Mate-searching behavior in the invasive German wasp Vespula germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Patagonia

MARTINEZ, AS; M MASSCIOCHI; PISMAN, N; VILLACIDE, JM; CORLEY, JC

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018

0013-8703

In order toincrease the probability of reproduction, social insects adopt differentmate-finding strategies, which can be as varied as increasing densities ofmales at specific locations, to visual and chemical cues that attract theopposite sex. In field and laboratory studies we investigated some of thesestrategies used by the invasive social wasp Vespulagermanica (F.) (Hymenotpera:Vespidae). Firstly, in tethered flight bioassays, we establish contrastingflight patterns in females and males that may partly explain how relatedindividuals distribute spatially during the mating period. We also determinedexperimentally, in the field and in the laboratory via olfactometer bioassays, thatgynes produce airborne pheromonal cues that attract drones and are ofimportance during the process of mate location. Additionally our field trialsalso suggest that visual cues could be of importance during mate location.  We conclude that in addition to certain aspectsof the social biology of the species, an efficient mate-location strategy couldpartly explain the invasion success of the species. The information presentedhere, could be used as base to develop tools to mitigate the damage caused by yellowjacketsby focusing on reproductive castes, in addition to workers.