Search

In eusocial insects, nestmate queens can differ in their reproductive output, causing asymmetries in the distribution of mutual benefits. However, little is known about how reproductive success is partitioned in incipiently polygynous species, which would provide clues about the evolutionary forces shaping the emergence of polygyny. Here, we leverage a recent transition from predominantly single-queen (monogyne) to multiple-queen (polygyne) colonies in an invasive yellowjacket species to investigate whether queens in incipiently polygyne colonies invest equally in reproductive effort or vary in their relative investment in each caste. We excavated nine polygyne Vespula pensylvanica colonies in Hawaii and used restriction site–associated DNA sequencing to infer the parentage of worker, male, and gyne (daughter queen) pupae from each nest comb. In four colonies with at least eight gyne pupae, a single queen produced most or all gynes. These queens had no male offspring and few worker offspring, suggesting that a subset of nestmate queens might exploit the collective benefits of newly polygyne societies. In contrast to most queens, gyne producers had offspring distributed nonrandomly across nest combs. Nestmate queens generally exhibited low relatedness levels. Our results suggest that rapid, ecologically driven transitions to polygyny among unrelated queens may, at their onset, be vulnerable to reproductive asymmetries that are likely evolutionarily unstable. More broadly, this study contributes to the understanding of social evolution by uncovering asymmetric partitioning of reproduction in a population with newly evolved polygyny and raises questions about the future trajectories of introduced populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two young nests of Dolichovespula arenaria were each found to have been invaded by a Vespula squamosa queen. The first nest was successfully usurped, while the usurpation process was ongoing in the second nest. This latter observation confirms that V. squamosa queens will invade well-established nests. Factors involved in the selection of D. arenaria as a new intergeneric host are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The potential impact of the invasive Asian hornet on honey bee and insect biodiversity is not well understood. This study tests a method to identify what species the Asian hornet preys upon. We took the stomach contents of Asian hornet larvae and identified the prey items within those using DNA methods. The method was successful and many prey items were identified. Although the number of nests and larvae tested were small (and the results therefore had to be treated with caution), they gave an interesting snapshot of the prey items captured by V. v. nigrithorax in the UK. The method has great potential to gather further information on the diet of the Asian hornet as it expands into new areas. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral shifts in animals are often driven by ontogenetic processes such as aging or life experiences, through changes in their physiology and/or gene expression. Colonies of eusocial animals such as social hymenopterans may experience behavioral shifts at the colony-level due to maturation and/or experience throughout the colony cycle. In this study, we investigated the nest defense behavior of social wasp Vespula vulgaris colonies and whether behavioral changes over time or differences in experience with simulated threats can affect aggressive response. Colonies were divided into two treatment groups and experimentally disturbed over a seven-week period by simulating a mammal attack. This procedure was carried out for "hi-freq" colonies on a weekly basis (weeks 1–6), whereas "lo-freq" groups were disturbed once every three weeks (weeks 1, 3, and 7). We show that nest defense behavior in V. vulgaris decreases over time, towards the end of the colony cycle, regardless of how frequently they faced a simulated predator attack. We found no evidence that undisturbed foraging activity or nest size could be used to predict defensive behavior. Our results show anti-predator colony behaviors in Vespula are influenced by the colony cycle, possibly through demographic shifts over time: colonies near their decline are less likely to respond to a simulated threat when compared to earlier in the season. We propose colony behavior is strongly engrained in seasonality and internal development, to a degree that it might overrule the effect of interactions with potential predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European species of the potter wasp genus Eumenes Latreille, 1802 (Vespidae, Eumeninae) are illustrated and a new illustrated key to the 13 recognised species is presented. Eumenes mediterraneus aemilianus Guiglia, 1951 is synonymised with E. papillarius (Christ, 1791) (syn. nov.), E. obscurus André, 1884 and E. andrei Dalla Torre, 1894 with E. pedunculatus (Panzer, 1799) (syn. nov.) and E. crimensis Blüthgen, 1938 with E. sareptanus André, 1884 (syn. nov.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An illustrated key for the identification of genera and subgenera, and a checklist of Italian Vespidae (Hymenoptera) are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hornets (Vespidae: Vespinae) recorded from Singapore comprise five visually conspicuous species. Three of the four Vespa species, V. affinis (Linnaeus), V. analis Fabricius, and V. tropica (Linnaeus), occur frequently across multiple habitat types, whereas the forest-associated V. multimaculata Pérez is known only from historical records. Also from Singapore, a species of night hornet, Provespa anomala (de Saussure), is associated with forests and is often attracted to artificial light sources. We review these five hornet species, summarising their global and local distribution and natural history, including their habitat preferences, prey, and floral associations. We also assess their conservation status in Singapore based on historical collections and recent surveys. Lack of records of V. multimaculata within the last 90 years despite targeted sampling efforts in remnant forest habitats indicate that this species is likely locally extinct. We present diagnoses, simple keys, and images of all taxa to facilitate the conservation, management, and monitoring of these ecologically and medically significant insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological niche models have proved to be a powerful tool in assessing invasiveness risk of alien species, allowing the optimization of control strategies. Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is an invasive species with strong ecological, economical and health impacts in Europe after it was first reported in France in 2004. It was detected for the first time on a Mediterranean island (Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain) in 2015, where a single nest was found in the northwest of the island. Immediately, a control plan was implemented. In this study, we analysed 30 occurrence data in Mallorca island to assess the suitability distribution predicted for Mediterranean island conditions using an ensemble of small models. We obtained high values of AUC (0.9165), Somers' D (0.8331), Boyce (0.7611) and TSS (0.7754) as quality parameters of the final ensembled model. We show for the first time that there are suitable areas where this species can expand and stablish, mainly in steeper slopes and low isothermality zones. Likewise, the distribution suitability of V. velutina for other Mediterranean islands (Ibiza, Formentera, Menorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete and Cyprus) was also explored, showing potentially suitable zones. This study provides valuable information regarding the areas in the Mediterranean islands under risk of invasion, and it could be used by both scientists and managers for an early detection and control of the invasive species due to its cost-effectiveness in terms of conservation. Key message: Recent invasions constitute a challenge for the application of ecological niche models. Ensemble of small models represented a novel and robust strategy to predict the distribution of Vespa velutina recent invasion in Mallorca. Climate, human and topographic influences combined explained the distribution of V. velutina. Models calibrated in Mallorca allowed to predict potentially suitable areas of invasion in other Mediterranean islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Vespa velutina, commonly known as the Asian hornet, is an exotic species originating from the Asian continent. It has become an invasive species in Europe due to it being a predator of native fruits and insects, especially honeybees. The aim of this work was to carry out an observational study of the Vespa velutina behaviour in captivity. Two secondary and one embryo nests were kept under controlled environmental conditions. Captivity adaptation, defence against perturbations, evolution of the colony and overwintering were the different behaviours studied. This work has shown, for the first time up to our knowledge, the possibility to maintain secondary nests up to 13 weeks under controlled environmental conditions. The embryo nest was kept up to 6 weeks in captivity. The research carried out in this work has allowed deepening our knowledge of Vespa velutina's ethology, obtaining useful information on the behaviour of this invasive species. From its introduction in Europe, Vespa velutina nigrithorax has become an invasive species, since it is a predator of native fruits and insects, most of the latter being honeybees. Despite the knowledge on the life cycle of this hornet, Asian hornet behaviour is not well understood, since in vivo studies on this species are quite difficult to perform. In this work, an observational study of the behaviour of this invasive species in captivity has been carried out. Two secondary and one embryo nests were caught and kept under controlled environmental conditions, up to 13 weeks for the secondary nest and 6 weeks for the embryo nest. Captivity adaptation, defence against perturbations, evolution of the colony and overwintering were the different behaviours studied. The study has shown the importance of avoiding disturbances to the nest from the beginning of the experiments, since they tend to destroy the colony. The aggressive behaviour observed in the embryo nest was lower than in the secondary nests. Results of this research will allow obtaining additional information on this species, which is crucial to develop effective control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Currently, bee viruses are one of the threats to honey bee populations. The increase in invasive Vespid species causes a negative impact on honey bee colonies, weakening them and making them more vulnerable to the presence of pathogens. This bibliographic review shows the main research on bee viruses in the Vespa, Vespula and Polistes genera belonging to the Vespidae family. This taxon contains several of the most widespread invasive Vespid species worldwide. Many of these species are predators of honey bees and cause great impacts, as is the case with the yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina. The presence of viruses in species of Vespids that interact with honey bees could represent an emerging risk in the transmission of pathogens, weakening the defense strategies of native species. Gathering this information is necessary to promote the research on the spread of bee viruses associated with invasive species as well as in the development of bee virus control strategies. The increase in invasive alien species is a concern for the environment. The establishment of some of these species may be changing the balance between pathogenicity and host factors, which could alter the defense strategies of native host species. Vespid species are among the most successful invasive animals, such as the genera Vespa, Vespula and Polistes. Bee viruses have been extensively studied as an important cause of honey bee population losses. However, knowledge about the transmission of honey bee viruses in Vespids is a relevant and under-researched aspect. The role of some mites such as Varroa in the transmission of honey bee viruses is clearer than in the case of Vespidae. This type of transmission by vectors has not yet been clarified in Vespidae, with interspecific relationships being the main hypotheses accepted for the transmission of bee viruses. A majority of studies describe the presence of viruses or their replicability, but aspects such as the symptomatology in Vespids or the ability to infect other hosts from Vespids are scarcely discussed. Highlighting the case of Vespa velutina as an invader, which is causing huge losses in European beekeeping, is of special interest. The pressure caused by V. velutina leads to weakened hives that become susceptible to pathogens. Gathering this information is necessary to promote further research on the spread of bee viruses in ecosystems invaded by invasive species of Vespids, as well as to prevent the decline of bee populations due to bee viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that more than 500 species of insects have been introduced to the Galápagos Islands via human activities. One of these insect invaders is the yellow paper wasp, Polistes versicolor (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), a social wasp native to continental South America. In