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Sugar alcohols have the potential as bee‐safe baits for the common wasp
Author(s) -
Neupert Stefanie,
Jandt Jennifer M,
Szyszka Paul
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.6925
Subject(s) - xylitol , biology , sugar , sugar alcohol , pest analysis , erythritol , toxicology , integrated pest management , honey bee , insect , hymenoptera , botany , food science , ecology , fermentation
Background Pest insects are often baited with poisoned feeding stimulants, the most common of which are sugars. However, sugars are attractive for most animal species, which makes it difficult to target only a specific pest insect species. Here, we assessed different sugar alcohols for their potential as more species‐selective feeding stimulants for pest insects. Results We tested the attractiveness of the sugar alcohols sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol with a capillary feeder assay in wasps (as potential pest insects, because introduced wasps are a pest in many regions) and bees (as non‐target insects). For the common wasp ( Vespula vulgaris ), sorbitol and xylitol acted as nutritive feeding stimulants, and erythritol acted as a non‐nutritive feeding stimulant. For the buff‐tailed bumble bee ( Bombus terrestris ), sorbitol acted as a feeding stimulant, while for the honey bee ( Apis mellifera ), none of the sugar alcohols acted as feeding stimulant. Conclusion The species‐specific preferences for sugar alcohols suggest their potential as species‐selective insect baits. The wasp‐specific preference for xylitol suggests its potential as a bee‐safe alternative to sugar‐containing bait for controlling the common wasp. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.