Cerceris Wasp Biosurveillance of Emerald Ash Borer -- 2011 Season Review

Cerceris fumipennis with prey and Satellite Fly (Kleptoparasitic).
photo by Phillip Careless
www.cerceris.info

Cerceris wasps have finished gathering Buprestid beetles for the season.  We collected a total of 73 Buprestid beetles this season from 4 colonies.  We collected 30 beetles from Morris Town Beach ball field, 26 at Wamogo Region #6 High School baseball field, 13 at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Litchfield, and 4 at the Litchfield Public Schools Plumb Hill ball field colonies.  We observed approximately 40 nests at Morris Beach, 40 nests at Wamogo, 17 nests at St. Anthony’s, and 14 nests at Plumb Hill.  It was a very successful season this because we established our procedures and created a solid baseline of Buprestid beetles species before the Emerald Ash Borer colonizes the state.  This project was supported by several volunteers this year including Madeline Bove, Amanda Downey, Frank Errico, Ryan Gannon, Nicki Hall, Marcus Johansson, Nicole Morin, John (Jack) Nelson, Carol Perrault, Henry Perrault, Olivia Scott, and Rebecca Solnit.  Claire Rutledge, Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station Entomologist, is our state sponsor/facilitator. 

Thank you Claire for extending your leadership with this project, it’s a worthwhile program.