Asian Hornets

[user 819]

So this posed, after a pause, the basic question - is it possible for AH to become resistant to fipronil?

In the long term there is a possibility if used over many generations of breeding.

Fipronil is the main ingredient of Frontline and it has shown up some reduced effectiveness dealing with fleas on pets.

 

[Karol]

So this posed, after a pause, the basic question - is it possible for AH to become resistant to fipronil?

Theoretically but unlikely in the case of fipronil custard because of the highly targetted method of application. 'Biological' resistance is a function of population numbers and exposure, i.e. there has to be a viable cohort of survivors to breed to pass on 'immunity'. With velutina, the sexuals represent a miniscule fraction of the population so it would be very difficult for velutina to develop resistance within a meaningful period of time.

There is an important caveat however. Baiting with fipronil which is entirely different, could lead to resistance much more quickly but this would be through learned behaviour. Vespines are able to discern the quality of food sources and this is a learned and communicated behaviour. Baiting is different because it relies on feeding choice. Fipronil custard on the other hand relies on preening which is an entirely different proposition.

 

[JamezF]

A quick search online suggests that fipronil has also been used to treat cattle ticks, but that some ticks have developed resistance. Unless the way it works on ticks is completely different, that would suggest to me there's at least a possibility that other insects, including AH, could become resistant.

James

 

[Karol]

A quick search online suggests that fipronil has also been used to treat cattle ticks, but that some ticks have developed resistance. Unless the way it works on ticks is completely different, that would suggest to me there's at least a possibility that other insects, including AH, could become resistant.

James

I don't doubt that it's theoretically possible all things being equal but the likelihood is very small with fipronil custard. In the tick example you cite there is a long term low level diminishing exposure to fipronil. So even when administered orally or by injection fipronil will persist for up to 21 days. Not only is there therefore constant exposure at high tick population levels to favour survivor reproduction, as the fipronil residues taper off they become sub lethal which further aids development of resistance in otherwise more susceptible individuals. Notwithstanding all of this, resistance in ticks is still relatively low.

The preening and trophallaxis behaviour of velutina queens is their archilles heel which is exploited by fipronil custard. Importantly, there's no passive exposure with the method to enhance the probability of resistance developing.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I don't doubt that it's theoretically possible all things being equal but the likelihood is very small with fipronil custard. In the tick example you cite there is a long term low level diminishing exposure to fipronil. So even when administered orally or by injection fipronil will persist for up to 21 days. Not only is there therefore constant exposure at high tick population levels to favour survivor reproduction, as the fipronil residues taper off they become sub lethal which further aids development of resistance in otherwise more susceptible individuals. Notwithstanding all of this, resistance in ticks is still relatively low.

The preening and trophallaxis behaviour of velutina queens is their archilles heel which is exploited by fipronil custard. Importantly, there's no passive exposure with the method to enhance the probability of resistance developing.

If I'm understanding things correctly the death of the queen [is?] fairly rapid, thus the colony will fail and with good timing no Queens should emerge that can be mated to produce young with resistant traits.

 

[Karol]

If I'm understanding things correctly the death of the queen [is?] fairly rapid, thus the colony will fail and with good timing no Queens should emerge that can be mated to produce young with resistant traits.

Indeed but there is also another feature of the fipronil custard method which significantly reduces risk of resistance further. The method allows for a higher target dose of fipronil to be administered which reduces the chance of survival considerably as resistance is also linked to dose.

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[JamezF]

View attachment 37887

Well there's a solution I'd not thought of before. Can't let all that protein go to waste... Crunchy Asian Hornet, anyone? Inna bun?

James

 

[fian]

Well there's a solution I'd not thought of before. Can't let all that protein go to waste... Crunchy Asian Hornet, anyone? Inna bun?

James

And to the compost pile?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And to the compost pile?

vegan option

 

[fian]

vegan option

Vegans do not consume protein of animal origin, so I doubt that the wasp sandwich (who died from friponilic custard poisoning) will be to your taste.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Chicken food

Well there's a solution I'd not thought of before. Can't let all that protein go to waste... Crunchy Asian Hornet, anyone? Inna bun?

James

 

[North End Bees]

Don't let them go to waste! Honey bees are apparently very nutritious so presumably hornets too.
According to Robert Pickard who seems to know these things.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and there's less chance of fighting as to who gets the leg

 

[Erichalfbee]

A few nests from Jersey