The social wasp Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) uses herbivore‐induced maize plant volatiles to locate its prey

Abstract

Social wasps in the Polybia genus are important for use as pest‐control agents in agricultural systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavioural responses of Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) to volatiles from maize, both constitutive volatiles and those induced by the herbivory of Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). To assess the behavioural response of P. fastidiosuscula to S. frugiperda larvae, undamaged plants, S. frugiperda‐damaged plants, mechanically damaged plants, mechanically damaged plants plus regurgitant from larvae and extracts from various treatments, bioassays were conducted in a Y‐olfactometer. In addition, the volatiles from plants subjected to different treatments were collected via aeration, and they were quantified and identified. The wasps showed a greater preference for plants with damage induced either by larval feeding or by being mechanically damaged plus regurgitant than for undamaged plants or either larvae alone or mechanically damaged plants. Wasps were more attracted to extracts from plants + S. frugiperda larvae and to an extract from mechanically damaged plants + the regurgitant of larvae compared to hexane. The primary compounds induced by herbivory for 5–6 h after the beginning of the damage or regurgitant treatment were identified as α‐pinene, β‐myrcene, (Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate, limonene, (E)‐ocimene, linalool, DMNT, (E)‐β‐farnesene, TMTT and indole. The results presented here show that the social wasp P. fastidiosuscula uses herbivore‐induced plant volatiles from maize to locate its prey.

Niche overlap and daily activity pattern of social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) in kale crops

“…These pests belong to the orders of insects that are most captured by the social wasps (Prezoto et al, 2005;Bichara-Filho et al, 2009;Freitas et al, 2015). The presence of leaves damaged by herbivores in herbaceous plants attracted Polybia occidentalis (Olivier), Polybia diguetana Buysson and Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure (Saraiva et al, 2017). Tobacco plants previously damaged by Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attracted more foraging individuals from Mischocyttarus flavitarsis (de Saussure) than non-damaged plants (Cornelius, 1993).…”

The use of Polistes versicolor (Olivier, 1971) in the control of Ascia monuste orseis (Godart, 1819) in kale cultivation

“…Such behavior has been recorded earlier for P. ignobilis which forages on Passiflora edulis Sims (RAW, 1998). Other species belonging to genus Polybia are also drawn to plants that have experienced herbivore attacks (SARAIVA et al, 2017). After being attracted to the T1 treatment area, characterized by abundant food supply, P. ignobilis began to forage frequently this area, exhibiting a behavior pattern reported earlier for this species (RAW, 1998).…”

Polybia Fasticiosuscula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Foraging Activity Patterns

“…Bruno Pandelo Brügger 1, *, Ricardo Alcántara-de la Cruz 1 , Amélia Guimarães de Carvalho 2 , Marcus Alvarenga Soares 3 , Fábio Prezoto 4 ,and José Cola Zanuncio 1 Social insects forage food resources (proteins, carbohydrates), material for nest construction (plant fibers, clay), and water (Beggs 2001). Most social wasps (Vespidae) are generalist predators of agricultural pests; therefore, they are frequently found in agroecosystems (Auad et al 2010;Brügger et al 2011Brügger et al , 2017 controlling lepidopteran caterpillar populations (Saraiva et al 2017).…”

“…Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is a social wasp that is widely distributed in South America, and which constructs large nests ("fragmocitaro") that are about 30 cm long (Saraiva et al 2017). The foraging activity of these worker wasps covers a radius of approximately 81 m from their nest (Souza et al 2010).…”