The First Record of Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 in Algeria and Biocontrol Implications

Öz

This study reports the first record of the Asian hornet, Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Algeria. A single adult was collected in a garden in Birkhadem (36°43′30″N, 03°02′41″E; 140 m a.s.l.) in September 16, 2025. Identification was based on the morphological characteristics including a uniformly black mesosoma, an orange fourth abdominal tergite, and dark legs with yellow distal parts. The detection of V. velutina in northern Algeria extends the known distribution of this invasive species in North Africa. Considering its predatory behavior toward honeybees and its potential impact on ollinators, this finding highlights the need for early bio-surveillance, risk assessment, and the development of environmentally safe biocontrol strategies to prevent its establishment and spread

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Asian hornet
• yellow-legged hornet
• Invasive species
• Africa
• biosurveillance

Cezayir’de Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836’nın İlk Kaydı ve Biyolojik Mücadeleye Yönelik Çıkarımları

Öz

Bu çalışmada, Asya eşekarısı Vespa velutina Lepeletier 1836’nın (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Cezayir’in kuzeyinde ilk kez kaydedildiği bildirilmektedir. Tek bir ergin birey, 16 Eylül 2025’te Birkhadem’deki bir bahçede (36°43′30″K, 3°02′41″D; 140 m rakım) toplanmıştır. Teşhis, morfolojik özelliklere dayanmıştır; mezosomanın bütünüyle siyah olması, dördüncü abdominal tergitin turuncu renkte bulunması ve distal kısımları sarı olan koyu renkli bacaklar. Cezayir’in kuzeyinde V. velutina’nın saptanması, bu istilacı türün Kuzey Afrika’daki bilinen dağılımını genişletmektedir. Bal arılarına yönelik yırtıcı davranışı ve tozlayıcılar üzerindeki olası etkileri göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, bu bulgu erken biyoizleme, risk değerlendirmesi ve türün yerleşmesi ile yayılışını önlemek amacıyla çevre açısından güvenli biyolojik mücadele stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi gereğini vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Asya eşekarısı
• sarı bacaklı eşekarısı
• İstilacı tür
• Afrika
• biyoizleme

Kaynakça

1. Archer, M.E. (1989). A key to the world species of the Vespinae (Hymenoptera): Part 1. Keys, checklist and distribution. Research Monograph of the College of Ripon & York St. John.
2. Couto, A., Monceau, K., Bonnard, O., Thiéry, D., Sandoz, J.C. (2014). Olfactory attraction of the hornet Vespa velutina to honeybee-related stimuli. PLoS ONE, 9(12), e115943. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0115943
3. Kennedy, P.J., Ford, S.M., Poidatz, J., Thiéry, D., & Osborne, J.L. (2018). Searching for nests of the invasive Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) using radio-telemetry. Communications Biology, 1(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0092-9
4. Kim, C.-J., & Choi, M.B. (2021). First Discovery of Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), an Invasive Hornet in the Feces of the Yellow-Throated Marten in South Korea. Insects, 12(4), 296. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040296
5. Meyling, N.V., & Eilenberg, J. (2007). Ecology of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in temperate agroecosystems: Potential for conservation biological control. Biological Control, 43(2), 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2007.07.007
6. Monceau, K., Bonnard, O., & Thiéry, D. (2014). Vespa velutina: A new invasive predator of honeybees in Europe. Journal of Pest Science, 87(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0537-3
7. Poidatz, J., Plantey, R.L., & Thiery, D. (2018). Indigenous strains of Beauveria and Metarhizium as potential biological control agents against the invasive hornet Vespa velutina. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 153, 180-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2018.02.021
8. Rojas-Nossa, S.V., Novoa, N., Serrano, A., & Calviño-Cancela, M. (2018). Performance of baited traps used as control tools for the invasive hornet Vespa velutina and their impact on non-target insects. Apidologie, 49(6), 872–885. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-018-0612-0

9. Rojas‐Nossa, S.V., Dasilva‐Martins, D., Mato, S., Bartolomé, C., Maside, X., & Garrido, J. (2022). Effectiveness of electric harps in reducing Vespa velutina predation pressure and consequences for honey bee colony development. Pest Management Science, 78(12), 5142-5149. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7132
10. Rome, Q., Muller, F.J., Touret-Alby, A., Darrouzet, E., & Perrard, A. (2021). Not just honeybees: Predatory habits of Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in France. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (N.S.), 57(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2020.1867005
11. Smagghe, G., De Meyer, L., Meeus, I., & Mommaerts, V. (2013). Safety and acquisition potential of Metarhizium anisopliae in entomovectoring with bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Journal of Economic Entomology, 106(1), 277–282. https://doi.org/10.1603/EC12332
12. Villemant, C., Barbet-Massin, M., Perrard, A., Muller, F., Gargominy, O., Jiguet, F., & Rome, Q. (2011). Predicting the invasion risk by the alien bee-hawking yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax across Europe and other continents with niche models. Biological Conservation, 144(9), 2142–2150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.04.009