Rock Microhabitats Provide Suitable Thermal Conditions for Overwintering Insects: A Case Study of the Spongy Moth (Lymantria dispar L.) Population in the Altai Mountains

Ananko, Grigory G.; Kolosov, Aleksei V.; Martemyanov, V. V.

doi:10.3390/insects13080712

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…They point out that the major pitfall in distribution modelling is that the actual climatic conditions experienced by organisms in their microhabitat and across their home range are largely ignored [44]. The concept of "microclimate recordings" has to be applied to natural systems to detail the abiotic conditions experienced by organisms in their microhabitat [45][46][47]. Such investigations are particularly important in ectothermic insects, since their body temperature mostly corresponds to the ambient temperature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between Nest and Body Temperature and Microclimate in the Paper Wasp Polistes dominula

Kovac,

Nagy,

Käfer

et al. 2023

Insects

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The paper wasp Polistes dominula is a thermophilic species originating from the Mediterranean climate, but is now widely spread in Europe. They live in quite differing habitats; and as synanthropic species, they have been established in human settlement areas. They build a single small comb at protected places with a favorable microclimate. We measured the temperature of the wasps, the nests and their environment at typical nesting sides in Austria (Europe) in the temperate climate, in order to reveal relationships between nest and body temperature and the habitats’ microclimate. The temperatures of the comb and of the wasps’ body were in a wide range (~20–37 °C) above the ambient air temperature at the nest. This is an advantage as higher temperatures accelerate the development speed of the brood. However, the mean comb temperature did not exceed approximately 38.6 °C. This was managed by cooling efforts of the adult wasps. The ambient air temperature near the nest (~1–2 cm) was always clearly elevated above the ambient air temperature at a local standard weather station in the habitat. A comparison with climate-model-generated macroclimate data revealed the necessity of measuring microclimate data for a reliable description of the insects’ thermal environment.

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