Evolution of starvation resistance in an invasive insect species, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

Abstract

Starvation resistance, or the ability to survive periods without food, can shed light on selection pressure imposed by food scarcity, including chances to invade new regions as a result of human transport. Surprisingly, little information is known about starvation resistance for invasive insect species. Given that native and invasive populations differ in starvation resistance, this would suggest different selection scenarios and adaptive shifts fostering invasion success. Here, we show striking differences in starvation resistance of adult small hive beetles Aethina tumida (SHB) between native and invasive populations. In the laboratory, starvation resistance of freshly emerged laboratory‐reared and field‐collected adult females and males was evaluated in the beetle's native African range and in their invasive North American range. SHB in their native African range survived longer than SHB in their invasive North American range. Across ranges, females survived longer than males. Field‐collected SHB survived in Africa longer than freshly emerged ones, but not in the invasive range. This suggests no selection for starvation resistance in the invasive range, possibly due to differences between African and European‐derived honey bee hosts facilitating a trade‐off scenario between reproduction and starvation resistance. The ability of adult females to survive up to two months without food appears to be one factor contributing to the invasion success of this species. Assuming food availability is usually high in the invasive ranges, and trade‐offs between starvation resistance and fecundity/reproduction are common, it seems as if selection for starvation resistance during transport could set up potential trade‐offs that enhance reproduction after invasion. It would be interesting to see if this is a possible general pattern for invasive insect species.

Resource allocation strategies for survival and reproduction by an invasive pest in response to intermittent fasting

“…In their study on fruit flies, Catterson et al (2018) indicate that IF in early adult life can raise lipid content, improve gut health later in life, and increase longevity. Because regular starvation often occurs during invasion process ( Zhang et al 2019 ; Papach et al 2020 ) and T. ludeni can reproduce through mother-son mating without inbreeding depression ( Zhou et al 2020 , 2021 ), the increase of female longevity in response to IF may contribute to its invasion success.…”

“…Previous studies suggest that its invasion success may be facilitated by its flexible reproductive strategies ( Zhou et al 2020 , 2021 ) and good adaptation to external environment ( Zhang 2003 ; Gotoh et al 2015 ; Ristyadi et al 2019 , 2021 ). Like many other invasive animals ( Zhang et al 2019 ; Papach et al 2020 ), T. ludeni may encounter intermittent food shortages when senescence of their host plants occurs, food availability fluctuates or when they are carried by wind or transportation to new habitats. To date, little is known about how periodical food shortages affect life history traits in T. ludeni and whether this species has developed strategies for invasion success in response to periodical starvation.…”