Abstract
Vespid wasps are ecologically beneficial predators of insects but their stings also pose a human health risk. Current control methods based on killing vespids are suboptimal. Here, the repellent effect against Vespula vulgaris of a 20% icaridin skin lotion was evaluated under field conditions. An experimental setup was designed in which six artificial skin pieces (10 × 10 cm) were video-recorded for 1 h, to count each min the numbers of flying and feeding vespids. Prior to monitoring, five pieces were successively smeared with 2 mg of cream per cm2, in 30 min intervals, from t = −120 min to 0. The sixth sheet remained untreated to serve as a control. One milliliter of an attractant, fruit jam, was deposited on each of the six surfaces at t = 0. The control surface was free of any flying or feeding vespid during an average period of 25 min, whereas the other five surfaces (treated at t = −120, −90, −60, −30, and 0 min) remained vespid-free for 39, 40, 45, 49, and 51 min, respectively. The skin lotion remained significantly active for at least 2 h. The experimental methodology is adjustable and allows the study of repellents against vespids in semi-natural conditions.
Highlights
Vespid wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) are beneficial in regulating terrestrial ecosystems since they are significant predators of other insects
Pearson’s correlation coefficients between between the number number of vespids observed on the control surface compared to the treated surfaces were
0.09, 0.33, vespids observed on the control surface compared to the treated surfaces were 0.09, 0.33, 0.33, 0.23, 0.33, for the surfaces treated at t = ́90
Summary
Vespid wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) are beneficial in regulating terrestrial ecosystems since they are significant predators of other insects. This significance is sustained by their abundance, itself due to their social behavior and, for some species, their tendency to become invasive and opportunist. Besides prey items and other protein sources, they are highly attracted by carbohydrates They often forage around food sources and garbage in places where people are relaxing (e.g., recreational parks) or working (in forestry, arboriculture, horticulture, etc.). Recent studies of several essential oils and single volatiles demonstrate their repellent effects against vespids [4,5], but some volatiles can attract vespids [6,7]. Such chemicals may be integrated in Insects 2016, 7, 22; doi:10.3390/insects7020022 www.mdpi.com/journal/insects
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