Galápagos, these wasps are voracious predators of insect larvae, compete with native species for insect prey or for floral resources and are a human nuisance. Wasp suppression methods currently in use are inefficient and attract non-target species, calling for the development of species-specific attractants that can be used in baits to lure and kill wasps. To evaluate the potential for using wasp semiochemicals in baits, we determined the biochemical composition of the head, thorax, Dufour's and venom glands of P. versicolor foragers via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Male and female wasps were tested for behavioral responses to body segment extracts from both sexes. Female body extracts consistently elicited more behavioral responses in both male and female wasps than male extracts. Females reacted to female head, thorax and abdomen (the Dufour's and venom glands are located in the abdomen) extracts, whereas males reacted significantly to female head and thorax extracts. One male body extract, the head, elicited two significant behaviors: female wasps groomed more often, and males touched the filter paper more often compared to the blank control. Head extracts consistently changed the behavior of female and male wasps and, together with female thorax extracts, have potential as species-specific lures for yellow paper wasps. Heads were mainly composed of hydrocarbon lipids and oleamide, a ligand for odorant-binding proteins. The thorax consisted of fatty aldehydes, long-chain alkanes and fatty amide lipids. Field trials of blends of these compounds in high wasp density areas of Galápagos are the next step to confirm if any of these compounds are attractive to P. versicolor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nesolynx deltaphagus sp. nov. parasitizing the potter wasp species Delta pyriforme (Fab.) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) is newly described with illustrations from Kerala, India. This is the first report of parasitism of Nesolynx on Vespidae. A key for the Indian species of Nesolynx is provided along with the diagnosis of the new species with congeners. DNA barcode of the new species using universal primers of CO1 is also provided against accession number (Accession No: OK484482). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species cause significant damage to economies, human health, biodiversity and society in general. Social insects are among the most successful invaders, often becoming major pests when they establish outside their native range. Once established they can be difficult to eradicate or contain, and classical biological control is usually the only feasible management option. Successful classical biological control programs must be both technically and economically feasible. A technically feasible program — where a biological control agent establishes, spreads and suppresses the growth and spread of the pest — is a necessary pre-requisite for economic feasibility, where benefits and costs of a biological control program are subsequently assessed. We investigate whether the highly invasive eusocial wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) could be a candidate for a renewed biological control management program in Australia, where it established almost 60 years ago. The potential impacts of V. germanica on horticulture, apiculture, tourism, outdoor social activities, and biodiversity are estimated to be AUD 2.6 billion over 50 years, should V. germanica continue to spread unhindered. We found median benefits of AUD145 million to AUD385 million, depending on effectiveness and growth rates of the biocontrol, with non-market benefits exceeding market benefits by 50%. • Biological control is often the only option to control widespread pest invasions. • Pre-screening biological control agents through modelling can save time and money. • We develop a simulation model for biocontrol of an invasive social insect. • The model is calibrated and validated with data from south-eastern Australia. • The model calculates economic feasibility of a biological control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polistes hebraeus (Smith) is a common paper wasp species of subfamily Polistinae. The clinical potential allergic reaction after stings and valuable venom components of P. hebraeus make it a medical importance species. Here, the mitochondrial genome of P. hebraeus was analyzed. The mitogenome was 19,262 bp in length including 22 transfer RNAs (tRNA) and 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNA). The protein coding gene (PCGs) number and order are consistent with existing records of Polistidae. The nucleotide composition is AT: 84.5% and CG: 15.5% which are largely similar with other complete Polistidae mitogenome (15.27 ∼ 19.16%). The available mitogenome resources of Polistidae species and P. hebraeus were used to construct the phylogenetic tree. It showed that the genus Polistes could clearly seperated from Parapolybia, and the relationship in Polistes was consistent with previous studies. This mitogenome resource can contribute to further phylogenetic and taxonomic study on paper wasp.

Non-native species pose a threat to native organisms. When non-native and native species are closely related, the former can often competitively exclude the latter. Many studies have focused on competitive exclusion of native insect species by non-native eusocial hymenopterans, including ants, hornets, paper wasps and bees. Although solitary species of wasps have been introduced in many regions, few studies have investigated the effects of these insects on their native congeners. We investigated competitive interactions between native and non-native solitary wasps belonging to the same genus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae: Anterhynchium). Specifically, we compared resource use and natural enemies of the native Anterhynchium flavomarginatum and supposedly non-native A. gibbifrons at a forest edge in Takasago, Hyogo, Japan, in June-October 2019, using trap nests (bamboo canes). Of 950 bamboo canes, 70 (7.4%) and 50 (5.3%) were used as nests by A. flavomarginatum and A. gibbifrons, respectively. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum produced two generations over the period studied, whereas A. gibbifrons produced only one. Although A. gibbifrons began nesting two weeks after A. flavomarginatum, the nesting period of A. gibbifrons overlapped that of the first nesting period of A. flavomarginatum. Nest architecture and the inner diameter of the canes used by both species were similar, suggesting potential competition for nesting resources. