Creationism in Crisis
How Mutations, not Magic, Have Helped Killer Hornets Spread
How Mutations, not Magic, Have Helped Killer Hornets Spread
Asian Yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina
Today's bad news for Creationists is that scientists have analysed the genomes of both the European common hornet and the Asian yellow-legged hornet and found a number of genetic mutations that contribute to the ability of the latter to quickly adapt to new locations, and so become an invasive species in several parts of the world.
The study was led by Dr. Emeline Favreau and Professor Seirian Sumner of the Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London (UCL), London, UK and included scientists from UCL, Spain, Italy, Austria, and New Zealand. Their findings are published, open access, in the journal Scientific Reports. The scientists did not report finding a magical reason for their success or need one to explain how the new genetic information entered the genome; it was those things creationists dread - gene duplication and mutation. Creationist dogma states that no new information can arise without magic and all mutations are deleterious and so can't convey an advantage. Those idiotic and demonstrably false dogmas are both comprehensively refuted by the study, so will almost certainly be ignored, dismissed or misrepresented by creationists.
First a little about the European common hornet, Vespa crabro and the Asian yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina:
It is the latter’s success as an invasive species that the UCL-led team sought to explain. As the UCL New release explains:The European Common Hornet (Vespa crabro) is a large predatory wasp that is native to Europe, including the United Kingdom. It is one of the largest social wasp species found in Europe, with a body length of up to 3.5 cm, and a wingspan of up to 5.5 cm.Taxonomy of three Vespa Crabro Germana exemplars: queen (top), female (center) and male (bottom). Private collectionF. Turetta.(CC BY-SA 4.0)
The European Common Hornet is known for its striking appearance, with a yellow and black striped body and reddish-brown head and thorax [the British sub-species, Vespa crabro vexator has an almost yellow head]. It is a social insect, forming colonies that can contain hundreds of individuals, with a single queen that lays eggs and is responsible for reproducing. The hornets construct paper-like nests made from wood fibers and saliva, which are usually located in hollow trees, under eaves, or in other sheltered locations.
Despite their size and fearsome appearance, European Common Hornets are generally not aggressive toward humans and will only attack if they or their nests are disturbed. Their primary prey consists of other insects, such as flies, caterpillars, and even other wasps, which they hunt and bring back to the nest to feed their young.
The European Common Hornet plays an important role in the ecosystem as a predator of other insects and a pollinator of flowers. However, like other hornets and wasps, their stings can be painful and potentially dangerous to people who are allergic.
In some areas, European Common Hornet populations have declined due to habitat loss and pesticide use. Efforts are being made to conserve the species, including protecting nest sites and promoting public awareness and education.
References:
- Archer, M. E. (1998). The Hornet, Vespa crabro L. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Entomologist's Gazette, 49(2), 105-114.
- Gold, R. E. (1996). The European hornet, Vespa crabro. American Bee Journal, 136(8), 573-575.
- Spichiger, S. E. (2007). European hornet, Vespa crabro (Linnaeus) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae). University of Florida IFAS Extension.
- Williams, P. H. (2007). The conservation of bees and wasps. Conservation biology, 21(4), 880-892.
Tell me about the European common hornet, with reference, please.
The Asian Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) is a predatory wasp species that is native to Southeast Asia but has spread to other parts of the world, including Europe. It is also known as the Yellow-legged hornet, Asian hornet, or Japanese hornet.
The Asian Yellow-legged Hornet is smaller than the European Common Hornet, with a body length of up to 3 cm and a wingspan of up to 4 cm. It has a black body with a bright yellow thorax and legs, and a distinct yellow stripe on the abdomen. Like the European Common Hornet, it is a social insect that forms colonies with a single queen, and constructs nests made from wood fibers and saliva in sheltered locations such as trees or buildings.
The Asian Yellow-legged Hornet is a highly efficient predator, known for its ability to capture and kill large numbers of honeybees and other pollinators. Its introduction to Europe has raised concerns about the potential impact on honeybee populations and the wider ecosystem. The sting of the Asian Yellow-legged Hornet can also be painful and potentially dangerous to people who are allergic.
Efforts are underway to control the spread of the Asian Yellow-legged Hornet and to prevent further introductions. Methods include trapping and destroying nests, monitoring for the presence of the species, and public awareness campaigns to help identify and report sightings.
References:
- Monceau, K., Arca, M., Leprêtre, L., Mougel, F., Bonnard, O., & Silvain, J. F. (2013). Native prey and invasive predator patterns of foraging activity: the case of the yellow-legged hornet predation at European honeybee hives. PloS one, 8(6), e66492.
- Rome, Q., Muller, F. J., Touret-Alby, A., Darrouzet, E., & Perrard, A. (2019). Spread of the invasive Asian hornet Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836, in France from 2004 to 2018. Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 124(2), 131-138.,/li.
- Schwencke, R., & Scavone, C. (2017). Risk assessment for the introduction of Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) into Chile. Journal of Insect Science, 17(4), 84.
- Villemant, C., Barbet-Massin, M., Perrard, A., Muller, F., Gargominy, O., & Jiguet, F. (2011). Predicting the invasion risk by the alien bee-hawking Yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax across Europe and other continents with niche models. Biological conservation, 144(9), 2142-2150.
And now, the Asian yellow-legged hornet, please.
The genomes of two hornet species, the European hornet and the Asian hornet (or yellow-legged hornet) have been sequenced for the first time by a team led by UCL scientists.
By comparing these decoded genomes with that of the giant northern hornet, which has recently been sequenced by another team, the researchers have revealed clues suggesting why hornets have been so successful as invasive species across the globe.European hornets, Vespa crabro, making a nest on a tree.
