Larval Dermestid Beetles Feeding on Nestling Snail Kites, Wood Storks, and Great Blue Herons

Snyder, Noel F. R.; Ogden, John C.; Bittner, J.D.; Grau, Gerald A.

doi:10.2307/1367035

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Furthermore, Sustek and Jurik (1980) showed the critical role of a carnivorous beetle species, Microglotta nidicola, in the control of the number of fleas in the nests of the Sand Martin (Riparia riparia). However, the outbreak of necrophorous beetles can be detrimental by eating nestlings alive (Snyder et al 1984) although such behaviour has never been reported in the Barn Owl. To keep a high species richness of arthropods, the conservation of multiple bird species is crucial, since some nidicolous beetles maybe specialized by colonizing the nests of some specific bird species (Hågvar 1975).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nidicolous beetle species richness is driven by Barn Owl’s nests occupancy and landscape structure

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bird nests are specialized habitats because of their particular composition including nest detritus and bird droppings. In consequence, they attract a specialized arthropod community considered as nidicolous, which includes species only found in bird nests (strictly nidicolous) or sometimes found in bird nests (facultatively nidicolous). Because the factors influencing the entomofauna in bird nests are poorly understood, in autumn 2019, we collected nest material in 86 Barn Owl (Tyto alba) nest boxes. We investigated whether the invertebrate species richness was related to Barn Owl nest box occupancy, the density of available nest boxes and the landscape structure. We found 3,321 nidicolous beetle specimens belonging to 24 species. Species richness of strictly nidicolous beetles was 2.7 times higher in nest boxes occupied by a family of Barn Owls the previous spring compared to unoccupied nest boxes. It was also higher in sites that were more often occupied by Barn Owls in the five previous years and in areas surrounded by a higher proportion of crop fields. For facultatively nidicolous beetles, the density of Barn Owl nest boxes enhanced the species richness. In conclusion, our study suggests that the strictly nidicolous beetles benefit from occupied nest boxes of Barn Owls, whereas facultatively nidicolous beetles look for nest boxes independently of whether Barn Owls occupy them. Our study highlights the importance of bird nests for a suite of invertebrates.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nidicolous beetle species richness is driven by Barn Owl’s nests occupancy and landscape structure

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The fly larvae live in the nest material and feed intermittently on chicks by sucking their blood, thereby causing nestling mortality and decreasing the breeding success of hosts (Richner et al 1993). The relationship between dermestid beetles and raptors may approach mutualism when beetles are scarce, but it is parasitic when beetles are numerous (Phillips and Dindal 1977), since larval dermestid beetles can cause severe external lesions in the hosts (Snyder et al 1984). In agreement with our results, other authors have failed to detect any effect of resin-rich plants (such as pines) on dermestid larvae (Rodgers et al 1988;Fauth et al 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible functions of alternative nests in raptors: the case of Bonelli’s Eagle

2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Four non-exclusive hypotheses have been proposed to explain the alternative nest-building behaviour of raptors: (1) nests as an advertising signal in territories, (2) frustration nests, (3) competition avoidance by nest-site and (4) reduction of nest ectoparasites. We report here data collected during an observational study of a population of Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus in southeastern Spain. Our data does not support the first two hypotheses based on the closeness of nests within territories, the lack of correlation between the number of nests and the distance to neighbours and the construction of secondary nests at similar frequencies after breeding failures as after successes. In contrast, the construction of alternative nests to avoid competition with other cliff-nesting raptor species breeding nearby was clearly important since 30% of the pairs obtained some direct benefit from the existence of alternative nests within their territories. We also found abundant Coleoptera (Dermestidae) and Diptera (Carnidae, Calliphoridae and Phoridae) as ectoparasites in nests, and the alternative use of nests, synergetically with the presence of greenery as mechanisms for avoiding ectoparasites, was an important factor for the breeding success of the eagle. Our data suggest that competition avoidance and, in particular, the reduction of nest ectoparasite hypotheses are the more plausible explanations for the maintenance of alternative nests in raptors.

show abstract

“…From the mid-1960s to the present, the nesting biology of the endangered Florida Everglade (Snail) Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) has received considerable study (e.g., Stieglitz and Thompson 1967;Chandler and Anderson 1974;Sykes 1979Sykes , 1987aSykes , 1987bSnyder et al 1984;Beissinger 1986Beissinger , 1987aBeissinger , 1987bBeissinger , 1988Beissinger and Snyder 1987). During this period the wild population increased from several dozen birds to a total averaging about 400-500 individuals (Sykes 1979(Sykes , 1983aRodgers et al 1988; Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and Demography of the Florida Everglade (Snail) Kite

1989

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. An 1 S-year study of reproduction and survival of the Florida Everglade (Snail) Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) has revealed the following: extremely poor nesting success (only 13.6% of nests found at the nest-building stage successful); extremely long breeding seasons (some reproductive activity in almost all months in good years); frequent multiple brooding and frequent renesting after failure; low egg hatchability (8 1%); high failure rates due to nest collapse, desertion, and predation; extremely high survival of juveniles and adults under good water conditions; and high vulnerability to drought due to near total dependency on a single species of drought-sensitive snail for food. Despite low nesting success, the species has increased rapidly under good conditions, mainly because of multiple nesting attempts within long breeding seasons and high survival rates of free-flying birds.Nesting success varied significantly between regions and nest substrates, but not as a function of seasons or solitary vs. colonial nesting. While nesting success was reduced in low water years, this effect was at least partly due to heavy use of poor nest substrates under such conditions. Clutch size and numbers of young per successful nest varied with regions, but not as a function of seasons or water levels. The effects of coloniality on clutch size and numbers of young were inconsistent. Significant effects of nest-substrate types on clutch size and numbers of young were apparently artifacts of substrate differences between regions.

show abstract

Larval Dermestid Beetles Feeding on Nestling Snail Kites, Wood Storks, and Great Blue Herons

Cited by 13 publications

References 6 publications

Nidicolous beetle species richness is driven by Barn Owl’s nests occupancy and landscape structure

Nidicolous beetle species richness is driven by Barn Owl’s nests occupancy and landscape structure

Possible functions of alternative nests in raptors: the case of Bonelli’s Eagle

Reproduction and Demography of the Florida Everglade (Snail) Kite

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About