Invasive stink bug wounds trees, liberates sugars, and facilitates native hymenoptera.

摘要

Biological invasions often have devastating impacts on ecosystems and economies, while facilitative interactions between invasive and native species are often overlooked. Here, we demonstrate how the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomotpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), facilitates native Hymenoptera by opening a novel feeding niche. In the invaded mid-Atlantic region of the United States, several species of native ants and wasps feed on wound exudates from stink bug feeding sites; these exudates have high sugar concentrations and are rapidly used by indigenous Hymenoptera. Positive facilitative interactions between invasive and keystone native species such as ants may have far reaching impacts on invaded ecosystems.