Do invasive species encourage the invasion of social wasps in Patagonia?

M MASSCIOCHI; MARTINEZ, ANDRÉS; VILLACIDE, J.M.; BUTELER, MICAELA

Congreso; International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI 2022).; 2022

Do invasive species encourage the invasionof social wasps in Patagonia? In recent decades, yellowjacket wasps,including Vespula vulgaris, have successfully been established in Patagonia.Additionally, the invasive willow Salix fragilis has also invaded areas next towatercourses, and in turn are typically colonised by the giant willow aphid(GWA Tuberolagnus salignus), another invasive species. The honeydew exuded bythe aphids has been reported to be used as a carbohydrate source by this socialwasp. Our aim was to determine whether the invasive complex formed by willowsand GWA on the stream shores, promotes yellowjacket population growth. Weworked under the hypothesis that GWA provides honeydew (i.e., carbohydrates) toyellowjackets, favoring nest growth and individual fitness. Our resultsindicate that habitats close (< 200 m) to stream margins where S. fragilisand GWA occur, contain not only a greater abundance of workers but also ahigher nest density of V. vulgaris yellowjackets. Even though the nests weresimilar in size irrespective of the distance to the stream, weight, size andnutritional status of individuals suggest that foraging/nesting in proximity ofthe stream/willow/GWA complex promotes larger and better nurtured wasps,including reproductive castes, that in the long run could drive populationgrowth and spread of the species in Patagonia. In this context, our studysuggests that management of V. vulgaris populations should adopt strategiesthat encompass a broad approach, especially adopting new strategies designed tocontemplate relevant multitrophic interactions between yellowjackets andinvasive willows and aphids.@font-face{font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:roman;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face{font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:swiss;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073697537 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0cm;line-height:107%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;font-size:11.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}.MsoPapDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:107%;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}@font-face{font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:roman;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face{font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:swiss;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073697537 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:ES;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-language:ES;mso-fareast-language:ES;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}