Wasp and Bee Management on Grapes Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, PhD NYSIPM Program, Cornell University. Photo by Davidh-j, Flickr.com

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1 Wasp and Bee Management on Grapes Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, PhD NYSIPM Program, Cornell University Photo by Davidh-j, Flickr.com

2 Wasps and bees Order Hymenoptera ants, wasps, bees Most important group of insects to humans Nearly all wasps, bees and ants are beneficial in some way Predators of other (unwanted) insects Pollinators of most types of plants, except grasses. Ant tunnels aerate soils and allow water penetration.

3 The problems with wasps and bees Females have a venomous sting that can injure or even kill a person (rare). Sugar-hungry wasps and bees can cause damage to fruit crops, including small fruits and grapes. Late-season damage is caused and exacerbated by wasp/bee feeding. No labeled pesticides for wasps or bees.

4 Damage from wasp feeding OMAFRA Thomas Quine

5 Diagnostics know what insect you re seeing University of Wisconsin D. Riggs Purdue University S. Ellis

6 Of concern to grape growers Yellowjackets Paper wasps Bald faced hornets European hornets Bumble bees

7 German and Eastern yellowjackets W. Cranshaw, Bugwood.org

8 Yellowjacket or honey bee? Do you carry one of these?

9 Yellowjackets vs. paper wasps 1. Leg length 2. Shape of abdomen

10 Subterranean yellowjacket colonies 2,000-5,000 wasps per colony Rabbit, woodchuck, fox, rat and mouse burrows Fence post holes Old stumps

11 Yellowjacket nest combs Will be found: On buildings In shrubs In wall voids In unused equipment or vehicles In greenhouses Attics Dead hollow trees Beneath AC units

12 Visible nest ball What is the difference between these two?

13 Baldfaced hornet workers per colony

14 Baldfaced hornets are aggressive Images from

15 Visible paper comb, no wrapping If you find a nest with a visible comb, it is paper wasps (Polistes). Usually found in protected areas, eaves, under flashing, under porches, railings..

16 Nests are not always in protected locations.

17 Polistes paper wasps Several dozen workers per nest at most. More nests per acre. Aggressive when bothered. Feed on softbodied insects.

18 European Hornet Vespa crabro

19 workers per colony, typically. Nest in old buildings or hollow trees. Difficult to locate. European hornet nest

20 European hornet compared to the eastern yellowjacket

21 Could also be Cicada killer wasps

22 Ground-nesting bees Could also be

23 If you find this: Call a beekeeper!!

24 Early season foraging Heavily reliant on predation of other insects. A. Hinterworth Bugguide.net Tom Murray Bugguide.net

25 Some social wasps are scavengers Yellowjackets Baldfaced hornets European hornets Kevin Bell, Leigh, Lancashire UK

26 Late season Colony structure deteriorates as queen declines. Food preference becomes solely sugarbased for energy and survival.

27 Management of wasps Manage the crop to reduce injury that attracts wasps. Locate and manage wasp nests in and near the vineyard.

28 Management is dependent on good IPM practices Healthy grapes are less susceptible. Be familiar with varieties and vineyards that are most susceptible to wasps. Certain locations may have more nests Old buildings Dead trees, stumps Wildlife burrows Work harvest dates around the most susceptible vines.

29 Vineyard sanitation is key for most pests

30 Good IPM practices Minimize injury to grapes caused by birds, grape berry moth, powdery mildew and bunch rots. Grape clusters should be picked as soon as they ripen to discourage wasp feeding. Remove any overripe or damaged fruit from the grapevines. Insecticides are not an effective management option for wasps.

31 Manage wasps at the nest Scout early and often, activity is noticeable in mid-summer. Destroy all nests that are found. Ground nests or void nests DeltaDust Aerial or paper wasp nests any aerosol labeled for wasps (such as Wasp Freeze). Honey bee

32 Managing paper wasps Early season management of nesting (knock down) discourages nest building later in the season.

33 A simple way to stop nest building early. A bit too silly?

34 Aerial nests can be tricky Can be very high in a tree, still worth getting. Power washer or fire hose water stream will knock it down (wear protective clothing!) If lower, a shop-vac works well! Honey bee

35 High capacity pressure washer

36 Vacuum a wall-void nest

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39 Trapping wasps Trapping wasps may help lower the damage on grapes. Trapping needs to be started early and maintained through harvest. Commercial or homemade traps are available. Early season protein Late season sweet liquids

40 Make a yellowjacket trap Plastic dish pan or wash basin. A tablespoon of liquid dish soap, preferably non-scented 3 sticks about 13 inches long 2 or 3 tie wires A 3 or 4 inch piece of wire 12 inches of string A piece of raw fish

41 This works early in the season due to YJ attraction to protein

42 Soda bottle wasp trap Fill with orange soda, cheap fruit punch, Mountain Dew, beer, pineapple juice Clean it 3x/week!!

43 Honey bee Perimeter trapping

44 Other management options Perimeter of building may have holes, gaps, or a history of wasp/bee problems. Keep an eye out while doing other perimeter treatments. Deal with activity early in the season.

45 Risks to workers Protective clothing for workers Always have an Epi-Pen available in case someone reacts Consider mechanical harvesting

46 Pesticides Late season spraying is not feasible. No pesticides labeled for wasps on grapes. Pesticide-laced baits are illegal and a bad idea (non-targets, esp. honey bees).

47 Wasps carry local yeasts

48 Our new field guide Wasp and Bee Management; A Common-Sense Approach Available at: ls.cornell.edu/

49 Questions? Contact us: Thank you!