Damage caused by social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) to commercial fruits in the Brazilian Amazon region

Abstract

Social wasps play a crucial role in ecosystems by actively foraging and preying on lepidopterans caterpillars, an important group of insects known to damage various structures of cultivated plants. However, there is a discussion about the potential damage that these wasps can cause to the fruits of some commercial species. In this research, cases of damage caused by Polybia dimidiata (Olivier), Polybia liliacea (Fabricius), Synoeca surinama (Linnaeus), and Synoeca virginea (Fabricius) to fruits of three different fruit species: guava, carambola, and murici, are recorded while they are still attached to the stem. These events occurred in the municipalities of Itacoatiara and Uarini, both located in the state of Amazonas, northern Brazil. These observations were made in the months of January 2013, December 2022, January, and February 2023. Due to their high infestation and vigorous foraging activities, it is speculated we posit that these wasp species could reach pest status, affecting the fruit harvests by stinging workers and damaging the fruits until made for marketing. However, it is crucial to emphasize that more comprehensive studies are needed to determine whether the damage caused by these vespids really represents a threat to small farmers.