Evaluation of management techniques for predatory wasps of honey bees
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Date
2021-09-01
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Palampur
Abstract
To manage bee wasp species, knowledge of wasp predaceous behavior and defense
mechanism of honey bees are of utmost importance. It is an experiment oriented elaborated attempt
to save incinerating honey bee world over, and to have an alternative to stringent wasp menace.
The incidence of four species of honey bee predatory wasps viz Vespa auraria, V. basalis, V.
tropica and V. mandarinia was recorded. Impact of wasp attack was assessed in colonies and had
30 per cent mortality of colonies as well as reduction in strength, brood and nectar. Wasp incidence
fluctuation was observed in different months. V. auraria had the lowest population of 2.76 ± 0.92
wasp in June while it was highest 24.73 ± 1.88 wasps/week in August. V. basalis, and V. tropica
had their lowest population of 0.29 ± 0.29 and 0.04±0.04 wasps/week in the month of June while
they reached to maximum visits of 5.80 ± 0.55 and 0.51 ± 0.07 wasps/week in August, respectively.
In predatory behavior V. auraria was found the most agile wasp species with highest attacks on
colony as 3.68 ± 0.98/week, and it also spent least time of 7.47 ± 0.28s to catch a bee followed by
V. tropica (25.58 ± 0.51s) and V. basalis (31.26 ± 0.73s). V. basalis had tendency to attack at
ground level than at hive entrance. On an average 6.04 guard bees/colony significantly can resist
wasp attack. In heat balling a wasp, after 45s maximum of 25.75 ±0.43 bees were seen engulfed
and in the process a rise of 6.47º F temperature was recorded. Thermal exposure for 5 and 20
minutes for wasps was 49 and 48 whereas for bees it was 53 and 55 respectively. Bee wasp
protector was the most suitable wasp management technique and it had the lowest successful
catches 0.55 ± 0.07, 0.21 ± 0.01, 0.00 ± 0.00 bees by any of wasp, V. auraria, V. basalis and V.
tropica, respectively. Among six bait materials acetic acid was found the best while tested four
repellents were also found promising. A 750 ml capacity bottle trap containing fermented honey
has been found to the most effective way to manage V. auraria, V. basalis and V. tropica in
apiaries.