Foraging behavior of <i><scp>B</scp>rachygastra lecheguana</i> (<scp>H</scp>ymenoptera: <scp>V</scp>espidae) on <i><scp>B</scp>anisteriopsis malifolia</i> (<scp>M</scp>alpighiaceae): Extrafloral nectar consumption and herbivore predation in a tending ant system

Alves-Silva, Estevão; Barônio, Gudryan Jackson; Torezan‐Silingardi, Helena Maura; Del‐Claro, Kleber

doi:10.1111/ens.12004

Cited by 42 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Complex cognitive mechanisms related to foraging behavior have been thoroughly demonstrated in honeybees (e.g., Menzel, 1999Menzel, , 2009) parasitic wasps (Smid et al, 2007;Hoedjes et al, 2011;van den Berg et al, 2011;Kruidhof et al, 2012) and predatory wasps (Torezan-Silingardi, 2011;Alves-Silva et al, 2013). However, cognition in social wasps has received less attention (Raveret Richter, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of past experience on wasp choice related to foraging behavior

Moreyra¹,

D’Adamo²,

Lozada³

2013

Insect Science

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Memory has been little studied in social wasps. Vespula germanica (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) frequently revisits nondepleted food sources, making several trips between the resource and the nest. In this study, we analyzed this relocating behavior in order to evaluate whether this species is capable of remembering an established association after 1 h. To this end, we trained wasps to feed from a certain array. Then it was removed, setting it up again 1 h later, but this time 2 baited feeders were put in place, one at the original feeding site and the other opposite the first. We recorded the proportion of returning foragers, and their choice of feeder, after either 1 or 4 feeding trials. After 1 h, 78% of wasps trained with 4 feeding trials and 65% trained with 1, returned to the experimental area. Furthermore, during the testing phase, wasps trained with 4 feeding trials collected food from the previously learned feeder significantly more frequently than from the nonlearned one (P < 0.05). In contrast, wasps that had been trained only once chose both feeders equally. Thus, memory retrieval could be observed 1 h after wasps had collected food on 4 consecutive occasions, but not after only 1. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that V. germanica is capable of remembering an association 1 h after the last associative event, demonstrating that 1 h does not impair memory retention if 4 feeding experiences have occurred.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of past experience on wasp choice related to foraging behavior

Moreyra¹,

D’Adamo²,

Lozada³

2013

Insect Science

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“…Hence, the higher abundance of wasps at the end of the study might be a reflection of the high density of weevil larvae in the flower buds. This temporal variation in wasp behavior is expected, as new evidence (unpublished data) indicates that B. lecheguana visits several plant species according to the flowering phenology and availability of prey (see also Torezan-Silingardi, 2007;Alves-Silva et al, 2013). In crops, where B. lecheguana attacks leaf-miners, the presence of wasps can also be related to the abundance of its prey, as pests occur at the specific time of leaf maturation (see Perioto, et al 2011).…”

Section: Predatory Wasps and Weevil Predationmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Antennation on flower buds was commonplace and whenever an endophytic weevil larva was found, the wasp started to lacerate the external layers of the flower bud with its mandibles to reach the larva inside. As soon as the flower bud was opened, the wasp pulled the weevil larvae out with the mandibles and started to eat it immediately (complete behavior described in Alves-Silva et al, 2013).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wasps are better plant-guards than ants in the extrafloral nectaried shrub Ouratea spectabilis (Ochnaceae)

Del‐Claro

Alves-Silva²

2016

Sociobiology

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In the Cerrado, many plants are patrolled by ants, but in some cases, predatory wasps may also play an important role in herbivore deterrence. Here we examined the effects of the wasp Brachygastra lecheguana and the ant Pseudomyrmex gracilis on the predation of endophytic weevils which develop in the flower buds of Ouratea spectabilis trees. We (i) compared frequency and the abundance of weevils preyed upon by wasps; (ii) possible synergic effects of ants and wasps in decreasing weevil population; and (iii) whether wasps preyed upon weevils in more visible, easy-access inflorescences, i. e. those located on the edges of canopy. In contrast to ants, wasps were observed significantly more frequently on O. spectabilis and were responsible for 88% of the weevil larvae preyed upon. Plants visited by both B. lecheguana and P. gracilis had a substantial reduction in weevil larvae compared to plants visited by B. lecheguana only. This indicates a complementary effect of predators with distinct skills in deterring the weevil population; however, ants were responsible for only a small portion of weevils preyed upon. Weevil larvae occurred evenly in both visible and hidden inflorescences; nonetheless, wasps predominantly visited inflorescences located on the edges of the canopy. In this ecological system, predatory wasps played a substantial part in weevil deterrence and can be considered a better plant-guard than ants.

