Trapping social wasps (Hymenoptera : Vespidae) with acetic acid and saturated short chain alcohols

Nineteen compounds were evaluated in combination with a solution of acetic acid as baits for trapping the German yellowjacket, Vespula germanica (F.), the western yellowjacket Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure), and the golden p aper wasp Polistes aurifer Saussure. Compounds with three to six carbon cha ins or branched chains and with a hydroxy functional group were selected fo r testing based on their similarity to isobutanol. They were compared with isobutanol with acetic acid, which is a known wasp attractant. None of the compounds tested were superior to isobutanol when presented with acetic aci d as a lure for these species of wasps. However, traps baited with either t he S-(-)- or the racemic mixture of 2-methyl-1-butanol in combination with acetic acid captured similar numbers of both species of yellowjackets, comp ared with isobutanol with acetic acid. Polistes aurifer responded strongly to the S-(-)-enantiomer and to the racemic mixture of 2-methyl-1-butanol wi th acetic acid and not to the R-(+)-enantiomer with acetic acid.