Caste and wing loading in a social wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Dolichovespula maculata)

Variation in wing design and wing loading according to body weight is well studied across taxa of birds and flying insects. Comparable studies have not been made in the few insects that show substantial size variation within the same phenon of a single species. We examine body measures of adults of the social wasp Dolichovespula maculata (Linnaeus, 1763), with particular attention to the limbs and wing loading. As expected, measures of the length of the legs scales isometrically with overall body weight and size. Against expectation, wing size also scales isometrically with body weight and size. This does not match the general pattern of comparison across species of flying animals, in which larger individuals have relatively larger wings, as a partial compensation for greater wing loading. We suggest that wing size in D. maculata may be constrained by the demands of life in a crowded nest.

Purification and molecular characterization of phospholipase, antigen 5 and hyaluronidases from the venom of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)

The aim of this study was to purify potential allergenic components of Vespa velutina venom, the yellow legged Asian Hornet, and perform a preliminary characterization of the purified proteins. Starting from the whole venom of V.velutina, several chromatographic steps allowed to purify the phospholipase (named Vesp v 1), as well as the antigen 5 (Vesp v 5, the only allergenic component described as such so far). The two hyaluronidase isoforms found (Vesp v 2A and Vesp v 2B) cannot be separated from each other, but they are partially purified and characterized. Purity of the isolated proteins in shown by SDSPAGE, as well as by the results of the N-terminal sequencing. This characterization and nLC-MS/MS data provide most of the sequence for Vesp v 1 and Vesp v 5 (72 and 84% coverage, respectively), confirming that the whole sequences of the isolated natural components match with the data available in public transcriptomic databases. It is of particular interest that Vesp v 1 is a glycosylated phospholipase, a fact that had only described so far for the corresponding allergen components of Dolichovespula maculata and Solenopsis invicta.The availability of the complete sequences of Vespa velutina components permits comparison with homologous sequences from other Hymenoptera. These data demonstrate the higher similarity among the species of the genera Vespa and Vespula, in comparison to Polistes species, as it is especially observed with the hyaluronidases isoforms: the isoform Vesp v 2A only exists in the former genera, and not in Polistes; in addition, the most abundant isoform (Vesp v 2B) exhibits 93% sequence identity with the Ves v 2 isoform of Vespula vulgaris.Finally, the isolated components might be useful for improving the diagnosis of patients that could be allergic to stings of this invasive Asian hornet, as it has been the case of an improved diagnosis and treatment of other Hymenoptera-sensitized patients.Data Availability StatementProteomic study data are deposited and made available publicly when data are published with the ProteomeExchange identifier PXD015381 in the Mass spectrometry Interactive Virtual Environment (MassIVE).Allergen nomenclature for Vesp v 5 (and also for any future demonstrated allergen from Vespa velutina) has been approved by the WHO/IUIS Committee (www.allergen.org); when this manuscript is accepted, the WHO/IUIS Committee will be informed so that the complete sequences included in this manuscript are also included in their database (with links to the UNIPROT database, who will also be informed that the data can be made public).

Nest site selection and survivorship of Dolichovespula arenaria and Dolichovespula maculata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Recurrence of Dolichovespula nests in previous nest site areas was high. Searches for nests in successive years will be more efficient if confined to these areas. Dolichovespula arenaria queens were as likely to build on or near old D. maculata sites as on old D. arenaria sites. Dolichovespula maculata queens favoured sites not used previously by D. arenaria. Dolichovespula arenaria may be less selective than D. maculata in choosing nest sites. Dolichovespula arenaria can successfully usurp colonies of D. maculata. Weather-related bird predation is a major contributor to the mortality of young Dolichovespula colonies. Cool, damp June weather increases the incidence of successful bird predation. Dolichovespula arenaria will kill and remove D. arctica from its nest, and at least two D. arctica queens will cohabit a colony of D. arenaria, suggesting there is less intraspecific aggression in D. arctica than previously reported.