Latest Articles from Journal of Hymenoptera Research Latest 6 Articles from Journal of Hymenoptera Research https://jhr.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:36:01 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://jhr.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Journal of Hymenoptera Research https://jhr.pensoft.net/ Hygienic behavior and antimicrobial peptide expression of the leaf-cutting ant Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) to Metharhizium anisopliae https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/82381/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 91: 335-356

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.91.82381

Authors: Juan Sebastián Gómez-Díaz, Andrea Niño-Castro, Sandra Milena Valencia-Giraldo, Karent Mariana Cotazo-Calambas

Abstract: Leaf-cutting ants depend on mutualisticfungi to survive. An infection that massively affects the workers compromising the proper maintenance of the fungus, or that can attack the fungus garden, can be fatal to the colony. Thus, leaf-cutting ants have evolved a complex defense system composed of both innate individual immunity and collective immunity to protect the colony against potential threats. To characterize the collective and individual immunity of Atta cephalotes workers to Metarizhium anisopliae we assessed the hygienic behavior and the expression of antimicrobial peptides of A. cephalotes workers triggered by Metarizhium anisopliae spores. As a control challenge, workers were treated with water. Regardless of whether the challenge was with water or spore suspension, A. cephalotes workers displayed an immediate response characterized by an increase in time spent both self-grooming and collective grooming along with a reduction in time spent fungus-grooming. The individual immunity triggered the expression of abaecin as early as 24 hours post-infection, exclusively in workers challenged with M. anisopliae. In contrast, the level of expression of defensin remained constant. These results suggest that upon being challenged with a suspension of M. anisopliae spores, A. cephalotes workers deploy both collective and individual immunity to produce a response against the invader. However, when the spores of M. anisopliae are applied as liquid suspension collective immunity deploys a generic strategy, while individual immunity shows a specific response against this entomopathogen.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:00:12 +0300
Review of adult diapause in ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/83618/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 91: 185-208

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.91.83618

Authors: Fons Verheyde, Donald L. J. Quicke

Abstract: The mechanisms and ecological circumstances of adult diapause in Ichneumonidae are poorly studied. An overview is presented of what observations and research have been carried out on ichneumonid diapause to date, and new ecological and distributional data are presented. The new data primarily concerns species that hibernate in association with trees, based on observations made in Belgium and the Netherlands. A preliminary checklist of the 50 species that are now known to hibernate is provided for both these countries. Auberteterus alternecoloratus (Cushman, 1929), Dicaelotus montanus (de Stefani, 1885), Dicaelotus pictus (Schmiedeknecht, 1903) and Orthocentrus sannio Holmgren, 1858 are reported as adult hibernators for the first time. Four species are newly recorded for the Belgian or Dutch faunas.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Review Article Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:00:07 +0300
On cold hardiness of the egg parasitoid wasp Telenomus tetratomus (Thomson, 1861) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) – a population regulator of the Siberian moth https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/83765/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 91: 27-39

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.91.83765

Authors: Nina A. Bulakhova, Zoya A. Zhigulskaya, Lyudmila P. Gashkova, Daniil I. Berman

Abstract: Among the factors contributing to the initiation of outbreaks of the Siberian moth, a dangerous pest of the coniferous forests of Northern Eurasia, it is considered important to reduce the regulatory impact of entomophages. One of the most effective regulators of the pest abundance is the egg parasitoid wasp Telenomus tetratomus (Thomson, 1861). There is an established opinion that T. tetratomus is less cold-resistant than caterpillars of the Siberian moth, and outbreaks of the pest are provoked by cold winters, during which conditions (low temperatures and low snow cover depth) are tolerated by the moth caterpillars but lead to death of the parasitoid. However, the lethal temperature for T. tetratomus was determined in an insufficiently controlled experiment more than 60 years ago. We evaluated one of the cold hardiness characteristics of T. tetratomus, the supercooling point (SCP), which had not been measured previously. Both the host and the parasitoid overwinter in a supercooled state, and freezing is lethal to both. The mean SCP of T. tetratomus (-21.2±0.2 °C) was found to be 6.3 °C lower than the SCP of Siberian moth caterpillars. Comparison of SCP distributions and mortality rates at several temperatures allows us to tentatively estimate 50% mortality temperature of the wasp – about -16 °C. The obtained result, analysis of temperatures in the litter of various types of coniferous forests, and published data indicate that the asynchronous mortality of the host and its main parasitoid during wintering, due to differences in cold hardiness, can be considered as the cause of outbreaks of the Siberian moth mass reproduction only with caution.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Short Communication Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:00:03 +0300
Identification and expression of odorant binding proteins in the egg-parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae, Telenominae) https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/68954/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87: 251-266

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.87.68954

Authors: Kendall King, Megan E. Meuti, Norman F. Johnson

Abstract: Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) is an egg-parasitoid of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (Linneaus) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae). Many behaviors associated with female T. basalis host-finding and acceptance are mediated by chemosensory pathways, for which olfactory, gustatory and ionotropic receptors have been previously identified. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are small, globular proteins, one of the functions of which is the transport of odorant ligands through the aqueous lymph of chemosensory sensilla to these receptors. We identified 18 classical OBP sequences in the T. basalis genome and transcriptomes sharing an average 26.8% pairwise identity. Gene tree analyses suggest very limited lineage-specific expansion and identify potential orthologs among other scelionids and Hymenoptera. Transcriptome mapping and qPCR comparison of expression levels in antennae and bodies of both sexes determine that at least five TbOBPs are preferentially expressed in the female antennae. These are, therefore, prime candidates for further study to determine their role in detecting host-produced semiochemicals.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 23 Dec 2021 20:00:08 +0200
Deducing how tropical rhyssines (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) mate from body measurements https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/71615/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 86: 93-100

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.86.71615

Authors: Sanna Keronen, Ilari E. Sääksjärvi, Tapani Hopkins

Abstract: The biology of many Darwin wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) species is poorly known. Existing museum specimens can potentially be used to get information on e.g. how species live, what they eat, and what their life cycle is. One example of this is a 1991 study by Eggleton in which he measured some rhyssine (Ichneumonidae: Rhyssinae) species, and used the results to deduce how the species likely mate. We extend this work by measuring five tropical species. We found no evidence that the males of our species scramble for females before the females emerge, which matches what was hypothesised by Eggleton. Further measurements of more species would provide information on how other species mate, and field observations of mating rhyssines would help confirm that Eggleton’s method for deducing rhyssine mating strategies gives true results.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:56:02 +0300
The paradox of the velvet-ant (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/68795/ Journal of Hymenoptera Research 84: 327-337

DOI: 10.3897/jhr.84.68795

Authors: Justin O. Schmidt, Li S. Schmidt, Deborah K. Schmidt

Abstract: Female diurnal velvet-ants are among the insects most strongly protected against predation. These protections include an exceedingly hard and tightly fitting integument, powerful legs and rapid running ability, aposematic color, aposematic warning stridulation, aposematic odor, and, most famously, legendarily powerful stings. Small to medium-sized velvet-ants were rarely injured or killed in tests against potential predators. Velvet-ant stings are painful, often exceedingly so, but have low toxicity or lethality and are of defensive value primarily by causing intense pain. Despite being well defended against predators they do not form night-time resting aggregations that might enhance mutual protection.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Tue, 24 Aug 2021 20:00:19 +0300