도시생태계는 기존 자연생태계와 달리 야생생물 및 인간이 함께 공존하는 상호복합적 환경을 제공한다. 그러나 도시 녹지 및 공원에 출현하는 말벌속(genus Vespa)은 도시생태계에 긍정적인 기능을 수행함과 동시에 도시민에게 물리적·심리적 피해를 초래하는 불균형을 야기하기도 한다. 특히 어린이공원은 접근성이 높아 도시민 및 어린이가 쉽게 이용하는 도시 녹지이며 말벌속이 거점 및 서식지로 활용하는 공간임에도 아직까지 어린이공원에 출현하는 말벌속에 대한 서식환경 및 출현 특성을 공간적으로 분석한 연구가 부족한 상황이다. 본 연구는 말벌속의 생활사 기간을 고려해 2018년 4월부터 11월까지 32주간 천안시 어린이공원 27개소 내 말벌트랩을 설치해 말벌(Vespa crabro flavofasciata), 좀말벌(Vespa analis parallela), 장수말벌(Vespa mandarinina), 꼬마장수말벌(Vespa ducalis), 등검은말벌(Vespa velutina nigrithorax)을 포획하고 출현 종 구성 및 어린이공원의 입지 특성 및 환경공간정보를 고려한 말벌속의 출현 경향을 분석하였다. 연구 기간 말벌속은 총 818개체가 포획되었으며, 종별로는 좀말벌 290개체(35.4%), 말벌 260개체(31.8%), 꼬마장수말벌 100개체 (12.1%), 장수말벌 87개체(10.6%), 등검은말벌 81개체(9.9%) 순으로 포획되었다. 대부분의 말벌속은 계칩(啓蟄) 이후 5~6 월에 여왕벌 위주로 포획이 이루어지다가 분업기인 6월 중순부터 포획 개체 수가 급감한 공통적인 특징이 있으나, 등검은말벌 은 타 말벌속의 쇠퇴기가 이미 시작된 10월 3주차부터 80% 이상 포획되어 계절적 차이를 보여주었다. 어린이공원 입지별 말벌속 포획 개체 수를 분석한 결과 포획량 상위 6개소에서 363개체(44.3%), 하위 6개소에서 35개체(4%)가 포획되어 확연한 차이를 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 상위 6개소의 평균 NDVI(Normalized difference vegetation index)는 0.79로 하위 6개소의 평균 NDVI인 0.38과 유의한 평균간 차이를 보였으며(t=2.67*, *=p<0.05), 주변 토지이용이 초지 혹은 나지일 경우 말벌속 포획 빈도가 높은 것으로 분석되었다. 본 연구는 도시 내 녹지 및 공원에 출현하는 말벌속의 생태적 기본 특성을 확인한 기초 연구로서 의의가 있으며, 향후 효율적인 도시 녹지 관리를 위한 토대가 될 것으로 기대된다.

Vespa velutina is a predatory hornet distributing in SouthEastern part of Asia and became invasive in early 2000s; invading into Korea in 2003 and France in 2004. Its distribution pattern showed typical species-invasion curve type with slow progress in the beginning and rapid expansion on ward. We determined the geographic spread of V. velutina with CLIMEX modeling. The model analysis indicates that the ecoclimatic indices (EI) increased as the projection year increased based on RCP8.5 scenario. Then the predicted EI values were further regressed with the field collected data from 2018. Vespa velutina population sizes were estimated from 230 points of sampling over the country and the sampling data were correlated with predicted EI values. The results indicated that partial contribution of the climate factors for its abundance. Also this could be an usual biological indicator of climate change in agroecosystem in Korea. Given the important risk and impact on beekeeping, socio-biological as well as ecosystem and biodiversity levels, careful monitoring of phenology, range expansion and preventive efforts mitigating the impact are further required.

