Attraction of the Invasive Hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax, by using Bacillus sp. BV‐1 Cultures

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The invasive hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax has becomes a public concern in rural and urban South Korea. The technologies are necessary to develop a way to counter V. velutina. In an effort to develop a way to counter V. velutina, we found that a bacillus strain, named Bacillus sp. BV‐1, produces volatile compounds that attract V. velutina. METHODS AND RESULTS: Field trials of V. velutina attraction were performed using plates and traps containing BV‐1 cultures grown on sugar medium. When the sugar medium and sugar‐grown BV‐1 cultures in the plates were placed close together, V. velutina visited preferably the plates with the BV‐1 cultures. Significantly more V. velutina were caught in the traps containing BV‐1 cultures than in those containing only sugar medium. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with GC/MS analysis of BV‐1 cultures detected 2‐methyl‐1‐propanol, 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol, 3‐methylbutanoic acid, ethyl hexanoate, 2‐pheylethanol, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl decanoate as the major volatiles. CONCLUSION: BV‐1 cultures were suggested as potential agents for managing V. velutina as they produce volatile compounds that attract the hornet.