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“…The net effect of defensive mutualists on the host plant pollination and fitness can vary depending on whether predators deter efficient pollinators or inefficient visitors (Romero & Koricheva 2011). For example, guarding ants decreased plant fitness when they attacked efficient pollinators in Ficus pertusa (Moraceae: Bronstein 1991) and Opuntia imbricata (Cactaceae:Ohm & Miller 2014), but had positive effects in Banistriopsis malifolia (Malpighiaceae:Alves-Silva et al 2013) where wasps protected flowers from predation without deterring efficient pollinators. In T. velutina butterflies were more abundant than bees, but changes in the behavioural patterns of bees, and not of butterflies, (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant guards influence the mating system of their plant hosts by altering pollinator behaviour

Villamil

Boege

Stone

2020

Preprint

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31Ant guards can increase plant fitness by deterring herbivores but may also 32 reduce it by interfering with pollination, hence ant-plant interactions are ideal 33 systems in which to study costs and benefits of mutualisms. While ant impacts 34 on herbivory are well-studied, much less is known about impacts on 35 pollinators and associated consequences for plant mating systems and fitness. 36 We used field experiments to quantify the effect of ant guards on pollinator 37 community composition, frequency and duration of flower visits, and 38 cascading effects on plant mating system and plant fitness in Turnera velutina 39 (Passifloraceae). Although ant patrolling did not affect pollinator community 40 composition or visitation frequency, it decreased pollinator foraging time and 41 flower visit duration. Such behavioural changes resulted in reduced pollen 42 deposition on stigmas, decreasing male fitness whilst increasing outcrossing 43 rates. This study contributes to understanding how non-pollinators, such as 44 these defensive mutualists, can shape plant mating systems.45 46 87 tested. Alternatively, an increase in fruit set in ant-patrolled plants of 88 Psycothria limonensis was attributed to pollinator relocation, where ant 89 threats might have caused pollinators to spend less time per flower and visit 90 5 more flowers, promoting pollen transfer (Altshuler 1999). Again, this 91 mechanism was inferred, but not experimentally tested. Previous experiments 92 on Turnera velutina showed that ant corpses placed inside flowers reduce 93 pollinator visit duration (Villamil et al. 2018). However, such an experimental 94 setup may differ from natural circumstances as flower occupation by ants is a 95 rare event, and live ants (in contrast to dead ones) do not remain immobile in 96 the flowers for long periods. Overall, the presence of ants can promote 97 changes in pollinator community composition, visit frequency and duration. 98 This, in turn, could drive positive or negative impacts of ant-pollinator 99 interactions on plant reproduction (Altshuler 1999; Ness 2006). To date, no 100 study has quantified the impacts of ant patrolling on pollinator visitation 101 behaviour, plant mating systems, and fitness under natural conditions. 102 We estimated the ecological and potential evolutionary consequences 103 of myrmecophily on the pollination biology, mating system, and fitness of 104 Turnera velutina (Passifloraceae), a self-compatible ant-plant using an ant 105 exclusion field experiment. We addressed the following questions: (i) What is 106 the effect of ant patrolling on pollinator visitation? (pollinator community 107 composition, visitation frequency, duration, and behaviour) (ii) Does ant 108 patrolling affect the host plant mating system? (iii) Does ant patrolling affect 109 pollen transfer dynamics? (iv) Does ant patrolling affect plant male fitness? 110 First, because smaller or solitary pollinator taxa are expected to be more 111 vulnerable to predation risk than larger or social species (Dukas & ...

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Foraging behavior of Brachygastra lecheguana (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) on Banisteriopsis malifolia (Malpighiaceae): Extrafloral nectar consumption and herbivore predation in a tending ant system

Cited by 42 publications

References 33 publications

The influence of past experience on wasp choice related to foraging behavior

The influence of past experience on wasp choice related to foraging behavior

Wasps are better plant-guards than ants in the extrafloral nectaried shrub Ouratea spectabilis (Ochnaceae)

Ant guards influence the mating system of their plant hosts by altering pollinator behaviour

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