The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), invaded into South Korea in 2003. Currently, V. velutina is distributed throughout South Korean regions,. A genetic trait of invasive species provides important data for environmental risk assessment. In this study, we analysed the genetic variation of the V. velutina among the populations of South Korea and other foreign countries using partial sequences of mitochondrial COI, CytB and 16S rRNA. We further developed intergenic spacers (IGS2 and IGS3) to detect genetic variation among Korean populations. Each single haplotype was recovered from the domestic V. velutina from each coding gene sequence. Korean individuals shared the haplotype with that of Japan and China. Phylogenetic analysis (excluding 16S rRNA) using available sequences and ours showed the presence of two groups: the Indonesia and Malaysia group and another group (Korea, Japan, China, France, Vietnam and Thailand). The newly developed IGS2 and IGS3 markers resulted in each seven and four haplotypes, providing better resolution than coding gene sequences. Analysis of Molecular Variance using the combined sequences of IGS2 and IGS3 showed that the majority of variance was allocated to each population and only minority of variance is allocated to among-populations. This result may indicate that the V. v. nigrithorax invaded in Korea shows a single panmictic population and this possibly suggest that Korean population may have originated from small founder individuals.

2003년 부산에서 처음 발견된 외래종인 등검은말벌(Vespa velutina)은 2018년 현재 전국적으로 확산되어 양봉을 포기하는 농가가 속출할 정도로 심각한 경제적 피해를 초래하고 있다. 말벌류의 방제는 유인 포획기를 사용하는 것이 가장 효과적인 방법으로 알려져 있다. 유인 포획기는 당 성분의 섭식 유인제에 1차 유인 포획된 말벌이 알람페로몬을 발산하면서 2차 유인을 여기하여 포획력을 극대화시키는 원리이다. 그러나 등검은말벌은 개체군 성장을 위해 단백질원이 필요하기 때문에 당성분의 휘발성 물질에 의존하는 유인제를 탑재한 기존 포획기만으로는 충분한 등검은말벌 개체 수 감소 및 방제에 한계가 있다. 본 연구에서는 이와 같은 문제점을 해결하여 등검은말벌 포획율을 향상시키고 말벌 피해로 인한 꿀벌 개체군 보호를 위하여 꿀벌통 일체형의 포획시스템을 개발하였다. 꿀벌 사냥 후 말벌집으로 회귀하는 습성, 최초 꿀벌 포획에 성공한 양봉장으로 회귀 후 지속적으로 사냥하는 습성, 어두운 곳에 있을 때 밝은 쪽을 선호하는 습성 등 다양한 생태 특성을 반영하여 시스템을 고안되었다. 즉, 최초 사냥성공 시 등검은말벌을 포획함으로 동일 개체에 의한 반복적 피해를 방지하는 새로운 방식의 포획법이다. 본 연구를 통해 개발된 포획시스템은 양봉 농가의 가장 큰 피해 요인인 말벌 사냥에 의한 꿀벌 개체수 감소를 방지함으로서 양봉 산업의 유지 및 발전에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

동남아시아에 발생하던 등검은말벌은 최근 국내 뿐만 아니라 프랑스와 일본, 유럽 전역으로 확산되어 전 세계 양봉 산업에 극심한 피해를 주고 있다. 등검은말벌을 방제하기 위해 다양한 방제 방법들이 연구되고 있으며, 그 중 말벌 유인제에 대해 국제적으로 많은 연구가 진행되어 왔으나 이 역시 지속적인 개발이 필요한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 시판 유인제와 최근 (주)다목에코텍에서 새롭게 개발한 신규 개발 유인제에 대한 효능 검정을 수행하였 고 양봉장에 출현하는 국내 발생 말벌속의 발생양상을 조사하였다. 담양 1개소와 곡성 2개소에 기존 유인제과 신규 유인제를 장착한 포획기를 각 3쌍씩 설치하여 2016년 9월부터 11월말까지 주 1~2회 관찰하였다. 그 결과 국내 발생 말벌속 중 등검은말벌(7,787 개체)이 가장 많이 포획되었고, 다음으로 장수말벌, 말벌, 좀말벌, 꼬마장수말벌, 털보말벌 순으로 포획되었다. 두 유인제의 포획력 검정 결과, 신규 개발 유인제가 통계적으로 유의하게(P < 0.01) 등검은말벌 포획력이 높음을 보였다.

