Interaction between Vespula germanica and Apis mellifera in Patagonia Argentina apiaries

BUTELER, MICAELA; YOSSEN,MARIA BELEN ; ALMA, ANDREA MARINA; LOZADA, MARIANA

APIDOLOGIE

EDP SCIENCES S A

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2021 vol. 52 p. 848 - 859

0044-8435

Social wasps are important predators of honeybees, attacking hives to steal honey, pollen, larvae, andadults.Wasps of the genus Vespula are considered agricultural pests in many invaded areas, but their impact on Apis mellifera in these areas is poorly understood. Here, we studied agonistic interactions between V. germanica wasps and honeybees in Patagonia, Argentina. We found that the attack intensity was positively correlated with wasp density and that the colonies with lower honeybee traffic were the most affected by the wasps. We conclude that V. germanica has a significant impact on honeybees in this invaded area in Patagonia suggesting beekeepers need to be alert during the summer months to reduce wasp density of this insect pest.