Eco Logical Australia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Operations Section, Brisbane Airport Corporation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
PLoS One. 2020 Nov 30;15(11):e0242063. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242063. eCollection 2020.
The keyhole wasp (Pachodynerus nasidens Latreille 1812), a mud-nesting wasp native to South and Central America and the Caribbean, is a relatively recent (2010) arrival in Australia. In its native range it is known to use man-made cavities to construct nests. A series of serious safety incidents Brisbane Airport related to the obstruction of vital airspeed measuring pitot probes on aircraft possibly caused by mud-nesting wasps, prompted an assessment of risk. An experiment was designed to determine the species responsible, the types of aircraft most affected, the seasonal pattern of potential risk and the spatial distribution of risk on the airport. A series of replica pitot probes were constructed using 3D-printing technology, representing aircraft with high numbers of movements (landings and take-offs), and mounted at four locations at the airport. Probes were monitored for 39 months. Probes blocked by mud nesting wasps were retrieved and incubated in mesh bags. Emerging wasps were identified to species. Results show that all nests in probes were made by P. nasidens, and peak nesting occurs in the summer months. Nesting success (as proportion of nests with live adult emergents) was optimal between 24 and 31°C and that probes with apertures of more than 3 mm diameter are preferred. Not all areas on the airport are affected equally, with the majority of nests constructed in one area. The proportion of grassed areas within 1000 m of probes was a significant predictor of nesting, and probe volume may determine the sex of emerging wasps.
匙柄胡蜂（Pachodynerus nasidens Latreille 1812），一种原产于南美洲和中美洲以及加勒比地区的泥巢胡蜂，是最近（2010 年）才到达澳大利亚的物种。在其原生范围内，它已知会利用人造洞穴来筑巢。布里斯班机场发生了一系列与飞机关键的空速测量皮托管探头堵塞有关的严重安全事件，这些探头可能是由泥巢胡蜂造成的，这促使人们对风险进行了评估。设计了一项实验来确定负责的物种、受影响最严重的飞机类型、潜在风险的季节性模式以及机场的风险空间分布。使用 3D 打印技术制造了一系列复制品皮托管探头，代表了飞机数量较多的（着陆和起飞），并安装在机场的四个位置。探头监测了 39 个月。被泥巢胡蜂堵塞的探头被取回并放在网袋中孵化。孵化出的胡蜂被鉴定为特定物种。结果表明，所有探头中的巢穴都是由 P. nasidens 建造的，筑巢高峰期出现在夏季。筑巢成功率（即带有活成虫的巢穴比例）在 24°C 至 31°C 之间最佳，并且更喜欢孔径大于 3 毫米的探头。机场的所有区域并非都受到同等影响，大多数巢穴都建在一个区域。探头周围 1000 米范围内的草地面积比例是筑巢的一个重要预测指标，探头体积可能决定了新生胡蜂的性别。
