Abstract
The prey range of the invasive Asian paper wasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis, was studied using molecular diagnostics. Nests of paper wasps were collected from urban residential and salt marsh habitats, larvae were removed and dissected, and DNA in the gut of the paper wasp larvae was amplified and sequenced with cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). Seventy percent of samples (211/299) yielded medium-to high-quality sequences, and prey identification was achieved using BLAST searches in BOLD. A total of 42 taxa were identified from 211 samples. Lepidoptera were the majority of prey, with 39 taxa from 91% of samples. Diptera was a relatively small component of prey (three taxa, 19 samples). Conclusive species-level identification of prey was possible for 67% of samples, and genus-level identification, for another 12% of samples. The composition of prey taken was different between the two habitats, with 2.5× more native prey species being taken in salt marsh compared with urban habitats. The results greatly extend the prey range of this invasive species. The technique is a more effective and efficient approach than relying on the collection of “prey balls”, or morphological identification of prey, for the study of paper wasps.
Highlights
Paper wasps (Polistes) are widely distributed around most of the globe and are diverse and common in many landscapes (Reeve 1991; Carpenter 1996)
Several species of paper wasps have become invasive around the world: P. versicolor (Olivier) in the Galapagos, P. dominula in North America, and P. humilis (Fabricius) and P. chinensis antennalis Perez both in New
In New Zealand, the Asian paper wasp (P. chinensis antennalis) can reach densities of up to 210 nests/ha, translating into ~1000–2000 wasps/ha, and many 10,000 of prey captured per season (Clapperton 1999; Fig. 1)
Summary
Paper wasps (Polistes) are widely distributed around most of the globe and are diverse and common in many landscapes (Reeve 1991; Carpenter 1996). They are a very well-known model organism for the evolution of eusociality and behavior (Turillazi 1996; Starks and Turillazzi 2006). In New Zealand, the Asian paper wasp (P. chinensis antennalis) can reach densities of up to 210 nests/ha, translating into ~1000–2000 wasps/ha, and many 10,000 of prey captured per season (Clapperton 1999; Fig. 1). It is important to know the details of a species’ foraging behavior and its precise prey range to better understand the role of paper wasps in native ecosystems and the impacts of invasive paper wasp species
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