Issue |
Silva Lusitana
Volume 30, Number 1, 2022
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Page(s) | 1 - 16 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/silu/20223001001 | |
Published online | 29 August 2022 |
Os Predadores Naturais da Vespa-Asiática (Vespa velutina) e a Contribuição do Abelharuco (Merops apiaster) para o seu Controlo
The natural predators of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) and the contribution of the European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) to its control
Les prédateurs naturels du Frelon asiatique (Vespa velutina) et la contribution du Guêpier d'Europe (Merops apiaster) à son contrôle
1
Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV). Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 OEIRAS.
2
Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801, VILA REAL.
* E-mail: nuno.onofre@iniav.pt
Neste artigo fazemos uma revisão dos predadores vertebrados naturais da Vespa-asiática (Vespa velutina) na Europa e em Portugal em particular, enumerando aqueles para os quais já existem observações comprovadas e aqueles que, por se alimentarem da Vespa-europeia (Vespa crabro), mesmo que irregularmente, podem ser considerados consumidores potenciais da primeira. Damos particular atenção ao Vespeiro (Pernis apivorus) e ao Abelharuco (Merops apiaster), por serem potencialmente os predadores vertebrados mais importantes da Vespa-asiática, seja porque são especialistas em insectos da subordem Apocrita -que inclui as vespas, abelhas e formigas -, seja porque para eles existe considerável informação sobre a sua ecologia trófica. Fruto de um estudo realizado em 2021, os resultados confirmam que o Abelharuco captura Vespa-asiática, mas desconhecemos ainda quão importante é este consumo. Embora a Abelha-europeia (Apis mellifera) seja a espécie mais frequente nos restos de presas colhidos, a dieta desta ave aparenta ser diversa.
Abstract
In this article we review the natural vertebrate predators of the Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) in Europe and in Portugal in particular, enumerating those for which there are already proven observations and those that, once feeding on the European Hornet (V. crabro), even if irregularly, can be considered potential consumers of the first. We pay particular attention to the Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) and the European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) because they are potentially the most important vertebrate predators of the Asian Hornet, either because they are specialists in insects of the Apocrita suborder – which includes wasps, bees and ants -, or because there considerable information about their feeding ecology. Regarding the latter species and according to a study that we started in 2021, preliminary results confirm that the Bee-eater captures Asian Hornet, but we still do not know how important this consumption is. Although the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is the most frequent species in the prey remains collected, the diet of these birds seems to be diverse.
Résumé
Dans cet article nous nous passons en revue les prédateurs vertébrés naturels du Frelon asiatique (Vespa velutina) en Europe et au Portugal en particulier, en énumérant ceux pour lesquels il existe déjà des observations avérées et ceux qui, en se nourrissant du Frelon européen (V. crabro), même que irrégulièrement, peuvent être considérés comme des consommateurs potentiels des premiers. Nous portons une attention particulière à la Bondrée apivore (Pernis apivorus) et au Guêpier d'Europe (Merops apiaster) parce qu'ils sont potentiellement les prédateurs vertébrés les plus importants du Frelon asiatique, soit parce qu'ils se spécialisent dans les insectes du sous-ordre Apocrita -qui comprend les guêpes, les abeilles et les fourmis -, soit parce qu'on dispose de considérable d'information sur leur écologie trophique. Concernant cette dernière espèce et les résultats préliminaires d'une étude que nous avons débutée en 2021, le Guêpier capture le Frelon asiatique, mais nous ne connaissons pas encore l'importance de cette consommation. Bien que l'Abeille européenne (Apis mellifera) soit l'espèce la plus fréquente dans les restes de proies collectés, le régime alimentaire de cet oiseau semble être diversifié.
Palavras-chave: Vespa velutina / Merops apiaster / predação / controlo biológico / apicultura
Key words: Vespa velutina / Merops apiaster / predation, biological control / beekeeping
Mots clés : Vespa velutina / Merops apiaster / prédation / lutte biologique / apiculture
© INIAV, Oeiras, Portugal 2022
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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