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum used larvae of 14 species of moths (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Pyralidae, Tortricidae) as food for their larval offspring, whereas A. gibbifrons used only a single species, Demobotys pervulgalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Prey species were exclusive to each wasp species, indicating no competition for this resource. Three parasitoid species, Macrosiagon nasutum (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae), Amobia distorta (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and Megaselia sp. (Diptera: Phoridae), attacked both Anterhynchium species. The percentage parasitism by Amobia distorta was higher for the native A. flavomarginatum. Anterhynchium gibbifrons may indirectly affect A. flavomarginatum via shared parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mitochondria are vital organelles found in most eukaryotes that are involved in energy metabolism. The mitochondrial genome (mtgenome) is the genetic material of mitochondria, which is responsible for the coding and translation of proteins needed by organelles. By studying the mtgenomes of insects, we can better comprehend the phylogenetic relationships and molecular evolution of insects. The mtgenomes of four wasps are described in this paper, along with comparative genomic analyses. There are gene rearrangement events and 37 genes in each of the four mtgenomes. The subfamily Stenogastrinae is the sister group to the remaining Vespidae family, and according to our concluding analysis, the genus Vespa is more closely linked to the genus Vespula than to the genus Dolichovespula. We provide new evidence for the two-origin hypothesis of eusociality in the Vespidae. This work will aid us in future research on species evolution and phylogeny in the family Vespidae. The wasp genus Dolichovespula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) is a eusocial wasp group. Due to the taxonomic and phylogenetic issues with the family Vespidae, more genetic data should be gathered to provide efficient approaches for precise molecular identification. For this work, we used next-generation sequencing (also known as high-throughput sequencing) to sequence the mitochondrial genomes (mtgenomes) of four Dolichovespula species, viz. D. flora, D. lama, D. saxonica, and D. xanthicincta 16,064 bp, 16,011 bp, 15,682 bp, and 15,941 bp in length, respectively. The mitochondrial genes of the four species are rearranged. The A + T content of each mtgenome is more than 80%, with a control region (A + T-rich region), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. There are 7 to 11 more genes on the majority strands than on the minority strands. Using Bayesian inference and Maximum-Likelihood methodologies as well as data from other species available on GenBank, phylogenetic trees and relationship assessments in the genus Dolichovespula and the family Vespidae were generated. The two fossil-based calibration dates were used to estimate the origin of eusociality and the divergence time of clades in the family Vespidae. The divergence times indicate that the latest common ancestor of the family Vespidae appeared around 106 million years ago (Ma). The subfamily Stenogastrinae diverged from other Vespidae at about 99 Ma, the subfamily Eumeninae at around 95 Ma, and the subfamily Polistinae and Vespinae diverged at approximately 42 Ma. The genus Dolichovespula is thought to have originated around 25 Ma. The origin and distribution pattern of the genus Dolichovespula are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potter wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) adopt different substrates for nesting, including other wasp nests. Nevertheless, such behavior rarely occurs with abandoned nests of the paper wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae). In this study, we report the occurrence involving the nesting of a potter wasp on a paper wasp's nest. Such a record occurred in November 2021 in a segment of a deciduous forest, at Mata Seca State Park, Southeast Brazil. An abandoned Polistinae nest was found, with 14 cells sealed with mud, from which four male Pachodynerus nasidens individuals emerged. This record of P. nasidens reusing a Polistinae's nest increases our knowledge of Eumeninae nesting strategies and on possible associations between different groups of vespid wasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new species are described: Pseudepipona (Deuterepipona) kostylevi Fateryga, sp. nov. (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan), P. (D.) nikolayi Fateryga, sp. nov. (Kazakhstan), P. (D.) popovi Fateryga, sp. nov. (Turkmenistan), and P. (D.) vladimiri Fateryga, sp. nov. (Kazakhstan). A new synonymy is proposed: Pseudepipona (Deuterepipona) superba (Morawitz, 1867) = P. (D.) tricolor Gusenleitner, 1976, syn. nov. Lectotypes are designated for two species: Pseudepipona (Deuterepipona) herzi (Morawitz, 1895) and P. (D.) superba. Two species, both not occurring in the region under study, are transferred to the subgenus Deuterepipona from the nominotypical one: Pseudepipona (Deuterepipona) priesneri Gusenleitner, 1970 and P. (D.) pseudominuta Gusenleitner, 1971. An identification key to all six species of the subgenus Deuterepipona from Central Asia is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two nests of Celonites jousseaumei are described in detail from the Antiatlas in Morocco. The nests consisted of two or three linearly arranged earthen brood cells that were attached to the almost vertical surface of medium sized stones. The brood cell provisions consisted exclusively of Heliotropium pollen (Boraginaceae). Species affiliation of developmental stages by DNA barcoding revealed that one of the brood cells contained a pupa of Spintharina innesi in a cocoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prey of adult Hyperechia xylocopiformis (Walker), the carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) mimicking robber fly endemic to south India, is reported for the first time and its range of occurrence is extended to Kerala. Ropalidia brevita Das and Gupta (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) was the prey. Literature on the biology of Hyperechia species is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey is a healing compound produced by the Apidae bees. So far, the only genus of Apis with 9 known species worldwide is a honey bee. But species of paper wasps in the Vespidae can also produce honey. This research was conducted to study and identify the species of paper wasp honey producer in the South of Kerman. For this purpose, the activity areas of this wasp were identified, and specimens of this paper wasp were collected for species identification. The specimens were identified by keys and