Vespa binghami (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is one of the 10 species in the genus Vespa distributed in South Korea and is the only nocturnal wasp. In this study, we sequenced complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the species using the Sanger method and using Vespa-specific 30 primer sets. The length of V. binghami was 15,957 bp and the total A/T content was 80.6%. The A+T-rich region of V. binghami was 152 bp, and other Vespa species ranged from 39 bp (V. velutina) to 2,230 bp (V. v. auraria). Compared to the majority of insects, the gene arrangement of V. binghami had differences as followings: trnY-trnI-trnM-trnQ, trnN-trnE-trnS1-trnF, and trnS2-trnL1. However, all species in the genus Vespa registered in GenBank to date were composed of the same arrangement. Phylogenetic analysis using 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes showed the sister relationship between V. binghami and V. orientalis with the higher nodal supports.

The genus Vespa consists of 22 species worldwide, and their phylogenetic relationships are well established through adult morphology and molecular analyses. However, taxonomic studies of larvae are lacking. In this study, we provided descriptions and taxonomic keys for eight species of Korean Vespa larvae.

등검은말벌은 우리나라 뿐 아니라 유럽지역에 침입한 꿀벌의 중요한 포식해충이다. 양봉가들이 살충제를 활용하여 밀도 억제를 시도하고 있으나 아직까지 실현가능하고 과학적 방법과 적용 가능성이 정형화되지 않았다. 본 연구는 양봉가들이 주로 사용하는 살충제를 가지고, 등검은 말벌의 유충과 성충의 살충율과 반응 패턴을 조사하였다. Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, Carbosulfan은 처리 후 30분 내 70% 이상의 살충률을 보 였으며, Bifenthrin, Cartap hydrochloride의 상대적으로 살충률이 낮았다. Clothianidin, Dinotefuran, Carbosulfan의 반수치사약량(LD50)은 각 0.29, 0.65, 2.21 μg/bee이었다. 5령 유충에 대한 24시간 간격으로 3회 연속 섭식 처리를 했을 때, 2일이후에 약효가 나타났고 72시간 후에는 모두 70% 이상 살충률을 보였다. 등검은말벌의 반수치사약량은 양봉꿀벌의 것보다 10-100배 더 높았다. 향후 이 살충제를 말벌 방제에 이용할 수 있을지 추가적 검토가 필요하다.

Vespidae are social insects and crucial predators that prey upon various insects. In particular, Vespa velutina nigrithorax, as a representative predator of honey bees, inflicts huge economic damage on apiary. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the national distribution of vespid wasps. In this study, collection was made, in 73 study sites, using hornetluring traps and malaise traps in Gangwon-do, Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsang-do, Chungcheong-do, and Jeju-do from 2019 to 2022. As a result, a total of 24,974 individuals of 24 species, 5 genera, and 2 subfamilies were collected, with the largest number of species collected in Gangwon-do (22 species, 5 genera, and 2 subfamilies). Also, Vespa simillima simillima (38.2%), Vespa crabro flavofasciata (25.1%), Vespa crabro flavofasciata (23.8%), Vespa velutina nigrithorax (27.5%), and Vespa simillima xanthoptera (54.6%) are the dominant species in each province, respectively. Species richness (R') and species evenness (E') were highest in Gyeonggi-do (R'=2.712, E'=0.978), and species diversity (H') was highest in Gyeongsang-do (H'=2.981). Dominance was highest in Jeju-do (DI=0.719). Herein, we provide basic data needed in development of vespid damage management systems using regional sampling data and forest geospatial information in the study area.

Vespula rufa (Linnaeus, 1758), known as the red wasp, is a social wasp species. We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of V. rufa from South Korea, for an ongoing systematic study of the Korean Vespidae. This species is distributed in northern parts of North America, northern and central Europe, and parts of Asia. It can be distinguished from other species of the genus by usually having reddish brown areas on the 1st and 2nd tergites. The mitogenome is 17,663 bp in length, includes 13 protein-coding genes, 24 transfer RNA genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes. The nucleotide composition is 40.5% adenines, 43.00% thymines, 6.1% guanines, and 10.4 % cytosines.

Subfamily Eumeninae, also known as the potter wasp, constructs mud cells and lays a single egg in each cell. The adult female potter wasp hunts lepidopteran larvae and paralyzes them then brings them back to the nest for its offspring. This research is focused on the behavioral study of Euodynerus nipanicus nipanicus. The environmental characteristics, nesting behavior, predatory behavior, and parasitoids are represented. The rate of occupancy of the nest holes was 70.83%, with 5.4 cells per nest hole. The average length of cells was 12.11mm long, and they were filled with 4.23 larvae respectively. Also, the time period from egg to adult of the wasp was 36.27 days, on average. By analyzing the prey hunted and stored inside the nest cell, 4 different species in minimum were found to be hunted. Additionally, hymenopteran parasitoid and lepidopteran kleptoparasite are newly discovered. The research suggests that providing nest traps to potter wasps can increase the natural biological control held by the potter wasp species and could support the conservation of the potter wasps.