Year-to-Year Variation in Prey Capture by Cerceris fumipennis (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) at Two Sites in North Carolina

Cerceris fumipennis Say is a solitary, ground-nesting wasp that preys exclusively on beetles in the family Buprestidae, including the invasive insect pest, emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire). Understanding patterns of C. fumipennis prey collection over time may improve use of the wasp as a biosurveillance tool for locating pest Buprestidae of economic concern. Here, we report on variation in prey capture by C. fumipennis at two sites in North Carolina over a 4-yr period. In total, 466 beetles were collected from the wasps from 2010 to 2013; these comprise 35 species, four new state records, six new prey records, and three native pests. Changes in prey capture from year to year at both sites suggest the importance of continued biosurveillance at sites with known wasp aggregations as emerald ash borer and other invasive pests spread into and throughout North Carolina.