Bird nest boxes infested with Carnus hemapterus (Diptera: Carnidae): A perfect arena for the study of trophic interplays with a special focus on parasitoid Hymenoptera

Abstract

Birds' nests hold rich and diverse communities of invertebrates with complex interspecific interactions whose study could improve our understanding of food webs and resource dynamics. To reach this goal, identification of the participants of such interactions is basic but current knowledge on some key groups such as hymenopteran parasitoids is admittedly poor and unreliable. Here we describe the invertebrate fauna in nests of the Eurasian wryneck Jynx torquilla Linnaeus, 1758 (Piciformes: Picidae) and the relative importance of various trophic guilds. We found a rich community where ectoparasitic Diptera of birds, parasitoid wasps and scavenger Diptera had a prominent representation. We specifically studied the natural enemies of the most abundant bird ectoparasite Carnus hemapterus Nitzsch, 1818 (Diptera: Carnidae), which revealed that Kleidotoma caledonica Cameron, 1888 (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is a specialized and frequent parasitoid of the ectoparasite. Information on the association between other parasitoid wasps, parasitoid flies and their hosts is also offered. Such associations could result in trophic cascades with remarkable consequences for the avian host.

Keywords

• interspecific interactions
• food web
• aves
• bird ectoparasite
• wasp parasitoid
• kleidotoma caledonica
• jynx torquilla