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Masciocchi M, Mattiacci A, Villacide JM, Buteler M, Porrino AP, Martínez AS. Sugar responsiveness could determine foraging patterns in yellowjackets. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20448. [PMID: 37993633 PMCID: PMC10665408 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47819-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sympatric-related species often exhibit resource partitioning. This can occur through different mechanisms, such as behavioral, morphological, and sensory variations, leading to qualitative, temporal, or spatial differences in resource exploitation, such as consuming different types of food. Sensory-based niche partitioning could be the underlying mechanism through which closely related species effectively reduce niche overlap. Here we ask whether variations in sensory responses to carbohydrates could reflect differences in the foraging patterns of two Vespula species present in Patagonia. For this, we established (i) the response thresholds toward carbohydrate solutions of foraging V. germanica and V. vulgaris in the laboratory, (ii) the sugar concentration of foraged carbohydrates in the field, and (iii) possible effects of incoming sugar concentration and performance at individual and colony levels. Results indicate a higher sucrose response threshold in V. germanica than V. vulgaris. Field results indicate that higher carbohydrate concentrations foraged by V. germanica, with 57% of V. germanica foragers returning with concentrations above 50% w/w, while only 23% of V. vulgaris foragers did so. These differences in sucrose sensitivity and foraging patterns positively correlate with colony size, irrespective of the species. Our results suggest that competition could be reduced in these closely related invasive social wasp species through sensory differences in their sugar perception levels, which would lead to them foraging different carbohydrate sources. This study suggests that sensory niche partitioning could promote species coexistence in these social wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maité Masciocchi
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB - Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (INTA - CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Analía Mattiacci
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB - Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (INTA - CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - José M Villacide
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB - Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (INTA - CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Micaela Buteler
- INIBIOMA - Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (CONICET - UN Comahue), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Agustina P Porrino
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB - Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (INTA - CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Andrés S Martínez
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB - Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (INTA - CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina.
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Tang K, Wang Y, Wu M, Wang S, Fu C, Zhang Z, Fu Y. Metabarcoding of fecal DNA reveals the broad and flexible diet of a globally endangered bird. Curr Zool 2023; 69:501-513. [PMID: 37637316 PMCID: PMC10449430 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management. The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China. Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods. Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year. In this study, a dietary analysis was performed on 60 fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history (breeding, postbreeding wandering, and overwintering). Preys from the dipteran order, followed by the lepidopteran and araneaen spp., were the predominant, animal-derived foods. Symplocos, Rubus, Celastrus, Holboellia, and Actinidia spp. supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird. Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed, suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs. Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora (the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds, such as Symplocos, Rubus, Celastrus, and Holboellia, which are likely of conservation interest) to achieve full life-cycle conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyi Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Mengling Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Shufang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Changkun Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yiqiang Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
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Wilson T, Looney C, Tembrock LR, Dickerson S, Orr J, Gilligan TM, Wildung M. Insights into the prey of Vespa mandarinia (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Washington state, obtained from metabarcoding of larval feces. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1134781. [PMID: 38469507 PMCID: PMC10926418 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1134781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The northern giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), was detected for the first time in North America in 2019. Four nests have since been located and removed in northwestern Washington State as part of an extensive survey and eradication program. This recent introduction into North America has prompted new research on the biology and ecology of V. mandarinia to help inform management strategies. In its native range, V. mandarinia is known to prey on a variety of insects including the economically important honey bee species Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. Although A. cerana has developed defense mechanisms against attack by V. mandarinia, A. mellifera have no such defenses and an entire hive can be quickly destroyed by only a few hornets. In North America the hornet has been observed foraging on paper wasps (Polistes dominula) and honey bees, but little else is known about prey use in its novel range. To address this knowledge gap, we employed a DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize species detected in larval feces collected from 3 of the 4 Washington V. mandarinia nests found to date. Sequences were recovered for 56 species across fourteen orders, of which 36 species were likely prey items and 20 were suspected inquilines. The most frequently detected species were other social Hymenoptera, with Dolichovespula maculata, P. dominula, and A. mellifera present in most samples. All of the species detected, except for A. mellifera, represent new prey records for V. mandarinia, with eight families of insects newly associated with giant hornets. These results suggest that V. mandarinia in Washington preys on an assortment of insects similar to those documented in its native range, and that this new invader has readily incorporated novel species into its foraging and diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Telissa Wilson