Hornets are the largest of the social wasps; they play important ecological roles as top predators of other insects. In their native regions, they are natural pest controllers, helping regulate the populations of insects such as flies, beetles, caterpillars and other types of wasps. These services are critical for healthy, functional ecosystems, as well as for agriculture.
But hornets also tend to be very successful as invasive species. They can become established in areas they are not native to and cause potentially huge ecological and economic damage by hunting important pollinators, such as honeybees, wild bees and hoverflies.
To better understand how these species have so successfully expanded their ranges, the international team of scientists investigated the genomes of three types of hornets.
A genome sequence is the set of instructions – a genetic code – that makes a species. Comparing the genomes of different species can give insights into their biology – their behaviour, evolution, and how they interact with the environment.
The researchers have newly sequenced the genomes of the native European hornet, Vespa crabro – an important top predator, which is protected in parts of Europe – and the invasive yellow-legged Asian hornet Vespa velutina, which has become established through much of Europe over the last 20 years threatening native ecosystems, and has occasionally been sighted in the UK. They compared these with the genome of the giant northern hornet, Vespa mandarinia – a species known for its role as pest controller, pollinator and food provider in its native Asian range, but is a recent arrival in North America, where it may threaten native fauna.
By analysing differences between the three related species, the researchers were able to identify genes that have been rapidly evolving since the species differentiated themselves from other wasps and from one another, and found some noteworthy genes that are rapidly evolving, particularly relating to communication and olfaction (smell).Genome evolution allows organisms to adapt to their environment and make the most of their surroundings by developing new behaviours and physiology.We were excited to find evidence of rapid genome evolution in these hornet genomes, compared to other social insects. Lots of genes have been duplicated or mutated; these included genes that are likely to be involved in communication and in sensing the environment.
Dr Emeline Favreau, first author Centre for Biodiversity & Environment
University College London, London, UK
These findings are exciting, as they may help explain why hornets have been so successful in establishing new populations in non-native regions.
Hornets are carried to different parts of the world accidentally by humans. All that is needed is a small number of mated queens to be transported, hidden in cargo perhaps. The genomes suggest that hornets have lots of genes involved in detecting and responding to chemical cues – these may make them especially good at adapting to hunt different types of prey in non-native regions.
Dr Alessandro Cini, co-author
Then at UCL
Now at the University of Pisa, ItalyArmed with these new genomes, the scientists hope to help improve the management of hornet populations, both for their ecosystem services as pest controllers in native zones, and as ecological threats in regions where they are invasive.These hornet genomes are just the beginning. The genomes of more than 3,000 insect species have now been sequenced by efforts around the world, but wasps are under-represented among these.
Genomes tell us about aspects of the ecology and evolution that other methods cannot. Evolution has equipped these insects with an incredible genetic toolbox with which to exploit their environment and hunt their prey.
Professor Seirian Sumner, senior author
Centre for Biodiversity & Environment
University College London, London, UK
Biology of Vespa hornets. Comparing the key life-history traits of the three Vespa species analyzed in this study. Species column: Female adult morphology for Vespa crabro, Vespa velutina and Vespa mandarinia (photos taken from www.inaturalist.org, respectively from the following users: rainyang, Mиxaил Maлышeв, Kinmatsu Lin, all photos have CCBY-NC license). Distribution column: Known geographical distribution of species (from https://www.gbif.org/)40,41,42; the redder patches indicate higher occurrence records; their invasive distributions are circled. Biological information column: Descriptions of individual and nest traits and behaviours28,37,39,43. Diet column: All three Vespa species (left) prey on a diverse set of arthropod orders (right)8,44,45.
The bad news for creationists continues in the team's peer-reviewed, paper in Scientific Reports:
AbstractNot a hint there then that the scientists believe anything but the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is the best explanation for the success of the invasive Asian species of hornet, and that the evolution was due to genomic changes, such as gene duplication and subsequent mutations, that gave them the genomic basis for their success.
Hornets are the largest of the social wasps, and are important regulators of insect populations in their native ranges. Hornets are also very successful as invasive species, with often devastating economic, ecological and societal effects. Understanding why these wasps are such successful invaders is critical to managing future introductions and minimising impact on native biodiversity. Critical to the management toolkit is a comprehensive genomic resource for these insects. Here we provide the annotated genomes for two hornets, Vespa crabro and Vespa velutina. We compare their genomes with those of other social Hymenoptera, including the northern giant hornet Vespa mandarinia. The three hornet genomes show evidence of selection pressure on genes associated with reproduction, which might facilitate the transition into invasive ranges. Vespa crabro has experienced positive selection on the highest number of genes, including those putatively associated with molecular binding and olfactory systems. Caste-specific brain transcriptomic analysis also revealed 133 differentially expressed genes, some of which are associated with olfactory functions. This report provides a spring-board for advancing our understanding of the evolution and ecology of hornets, and opens up opportunities for using molecular methods in the future management of both native and invasive populations of these over-looked insects.
Favreau, E., Cini, A., Taylor, D. et al.
Putting hornets on the genomic map.
Sci Rep 13, 6232 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31932-x
Copyright: © 2023 The authors.
Published by Springer Nature Ltd. Open access
Reprinted under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0)
Of course, if a creationist wishes to tell us that it was all down to magic spells cast by their magic creator god, who simply wants ecosystems outside the normal range of these hornets to be devastated by a voracious predator, and explain why this should be regarded as an act of divine benevolence, they are free to do so below.
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