Can parasites halt the invader? Mermithid nematodes parasitizing the yellow-legged Asian hornet in France.

ABSTRACT: Since its introduction in France 10 years ago, the yellow-legged Asian bee-hawking hornet Vespa velutina has rapidly spread to neighboring countries (Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Germany), becoming a new threat to beekeeping activities. While introduced species often leave behind natural enemies from their original home, which benefits them in their new environment, they can also suffer local recruitment of natural enemies. Three mermithid parasitic subadults were obtained from V. velutina adults in 2012, from two French localities. However, these were the only parasitic nematodes reported up to now in Europe, in spite of the huge numbers of nests destroyed each year and the recent examination of 33,000 adult hornets. This suggests that the infection of V. velutina by these nematod

SUBMITTER: Villemant C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4451032 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature