and adults). We also compare the chemical profiles of the parasitoid wasp adults to those of their two main host species, Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica. The results show differences in hydrocarbon composition of larvae, pupae and adults of S. vesparum. Our results also suggest a partial mimicry of each of the two host species, mostly relating to linear alkanes present in both parasitoids and the host vespid wasp species. This matching is likely due to the recycling of the prey’s hydrocarbons, as has been found in other species of parasitoids.

scholarly journals Introduced Vespa velutina does not replace native Vespa crabro and Vespula species

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Carisio ◽  
Jacopo Cerri ◽  
Simone Lioy ◽  
Ettore Bianchi ◽  
Sandro Bertolino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Vespa Velutina ◽  
Vespa Crabro ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Vespula Vulgaris ◽  
Vespula Germanica

Alien species invasion could lead to the replacement of native species with similar ecological requirements. Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet recently established in Europe, that is raising concern due to the associated economic and ecological impacts toward managed and wild pollinators besides to the potential competition and replacement of native wasp species. This led to the inclusion of V. velutina in the European list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern. Nevertheless, V. velutina impacts on the native wasp community is poorly understood. We analysed the influence of V. velutina abundance on the European hornet Vespa crabro in a four-year invaded area in Italy. Moreover, we assessed the impacts of its presence on V. crabro, Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica, by comparing the invaded area with an uninvaded one. A Bayesian Generalized Linear Model, implemented to control some relevant environmental confounders, indicate that the relationship between Vespa species was positive at low abundances, while for high values of V. velutina the two species did not covary anymore. The distribution of V. crabro, V. vulgaris and V. germanica showed a considerable overlap between the invaded and uninvaded areas. Overall, the results bring to the conclusion that native Vespidae have probably avoided or minimised a competition pressure, and therefore the presence of V. velutina has not led to an evident replacement of V. crabro and Vespula species. This provides reassurance regarding the conservation status of native European Vespidae following V. velutina invasion.

scholarly journals Social wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) beer trapping in Finland 2008-2012: a German surprise

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jouni Sorvari
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Wasp ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Short History ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Vespula Vulgaris ◽  
Vespula Germanica ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
Trapping Location

Beer trapping has been carried out annually in the summer in south western Finland (Turku) from 2008 to 2012 inclusive. In 2012, an additional trapping programme was conducted in southern (Helsinki), central (Kuopio) and northern (Kevo) Finland, which also included another trapping location in the south western (Turku) region. The traps were always presented for seven days in each location. While the median wasp Dolichovespula media (Retzius, 1783) was present in all locations, the common wasp Vespula vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 was found in five out of six locations (20 traps per site). The Kevo individual represents the northernmost record for the median wasp species. The German wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius, 1793) was surprisingly common in south western and southern Finland. Vespula germanica has a short history of occurrence in Finland and seems to have shifted its range northwards, possibly due to climate change. Some common species of the genus Dolichovespula Rohwer, 1916 were likely underrepresented, because they are not very attracted by beer.

scholarly journals Sight of parasitoid wasps accelerates sexual behavior and upregulates a micropeptide gene in Drosophila

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimaa A. M. Ebrahim ◽  
Gaëlle J. S. Talross ◽  
John R. Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Defensive Responses ◽  
Vast Range

AbstractParasitoid wasps inflict widespread death upon the insect world. Hundreds of thousands of parasitoid wasp species kill a vast range of insect species. Insects have evolved defensive responses to the threat of wasps, some cellular and some behavioral. Here we find an unexpected response of adult Drosophila to the presence of certain parasitoid wasps: accelerated mating behavior. Flies exposed to certain wasp species begin mating more quickly. The effect is mediated via changes in the behavior of the female fly and depends on visual perception. The sight of wasps induces the dramatic upregulation in the fly nervous system of a gene that encodes a 41-amino acid micropeptide. Mutational analysis reveals that the gene is essential to the behavioral response of the fly. Our work provides a foundation for further exploration of how the activation of visual circuits by the sight of a wasp alters both sexual behavior and gene expression.

Light or presence of host trees: which is more important for the strangler fig?

1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidya R. Athreya
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Light Level ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Host Trees ◽  
Main Host

Strangler fig density varied considerably in the evergreen forest of Karian Shola National Park, southern India, with 11 individuals ha−1 in an open trail area and 5.6 individuals ha−1 within the primary forest area. The index of light level was assessed by estimating the percentage of upper canopy cover along the longitudinal centre of ten, 500-m × 20-m plots in each of the two areas of the evergreen forest. However, the increase in strangler fig density was not correlated to light levels but was significantly correlated to the numbers of their main host species in the two areas. In Karian Shola National Park, strangler figs occurred predominantly on a few host species with 20 and 50% of strangler figs growing on Vitex altissima, Diospyros bourdilloni and Eugenia/Syzygium spp. in the primary forest and trail areas respectively. Both young and established strangler figs were recorded mainly on larger individuals of their host trees indicating that older host trees are likely to be more suitable for the germination and establishment of strangler figs. The reason for the above could be the higher incidence of humus-filled and decaying regions in the older host trees which would provide an assured supply of nutrients for the establishing strangler fig.

A new species of Hexacola Foerster (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), parasitoid of Lemnaphila neotropica Lizarralde de Grosso (Diptera: Ephydridae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2622 (1) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANA L. GADDI ◽  
NORMA B. DÍAZ ◽  
FABIANA E. GALLARDO
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Diagnostic Characters ◽  
La Plata ◽  
Shore Fly ◽  
A New Species

A new parasitoid wasp species, the eucoiline Hexacola lemnaphilae Gaddi & Díaz, is described. Specimens were reared from pupae of Lemnaphila neotropica Lizarralde de Grosso (Diptera: Ephydridae), a shore fly that mines least duckweed, Lemna minuta Kunth (Lemnaceae); the material examined was collected in Berisso (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and is housed in the collection of the División Entomología of the Museo de La Plata, Argentina. Photographs of diagnostic characters and data about the ecological and economic importance of these organisms are included.

