SELECTIVE ATTRACTION of Vespula Germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) to FEEDING BAITS ENHANCED with ISOBUTANOL and ACETIC ACID
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Chilean J. Agric. Anim. Sci., ex Agro-Ciencia (2017) 33(3):195-201. 195 ISSN 0719-3882 print ISSN 0719-3890 online SELECTIVE ATTRACTION OF Vespula germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) TO FEEDING BAITS ENHANCED WITH ISOBUTANOL AND ACETIC ACID Tomislav Curkovic1*, Javier Vergara1 , Jaime E. Araya1, Américo Contreras2 1 Depto. Sanidad Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 1004, Santiago, Chile. 2 Dirección Escuela de Pregrado, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 1004, Santiago, Chile * Corresponding autor E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Vespula germanica (F.) has a negative impact on agriculture, beekeeping, and tourism in Chile. Therefore, environmentally-friendly strategies need to be implemented to control this serious pest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of adults of V. germanica to different types of baits with acetic acid + isobutanol (AAIB) added. The selected baits were: blood and bone flour (BF), raspberry jam (RJ), and sweet condensed milk (CM). The trial was conducted in a severely infested site in central Chile. Mixtures were placed in bottle traps. All of the traps were monitored daily from Monday to Friday during 5 weeks, and rebaited every week. A randomized complete block design, with 12 treatments and 4 replicates was used. Captures of V. germanica and other social hymenopterans were identified and data were recorded; V. germanica individuals approaching the trap openings (= visits) were also counted. A number of 15,480 V. germanica individuals, which were mostly workers, were captured. The most attractive baits were CM and BF + 2 mL AAIB. Feeding baits attracted significantly more workers with increasing concentrations of chemicals (AAIB), and significantly more wasps than the feeding baits alone. Lesser captures occurred of Apis mellifera workers (1,046), while the preference trend differed from that observed for V. germanica in several treatments. A number of 854 Polistes buyssoni workers were captured, but no differences were found between treatments. In addition, a number of 466 V. germanica visited the traps, but the trend observed with captures only occurred in traps baited with BF + AAIB, whereas no preference trend was observed for mixtures with RJ and CM. The results indicate that these attracting baits can be used not only to massively and selectively capture and destroy adults of V. germanica, but also to develop feeding baits not attractive for A. mellifera. Key words: Apis mellifera, Polistes buyssoni, yellowjacket, baits, mass trapping, monitoring. INTRODUCTION which is originally from Eurasia and northern Africa, has invaded New Zealand, Australia, The Vespidae family (Hymenoptera) includes South Africa, the US, Canada, Argentina, and 58 species in Chile (Willink and Chiappa, 1993), Chile, due to shipping wood with mated queens but several others have been either described or (Sackman and Corley, 2007). It was introduced introduced during the last two decades in the in Chile in the early 1970s (Peña et al., 1975), and country, reaching a number of 64 species (Chiappa has spread very rapidly as to be considered a et al., 2003; Barrera and Vidal, 2013; Barrera and pest (Chiappa et al., 1986; Estay et al., 2008). At Lukhaup, 2015). The German yellowjacket wasp, present, it is found from Atacama (~27° S, 70° W) Vespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), in the north to the Strait of Magellan and Tierra Received: 18 enero 2017. Accepted: 25 April 2017. 196 Chilean J. Agric. Anim. Sci., ex Agro-Ciencia (2017) 33(3):195-201. del Fuego Island (~54° S, 70° W), from sea level mixed with isobutanol + acetic acid at several to 1800 m altitude (Estay et al., 2008; Sola et al., concentrations to V. germanica and other eusocial 2015). Hymenoptera for the massive trapping of workers, This wasp has widely established and spread and also as a first step for the future development because it can live in different environments. In of a toxic bait loaded with insecticides to control fact, it does not have significant natural enemies, both adults and larvae inside the nest. preys with great voracity, and can feed from different food items, becoming a serious pest MATERIALS AND METHODS (Rizzuto, 2002; Estay et al., 2008). It causes damage to agriculture, especially in vineyards, reaching Study site. The study was conducted in up to 10% losses in Chile in some years and areas “Quebrada de la Plata” (33º29’ S; 70º53 W), an 895 (Curkovic et al., 2004; Ripa, 2004; Estay et al., ha conservation area at “Rinconada de Maipú” 2008). In addition, Vespula germanica also affects Experimental Station, University of Chile, apiaries (ODEPA, 2003), and tourism (Estay et al., Metropolitan Region. Four sites located approx. 