다이옥신류(Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans: PCDD/Fs)는 화학적으로 매우 안정화 되어 있으며 난분해성 이자 강한 독성을 가지고 있다. 특히 환경 매체의 오염을 통해 생태계 내 생물의 생체에 종종 축적된다. 외래종 등검은말벌은 2003년 국내 침입 후 전국적으로 확산되었으며, 최근 말벌(집)을 민간요법으로 식음하는 사례가 늘면서 이로 인한 오염물질 노출 가능성이 높아지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 도시 및 산림지역에서 말벌(집)을 채집한 후 비의도적 잔류성유기오염물질 공정시험방법에 따라 전처리 후 가스크로마토그래프/고분해능질량분석기(GC/HRMS) 를 이용하여 다이옥신류의 농도수준과 경향을 확인하였다. 농도는 WHO에서 제시한 2015 독성등가계수를 이용하여 TEQ농도(pg-TEQ/g)로 환산하였다. 그 결과, OCDD 등 일부 다이옥신 물질이 검출되었으나, 인체의 유해정도는 낮은 것으로 보인다. 그러나 다양한 지역에서의 등검은말벌 채취 및 분석, 위해성평가 등 추가연구가 필요하다.

Due to their environmental and economical consequences, invasive species have become a major concern worldwide. Among them, the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, is a keen hunter of domestic honeybees. They use olfactory cues from the prey to assess food information. In this study, we investigated the attraction behavior of V. velutina to honeybee pheromone under outdoor conditions. Nine honeybee pheromones were tested and compared in order to find the best attractant. When testing specific compounds, the honeybee queen pheromone, homovanillyl alcohol, proved highly attractive.

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Vespa velutina nigrithorax and V. ducalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). The genomes were 16,475-bp and 15,779-bp long and contained typical sets of genes. The V. velutina and V. ducalis A+T-rich region was 132-bp long and 166-bp long and was the shortest of all sequenced Vespoidea genomes. Start and stop codons in several Vespa species—including V. velutina and V. ducalis—were diversified, despite these species belonging to the same genus. In comparison with the ancestral mitogenomes, Vespa mitogenomes showed substantial gene rearrangement; however, we detected no gene rearrangement among Vespa species. We conducted phylogenetic reconstruction based on concatenated sequences of 13 PCGs and two rRNAs in available species of Vespoidea—22 species in six subfamilies in two families (Vespidae and Formicidae). The Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood (ML) methods revealed that each family formed strong monophyletic groups.

Recently we are facing increased frequency of the vespa encounters not only in the natural forested area but also in the residential area. These could be partly from the increased population sizes of diverse vespa species as well as the expansion of their nest habitats from mountainous environments to the human residences, resulting occasional casualty or sting damages. In terms of the risk management, we studied hornet attack and defense behaviors relative to the visual or physical disturbance. Four species of vespa showed strongest aggressiveness to the black colored target with high rate of bumping and stinging followed by red color. In most case, vespa showed behavioral change to the high alerts and hover-flying surveillance out of the nest entrance when people approached ap. 10 m close to the nest. When the nest was disturbed by the stick beating, then swarm of defensive force moved out and begin to showed the defensive behavior including stinging or propelling poison. The defense boundary was related to the nest colony size with larger defense line for larger colony. But it was between 15 to 25m from the nest location.

Vespa velutina nigrithorax prey on various insect and especially hunts domestic honeybees, such as the European honeybee, Apis melifera. For that reason, V. velutina predation has a direct economic impact on apiculture. In particular V. velutina queens are able to establish of new colonies, so they are suitable for V. velutina management. This study was conducted to investigate the attractant of V. velutina Queen. Four traps were tested and combined attractant such as honeybee comb extraction, honeybee extraction, pollen, rice wine and sugar syrup for attraction efficacy. We was able to observe V. velutina Queen in late April to May. And Honeybee extraction, rice wine and sugar syrup baits (5 : 3 : 2) was the best combination for trapping queen on spring.

