Phytophagous insects of giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae) in invaded areas of Europe and in its native area of the Caucasus

• Published in: European journal of entomology Vol. 103; no. 2; pp. 387 - 395
• Main Authors: Hansen, S.O.(University of Bern (Switzerland). Zoological Inst.), Hattendorf, J.(University of Bern (Switzerland). Zoological Inst.), Wittenberg, R.(CABI Bioscience Switzerland Centre, Delemont (Switzerland)), Reznik, S.Y.(Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation). Zoological Inst.), Nielsen, C.(Danish Forest and Landscape Research Inst., Hoersholm (Denmark)), Ravn, H.P.(Danish Forest and Landscape Research Inst., Hoersholm (Denmark)), Nentwig, W.(University of Bern (Switzerland). Zoological Inst.) E-mail:wolfgang.nentwig@zos.unibe.ch
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ceske Budejovice Institute of Entomology 06.04.2006; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Science
• Subjects: AGENT DE LUTTE BIOLOGIQUE; AGENTES DE CONTROL BIOLOGICO; Apiaceae; BIOLOGICAL CONTROL; BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS; COLEOPTERA; CONTROL BIOLOGICO; DIPTERA; DISTRIBUCION GEOGRAFICA; DISTRIBUTION GEOGRAPHIQUE; enemy release hypothesis erh; ESPECE; ESPECIES; EUROPA; EUROPE; evolution of increased competitive ability eica; FEEDING PREFERENCES; GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; Hemiptera; HERACLEUM; Heracleum mantegazzianum; HERBIVORE; HERBIVORES; HERBIVOROS; HETEROPTERA; HOMOPTERA; HYMENOPTERA; invasive weed; LEPIDOPTERA; LUTTE BIOLOGIQUE; MALEZAS; MAUVAISE HERBE; monophagous herbivores; non indigenous species; phytophagous insects; PLANT ANIMAL RELATIONS; PREFERENCE ALIMENTAIRE; PREFERENCIAS ALIMENTARIAS; RELACIONES PLANTA ANIMAL; RELATION PLANTE ANIMAL; SPECIES; THYSANOPTERA; WEEDS; Europe
• ISSN: 1210-5759; 1802-8829
• DOI: 10.14411/eje.2006.052

Phytophagous insects were collected in the native range of Heracleum mantegazzianum (Caucasus) and were compared with those found on plants in the invaded parts of Europe. We recorded a total of 265 herbivorous insects on Heracleum species and we analysed them to describe the herbivore assemblages, locate vacant niches, and identify the most host specific herbivores. When combining our investigations with similar studies of herbivores on other invasive weeds, all studies show a higher proportion of specialist herbivores in the native habitats than in the invaded areas. We found less herbivore species per biomass on the stem and roots, and more on the leaves. Most herbivores were polyphagous generalists, some were found to be oligophagous and a few had only Heracleum species as host plants. None were known to feed exclusively on H. mantegazzianum. The oligophagous herbivores were particularly abundant on this weed.