related articles and Confirmed by Dr. James M. Carpenter at the American Museum of natural history. Parapolybia escalerae (Meado-Waldo) was described by Mead-Waldo in the London British Museum in 1911 as a single female specimen from southwestern Iran. The World distribution of this paper wasp is in Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran. According to the results of this study, the species Parapolybia escalerae (Meado-Waldo, 1911) was identified for the first time in southeastern Iran (south of Kerman). This species was distributed south of Kerman from the tropical foothills of Jabalbarz Mountains (southern Jabalbarz to Mohammadabad) and Bahraseman. Parapolybia escalerae is introduced in the world as a paper wasp species of a honey producer. The paper wasp is known as dry or chocolate honey and has medicinal use. In this study, the male and queen specimens were collected and identified for the first time. This study found that this species of paper wasp, like the Apis florea, produces wild honey. A. florea has open nests and small colonies of a single comb, but P. escalerae is in the dark space of mountains and cliffs and produces many combs. The activity of this species was mostly observed on the Ziziphus sp. and Pistacia terebinthus trees. This paper wasp has a social life and includes three forms of queens, workers, and males. So far, only two species of Honey producing paper wasps have been reported in South America, including Brachygastra mellifica (Say, 1837), known as the Mexican Honey Wasp and Brachygastra lecheguana (Latreille, 1824), which are paper wasps belonging to the subfamily Polistinae. These two species have round nests and build their nests on tall trees and the ground in open spaces. Their honey has medicinal use in different regions of South America and is collected by local people. The paper wasp species P. escalerae works in the crevices of the rocks and has several flat combs. In Iran, the local people of the southern regions of Iran use this honey as medicine to treat respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Asian paper wasp Polistes chinensis is an invasive species in New Zealand and South-East Australia. This species threatens native invertebrate communities through predation and potentially competition for resources. During an ecological field study of P. chinensis in New Zealand, we discovered wasps that were infected with and were being killed by two species of pathogenic fungi. In the interest of investigating these fungi as potential biological control agents, our aim in this study was to identify the two fungal species using morphological and molecular methods, determine their natural prevalence in the studied paper wasp population, and test their infective potential to hosts in a controlled environment. We successfully identified the fungi species as Beauveria malawiensis, a generalist insect pathogen, and Ophiocordyceps humbertii, a specialist of social wasps. These are the first records of these species infecting paper wasps in New Zealand. We estimate that they produce infections in approximately 3.3% of wild P. chinensis colonies in our study site. In our infection assays, we passively exposed healthy wasp colonies to asexual fungal spores, which resulted in successful infections of B. malawiensis, and significantly increased wasp mortality rates. Two species of entomogenous fungi were discovered infecting the invasive paper wasp Polistes chinensis during an ecological study on Farewell Spit, New Zealand. We sequenced two nuclear ribosomal RDNA genes, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the small ribosomal subunit 18S, and one protein-coding gene, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (ef1 α). Combining sequence information with morphological examination, we identified these species as Beauveria malawiensis and Ophiocordyceps humbertii. We estimated that these fungi produce infection in approximately 3.3% of colonies in our study population. In bioassays, we successfully infected P. chinensis individuals from healthy colonies with B. malawiensis, with significant effects on adult mortality. This is the first record of both B. malawiensis and O. humbertii from Polistine hosts in New Zealand, and the first investigation into disease causality by these pathogens in P. chinensis. Our findings may contribute to the future development of biological control agents for paper wasps in New Zealand and elsewhere around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Subancistrocerus pakistanensis Qasim, Carpenter et Rafique sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Pakistan, based on several specimens collected in the Multan Region. Genus Subancistrocerus is recorded for the first time from Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An illustrated identification key to the genera of potter wasps occurring in Australia is presented. Hitherto there has been no published key to these genera, making routine identification impossible, and allowing taxonomic study of these wasps to be carried out only by specialists. This has greatly inhibited biological study of these wasps, which are known to exhibit interesting behavioural ecology. For the same reason, their use as biological control agents has scarcely been investigated. And as a result, the conservation status of any of the species is unknown. Our aim is that this key should begin to rectify this situation.

Considerando a importância do bioma Pantanal e das espécies que nele habitam o objetivo desse estudo foi descrever a fauna de himenópteros associada a bancos de macrófitas aquáticas no Pantanal do Nabileque, fornecendo informações sobre a composição, riqueza e abundância de espécies definindo padrões de associações entre as espécies animais e vegetais. Foram realizadas coletas mensais entre março a julho de 2009 no rio Paraguai na cidade de Porto Murtinho, abrangendo meses das estações de seca e cheia na região. As amostragens foram realizadas por meio de captura ativa com puçás. Foram capturadas 10 espécies de himenópteros. As famílias com maior riqueza de espécies foram Apidae e Vespidae, com três espécies diferentes cada uma, e Halictidae, Pompilidae, Cabronidae e Tiphiidae foram representados com apenas uma espécie. Os himenópteros foram mais abundantes na estação seca, ocorrendo 114 espécimes e a estação cheia com apenas 17 espécimes. Estes insetos visitaram 12 espécies de macrófitas aquáticas. Nossos resultados mostram que alguns táxons de himenópteros tanto sociais quanto solitários são importantes visitantes de macrófitas aquáticas do Pantanal, além disso, aqui evidenciamos grupos que usualmente são negligenciados quanto a interação com plantas e seu possível papel ecossistêmico de polinização.

