First Report on the Bark Feeding Wasp Species on Lowland Apple and Stone Fruit Trees of Himachal Pradesh, India

Wasps are predominant in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions, sometimes used as dishes, and are important candidates for different ecosystems as predators and pollinators. In India, more than a dozen predatory wasp species have been reported to contribute to biological pest control. Various wasp species are invasive in some continents and pose an alarming threat to apiaries, households, and orchardists. Wasps feed on tree bark to fulfill their dietary needs but become dangerous to humans in orchards. The scientific reports on tree bark defoliation by wasps are little and scanty. A field-based survey study assessed the quantum of infestation in fruit orchards and the threat experienced by field workers in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India during the years 2022 and 2023. Wasps of species, Vespa basalis and V. auraria were encountered infesting five orchards on tree bark in Samloti (32.08° N, 76.35° E), Shahpur (32.2197° N, 76.1728° E), Nagrota (32.1054° N, 76.3789° E), and Hatwas (32.05 ° N and 76.40 ° E). Average tree per cent infestation during these years was recorded as 26.83%, 28.85%, 40.04%, 75% and 57.91% in lowland apple (Malus domestica), pear (Pyrus communis), peach (Prunus persica), losada (Cordia myxa), and sirish (Albizia lebbeck), respectively. This bark-feeding activity rendered the infested trees unfit for optimal growth, feeding on fruits, suggesting a potential threat to local orchard productivity. The noxious presence of wasps hinders activities, obstructs and stings field staff. Escalating wasp damage led farmers to adopt fermented honey bottle traps. This study is the maiden attempt to address the harmful behavior of wasps as tree bark feeders in India and may pave the way for detailed research in orchards. Thus, keeping in view the role of wasps within agricultural landscapes as detrimental agents, mindful management practices are therefore necessary.