Taxonomic name: Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms: Paravespula vulgaris
Common names: common wasp (English), common yellowjacket (English-USA), Gemeine Wespe (German)
Organism type: insect Vespula vulgaris (the common wasp) nest underground and in the cavities of trees and buildings. In addition to causing painful stings to humans, they compete with other insects and birds for insect prey and sugar sources. They will also eat fruit crops and scavenge around rubbish bins and picnic sites. Description
Distinguishing marks on workers include a black mark behind the eye on the side of the head; an anchor-shaped or dagger-shaped mark on the "face"; yellow pronotal bands which are almost parallel; black dots and rings on the abdomen, which are usually fused. Males can only be reliably distinguished by examining the aedeagus (part of the genitals) under a microscope.
Please see PaDIL (Pests and Diseases Image Library) Species Content Page Wasps: English wasp
Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus) for high quality diagnostic and overview images Occurs in:
natural forests, planted forests, scrub/shrublands, urban areas General impacts
Wasps impact a range of human activities and values, from conservation, forestry, beekeeping and horticulture sectors to human-health. Wasp stings are painful, but can also be life-threatening. A small proportion of the population will have a severe allergic reaction (called anaphylactic shock), which can be fatal unless treated promptly (Landcare Research 2007).
In forests, wasps may eat huge numbers of native insects and consume large quantities of sugary honeydew. By eating so much, wasps take potential food sources away from native species and disrupt the natural food chain and ecosystem cycling of the forest (Landcare Research 2007). To elaborate, in temperate beech forests in the South Island of New Zealand honeydew drops produced by beech scale insects (Ultracoelostoma assimile) feeding on beech trees (Nothofagus) are collected by introduced wasp species: the German wasp (Vespula germanica) and the common wasp (V. vulgaris). Moller and colleagues found that in relation to cropping by native honeyeater birds and native insects, cropping by German wasps and particularly by common wasps, significantly reduces the number, size and sugar concentration of honeydew drops (by up to 99.1%) in the summer and autumn months. Removal of the honeydew by the introduced social wasps threatens the existence of some New Zealand native animals (Moller et al. 1991).
Wasps bring with them a financial burden. They are economic pests of primary industries such as beekeeping, forestry and horticulture (Beggs 2000). Wasps totally destroy or seriously affect 10% of beehives, which translates to a significant financial loss (Clapperton et al. 1989). Beehives are often placed near honeydew forests or other unique sources of nectar to produce strong-flavoured honey. However, wasps can reduce honey production by reducing nectar and honeydew supplies and cause honeybees to stay in the hive to conserve energy and protect the hive from raiding wasps (Landcare Research 2007). Geographical range
Native range: Holarctic species.
Known introduced range: Introduced to New Zealand and Australia. Introduction pathways to new locations
Other: Queen wasps stowaway in human goods and accidentally transported.
Seafreight (container/bulk):
Local dispersal methods
Natural dispersal (local): Queen wasps can fly between 30 - 70km per annum. Management information
Preventative measures: The early detection of establishing populations is important as the next line of defence after initial quarantine procedures. Landcare Research has conducted research into generalised invertebrate surveillance techniques in recognition of the gap in biosecurity surveillance. These include malaise traps, mini-malaise traps, window traps, sticky traps, pitfall traps, UV light traps, flat ant traps, baited ant pottles, spurr wasp traps, ground bottle traps, yellow pan traps and beating. Of these, malaise traps, mini-malaise traps, window traps, sticky traps (for small wasps), UV traps, spurr wasp traps and ground bottle traps were found to be effective at catching wasps. Please follow this link for descriptions of trapping methods: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/invertebrates/id_surveillance.asp .
As there is very little generalised surveying of invertebrates in high risk environments, the primary source of information on the establishment of new invertebrate species is often public observation (Landcare Research 2007).
There are two ways of reducing a local wasp problem; either find and destroy all nests in the area, or use poison bait (Landcare Research 2007). Manual destruction of nests over large areas of shrub land is likely to be difficult and labour intensive (Toft and Harris 2004). The advantage of poison bait is that foraging wasps carry the poison back to the nest, meaning it is unnecessary to locate nests or approach those that are very large or difficult to get close to (Landcare Research 2007).
Both methods will only alleviate the problem for the current season and workers foraging for food will reinvade the area. The area will almost certainly be reinvaded the following season by queen wasps, which can fly up to 30 kilometres in their search for suitable nesting sites (Landcare Research 2007).
Almost as soon as the wasp was discovered in 1977 in Hawaii, nest eradication and control programmes were initiated on various islands. The toxicant bendiocarb was used in an attempt to control the wasp and used for nest eradication outside of agricultural situations (as it is not registered for agricultural use). Chang (1988) found that the most effective combination of bait and chemical toxicant was 0.5% microencapsulated diazinon mixed with canned Figaro brand tuna cat food. Amidino-hydrazone in a similar bait mix was also effective. Dispenser colour for the bait also proved critical: the preferred colour of bait dispenser being a translucent white.
Biological: Biological control has been used in attempts to achieve widespread control of wasps. For more information on biological control of wasps please follow this link: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/invertebrates/Wasps/biocontrol.asp . Nutrition
Common wasps collect protein and carbohydrate food. Honeydew and nectar are important food sources. They have a broad invertebrate diet with an emphasis on Diptera, Lepidoptera and Araneae. Notorious for their scavenging. Vespula wasps are also attracted to dead bait, such as chicken or fish meat (Toft and Harris 2004). Reproduction
Sexual. Males and queens produced in late autumn. Fertilised queens overwinter, and then start a new colony in early spring. The queen produces sterile females, called workers, throughout the season.
c. 1000-2000 queens are produced per colony in autumn. Average colony density in New Zealand beech forest c. 12 per ha. Lifecycle stages
Annual colonies initiated in spring by one queen. Colony expands through season and then produces sexual stages in autumn, before colony breaks down. In each cell of a new nest, the queen lays a single egg, which hatches into a larvae in 5 to 8 days. After five moults over about 90 days (the length of time spent in each stage is determined by environmental conditions), each larva spins a silken cap over the cell and pupates. After about 80 days an adult worker wasp emerges. This species has been nominated as among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders Reviewed by: Major update under progress
Jacqueline Beggs, School of Biological Sciences. Tamaki Campus, University of Auckland. New Zealand.
Compiled by: Jacqueline Beggs, School of Biological Sciences. Tamaki Campus, University of Auckland. New Zealand & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
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Last Modified: Thursday, 31 May 2007
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