Scientists discover new parasitic wasps that invade the United States

There are all kinds of harsh parasites there, and more is revealed all the time. Scientists have recently found many invasive types of parasitic wasps that have now landed in the United States

Researchers at the University of Binghamton and Iowa State University have discovered. For the first time ever, they discovered two types of parasitic defense closely related to Europe only. Don’t be very afraid, though: these wasps only excite other wasps.

The world of eating driving

The researchers were interested in studying oak wasps. These wasps are invaded and put their eggs into oak trees. The process of laying eggs also generates the growth of the luxurious gallbladder that grows from the plant (humanly, this growth is similar to warts). An egg ripens inside the gallbladder, using nutrition and protection.

Sometimes, although nature parasites can have their own parasites, including oak boys. These attractive parasites are known as PetsiteAnd a lot of parasitic wasps. These wasps also tend to be parasites, or parasites that ultimately kill their host. Parasite oak waspabs will penetrate, in particular, in the gallbladder and lay their own eggs, which will then devour the larvae inside.

The research team wanted to better understand the diversity of oak and parasites. So they collected gallbladder samples of oak trees on both the coasts of the United States, from British Columbia, Canada, to Florida. They also raised the parasitic wasps inside these bitterness in their laboratories.

Finally, set more than 100 distinct types of parasitic wasps of bitterness. But two of these species have not been discovered in the United States yet; What’s more, it was found on the opposite ends of North America.

The new wasps technically belong to the same type, Bootanomyia Epithelium. But the previous genetic data from Europe has indicated that there are at least two sub -groups of sub -groups there, according to the researchers – Distinct enough so that they should be seen as different types. One of these groups, for. Epithelium SP. 1, it was found only in New York, while the other, for. Epithelium SP. 2, it was found in several locations along the western coast.

The team’s results were Published Earlier this July in the Hymenoptera (Hymenoptera Research Journal is the large arrangement of insects that include wasps).

The secrets to be solved

In science, one discovery often generates many questions, and this is the case here too.

For beginners, it is not known exactly how the wasps have reached here. They can reach non -original oak trees, some of which were first brought to North America early in the seventeenth century. But since adult wasps can live for about a month, they may have just collected a ride on a plane.

The western coast wasps were very genetically similar, which mostly means that the young population only reached the area at first. On the contrary, the eastern coast wasps were more diverse, so more than one introduction happened.

Another important question is whether these wasps can pose a serious threat to the health of the population in the original gallbladder wasps they listen or to the total ecosystems they now call home.

The author of the study, Kirsten, a biologist responsible for the Binghamton Natural Environmental Center, said in A in A. statement It was issued by the university. “They can affect groups of original oak wasps or other original parasites of oak boys.”

What is clear is that scientists like Proen and her team are only started scratching the surface of the parasitic world. The authors indicate that a few research groups are able to track the distribution and movement of these types of parasitic wasps, so it is possible that there are many new species and the invaders awaiting their discovery. Farah.