Vespa crabro and V. analis are social hornet species commonly found in Asia, including Korea. Mastoparan is one of the major venom peptides of these two hornets but its amino acid sequence defers substantially. To examine the differences in the potential toxicity and bioactivity of mastoparans between these two social hornets, differential toxicological and pharmacological activities of synthesized mastoparan were investigated. V. analis mastoparan showed a 7-fold higher hemolytic activity, suggesting its higher cytotoxic potential compared with V. crabro mastoparan. Mastoparans from both hornet species exhibited similar levels of antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Botrytis cinerea, whereas the mastoparan from V. analis showed more potent antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Nevertheless, the antimicrobial activities of mastoparans of V. crabro and V. analis were relatively lower compared with those of other wasps. Both mastoparans also exhibited some levels of antitumor activity but the activity was significantly higher in V. analis mastoparan. In summary, the hemolytic, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities of synthesized V. analis mastoparan were higher than those of V. crabro mastoparan. These differential bioactivities are likely due to the amino acid sequence differences in the mature peptides. In particular, the additional Lys residue present in V. analis mastoparan may contribute to the higher levels of bioactivity as proposed by secondary structure prediction.

The hornets Vespa crabro and V. analis are widely distributed in Asia and are known to be aggressive when disturbed, resulting in frequent stinging accidents. To investigate the differences in venom properties and toxicities between these two hornets, the transcriptomic profiles of venom glands, in conjunction with the venom components, were analyzed and compared. A total of 35 venom-specific genes were identified in both venom gland transcriptomes, but their transcriptional profiles were different between V. crabro and V. analis. In addition, the major venom components were identified and confirmed by mass spectroscopy. Prepromastoparan, vespid chemotactic precursor and vespakinin were the top three genes most prevalently transcribed in the venom gland of V. crabro, and their transcription rates were 112-, 16- and 161-fold higher, respectively, compared with those in V. analis, as judged by FPKM values. In the venom gland of V. analis, however, vespid chemotactic precursor was the most abundantly transcribed gene, followed by premastoparan and vespakinin. In general, most major venom genes were more abundantly expressed in V. crabro, whereas some minor venom genes exhibited higher transcription rates in V. analis, including muscle LIM protein, troponin, paramyosin, calponin, etc. Our findings reveal that the overall venom components of V. crabro and V. analis are similar, but that their expression profiles and levels are considerably different. The comparison of venom gland transcriptomes suggests that V. crabro likely produces venom with more highly enriched major venom components, which has potentially higher toxicity compared with V. analis venom.

Vespa crabro is a cosmopolitan social wasp species whereas Vespa analis is commonly found in Asia. Both species are widely distributed in Korea and known to be aggressive when disturbed, resulting in frequent sting accidents. Although major venom components of well known Vespa wasps have been reported, no comparative transcriptomic analysis of venom gland between V. crabro and V. analis has been conducted to date. To investigate the differences in venom properties between these two wasps, total RNA was extracted from each venom gland and used for RNA-sequencing. A total of 31 venom-specific genes were identified in both venom gland transcriptomes but their expression profiles were different between V. crabro and V. analis. Venom allergen 5, premastoparan A and phospholipase A were the top three genes that were most prevalently transcribed in the venom gland of V. crabro, and their transcription rates were 902-, 112- and 4164-fold higher compared with V. analis, respectively, as judged by FPKM values. Their differential transcription profiles were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. In the venom gland of V. analis, however, premastoparan A was most abundantly transcribed gene, followed by calponin and tropomysin. In general, most venom-specific genes were more abundantly expressed in V. crabro but some genes exhibited higher transcription rates in V. analis, including muscle LIM protein, troponin, paramyosin, calponin, etc. Our findings suggest that V. crabro produce venom with much more enriched venom components, thereby with higher toxicity compared with V. analis.