Warning as flesh-eating wasps discovered invading parts of the US

"Originally from Europe, these tiny predators lay their eggs inside oak galls, where their larvae gradually consume the bodies of native oak gall wasps before emerging as adults The adult female wasp injects one or more eggs into or onto the body of a host insect, in this case, oak gall wasp larvae inside galls. When the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to consume non-essential tissues first to keep the host alive as long as possible, which provides a fresh food source."

"While there is no threat to humans, scientists warned that the wasps could upheave America's ecosystem. They may not only target oak gall wasps but also potentially compete with or displace native parasitic wasps, which play a critical role in controlling insect populations, maintaining ecosystem balance, and supporting biodiversity. Both species, called Bootanomyia dorsalis, were previously thought to be one species, but genetic data show there are actually two: B. dorsalis sp. 1 and B. dorsalis sp. 2."

Two Bootanomyia dorsalis species, previously treated as one, have established populations across North America from New York to the Pacific coast. One species was identified in New York while the other was found in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. The New York population shows greater genetic diversity, suggesting multiple introductions, while the west coast population shows very low variation, consistent with a small founding event. Adult females inject eggs into oak gall wasp larvae; larvae consume non-essential tissues first and then progressively consume the host over days to weeks. These wasps attack only oak galls and likely arrived with imported European oaks or by hitchhiking on cargo and planes. The invading wasps may compete with or displace native parasitic wasps, potentially altering insect population control and biodiversity.

Read at Mail Online