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ENHANCING BENEFICIAL INSECTS IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS THROUGH WILDFLOWER HABITATS: A CASE STUDY OF SCOLIID WASPS

Abstract

Scoliid wasps play an important role in agricultural systems as natural enemies of soil-dwelling pests, especially white grubs, which are major threats to crops grown in sandy soils. Because adult scoliid wasps rely heavily on nectar and pollen for nutrition, providing access to diverse floral resources may improve their local abundance and biological control activity. This study evaluates whether wildflower enhancements can increase Scoliid wasp presence in agricultural landscapes of the Georgia Coastal Plain. The study was conducted in the coastal plain of eastern Georgia, where the soil is very sandy and of poor quality. The study used 3 experimental plots and 3 control plots separated by a forest. Experimental plots had wildflower enrichment strips inside the plots and on the edges of the plots. Over 20 species of wildflowers (e.g., Monarda punctata, Gaillardia aristata, Coreopsis lanceolata) were used and investigated for their potential to recruit scoliid wasps. Plots were sampled 10–12 times a year using passive traps (pan traps, vane traps, and malaise traps) and active sampling (e.g., sweep netting). Three species of scoliid wasps were collected: Campsomeris plumipes fossulana, Campsomeris quadrimaculata, and Scolia nobilitata. C. plumipes was the most abundant species, making up over 80% of specimens in most years. Plots with wildflowers recruited more than three times the number of scoliid wasps compared to plots without added wildflowers. These findings show that wildflower-enhanced areas can substantially increase the local abundance of Scoliid wasps compared to plots without added floral resources. By improving access to nectar and pollen, wildflowers may help support adult wasp nutrition and enhance the reproductive success of these beneficial parasitoids. This suggests that wildflower plantings are an effective, sustainable way to strengthen biological control services in agricultural systems across the Georgia Coastal Plain.

Acknowledgements

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants # OS22 -150 and OS 24 -172.

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