Abstract Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) of most terrestrial arthropods primarily serve as a protective barrier against desiccation and infection. Throughout evolution, these compounds have acquired another fundamental function: the exchange of signals during interactions between nestmates. However, even though cuticular hydrocarbons perform a dual function in social insects, little is known about the effect(s) of one function on the other in social insects, and no study has evaluated this relationship in social wasps. Therefore, the present study tests the hypothesis that the level of aggressiveness presented during induced encounters between nestmates of Polybia paulista who were subjected to different conditions temperature is different than between nestmates who remained under the same temperature conditions. If the hypothesis is confirmed, it is likely because the cuticle of the wasps that had been exposed to temperature variation adjusted to these conditions leading them not to recognize the cuticular chemical signature of their colony. To test this hypothesis, workers were exposed to temperature variation in a BOD chamber and then subjected to encounters with workers who were maintained at a constant temperature of 24°C. We also used control groups to evaluate the effect of isolation alone among the groups. According to our results, our hypothesis was confirmed, the level of aggressiveness presented between nestmates who were exposed to temperature variation and those who remained at 24°C was significantly higher than the levels of aggressiveness presented between nestmates who remained isolated but under constant temperature during the same period, in some cases, it was similar to the aggressiveness presented in encounters between wasps from different colonies. During these encounters, wasps performed alarm behavior, bites, and stings not seen during encounters between wasps that remained under the same temperature, but in isolated groups. The lack of aggressive behavior under isolated conditions indicates that isolation had no effect on chemical recognition signature. These results suggest that temperature variation may have caused some change in the cues that allow recognition between nestmates. On the other hand, these results were not caused by isolation or stress generated by the study design and difference in the CHC profile of workers, as described in the literature, is consistent with our results.

Parasitic moths are common in social wasp (Hymenoptera) nests, attacking many species of Polistinae and a few species of Vespinae. In the Republic of Korea, two moth species are known to parasitize the brood of Polistes rothneyi koreanus: Pyralis regalis (Pyralidae) and Anatrachyntis japonica (Cosmopterigidae). Although previously reported elsewhere, a novel case of parasitization was recently documented in the Republic of Korea, in which Hypsopygia mauritialis (Pyralidae) was identified in the nests of social wasps. Pyralis regalis is the most common parasitic moth in the Republic of Korea, feeding on the nests of 11 species of social wasps, mostly the Korean Vespa species. To that list of hosts, we add a species of Dolichovespula and two species of Polistes. Parasitism of Vespa velutina nigrithorax, an invasive alien hornet, by both P. regalis and H. mauritialis, was observed for the first time. However, their potential to control invasive alien hornets is expected to be low. This study provides new insights into the diversity of nest-parasitic moths in social wasp nests and their hosts in the Republic of Korea, and highlights the potential for these moths to impact pest populations.

New records of Celonites tauricus Kostylev, 1935 are reported from Chios, Rhodes, Samos (Greece), Dagestan (Russia), Georgia, and the main portion of Azerbaijan (previous records were made from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic only). Flower visits of imagines were observed at six species of Lamiaceae, four of them being recorded for the first time as forage plants of C. tauricus. The newly recorded Teucrium canum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. and Ziziphora taurica M. Bieb. (both Lamiaceae) are principal forage plants in Dagestan and the Crimea, correspondingly. The behaviour of females at flowers of Z. taurica differs from that previously described at flowers of Teucrium chamaedrys L. and Satureja thymbra L. (also Lamiaceae) in that pollen removal from the anthers and nectar uptake take place separately from each other in temporal succession. This difference is obviously caused by the flower structure of the genus Ziziphora, specifically its much longer corolla tube. Females also try to collect pollen from flowers of Salvia nemorosa subsp. tesquicola (Klokov & Pobed.) Soó but usually without success, while nectar uptake from this species is successful. The specialized morphological structures of the females for pollen-uptake from the nototribic anthers and pollen-transfer from the exoskeleton to the mouthparts are described. They are similar to those of the closely related Celonites abbreviatus (Villers, 1789), and consist of specialized stiff “knobbed” pollen-collecting setae covering the anterior surface of the head, particularly the frons and the clypeus, as well as comb-like rows of specialized, particularly strong pollen-brushing setae along the anterior margins of the inner surface of the first and the second segments of the fore tarsi. Males of C. tauricus patrol in flight along the forage plants of the females. Successful copulations occur either on flowers or on the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mimicry is usually understood to be an adaptive resemblance between phylogenetically distant groups of species. In this study, we focus on Batesian and Müllerian mimicry, which are often viewed as a continuum rather than distinct phenomena, forming so-called Batesian-Müllerian mimicry rings. Despite potent defence and wide environmental niche of hornets, little attention has been paid to them as potential models in mimicry research. We propose a Batesian-Müllerian mimicry ring of the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis, Hymenoptera: Vespidae) consisting of eight species that coexist in the Mediterranean region. To reveal general ecological patterns, we reviewed their geographical distribution, phenology, and natural history. In accordance with the ‘model-first’ theory, Batesian mimics of this ring occurred later during a season than the Müllerian mimics. In the case of Batesian mimic Volucella zonaria (Diptera: Syrphidae), we presume that temperature-driven range expansion could lead to allopatry with its model, and, potentially, less accurate resemblance to an alternative model, the European hornet (Vespa crabro: Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Colour morphs of polymorphic species Cryptocheilus alternatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Delta unguiculatum (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Rhynchium oculatum (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), and Scolia erythrocephala (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae) appear to display distinct geographical distribution