Social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) on carcasses of Rattus norvegicus (Mammalia: Muridae) in the Central Amazonia, Brazil: possible forensic implications

Somavilla, Alexandre; Linard, Valdeana; Rafael, José Albertíno

doi:10.1016/j.rbe.2018.12.001

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Ichneumonidae did not participate in the decomposition process. Vespidae: Agelaia estacea (07 specimens), Agelaia constructor (05), Agelaia fulvofasciata (26), Agelaia pallipes (44), Agelaia estacea (17), Angiopolybia obidensis (12) ( Figure 1B) and Angiopolybia pallens (32) used the decaying pig as a source for feed, Because of this habit of removing small pieces of decaying flesh, these species are of forensic entomological concern, since they remove tissue mainly from around the cavities of the carcasses, such as the nose, mouth, ear and anus (Gomes et al, 2007, Somavilla et al, 2019. In addition, some species were observed preying on Calliphoridae (Diptera) that were also colonizing the carcass, other wasps cutting pieces of meat in the natural carcass cavities, such as ears, nose, mouth and anus.…”

Section: Short Notementioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil

et al. 2019

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Hymenotpera species may act as necrophagous, consuming decomposing tissues, as predators, when they feed on other immature and adult insects, and parasites of larvae and pupae of dipterans and coleopterans that colonize the carcasses. In this way, the fauna of four Hymenoptera families (Vespidae, Apidae, Icheneumonidae and Formicidae) associated to different decomposition stages of Sus scrofa carcass partially submerged in igarapé of the “terra-firme” Amazonian forest are presented. Formicidae were the most abundant insects with 957 individuals collected all directly in the carcass, followed by Vespidae (143), Apidae (88) and Ichneumonidae with nine individuals collected in the suspended trap. Due to the aspect of the injuries caused by some Hymenoptera to the carcass, they may be mistaken as skin ulcers, burns or abrasions, which may mislead a forensic investigation.

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Section: Short Notementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, studies have pointed out the use of social wasps and ants in forensic analyses (Gomes et al, 2007;Moretti et al, 2008Moretti et al, , 2011Somavilla et al, 2019). However,…”

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confidence: 99%

Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil

et al. 2019

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“…Previous evidence suggests necrophagy by polistine wasps in Central and South America, with the swarm‐founding genera Polybia , Agelaia , Angiopolybia , Brachygastra , Parachartergus , Protonectarina and Synoeca feeding on a wide range of wild ‘carrion’ from large insects to birds, reptiles, and mammals, to agricultural waste such as poultry, pigs and rats, and tuna fish baits laid out for ants (O'Donnell, 1995; Gomes et al ., 2007; Somavilla, Linard & Rafael, 2019). More recently, Apoica and Polybia have been reported scavenging on fresh and decaying pig carcasses under natural conditions in Brazil (Simões et al ., 2013); six species of Epiponines in Brazilian rainforest were detected using carrion traps (Silveira et al ., 2005) and 10 species were collected from carcasses of rats in similar environments (Somavilla et al ., 2019), with different species compositions on fresh and decaying cadavers; interestingly, wasps visiting the heavily decomposed cadavers were also observed preying on the fly eggs and larvae of Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae (typically the first flies to colonise such carcasses) that were present. Finally, Vespula species are reported to scavenge on honey bee corpses (Pusceddu et al ., 2018).…”

Section: Supporting Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different species of wasps have been reported at the same carcasses in the early and late stages of decay, raising the possibility that the type of wasp species could indicate, albeit qualitatively, the time since death. Unfortunately, wasp necrophagy may also add confusion to forensic investigations: the insects tend to remove lumps of tissue from cavities such as noses, mouth, ears and anus, altering the skin texture, size of cavities, and apparent injuries that may confuse post‐mortem results, leading to errors in forensic investigations regarding the cause or mode of death (Moretti et al ., 2008; Simões et al ., 2013; Somavilla et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Cultural Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem services provided by aculeate wasps

2021

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The aculeate wasps are one of the most diverse and speciose insect taxa; they are omnipresent across ecosystems and exhibit diverse co‐evolutionary and exploitative associations with other organisms. There is widespread conjecture that aculeate wasps are likely to perform essential ecological and economic services of importance to the health, well‐being and nutritional needs of our planet. However, the scope and nature of the ecosystem services they provide are not well understood relative to other insect groups (e.g. bees, butterflies, beetles); an appreciation of their value is further tarnished by their public reputation as pointless pests. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive review of how aculeate wasps contribute to the four main areas of ecosystem services: regulatory, provisioning, supporting and cultural services. Uniting data from a large but previously disconnected literature on solitary and social aculeate wasps, we provide a synthesis on how these insects perform important ecosystem services as parasites, predators, biological indicators, pollinators, decomposers and seed dispersers; and their additional services as a sustainable alternative to meat for human consumption, and medicinal potential as sources of research leads for anti‐microbials and cancer treatments. We highlight how aculeate wasps offer substantial, but largely overlooked, economic benefits through their roles in natural pest management and biological control programs. Accordingly, we provide data‐driven arguments for reasons to consider the ecosystem service value of aculeate wasps on a par with other ‘useful’ insects (e.g. bees). Finally, we provide a research roadmap identifying the key areas of research required to capitalise better on the services provided by these important insects.

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“…In addition, it can jeopardize the attempt to raise collected immature insect specimens (serving as their hosts) to adults for accurate species identification and/or their application in minimum time since death estimation during forensic investigations [ 6 ]. Equally important, wasps can cause post-mortem lacerations and injuries on vertebrate carrion which can potentially create entry sites for other insects and possibly mislead forensic investigators during cause-of-death investigations [ 21 , 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitic and predatory behavior of Alysia manducator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on blow fly larvae feeding on an adult pig carcass in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: preliminary observations and forensic implications

et al. 2023

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Wasps are part of the entomofauna associated with vertebrate carrion. They are known to parasitize and prey on specific life stages of insect hosts such as eggs, larvae, pupae, and/or adults associated with vertebrate carrion. However, reports of parasitic behavior of wasps on carrion-associated insect life stages and their possible forensic implications are non-existent in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This study is part of ongoing research investigating the entomofauna and their pattern of succession on an adult pig carcass in Cape Town, South Africa. During this study, the parasitic wasp Alysia manducator was noted parasitizing and preying on blow fly larvae associated with the decomposing carcass. The arrival of A. manducator coincides with the occurrence of blow fly eggs and/or larvae on the carcass. These wasps were seen in close association with the eggs and larvae of blow flies on various parts of the carcass and some wasps were seen dragging fly larvae attached to their ovipositors away from one part of the carcass to another. Some A. manducator were also observed walking over several larvae on the carcass while exhibiting a stabbing behavior presumably in search of a host for oviposition. We suggest that the observations recorded in this study are of considerable forensic importance as the dragging effect and predatory and stabbing behavior exhibited by A. manducator could potentially disrupt the feeding and development of the fly larvae on the carcass. This could subsequently alter the process of carcass decomposition and/or affect minimum post-mortem interval estimations.

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Social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) on carcasses of Rattus norvegicus (Mammalia: Muridae) in the Central Amazonia, Brazil: possible forensic implications

Cited by 7 publications

References 13 publications

Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Occurrence of Hymenoptera on pig carcasses in a tropical rainforest in Central Amazonia, Brazil

Ecosystem services provided by aculeate wasps

Parasitic and predatory behavior of Alysia manducator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on blow fly larvae feeding on an adult pig carcass in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: preliminary observations and forensic implications

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