Behaviour of Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) under Controlled Environmental Conditions

Abstract

Vespa velutina, commonly known as the Asian hornet, is an exotic species originating from the Asian continent. It has become an invasive species in Europe due to it being a predator of native fruits and insects, especially honeybees. The aim of this work was to carry out an observational study of the Vespa velutina behaviour in captivity. Two secondary and one embryo nests were kept under controlled environmental conditions. Captivity adaptation, defence against perturbations, evolution of the colony and overwintering were the different behaviours studied. This work has shown, for the first time up to our knowledge, the possibility to maintain secondary nests up to 13 weeks under controlled environmental conditions. The embryo nest was kept up to 6 weeks in captivity. The research carried out in this work has allowed deepening our knowledge of Vespa velutina’s ethology, obtaining useful information on the behaviour of this invasive species.