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The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in...
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The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 12518

Special Issue Editors

Dr. María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores

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Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Olga Escuredo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Seijo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax is a recently introduced alien species in many places of European countries. Coming from South Asia, the ability of the species to adapt to new environments confirms that is a clear case of invasive success. The consequences of this invasive species on ecosystems are still little studied, but the enormous predatory capacity of other invertebrate species such as bees has already been revealed. The presence of the species in urban and semi-urban environments creates a strong social alarm, for which society demands effective and selective control strategies.

This Special Issue deals with the consequences of the introduction of Vespa velutina in ecosystems. Topics such as the behavior of the species, feeding habits, life cycle, ecological and economic consequences of its introduction, management strategies and control proposals as well as studies on their natural environment, are welcome topics for this Special Issue.

Dr. María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores
Prof. Dr. Olga Escuredo
Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Seijo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Vespa velutina
  • management strategies
  • life cycle
  • physiology
  • behaviour
  • food resources
  • ecological impacts
  • economic effects

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 12114 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Effectiveness and Selectiveness of Baited Traps for the Capture of the Invasive Hornet Vespa velutina
by Sandra V. Rojas-Nossa, Salustiano Mato, Pilar Feijoo, Aarón Lagoa and Josefina Garrido
Animals 2024, 14(1), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010129 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 2221
Abstract
The invasive hornet Vespa velutina affects apiculture, biodiversity, and human health. The use of baited traps with the aim of reducing the population and mitigating its impacts is a common practice. However, the lack of impact on the number of colonies and the [...] Read more.
The invasive hornet Vespa velutina affects apiculture, biodiversity, and human health. The use of baited traps with the aim of reducing the population and mitigating its impacts is a common practice. However, the lack of impact on the number of colonies and the high capture rate of non-target insects make it controversial. Our objective was to compare the effectiveness and selectiveness of four trap models. We measured effectiveness as the capture rate of V. velutina per day per trap, and selectiveness as the capture rate of V. velutina/capture rate of non-target species. The E trap had better performance with a higher selectiveness and effectiveness. Traps V and X had a higher effectiveness but the lowest selectiveness, with high capture rates of native insects, including threatened species. The R trap had the lowest effectiveness and selectiveness. Results show that small changes in the design can contribute to achieving more sustainable tools. Otherwise, with the current tools, bait trapping continues to be non-sustainable from an environmental perspective due to the impacts on native biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 2786 KiB  
Article
Efficacy of Protein Baits with Fipronil to Control Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Lepeletier, 1836) in Apiaries
by Jesús F. Barandika, Omaira de la Hera, Roberto Fañanás, Arrate Rivas, Eugenia Arroyo, Rosa M. Alonso, M. Luz Alonso, Egoitz Galartza, Aitor Cevidanes and Ana L. García-Pérez
Animals 2023, 13(13), 2075; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132075 - 23 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1298
Abstract
The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), outside its natural range, has become a major threat to domestic bees. Several control methods have been used to fight against V. velutina, but the results achieved are not satisfactory. The use of protein [...] Read more.
The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), outside its natural range, has become a major threat to domestic bees. Several control methods have been used to fight against V. velutina, but the results achieved are not satisfactory. The use of protein baits with biocides has shown to be an effective method to control invasive wasp populations, but they have not been used to control V. velutina. Thus, the efficacy of protein baits containing fipronil to reduce the presence of hornets in apiaries was evaluated in this study. After laboratory determination of the optimal efficacy of a protein bait at a 0.01% concentration of fipronil, field trials were conducted involving 222 beekeepers. The data reported by the 90 beekeepers who completed the requested questionnaire demonstrated that in the groups of apiaries with the highest pressure of hornets (groups with 10–30 and >30 hornets), there was a significant decrease in the presence of V. velutina, lasting at least two weeks. The reduction in the number of hornets was positively correlated with bait consumption, and bait consumption was positively correlated with the number of hornets present at the time of treatment. Although the method used has shown good efficacy and the concentration of fipronil used was very low; possible negative effects on the environment should also be evaluated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 2488 KiB  
Article
On the Evidence of the European Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) as a Predator of the Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) and Its Possible Contribution as a Biocontrol Agent
by Nuno Onofre, Maria Inês Portugal e Castro, Anabela Nave, Irene San Payo Cadima, Maria Ferreira and Joana Godinho
Animals 2023, 13(12), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121906 - 07 Jun 2023
Viewed by 2083
Abstract
The Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) (YLH) is an invasive insect that arrived in Europe in 2004 and is now spread across nine countries. It is a threat to the native entomofauna and harmful to beekeeping and agriculture, as it is [...] Read more.
The Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) (YLH) is an invasive insect that arrived in Europe in 2004 and is now spread across nine countries. It is a threat to the native entomofauna and harmful to beekeeping and agriculture, as it is a ravenous predator of the European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) and other pollinating species. Its expansion has been unstoppable and all resources are needed to fight against it, including native vertebrate predators. Among these, the European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) (EBE) is a potential one, but little is known about its predation on YLH. In a study carried out in Portugal, remains of YHL were detected in EBE nesting sites, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first such report. This means that this bird could be one more agent in the biological control of this pest (although research on predation intensity is still needed), in conjunction with other natural predators and other strategies. In the Iberian Peninsula, both species are allopatric in vast regions, so the role of EBE may be more limited. However, in the rest of Europe, at a country or continent scale, the scenario may be different and sympatry may occur to a greater extent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems)
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12 pages, 996 KiB  
Article
Molecular Identification of Asian Hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax Prey from Larval Gut Contents: A Promising Method to Study the Diet of an Invasive Pest
by Kirsty Stainton, Sam McGreig, Chris Conyers, Sally Ponting, Lee Butler, Paul Brown and Eleanor P. Jones
Animals 2023, 13(3), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030511 - 01 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4171
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems)
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16 pages, 3556 KiB  
Article
Embryo, Relocation and Secondary Nests of the Invasive Species Vespa velutina in Galicia (NW Spain)
by Ana Diéguez-Antón, Olga Escuredo, María Carmen Seijo and María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores
Animals 2022, 12(20), 2781; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202781 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1912
Abstract
Invasive species become established in non-native areas due to their intrinsic characteristics and the ability to adapt to new environments. This work describes the characteristics of the nesting behavior of the invasive yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) in Galicia (Northwest Spain). [...] Read more.
Invasive species become established in non-native areas due to their intrinsic characteristics and the ability to adapt to new environments. This work describes the characteristics of the nesting behavior of the invasive yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) in Galicia (Northwest Spain). The first nest was detected in the area in 2012 and after that, the distribution pattern shows a species-invasion curve with slow progress at first but followed by rapid expansion. The nesting places for this hornet differ between the kinds of nests, while embryo nests are mainly found in buildings in spring, secondary nests are observed in vegetation in summer, autumn, and winter. The annual life cycle starts when the queen builds the embryo nests and starts to lay eggs. This leads to the emergence of the first workers, usually small in size, and sometimes a few males. After this stage, large nests called secondary nests are normally observed in most exposed sites. Relocation nests can also be observed; these are nests in the first stage of development presenting adults insects but without brood or meconium. The period of decline is characterized by the emergence of new queens and males, that are distinguishable even in the pupal stage, the appearance of two eggs per cell, and an irregular brood pattern. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Invasive Species Vespa velutina: A Current Challenge in European Ecosystems)
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