Catch and release: controlling eastern yellowjacket Vespula maculifrons colonies using horizontal insecticide...

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Pest Management
• Chemical Ecology

Background:

• Horizontal insecticide transfer is crucial for urban pest control, including ants and termites.
• The trap-treat-release (TTR) method involves capturing, treating, and releasing insects to spread toxicants within a colony.
• TTR has proven effective for managing invasive ant populations through social transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of the trap-treat-release (TTR) technique for controlling field populations of the eastern yellowjacket, *Vespula maculifrons*.
• To evaluate fipronil insecticide's effectiveness and transferability in *Vespula maculifrons*.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine fipronil's toxicity and transfer efficiency in *Vespula maculifrons*.
• A field experiment employed the TTR method, trapping and treating worker wasps with fipronil.
• Treated wasps were released to return to their colonies and distribute the insecticide.

Main Results:

• Fipronil exhibited high toxicity against *Vespula maculifrons* across various concentrations in laboratory settings.
• Efficient transfer of fipronil from treated to untreated wasps resulted in significant secondary mortality.
• The field experiment confirmed effective fipronil transfer via TTR when foraging wasps returned to their colonies.

Conclusions:

• The trap-treat-release method presents a viable alternative to direct nest treatments for social wasp management.
• This approach can mitigate issues associated with traditional insecticide applications, such as environmental contamination and non-target effects.
• TTR shows potential for effective and environmentally conscious control of *Vespula maculifrons* populations.