Gut microbiota community is associated with trophic spectrum in the invasive species Vespa velutina

Diet is a major driver of gut microbiota composition in insects, shaping digestive processes, metabolism, and adaptation to new environments. In invasive species such as Vespa velutina nigrithorax, trophic flexibility may be linked to microbial plasticity, potentially facilitating its ecological success. However, the relationship between diet and gut microbiota in this species remains poorly understood. Here we analyse both the gut microbiota (current project) and the diet (BioProject ID PRJNA1142451) of V. velutina larvae from seven nests in Mallorca using DNA metabarcoding approaches.