Species Composition, Abundance and Seasonal Phenology of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Wisconsin Vineyards.

Christelle Guédot,Abby Lois,Katie Hietala-Henschell

doi:10.3390/insects9020057

Abstract

Social wasps can be serious pests in fruit growing plantings and are becoming increasingly problematic for grape growers. In this study, we conducted two experiments to assess the species composition and seasonal phenology of social wasps in Wisconsin vineyards in 2015 and 2017. In 2015, three attractants were used: (1) wine; (2) heptyl butyrate (HB); and (3) acetic acid and isobutanol (AAIB) and in 2017, two attractants were used: HB and AAIB. In both years, the same eight species were trapped from the genera Vespula, Dolichovespula, and Polistes. The predominant wasp species trapped were Vespula maculifrons, Vespula vidua, Vespula flavopilosa, and Vespula germanica in 2015 and V. maculifrons, V. flavopilosa, V. germanica, and Dolichovespula maculata in 2017, in order of total abundance. The populations of V. vidua decreased in 2017 compared to 2015, indicating large inter-annual variation. In both years, AAIB lures trapped significantly more V. flavopilosa, V. maculifrons, and V. germanica, the three most prevalent species during grape harvest, than HB, whereas HB lures trapped more V. vidua than AAIB. Wine was generally attractive to all species in 2015. This study identifies for the first time the wasp species present in Wisconsin commercial vineyards using chemical attractants. This knowledge, along with the seasonal phenology of these pest species, will help facilitate the development of management strategies for social wasps in commercial vineyards.

Highlights

Vespula germanica was with 508 wasps (n = 132; 3.85 ± 1.26) and V. flavopilosa with a total of 401 wasps (n = 132; 3.04 ± 1.49)
A complex of species from the Vespula, Dolichovespula, and Polistes genera were present at all the vineyards sampled in both years
The most common wasp species were V. maculifrons, V. germanica, V. flavopilosa, and V. vidua which was present in relatively high numbers in 2015

Summary

Introduction

Social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) are important predators of other insects and spiders [1,2,3,4].paper wasps (Polistes spp.) and yellowjackets (Vespula and Dolichovespula spp.) are frequently considered nuisance pests, later in the summer, for people, pets, and livestock [1,5,6,7,8].Social wasps can become common recurring pests in commercial fruit production, including grape, cherry, peach, pear, apple, and Myrciaria sp. [5,9,10,11] and can display aggressive behavior during fruit harvest [12]. [5,9,10,11] and can display aggressive behavior during fruit harvest [12]. Social wasps can become common recurring pests in commercial fruit production, including grape, cherry, peach, pear, apple, and Myrciaria sp. Some species, such as Vespula germanica, recruit nestmates to desirable food sources [13,14], potentially exacerbating their pest status. Management strategies are limited and include nest treatment or removal, sanitation in the way of damaged and dropped fruit removal, as well as trapping with baits or lures [16,17], but these methods do not provide adequate control in either urban or agricultural settings [8,18]

Methods

Results

Conclusion