Extrapolations from field studies and known faunas converge on dramatically increased estimates of global microgastrine parasitoid wasp species richness (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 530-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine J. Rodriguez ◽  
Jose L. Fernández-Triana ◽  
M. Alex Smith ◽  
Daniel H. Janzen ◽  
Winnie Hallwachs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Wasp Species

scholarly journals Analysis of cuticular chemical profiles of Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) females and juveniles using GC×GC/qMS

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ingrid De Carvalho Guimarães ◽  
Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso ◽  
Elina Bastos Caramão ◽  
Jaderson Kleveston Schneider ◽  
William Fernando Antonialli Junior
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Reliable Technique ◽  
Flame Ionization ◽  
Branched Alkanes ◽  
Linear Alkanes ◽  
Chemical Profiles ◽  
Latrodectus Geometricus ◽  
Intraspecific Recognition ◽  
Rapid Scanning

Communication in spiders can occur by several mechanisms, such as chemical cues and the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play an important role in intraspecific recognition. Several techniques have been used to evaluate CHCs in spiders, such as Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detection, Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometric detection and recently Fourier Transformed Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy. In this study, rapid-scanning two-dimensional gas chromatography with quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC×GC/qMS) was employed to assess the CHCs of L. geometricus females and juveniles of different ages. The results demonstrate that there is variation in CHCs of different body parts of females, with abdomen presenting greater number of compounds, as well as between adults and juveniles. Branched alkanes represented the majority of compounds in all samples, followed by linear alkanes, and alkenes were only present in adult’s abdomen and cephalothorax. The compounds 10-methyloctacosaneand 14-methyloctacosane; and 10-methyltriacontane and 14-methyltriacontane showed the same retention time in the 1D and were separated in the 2D. According to the results, rapid-scanning GC×GC/qMS can be considered a reliable technique to assess CHCs since it was possible to identify the spider’s cuticular compounds, and detect and separate two cases of chromatographic coelution.

scholarly journals Variation in the diversity and richness of parasitoid wasps based on sampling effort

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Saunders ◽  
Darren F. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Austral Summer ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Summer Period ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
The Relationship

Parasitoid wasps are a mega-diverse, ecologically dominant, but poorly studied component of global biodiversity. In order to maximise the efficiency and reduce the cost of their collection, the application of optimal sampling techniques is necessary. Two sites in Auckland, New Zealand were sampled intensively to determine the relationship between sampling effort and observed species richness of parasitoid wasps from the family Ichneumonidae. Twenty traps were deployed at each site at three different times over the austral summer period, resulting in a total sampling effort of 840 Malaise-trap-days. Rarefaction techniques and non-parametric estimators were used to predict species richness and to evaluate the variation and completeness of sampling. Despite an intensive Malaise-trapping regime over the summer period, no asymptote of species richness was reached. At best, sampling captured two-thirds of parasitoid wasp species present. The estimated total number of species present depended on the month of sampling and the statistical estimator used. Consequently, the use of fewer traps would have caught only a small proportion of all species (one trap 7–21%; two traps 13–32%), and many traps contributed little to the overall number of individuals caught. However, variation in the catch of individual Malaise traps was not explained by seasonal turnover of species, vegetation or environmental conditions surrounding the trap, or distance of traps to one another. Overall the results demonstrate that even with an intense sampling effort the community is incompletely sampled. The use of only a few traps and/or for very short periods severely limits the estimates of richness because (i) fewer individuals are caught leading to a greater number of singletons; and (ii) the considerable variation of individual traps means some traps will contribute few or no individuals. Understanding how sampling effort affects the richness and diversity of parasitoid wasps is a useful foundation for future studies.

scholarly journals Long-Term Coexistence of Two Invasive Vespid Wasps in NW Patagonia (Argentina)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Julia Pereira ◽  
Maité Masciocchi ◽  
Juan Carlos Corley
Keyword(s):  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Nest Density ◽  
Native Community ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Vespula Germanica

Abstract In Patagonia (Argentina) two non-native vespid wasps became established in the last decades. Vespula germanica was first detected in 1980 while V. vulgaris arrived some 30 years later. Both species can have a strong negative impact on agriculture, natural environment and on outdoor human activities. Invasion success -the establishment and spread of a species- may be influenced negatively by the degree of interaction with the resident native community, and alien species already present. The sequential arrival of these two wasps allows us to understand key questions of invasion ecology. Additionally, recognizing the outcome of the invasion by vespids in Patagonia -a region lacking native social wasps-, may help plan species-focused mitigation and control strategies. We explored long term species coexistence through the deterministic Lotka-Volterra competition model, using site-specific field data on prey captured (to estimate niche overlap) and current nest densities in sites. Food items carried by workers were similar but there is some degree of segregation. V. germanica nest density in shared sites, and in sites without coexistence, were 3.14 and 3.5 respectively, being higher for V. vulgaris with 4.71 and 5.33. The model predicts stable co-existence of both species in the invaded range, yet a higher abundance of V. vulgaris should be expected. Added to evidence on other foraging behavioral attributes of both wasp species and the invasion patterns observed in other regions, it is likely that the prior presence of V. germanica does not contribute significantly to the biotic resistance of the invaded range for V. vulgaris

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