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On the Evidence of the European Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) as a Predator of the Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) and its Potential Contribution as a Biological Control Agent
Onofre, N.; Portugal e Castro, M.I.; Nave, A.; Cadima, I.S.P.; Ferreira, M.; Godinho, J. 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. Animals2023, 13, 1906.
Onofre, N.; Portugal e Castro, M.I.; Nave, A.; Cadima, I.S.P.; Ferreira, M.; Godinho, J. 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. Animals 2023, 13, 1906.
Onofre, N.; Portugal e Castro, M.I.; Nave, A.; Cadima, I.S.P.; Ferreira, M.; Godinho, J. 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. Animals2023, 13, 1906.
Onofre, N.; Portugal e Castro, M.I.; Nave, A.; Cadima, I.S.P.; Ferreira, M.; Godinho, J. 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. Animals 2023, 13, 1906.
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 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.
Keywords
yellow-legged hornet; European bee-eater; biological control; predation; sympatry
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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