patterns, and this is possibly driven by sympatry with alternative models from the European hornet (Vespa crabro) complex. General coevolution patterns of models and mimics in heterogenous and temporally dynamic environments are discussed, based on observations of the proposed Oriental hornet mimicry ring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Conopidae are an interesting family of small- to large-sized endoparasitic flies, commonly known as thick-headed flies. These flies have been proposed as potential biological control agents of invasive social wasps (subfamilies: Polistinae and Vespinae, family: Vespidae). Results: All known Algerian thick-headed flies (family Conopidae) are listed in the present study. Four subfamilies, nine genera and 23 species were treated. Three of these species are recorded herein from Algeria for the first time, namely Myopa pellucida (Robineau-Desvoidy), M. picta Panzer and Thecophora fulvipes (Robineau-Desvoidy). As far as they are known, Algerian localities and collection dates are provided, which comprise some new locality records. The data for this study were compiled from both available literature and material collected from some Algerian localities. Conclusion: The family Conopidae (thick-headed flies) is hitherto represented in Algeria by four subfamilies, nine genera and 23 species. Three of these species are recorded herein for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In veterinary medicine, calcinosis circumscripta is a morphological diagnosis for which the cause may be known or idiopathic. The aetiology of the lesion must be investigated because the nature of the underlying disease process will dictate appropriate treatment. We present a case of oral calcinosis circumscripta in a cat caused by a wasp sting and associated with moderate unilateral facial oedema. Following corticosteroid therapy and oedema resolution, hyperaemic, circular, firm, elevated lesions were observed on the buccal mucosa and evolved into whitish, slightly elevated multifocal plaques with an irregular surface. As antibiotic and corticosteroid therapy was ineffective, an excisional biopsy was performed after 6 months of lesion development and a diagnosis of calcinosis circumscripta of dystrophic aetiology was made. To our knowledge, this is the first report of calcinosis circumscripta in association with an insect sting in an animal. Insect stings should be included in the differential diagnosis of calcinosis circumscripta in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides annotated list of 10 species and subspecies of subfamily Eumeninaein in Sindh province under 5 genera i.e. Delta, Knemodynerus, Antepipona, Allorhynchium, Antodynerus. Besides this, their bio-geographical affiliations have also been discussed. Of these species and subspecies 6 are part of the Oriental fauna, one is part of the Afrotropical and Palearctic Region and three belong to Oriental, Afrotropical and Palearctic Regions. This reconfirms the transitional bio-geographical position of the Pakistani fauna. However, more species of Subfamily Eumeninae are expected to be present in Sindh if more frequent survey would be carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species could generate a multitude of impacts towards native species. The introduction and spread of Vespa velutina in Europe is raising concern for the conservation of insect's biodiversity, including wasps due to predation, competition or a combination of these two mechanisms. Nevertheless, most evidence for negative effects on other wasps are based on laboratory experiments, direct observations, and on considerations about the biology and ecology of Vespidae. No field study in Europe explored how the abundance of V. velutina could affect the population of native Vespidae, as expected in case of competition and predation. We analysed how the abundance of V. velutina influenced that of Vespa crabro, 4 years after the arrival and establishment of V. velutina in our study area, in Italy. Moreover, we compared the abundances of three native Vespidae (V. crabro, Vespula vulgaris, Vespula germanica), between our study area and an adjacent uninvaded area with similar environmental conditions. Bayesian Generalized Linear Models revealed that the abundance of V. velutina and V. crabro was positively associated, where V. velutina was scarce. Covariation disappeared only at those trapping sites where V. velutina was extremely abundant. Moreover, abundances of native wasps were similar between the invaded and the uninvaded areas. Implications for insect conservation: The wide-scale monitoring activity performed to investigate the effects of V. velutina on native wasps has not detected any negative effects in relation to the presence of the invasive species. More effort is however requested for understanding if V. velutina could really affect native Vespidae at the population-level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change is intensifying in Amazonia through, among other causes, the higher frequency of both severe droughts and floods due to El Niño and La Niña events as well as an Atlantic influence. Over a 25-year period (1997–2021) we examined in French Guiana the impact of different climatic parameters on the most frequent social wasp, Polybia bistriata (Polistinae). As it commonly nests on Clusia grandiflora (Clusiaceae), its nests are easily found. Heavy rainfall, particularly during the 1999–2000 La Niña episode, negatively affected this social wasp species as the percentage of Clusia sheltering an active P. bistriata nest decreased from ≈ 40% during the pre-2000 period to zero in 2021. We conclude that extreme wet seasons related to climate change translated into the decline of this species and likely were detrimental to many other polistine wasps of north-eastern Amazonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eumenid wasp, Rhynchium brunneum brunneum is a solitary wasp that constructs its nests in hollow cavities provisioning lepidopteran larvae to its broods. The nesting behaviour, biology, prey preference and prey composition of the wasp were studied and molecular characterisation of the prey was done to confirm their identity. The trap occupancy rate by the wasp was 47.51% with 5.82 ± 0.18 cells per trap provisioned with 10.90 ± 1.72 larvae per cell. The egg to adult duration of the wasp lasted for 21.60 ± 2.22 days. The wasp used six different species of lepidopteran larvae as prey viz., Diaphania indica, Maruca vitrata, Parotis atlitalis, Phycita erythrolophia, Spodoptera litura and Sylepta derogata for its developing broods. Three prey species D. indica (Accession No. MN888507.1), M. vitrata (Accession No. MN888506.1) and P. atlitalis (Accession No. MN888512.1) were molecularly characterised. The percent prey composition of D. indica, M. vitrata, P. atlitalis, P. erythrolophia, S. litura and S. derogata were 31.23, 98.17, 10.40, 42.32, 75.85 and 20.10 respectively. Mixed prey composition in the cells were recorded during the months of June to October and January to May. There was a significant difference in the number of live webbings by M. vitrata in the pigeon pea installed with trap nests (1.53 ± 0.72) compared to wasp excluded control plot (4.07 ± 1.35) four weeks after installation. The results suggested that this eumenid wasp be a potential predator of economically important lepidopteran pests. Installation of artificial trap nests amidst crop habitats could help in their conservation and enhance the process of natural biological control of pest insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amobia quatei Kurahashi, 1974 was reared from the puparia collected from the brood chambers of mason wasp Anterhynchium flavomarginatum (Smith, 1852). The species is reported for the first time from Indian subcontinent. This is also the first host record for the kleptoparasite A. quatei. A redescription of the kleptoparasite supplemented with illustrations of habitus and genitalia, along with notes on the biology of the host are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predatory social wasps are well studied in several aspects; however, foraging behaviour, especially that which takes place away from the nest at often unpredictable locations, or specialized behaviours to find and subdue prey are not well understood. In the Brazilian tropical savanna, the Polistinae wasp Brachygastra lecheguana is specialized in preying on some endophytic weevil larvae which develops inside floral buds. We hypothesized that these wasps utilize a combination of different mechanisms such as visual, chemical (odour) and possible tactile cues to find the weevil larvae. Using a combination of experimental manipulations (visual; chemical; visual/chemical) we tested the wasp's ability to detect the endophytic larvae in the field. Additionally, we checked the ability of this wasp to detect vibrations produced by the weevils inside the buds. Our results suggest that the B. lecheguana wasp utilizes a sequence of eco-physiological mechanisms to find the endophytic larva inside floral buds: sight, smell, and perhaps touch. The use of multiple cues by this wasp guarantees such a high rate of predation on endophytic beetles that the wasp may have positive implications (reduction in weevils' infestation) for the future of the host plant's reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Natura Croatica is the property of Natura Croatica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: The subfamily Eumeninae comprises more than 3900 described species and eumenine mitochondrial analyses are almost absent. In order to provide further evidence toward understanding the relationships within the subfamily, the characteristics of 54 eumenine mitogenomes were comparatively analyzed, among which 52 mitogenomes are newly annotated. Meanwhile, using both Maximum-likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI), comprehensive phylogenetic relationship in the subfamily were investigated based on two mitochondrial datasets. The subfamily Eumeninae plays a significant role in the biological control of agricultural pests. However, the characteristics of eumenine mitogenomes that are important molecular markers for phylogenetics are not clearly revealed. Here, 52 eumenine mitogenomes are newly sequenced and annotated, and the phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily are comprehensively analyzed based on 87 vespid mitogenomes. Through the comparative analysis of the 54 eumenine mitogenomes, the gene compositions of about one half of the 54 species match with ancestral insect mitogenome, and remaining others contain two trnM which are highly similar, with 51.86% (Eumenes tripunctatus) to 90.65% (Pseumenes nigripectus) sequence identities, which is unique among the reported mitogenomes of the family Vespidae. Moreover, the translocation trnL1 upstream of nad1 is a common rearrangement event in all eumenine mitogenomes. The results of phylogenetic analyses support the paraphyly of the subfamily Eumeninae and the tribe Odynerini, respectively, and the monophyly of the tribe Eumenini, and verify that the tribe Zethini is a valid subfamily Zethinae. In this study, the relationships between some genera such as Allorhynchium and Pararrhynchium or the taxonomic status of the subgenera such as Eremodynerus and Dirhynchium are found to be confusing and there should be further inquiry with more samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social wasps are invasive in many regions around the world. In their new communities, introduced predators such as these wasps may be beneficial as consumers of exotic pests, but they will also consume native species. Here, we examined the diet of the exotic European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) and the closely related congener, Polistes chinensis, in a region of New Zealand where they co-occur. DNA barcoding was used to analyse their diet. The diet of both wasp species was largely Lepidopteran but other orders such as Hemiptera, Diptera and Coleoptera were also represented. Our analysis showed substantial site-to-site variation in diet. The two wasps differed significantly in their prey, although these differences appear to be driven by taxa identified from a small number of DNA reads in a small number of samples. Native and introduced fauna were represented in the diets of both wasps and included important agricultural pests. Of the 92 prey taxa able to be identified to species level, 81 were identified as exotic or introduced to New Zealand. The remaining 11 were species native to New Zealand. However, our estimates suggest over 50% of the prey DNA in the wasp diet is derived from native species. These wasps are abundant in some coastal and urban habitats, where they are likely to consume pest species as well as native species of conservation importance. The ecosystem services or costs and benefits provided by these invasive species are likely to be contingent on the prey communities and habitats they occupy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wasps (Vespidae) are important organisms to understand the evolution of social behaviour. Wasps show different levels of sociality, which includes solitary to highly eusocial organisms. In social insect species, queens and workers differ in physiology and morphology. The Neotropical swarm-founding wasps (Epiponini) show a variety of caste syndromes. In this clade, the caste-flexibility is a unique characteristic, in which workers can become queens and swarm to start a new nest. The investigation of the caste system comparing several Epiponini species show a clear-cut morphological distinction between queens and workers, with a morphological continuum between queens and workers. However, whether cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are used as cues for caste recognition in swarm-founding wasps is still unknown. We studied whether CHCs may display caste-linked differences in eleven species of Epiponini wasps and if CHCs differences would follow morphological patterns. Our results suggest that queens and workers of Epiponini wasps are chemically different from each other at two levels, qualitatively and quantitatively, or merely quantitatively. This variation seems to exist regardless of their morphological traits and may be useful to help us understanding how chemical communication evolved differently in these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]