Bees and flowers: How to feed an invasive beetle species

Gonthier, Jérémy; Papach, Anna; Straub, Lars; Campbell, Joshua W.; Williams, Geoffrey R.; Neumann, Peter (2019). Bees and flowers: How to feed an invasive beetle species. Ecology and evolution, 9(11), pp. 6422-6432. Wiley 10.1002/ece3.5217

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Invasive species may exploit a wide range of food sources, thereby fostering their success and hampering mitigation, but the actual degree of opportunism is often unknown. The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, is a parasite of honeybee colonies endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. SHBs have now spread on all habitable continents and can also infest colonies of other social bees. To date, the possible role of solitary bee nests as alternative hosts is unknown. Similarly, flowers as possible alternative food sources are not well understood. Here, we show that SHBs can complete an entire life cycle in association with nests of solitary bees Megachile rotundata. The data also show that flowers can serve as alternative food sources. These results support the opportunistic nature of this invasive species, thereby generating further obstacles for mitigation efforts in the field. It also suggests that SHB invasions may result in more serious consequences for endemic bee fauna than previously thought. This provides further motivation to slow down the global spread of this pest, and to improve its management in areas, where it is established.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Institute of Bee Health

UniBE Contributor:

Papach, Anna, Straub, Lars, Neumann, Peter (B)

Subjects:

500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)
600 Technology > 630 Agriculture

ISSN:

2045-7758

Publisher:

Wiley

Language:

English

Submitter:

Anna Papach

Date Deposited:

31 Mar 2020 11:00

Last Modified:

29 Mar 2023 23:37

Publisher DOI:

10.1002/ece3.5217

PubMed ID:

31236232

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.142076

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/142076

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