Yellowjacket Trapping Efficacy Trials, NYS IPM Program, 2014 & 2015

Abstract

Container traps baited with a food attractant are often promoted as a technique to reduce yellowjacket populations without the use of pesticides. There has been little or no work on whether the traps reduce the risk of being stung. Continuing on work initiated in 2006, we tested the premise that trapping around a periphery of a plot will reduce the number of yellowjackets in the center of the plot. The assumption was made that the fewer the yellowjackets, the less the risk of being stung. During 2015, we also began testing if adding a surfactant to the bait increased captures. While a more detailed analysis is pending, the results in 2014 and 2015 were more variable than the 2006 study. Although not conclusive, we have evidence that adding a surfactant improved the ability of the traps to retain yellowjackets.