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Reference · Pests

Social wasps

Systematic position: Social wasps belong to the family Vespidae within the order Hymenoptera. Common species such as the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and hornets are typical representatives of this family that interact with agricultural landscapes.

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Acadian yellowjacket Vespula acadica Aerial yellowjacket Vespula arenaria Apache paper wasp Polistes apachus Asian giant hornet Vespa mandarinia Asian hornet Vespa velutina Austrian yellowjacket Vespula austriaca Bald-faced hornet Vespula maculata Canadian paper wasp Polistes canadensis Canaliculate potter wasp Eumenes canaliculatus Carolina paper wasp Polistes carolina Chinese paper wasp Polistes chinensis Common wasp Paravespula Common wasp Vespula vulgaris Common wasp Vespula Eastern yellowjacket Vespula maculifrons Eumenes Eumenes European hornet Vespa crabro European hornet Vespa German wasp Vespula germanica Golden paper wasp Polistes aurifer Jadwiga paper wasp Polistes jadwigae Long-cheeked wasp Dolichovespula Macao paper wasp Polistes macaensis Median wasp Dolichovespula media Norwegian wasp Vespula norvegica Norwegian wasp cuckoo Dolichovespula adulterina Odynerus Odynerus Olive paper wasp Polistes olivaceus Oriental hornet Vespa orientalis Pachodynerus Pachodynerus Pachodynerus diabolicus Pachodynerus diabolicus Pachodynerus nasidens Pachodynerus nasidens Pachodynerus peruensis Pachodynerus peruensis Paper wasp Polistes exclamans Paper wasp Polistes foederatus Paper wasp Polistes gallicus Paper wasp Polistes versicolor Paper wasp Polistes dominulus Paper wasp diabolicus Polistes diabolicus Paper wasp parasite Sulcopolistes Paper wasp Polistes lanio Polistes lanio Paper wasps Polistes Peruvian paper wasp Polistes peruvianus Polistes marginalis Polistes marginalis Polistes metricus Polistes metricus Polistes variabilis Polistes variabilis Pseudovespula Pseudovespula Red wasp Vespula rufa Red-headed paper wasp Polistes erythrocephalus Ropalidia Ropalidia Ropalidia cincta Ropalidia cincta Saxon wasp Dolichovespula saxonica Southern yellowjacket Vespula squamosa Sulcopolistes sulcifer Sulcopolistes sulcifer Tree wasp Dolichovespula sylvestris Vespa ducalis Vespa ducalis Vespa soror Vespa soror Western yellowjacket Vespula atropilosa Western yellowjacket Vespula pensylvanica Yellow-haired wasp Vespula flavopilosa

Social wasps

Crops damaged: In agriculture, these wasps are considered significant pests for orchard fruits and berries. They cause the most substantial damage to vineyards, apples, pears, peaches, and berry crops like raspberries and strawberries during the fruit ripening phase.

Biology and life cycle: Social wasps operate in colonies headed by a queen. After overwintering, the queen establishes a nest, and as the season progresses, the number of worker wasps increases significantly. These workers actively search for carbohydrates to fuel their high energy requirements, leading them to sugary fruit crops.

Character of damage and harmfulness: Wasps feed by piercing the skin of ripening fruits and consuming the pulp. This behavior results in direct loss of commercial value. Furthermore, the damage caused provides entry points for secondary pathogens like fungal rots, which often lead to the rapid decay of surrounding fruits on the bunch or branch.

Control measures: Management strategies include the use of bait traps containing fermented juice or syrup to reduce local populations, the application of protective netting on grape clusters, and the location and destruction of nests. Because chemical control is restricted near harvest, integrated pest management focuses on physical barriers and monitoring techniques.