2008). Diverse strategies have been used to control 50-200 m apart were used. This is a wild and this wasp worldwide. However, the use of sugary semi mountainous creek area (at ~450 m.a.s.l.), baits plus insecticides also affects honeybees,Apis dominated by xeric shrub and sclerophytic trees, mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Additionally, mainly Colliguaja odorifera (Gillies & Hook), the use of animal protein (meat) alone or mixed Acacia caven (Molina), Baccharis linearis [(Ruiz & with insecticides for immediate direct control of Pav.) Pers.], and Trevoa trinervis (Miers) (Gajardo, workers in order to reduce wasp density is more 1994). V. germanica has adequate developmental selective (Estay et al., 2008), but colonies are not conditions in this area, including abundant prey, completely controlled. drinking water, and cellulose sources to build the An efficient bait to trap and controlV. germanica nest and feed the colony. It has been reported that requires powerful, selective, and hopefully, the establishment of this species has negatively specific attractants (Day and Jeanne 2001) to affected beekeeping activities. avoid affecting beneficial species, particularly honeybees and Bombus spp. (Estay et al., 2008). Feeding baits and chemicals. Feeding baits were Besides, if those attractants are available, it is selected to test attractiveness single or mixed possible to prepare toxic baits (contaminated with toxicants (attracticides) to V. germanica. The with insecticides) to affect the colony inside feeding baits evaluated were: blood and bone the nest. This might work well because of the flour (BF), a by-product of the meat industry trophalaxis behavior exhibited by Vespidae; containing 20% protein, 22% Ca, and 11% P; workers provide larvae with protein, which sweet condensed milk (CM; 100 g provide 301 mostly consists of chewed insects and spiders, Kcal, 7.5 g protein, 4.1% fat, 58.7 g carbohydrates, or even meat of dead animals (Magunacelaya et 102 mg Na, 250 mg Ca, and 190 g P); and al., 1986; Ripa, 2004), while larvae give them back raspberry jam (RJ; 100 g provide 247 Kcal, 0.4 sugary saliva in retribution, which is a rich source g protein, 0.6% fat, and 60 g carbohydrates). BF of energy that foragers need to fly and carry out was mixed with water (10% w/w) to keep the bait body maintenance activities (Kasper et al., 2004). humid when exposed in the field. A volume of Hymenopterans can detect volatiles by ~26 mL of each feeding bait was used per trap. smell (Chapman, 2013). Vespids use them as Besides, two chemicals were also added; a 1:1 cues for pollination (Brodmann et al., 2008), to mixture of acetic acid + isobutanol (AAIB) based find the nest (Jandt et al, 2005) or food sources on observations by Correa (2005). This author (Day and Jeanne, 2001). Several volatiles are conducted a study with the same feeding baits attractive and can orient V. germanica foragers evaluated here but with no addition of AAIB, to the source, including fruit odors and other and reported that they were not highly attractive chemicals (Landolt, 1998; Day and Jeanne, under similar conditions in terms of location, 2001). Preliminary trapping studies conducted vegetation, and season of the year. Mixtures were in Chile by Correa (2005) reported low captures prepared immediately before placing the traps in of V. germanica with sources of protein and some the field. The amounts and combinations tested sugary foods alone, and found that the mixture are presented in Table 1. of isobutanol + acetic acid was more attractive to foragers. These compounds have also proven Traps and setting. Traps were 2 L transparent attractive for Vespula spp. when mixed at certain plastic bottles, with two ~4 x ~7 cm opposing rates (Landolt, 1998). openings (on the upper third). The 1/3 bottom of The objective of this study was to evaluate each bottle contained a 5% solution of an odorless the attractiveness in the field of selected baits detergent to facilitate insect drowning. An Vergara et al. Attraction of Vespula germanica to feeding baits 197 Table 1. Feeding baits, chemical attractants, and volumes used/trap. Abbreviations1 Food baits + chemical attractants Volume (mL) BF+AAIB3 Blood and bone flour + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 1 + 1 BF+AAIB2 Blood and bone flour + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.1 + 0.1 BF+AAIB1 Blood and bone flour + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.01 + 0.01 RJ+AAIB3 Raspberry jam + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 1 + 1 RJ+AAIB2 Raspberry jam + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.1 + 0.1 RJ+AAIB1 Raspberry jam + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.01 + 0.01 CM+AAIB3 Condensed milk + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 1 + 1 CM +AAIB2 Condensed milk + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.1 + 0.1 CM +AAIB1 Condensed milk + acetic acid + isobutanol 26 + 0.01 + 0.01 BF Blood and bone flour 26 RJ Raspberry jam 26 CM Condensed milk 26 1 BF: blood and bone flour; RJ: raspberry jam; CM: condensed milk uncapped plastic vial (~30 mL) was hung inside to the Department of Crop Protection, College the bottle, placed between the trap openings, of Agronomic Sciences, University of Chile, and containing one of the bait treatments.