Feeding strategies and intraspecific competition in German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica).

ABSTRACT: The German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica) is an opportunist predator and a scavenger, whose eclectic diet also includes honey, brood, dead and live honey-bees. There is no evidence in this species of coordinated attacks against bees involving other conspecifics, although intraspecific competition has been already reported between two or more individuals during feeding. Our aim was to gain further knowledge on the feeding behavior of V. germanica in order to evaluate its role in an apiary. Sight observations of predation and necrophagy behaviors were carried out at the ground level near hives. We also investigated how intraspecific competition can influence the feeding display in this species. Our results confirm the major role of the German yellowjacket as a scavenger, because its diet i

SUBMITTER: Pusceddu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6203408 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature