Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) Predation at Hawaii Volcanoes and Haleakala National Parks: Identity of Prey Items

Abstract

Predation by Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure) was studied at Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks in Hawaii. Prey items were sampled by removing them from foragers returning to nests. V. pensylvanica preyed on a diverse taxonomic assortment of arthropods; 522 prey items belonging to 9 orders were identified. Of 170 prey items determined to genus level, approximately two thirds were of endemic taxa, indicating a substantial threat of V. pensylvanica to Hawaiian biodiversity. The design of a prey sampling trap is given.