Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2003) 96, 685-688

P. D'Adamo, M. Lozada and J. Corley (2003)
Conspecifics enhance attraction of Vespula germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) foragers to food baits
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 96 (5), 685-688
Abstract: Local enhancement has been shown to occur in the social wasp Vespula germanica (F.), a species that feeds on live insects as well as on dead animals. Some studies suggest local enhancement is based on sight, whereas others suggest that odors emanating from wasp bodies are more important in attracting conspecifc workers to a food source. We studied whether the attraction of V. germanica foragers to meat baits increases by the addition of live conspecific foragers and analyzed which cues (olfactory and visual) elicit this attraction. Our results show that the combination of meat and wasps strongly enhances the attraction of conspecific foragers. Presenting both visual and olfactory cues together leads to a wasp response that is much greater than if isolated visual or isolated olfactory cues were added, suggesting some synergistic action of both cues.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Paola D'Adamo, Juan Carlos Corley

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Vespula germanica