Mass Expansion of European Parasitic Wasps in U.S.: Invasive Insects Imperil Native Ecosystems
The United States is home to around 800 species of oak gall wasps, many of which are endemic, but a new arrival is causing alarm among scientists. Bootanomyia dorsalis, a European parasitic wasp, has been confirmed in both the eastern and western United States.
Originating from regions in Portugal, Italy, and Iran on the East Coast, and Spain, Hungary, and Iran on the West Coast, the species has shown genetic differences between the two populations. The higher genetic diversity observed on the East Coast suggests that these populations may have been introduced earlier or through multiple independent events.
Bootanomyia dorsalis is a parasitoid wasp that lays eggs inside other insects' nests, killing the host larvae as its own offspring develop. By targeting the larvae of oak gall-forming wasps, Bootanomyia dorsalis removes a key component in oak forest food webs, potentially leading to a cascading decline in dependent species.
The arrival of Bootanomyia dorsalis could ripple through food webs in unpredictable ways. The species might have first arrived in North America as early as the 1600s, but a more plausible theory is that modern global air travel introduced the insect more recently. It was discovered on the East Coast in New York and along the Pacific Coast.
The presence of Bootanomyia dorsalis raises concerns among ecologists as it threatens to destabilize native parasite-host networks. Kirsten Prior warns that Bootanomyia dorsalis has already demonstrated the ability to "parasitize multiple oak gall wasp species," suggesting a high potential for widespread disruption.
The countries suspected as the origin of Bootanomyia dorsalis on the West Coast of the USA are likely regions in Asia, particularly countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. The higher genetic similarity between West Coast populations and these regions supports this theory.
Oak gall wasps provide habitat and food for other insects, birds, and small animals. By disrupting these wasps, Bootanomyia dorsalis could potentially disrupt local biodiversity and insect populations tied to native oak trees.
Despite being less dramatic in appearance, Bootanomyia dorsalis could have significant ecological impacts. The species is causing alarm among scientists for its potential to disrupt local biodiversity and insect populations.
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