RT Journal Article
T1 Opportunistic predation by carnivore mammals on females of pine processionary moths, Thaumetopoea pityocampa
A1 Román Sancho, Jacinto
A1 Rivilla, Juan Carlos
A1 Calzada Samperio, Javier
A1 Palomares, Francisco
AB The pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa, PPM) is a major defoliator in Mediterranean pine forests, with broad ecological and socioeconomic impacts. While vertebrate predators of its eggs, larvae, pupae, and imagos have been well documented, predation on adult females by mammals has not been previously described. Here, we present the first evidence of opportunistic predation by generalist carnivores on PPM imago females. We collected and analyzed fecal samples of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), stone martens (Martes foina), common genets (Genetta genetta), and European badgers (Meles meles) in several Spanish mountain ranges between 2022 and 2024. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed PPM eggs and anal scales in 19.1% of red fox and 11.3% of stone marten feces in Cazorla in 2022, with mean counts of 1773 and 680 eggs per feces, respectively. This predation likely results from the limited dispersal and ground activity of ovipositing females, making them accessible prey for opportunistic terrestrial carnivores. Further studies are needed to assess the frequency, spatial extent, and ecological significance of this phenomenon, as well as its potential role in integrated pest management strategies.
PB Wiley
SN 2150-8925 (electrónico)
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/28162
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/28162
LA eng
NO Román, J., Rivilla, J. C., Calzada, J., & Palomares, F. J. (2026). Opportunistic predation by carnivore mammals on females of pine processionary moths, Thaumetopoea pityocampa. Ecosphere, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70542
NO Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Grant/Award Number: PID2020-116571GB-I00
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 30 may 2026