Bugs, ants, wasps, moths and other insect species.

Abstract

A total of 43 insect species non-native to Europe are so far considered to affect human welfare through their biting, urticating and allergenic properties, or by causing domestic nuisances. They involve several orders. In Hymenoptera, species in two families, Formicidae (ants) and Vespidae (wasps and hornets), are known to cause disturbance and health problems. Several moth species (Lepidoptera) have urticating larvae which may induce painful urticarial and allergic reactions. Bugs in five Hemipteran families have direct impacts on health, such as bed bugs and kissing bugs, which are vectors of pathogens, but most are considered to be household pests, causing nuisances to people when invading houses or aggregating on walls. Several non-native species of cockroaches that develop in synanthropic habitats have body parts, saliva or faeces containing powerful indoor allergens, and they can also facilitate mechanical transmission of pathogens to humans. Some species of Siphonaptera (fleas) and Phthiraptera (lice), which are obligate ectoparasitic insects of warm-blooded animals, are of high importance for human health because they cause itches and skin infection, and transmit major diseases such as bubonic plague and murine typhus.

Establishment and spread of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Greece: based on contributions from citizen scientists

“…It is also considered a household nuisance in some contexts because of the large numbers that aggregate in buildings particularly through the winter months and a pest of fruit 2 production (Koch & Galvan 2007;Honek et al 2017). Furthermore, H. axyridis can affect human health, by causing urticaria and allergic reactions (such as rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma) or bite induced injuries (Goetz 2007;Roy et al 2016;Roques et al 2018). H. axyridis has attracted the interest of researchers and the public because of its dramatic spread and adverse impacts on nature and people (Roy et al 2016;Kulijer 2017;Honek et al 2018;Haelewaters et al 2020;Skuhrovec et al 2021).…”

Wasp venom peptide, synoeca‐MP, from Synoeca surinama shows antimicrobial activity against human and animal pathogenic microorganisms

“…In this regard, the arthropod venoms represent a potential source for the prospecting of biologically active molecules . The venom produced by wasps may have cross‐reactivity . In addition, the presence of a wide variety of active biomolecules, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), has attracted researchers’ attention because of recent studies demonstrating that many of them are promising models for new classes of antimicrobials …”