- Washington State Department of Agriculture, Olympia, WA, United States
| | - Chris Looney
- Washington State Department of Agriculture, Olympia, WA, United States
| | - Luke R. Tembrock
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | | | - Jessica Orr
- Washington State Department of Agriculture, Olympia, WA, United States
| | - Todd M. Gilligan
- United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Mark Wildung
- Genomics Core Lab, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
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Molecular Identification of Asian Hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax Prey from Larval Gut Contents: A Promising Method to Study the Diet of an Invasive Pest. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030511. [PMID: 36766400 PMCID: PMC9913685 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Asian hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is an invasive hornet that was accidentally introduced into Europe in 2004. It mainly preys on other invertebrates and arthropod species, and often targets honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. The introduction of these hornets may damage indigenous fauna and apiculture. Knowledge of V. velutina prey preference and the species composition of their diet is relatively limited. In this study, we assessed methodologies for the molecular identification of prey using dissected larvae from destroyed nests. Ten larval samples were taken from five nests in areas where the hornets had not yet established: two from the Channel Islands and three in the mainland UK. DNA was extracted from the gut contents and sequenced and analysed by metabarcoding with Oxford Nanopore Technologies' Flongle and MinION devices. Numerous taxa were detected in each larval sample with the species composition varying by individual and by nest. Between 15 and 26 species were found per nest, with wasps (Vespula spp.), spiders, honey bees and blow flies being the most abundant taxa. These results demonstrate that metabarcoding larval gut contents can be used to study the Asian hornet diet and give a first snapshot of the prey items captured by V. v. nigrithorax in the UK. This method could be used for future large-scale testing of the gut contents of hornet nests, in order to provide a greater insight into the foraging behaviour of this predator across Europe and elsewhere.
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CARPENTER JAMESM, BROWN GRAHAMR. Catalogue of the Australian social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Zootaxa 2022; 5214:451-495. [PMID: 37044894 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5214.4.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A catalogue of the social wasps occurring in Australia is presented. New synonymies include Vespa cohabitatrix Curtiss, 1938 (= Polistes olivaceus (DeGeer, 1773)) and Vespula vulgaris vetus Eck, 1999 (= Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)).
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Pereira AJ, Masciocchi M, Corley JC. Long-term coexistence of two invasive vespid wasps in NW Patagonia (Argentina). Oecologia 2022; 199:661-669. [PMID: 35781744 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05210-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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 agro-industrial economic activities, the natural environment, and outdoor human activities. Biological invasions may be influenced negatively by the degree of interaction with the resident native community and alien species already present. The sequential arrival and coexistence of Vespula wasps in Argentina for several years 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 the role of competition in terms of invasion success, and the strategies that promote coexistence. Two possible scenarios, using niche overlap indices and isocline equations, were proposed to determine competition coefficients. Using a simple mathematical modeling framework, based on field collected data, we show that food resources do not play a central role in competitive interaction. The competition coefficients obtained from the equations were different from those inferred from the overlap indices (0.53 and 0.54-0.076 and 0.197, respectively). Together, these findings suggest that no matter the arrival order, V. vulgaris, always reaches higher densities than V. germanica when both species invade new regions. Our work contributes to further our understanding on the worldwide invasion processes deployed by these two eusocial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Julia Pereira
- Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue, CITAAC (CONICET, UNCo), Neuquén, Argentina.
| | - Maité Masciocchi
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB (CONICET, INTA EEA Bariloche), Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Juan C Corley
- Grupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB (CONICET, INTA EEA Bariloche), Bariloche, Argentina.,Departamento de Ecología, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
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Ecological features of exotic Vespula wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) invading the southernmost UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02765-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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