The hornet Vespa crabro was introduced to North America during the mid-19th century. Since then, it has managed to extend its range to encompass the entire eastern half of the United States aswell as parts of Canada. Although we know a fair deal regarding the behavior and ecology of this species, it has yet to be determined how this species managed to make its way to our shores. As a first step in answering this question, we have utilized regions of the mitochondrial genome to help us ascertain what part or parts of the native range of V. crabro served as the source of the founders of the North American population of this insect.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Vespidae Vespa crabro (European hornet)
Keywords: exotic species, phylogeography
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA