Controlling yellow jackets with fipronil-based protein baits in urban recreational areas

Abstract

The western yellow jacket, Vespula penyslvanica (Saussare), is a serious seasonal pest of outdoor venues in the western United States. In the spring, queens and low numbers of workers were captured in heptyl-butyrate-baited traps until early July, when the number of foragers dramatically increased. Microsatellite data suggest that 18 colonies were actively foraging within the park in 2012. Foragers from 11 different colonies were collected at one trap site. In 2012 and 2013, sufficient numbers of foragers were not captured until early August when baiting trials were initiated. Baits were prepared with canned chicken mixed with fipronil for a final concentration of 0.025%. In 2012, a single baiting provided >96% reduction of foragers for at least two months. A second baiting late in the season provided >80% reductions. In 2013, one baiting trial resulted in a 74% and a 93% reduction. A bait acceptance study was conducted in 2014 to test a bait consisting of the juices from canned chicken and 0.025% fipronil incorporated into a hydrogel, and provided a much longer lasting bait in the field.

Hydrogels: From Controlled Release to a New Bait Delivery for Insect Pest Management

“…In these studies, either spherical (Deco Beads, RM Chemical, Cleveland, OH) or irregularly shaped water-storing polyacrylamide hydrogels (Miracle-Gro Lawn Products, Inc., Marysville, OH) were used to deliver liquid bait targeting Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr) ( Buczkowski et al 2014a , Rust et al 2015 , Cooper et al 2019 ), yellow crazy ants, Anoplolepis gracilipes (Fr. Smith) ( Peck et al 2017 ), and western yellowjackets, Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure) ( Rust et al 2017 , Choe et al 2018 ). Polyacrylamide hydrogels infused with tiny amounts of thiamethoxam or boric acid effectively reduced and managed invasive Argentine ants in a commercial plum orchard in South Africa ( Buczkowski et al 2014b ), California vineyards ( Cooper et al 2019 ), and ecologically sensitive areas of the California Channel Islands ( Boser et al 2014 , Rust et al 2015 , Merrill et al 2018 ).…”

“…Using a different AI (fipronil) and phagostimulant (chicken juice), other papers reported the use of polyacrylamide hydrogel baits in field cages hung on trees to control western yellowjackets in urban recreational areas ( Rust et al 2017 , Choe et al 2018 ) ( Fig. 1 ).…”

Enhanced Trapping of Yellowjacket Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) via Spatial Partitioning of Attractants

“…In addition to rotting fruit, several yellowjacket species—including V. pensylvanica —also forage for carrion (meat) and small insect prey using visual and olfactory cues [13]. Meat-based products are frequently used in yellowjacket baits and traps against these species [14,15,16,17]. While very little is known about how HB interacts with attractants from meats, recent studies suggest that HB may synergize with protein-derived attractants.…”

Comparison of Trap Collections and Cost of Commercially Available and Homemade Yellowjacket (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Traps in Lake County, California

“…Treating nests directly is possible but potentially dangerous and the nests can be difficult to locate ( Rust and Su 2012 ). The use of toxic baits may be effective, but few chemical baits are available ( Rust et al 2017 ) and are usually combined with meats such as chicken, which are relatively expensive and require replacement every few days ( Harris et al 1991 ). A simple, safe, and relatively inexpensive alternative or supplement to nest treatments and toxic bait use for controlling nuisance yellowjackets is the use of nontoxic baited traps ( Davis et al 1969 , 1972 ; Landolt 1998 ; Reierson et al 2008 ).…”