Environmental Entomology (1998) 27, 1229-1234

Peter J. Landolt (1998)
Chemical attractants for trapping yellowjackets Vespula germanica and Vespula pensylvanica (Hymenoptera : Vespidae)
Environmental Entomology 27 (5), 1229-1234
Abstract: Worker yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) were captured in traps baited with combinations of an aqueous solution of acetic acid and polyethylene caps loaded with either butyl butyrate, heptyl butyrate, or isobutanol. Vespula germanica (F.) were captured in large numbers in traps baited with acetic acid and isobutanal or acetic acid and butyl butyrate. Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure) were captured in large numbers in traps baited with heptyl butyrate, acetic acid and heptyl butyrate, acetic acid and butyl butyrate, and acetic acid and isobutanol. Acetic acid generally enhanced the attractiveness of these other compounds to V. pensylvanica and V. germanica. Vespula atropilosa (Sladen) were captured in large numbers in traps baited with heptyl butyrate or acetic acid and heptyl butyrate, with no apparent effect of the addition of acetic acid to the trap, and they were only weakly attracted to other baits. The importance of acetic acid to attraction of V. germanica and V. pensylvanica to these lures supports the hypothesis that this response is food-finding behavior. The chemical lure comprised of acetic acid and isobutanol can be used for trapping the worldwide pest V. germanica, with the added advantage of simultaneous attractiveness to V. pensylvanica.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Peter J. Landolt

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
	Vespula pensylvanica
	Vespula atropilosa