Incidence and Abundance of Bees and Wasps (Hymenoptera) in Centipedegrass Lawns in Georgia

Abstract

Abstract We surveyed the occurrence of bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) in nine centipedegrass lawns in central and south Georgia in 2019 that had no prior exposure to insecticides. In each lawn, an area of 9.3 m2 was marked and not mowed while the remainder of the lawn area was mowed regularly. When each centipedegrass lawn reached anthesis, pan traps filled with soapy water were placed in nonmowed and mowed areas of each lawn. After 3 d, trap contents were collected and transported to the laboratory for insect sorting and identification. Each lawn site was sampled 3–5 times. Of 173 total bees collected from the centipedegrass lawns, 79.2% were Lasioglossum spp. followed by 6.9% Halictus and 4% Melissodes. Only four Bombus spp. were collected, while other bees collected were Augochlorella spp., Agapostemon spp., Megachile, Apis, Peponapis, Ceratina, Ptilothrix, Svastra, and Nomia spp. Most of the Lasioglossum spp. were collected in August (48.6%) and September (26.6%). Lasioglossum spp. were sampled from all centipedegrass lawns; however, Halictus spp. and Melissodes spp. were collected only from one lawn in south Georgia. Captures were similar regardless of collection from mowed or nonmowed areas. Most of the bees were collected in pan traps that were blue or yellow in color; whereas, wasps were captured primarily in yellow-colored traps.