수분생태학(pollination ecology)의 주체인 화분매개곤충은 농업, 생물산업에 있어서 작물생산에 대한 경제적 파급효과에 대해서 매우 가치가 있는 곤충으로 인정되어 왔다. 생산되는 주요 작물의 약 70% 이상이 화분매개곤충의 수분(pollination)매 개활동에 의해 생산되는 것과 같이, 화분매개곤충의 존재는 인류에게 있어서 매우 중요하다고 볼 수 있다. 그러나 화분매개곤충 은 오랜 기간동안 변화하는 기후영향과 토지의 이용, 지형의 변화, 농작물 생산량 증대를 위한 농약 사용 등으로 인해 위협을 받고 있고 그 수가 매년 점차적으로 줄어들고 있어서 종 다양성에 대한 위험적 변화가 예상된다. 따라서 기후의 변화, 지형의 변화, 인간의 간섭에 따른 토지의 이용 등의 다양한 위험적인 요인들로부터 수분생태계 종 다양성 보존과 관리를 위하여 수분을 매개하는 야생벌의 분포에 대한 조사와 분석은 매우 중요하다. 본 연구는 2017년에서 2018년까지 전국 51개 조사지점에서 2주~한달 간격으로 말레이즈 트랩(ez-Malaise trap)을 사용하여 전국단위에서 출현하는 야생벌을 시기별, 공간별로 야생벌을 채집하였고, 채집된 꿀벌상과, 청벌상과 및 말벌상과를 대상으로 공간별, 시기별 출현현황을 분석하였다. 시기별로 전국단위로 출현한 야생벌은 정규분포 형태를 보이며 7월과 8월 사이에 크게 개체수가 증가하고 11월까지 출현하는 것을 확인하였다. 공간적으로도 야생벌은 위도에 따라서 출현분포의 차이를 유의적 수준에서 확인하였으나, 경도에 대해서는 유의적 차이를 확인할 수 없었다. 그러나 기후적 요인, 지형적 특성, 인간간섭에 따른 토지의 활용 등을 종합적으로 고려할 경우에 야생벌의 분포차이를 더욱 면밀히 분석할 수 있을 것으로 판단되며 추후의 연구로써 진행될 수 있을 것이다. 본 연구를 통한 전국에 시기별, 공간별로 출현하는 야생벌의 분포를 통해서 향후 농업발전을 위한 화분매개관련 곤충 연구에서부터 나아가 수분생태계에서의 야생벌 종 다양성 보전 및 관리를 위한 기초적 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

Hymenoptera is one of four largest orders of insects, with over 150,000 described species, 132 families, 27 superfamilies, and 2 suborders. There are currently about 3,000 hymenopteran species in 65 families and 20 superfamilies known in South Korea, of which the majority of the families have been studied while some of them are still poorly studied. The present overview on South Korean Hymenoptera aims to provide brief taxonomic history of the studies, a complete bibliography, a list of South Korean hymenopteran species, and information on South Korean hymenopterists for each taxon.

The order Hymenoptera contains over 150,000 species worldwide comprising up to 132 families, divided traditionally into two suborders, e.g., Symphyta Gerstäcker, 1867 and Apocrita Gerstäcker, 1867. Also, the morphology, ecology, and behavior of Hymenoptera are exceedingly diverse. The classification system of Hymenoptera has undergone some changes; with the growth of detailed knowledge and technique an increasing number of genera and families has been recognized. Herein, we present current status of higher level classification within Hymenoptera and suggest future directions for more extensive taxonomic researches on South Korean Hymenoptera.

This study selected 10 species commonly emerging in Busan and Daegu showing distinct green structure distributions, and distribution differences were mapped and analyzed according to city of origin. As for G-IS (Green-Inhabiting Species) of both cities, there were six species, including V. mandarinia, V. ducalis, V. crabro flavofasciata, Vl. koreensis koreensis, Pa. indica, and P. snelleni, which mostly inhabited urban source green and satellite green structures. As for GU-IS (Green & Urban-Inhabiting Species), there were two species, V. simillima simillima and V. analis parallela, which nested at diverse sites and showed greater preference for green structures. On the other hand, U-IPS (Urban-Inhabiting Preference Species) consisted of two species, V. velutina nigrithorax and P. rothneyi koreanus, which nested at almost all sites, including urban and urban green areas, and were found to adapt well to an urban environment based on their far higher rate of urban nesting as compared to GU-IS species. In comparing emergence rates among the four urban GU-IS and U-IPS species in Busan and Daegu, regular distribution was mostly observed within the city of Busan, which is well equipped with a green network, whereas Daegu, which lacks green structure connectivity, showed its greatest distribution of species nearby urban green areas. Also this study shows that in Daegu with longer distance between green, U-IPS emerged up to far site beyond green areas as compared to Busan, which has short distances between green areas.

Invasive hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax, which was found at Yeongdo, Busan for the first time in 2003, has been spreading to whole area of Gyeongnam and even to some southern parts of Gyeongbuk for last ten years, causing lots of damage. Urban area of Busan already showed dominant distribution of V. v. nigrithorax marking more than 90% of emergence rate by its spread, while in forest area, its rate had not been so high due to its competition with native Vespa species. However, recently dominance of this species was detected continuously in some forests in Busan. Thus, this study conducted a survey of emergence rate of V. v. nigrithorax at Mt. Bongraesan, Yeongdo-gu, Busan where it was discovered for the first time and also conducted observation of its behaviors related with competition for prey in order to understand its ecological niche relation with native Vespa species. Consequently, 4,560 individuals were collected in total out of main five species of Vespa at Mt. Bongraesan. Of these, V. mandarinia made up 8.7% with 397, V. crabro flavofasciata 21.2% with 965, V. analis parallela 23% with 1,048, V. simillima simillima 0.6% with 27, while V. v. nigrithorax made up 46.6% with 2,123, demonstrating the aspect of the most dominant emergence of V. v. nigrithorax. On the other hand, ecological niche due to competition for prey between V. v. nigrithorax and native Vespa species was revealed in the order of V. mandarinia >> V. crabro flavofasciata > V. analis parallela ≥ V. v. nigrithorax, telling ecological niche of V. v. nigrithorax was relatively low compared to native Vespa species, despite its dominant emergence. This background may explain why in forest area, V. v. nigrithorax had a limited spread and dominance compared to urban area of less competition among Vespa species. On the other hand, V. v. nigrithorax seems to have advantage in catching small insects due to developed agility with its smaller size than other Vespa species, and its rapid spread and adaptation in the local environment may be mainly attributable to its far more number of individuals than native Vespa species and consequent high reproductive rates and diversity of nesting site.