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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207836
Title: First European Report of Social Wasps Trapped in Response to Acetic acid, Isobutanol, 2-Methyl-2-propanol, and Heptyl butyrate in Tests Conducted in Hungary

Author
item Landolt, Peter
item TOTH, MIKLOS - HAS, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
item JOSVAI, JULIA - HAS, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Submitted to: Bulletin of Insectology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2007
Publication Date: 4/10/2007
Citation: Landolt, P.J., Toth, M., Josvai, J. 2007. First European Report of Social Wasps Trapped in Response to Acetic acid, Isobutanol, 2-Methyl-2-propanol, and Heptyl butyrate in Tests Conducted in Hungary. Bulletin of Insectology 60(1):7-11.

Interpretive Summary: Because of concerns with adverse environmental and human health effects of many pesticides used to control insects, new methods are needed to control insect pests of agricultural crops. Chemical attractants for insect pests are useful for trapping and baiting targeted species. Researchers at the USDA-ARS Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory are developing chemical attractants for several insect pests of tree fruits, including yellowjackets and hornets that are stinging pests and damage fruit in orchards and vineyards at harvest . It was determined in collaborative studies with researchers with the Hungarian Academy of Science, Plant Protection Institute, that major pest yellowjackets and hornets in Europe can be trapped using either acetic acid with isobutanol, or acetic acid with 2-methyl-2-butanol. This information provides opportunities to develop monitoring and control methods for these insects using chemical attractants.

Technical Abstract: Five species of social wasps were captured in trapping tests in Hungary that evaluated the attractiveness of acetic acid, isobutanol, 2-methyl-2-propanol, and heptyl butyrate to social wasps. Both Vespula vulgaris (L.) and Vespula germanica (Fabr.), were captured in traps baited with isobutanol, the combination of acetic acid and isobutanol, and the combination of acetic acid and 2-methyl-2-propanol. Vespula germanica did not respond to acetic acid or to heptyl butyrate. Vespula vulgaris also responded to acetic acid alone, and 2-methyl-2-propanol alone, but did not respond to heptyl butyrate. Both V. germanica and V. vulgaris responded more strongly to the combinations of acetic acid with isobutanol and acetic acid with 2-methyl-2-propanol, compared to any of these chemicals tested alone. Small numbers of European hornets, Vespa crabro (L.) were captured in traps baited with acetic acid with isobutanol, but not with any other lures. Small numbers of Dolichovespula media (Retzius) were captured in traps baited with acetic acid, and with the combination of acetic acid and isobutanol, but not with any other lures. The small numbers of Polistes nimpha (Christ) trapped were not large enough for any statistical analyses. These findings are the first report of attracting and trapping vespid wasps in Europe with these chemicals.