Quantifying the impact of an invasive hornet on Bombus terrestris colonies

O'Shea-Wheller Thomas A., Curtis Robin, Kennedy Peter J., Groom Ellen K. J., Poidatz Juliette, Raffle David S., Rojas-Nossa Sandra V., Bartolomé Carolina, Dasilva-Martins Damián, Maside Xulio, Mato Salustiano, Osborne Juliet L.. 2023. Quantifying the impact of an invasive hornet on Bombus terrestris colonies. Communications Biology, 6:990, 12 p.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05329-5

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Résumé : The invasive hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax is considered a proliferating threat to pollinators in Europe and Asia. While the impact of this species on managed honey bees is well-documented, effects upon other pollinator populations remain poorly understood. Nonetheless, dietary analyses indicate that the hornets consume a diversity of prey, fuelling concerns for at-risk taxa. Here, we quantify the impact of V. velutina upon standardised commercially-reared colonies of the European bumblebee, Bombus terrestris terrestris. Using a landscape-scale experimental design, we deploy colonies across a gradient of local V. velutina densities, utilising automated tracking to non-invasively observe bee and hornet behaviour, and quantify subsequent effects upon colony outcomes. Our results demonstrate that hornets frequently hunt at B. terrestris colonies, being preferentially attracted to those with high foraging traffic, and engaging in repeated—yet entirely unsuccessful—predation attempts at nest entrances. Notably however, we show that B. terrestris colony weights are negatively associated with local V. velutina densities, indicating potential indirect effects upon colony growth. Taken together, these findings provide the first empirical insight into impacts on bumblebees at the colony level, and inform future mitigation efforts for wild and managed pollinators.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : espèce envahissante, impact sur l'environnement, évaluation de l'impact, évaluation de l'impact sur l'environnement, organisme nuisible, Bombus terrestris, Vespa velutina

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Espagne

Mots-clés libres : Behavioural ecology, Ecosystem services, Invasive species

Classification Agris : L72 - Organismes nuisibles des animaux

Champ stratégique Cirad : CTS 4 (2019-) - Santé des plantes, des animaux et des écosystèmes

Agences de financement européennes : European Regional Development Fund

Agences de financement hors UE : Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Programme de financement européen : Interreg

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