(excerpt)
Many solitary bees and wasps construct brood cells in pre-existing natural cavities such as beetle borings or in excavations of pithy stems and twigs like Sambucus and Juglans. Artificial nesting materials are also acceptable and provide a convenient approach to study nest architecture, nesting activity, provisions and parasites. Arti- ficial nesting materials have included bamboo, glass tubes, plastic straws, cuttings of twigs and stems, and trap-nests. However, use of many of these materials have significant drawbacks

Fricke, John M

English

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 24 
Number 2 - Summer 1991 Number 2 - Summer 
1991 
Article 9 
June 1991 
Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera 
John M. Fricke 
Concordia College 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Fricke, John M. 1991. "Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera," The Great Lakes 
Entomologist, vol 24 (2) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss2/9 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
1991 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 121 
TRAP-NEST DESIGN FOR SMALL TRAP-NESTING 

HYMENOPTERA 

John M. Fricke l 
Many solitary bees and wasps construct brood cells in pre-existing natural cavities 
such as beetle borings  in excavations of pithy stems and twigs like Sambucus and 
Juglans. Artificial nesting materials are also acceptable and provide a convenient 
approach to study nest architecture, nesting activity, provisions and parasites. Arti­
ficial nesting materials have included bamboo, glass tubes, plastic straws, cuttings 
of 
twigs and stems, and trap-nests. However, 
use of many of these materials have 
significant drawbacks. Condensation in glass tubes and plastic straws make these 
materials ineffective. Bamboo has a varying bore diameter and cuttings of twigs and 
stems are split with great difficulty. Trap-nests, small rectangular wooden blocks 
with holes drilled into their longitudinal axes, eliminate or greatly reduce all of these 
problems. Trap-nest bores can be varied in depth and diameter and are analogous to 
natural cavities used as nesting sites. Trap-nests of clear straight-grain pine can be 
split in half lengthwise to expose nest contents with relative ease, especially if bore 
diameters are greater than 3.2 mm. 
Initial trap-nest construction techniques for my studies were derived from Fye 
(1965) 
and Krombein (1967). Pine boards were cut into trap-nests 
(19 x 19 x 140 
rom) with bores drilled to depths of 60 and 120 rom. Bore diameters and bore depths 
varied seasonally, dependent upon prior experience and current study focus. 
Several p oblems encountered in early studies were resolved with modifications of 
trap-nest construction techniques. Small bore trap-nests (1.6 mm-3.2 mm) are split 
with much difficulty. The splitting plane frequently did not intercept the bore, since 
the axis of the bore was seldom parallel to the long axis of the wood grain. These 
problems were solved by the use of pre-split trap-nests. Stages in the construction of 
pre-split trap-nests are illustrated in Figure 1. Several steps were required for their 
construction. A band saw was used to cut trap-nest blocks length-wise into two 
sections with dimensions nominally 6.4 x 19 x 140 mm and 12.6 X 19 x 140 mm. 
A drill-guide channel was routed in a longitudinal face of the larger section. trap­
nest sections were bound together with masking tape and drilled to selected depths 
and diameters with high speed twist-steel bits. 
Pre-split trap-nest sections did not fit well together. Irregularities across split 
surfaces admitted light and excess moisture, both detrimental to trap-nest use. These 
difficulties were eliminated by modifying a technique from Krombein (1967). Pre­
split trap-nests were coated with melted paraffin and then re-drilled to their appro­
priate bore diameter and depths. Paraffin provided water-proof seal across split 
surfaces and re-drilling removed paraffin that blocked the bore and produced excep­
tionally smooth bore surfaces. Completed trap-nests were bound together into trap­
nest bundles of nine (3 x 3), twelve (3 x 4), or twenty (4 x 5) trap-nests. Cotton 
cord, rubber bands and plastic strapping were used to secure individual -nests in 
bundles. Fye's (1965) design for a bundle carrier was used to place es in the 
field and fence staples were used to attach bundles to the trunks of trees in the study 
area. A typical trap-nest bundle is illustrated in Figure 2. 
lNatural Science and Mathematics Division, Concordia College, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. 
1
Fricke: Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera
Published by ValpoScholar, 1991
122 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 24, No.2 
P G t 
t 
A ( , 
B 
c Q# 
, ~~~~ 

c D 
Figure 1. Construction of pre-split trap-nests: A-pine trap-nest block; B-a 6.4 nun section 
removed from side of trap-nest; C - 60° channel routed in trap-nest face; D - pre-split trap­
nest with bore drilled out. 
Figure 2. A 3 by 3 bundle of trap-nests ready for placement in the field. 
LITERATURE CITED 
Fye, R. E. 1965. The Biology f the Vespidae, Pompilidae and Sphecidae from trap nests in 
northwestern On ario. Ca adian Ent. 97:716-744. 
Krombein, K. V. 1967. Trap-nesting wasps and bees: life histories, nests, a d associates, ii -vi 
+ 570 pp. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington D.C. 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 24, No. 2 [1991], Art. 9
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss2/9


Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 24 Number 2 - Summer 1991 Number 2 - Summer 1991 Article 9 June 1991 Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera John M. Fricke Concordia College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle  Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Fricke, John M. 1991. "Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 24 (2) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss2/9 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 1991 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 121 TRAP-NEST DESIGN FOR SMALL TRAP-NESTING HYMENOPTERA John M. Fricke l Many solitary bees and wasps construct brood cells in pre-existing natural cavities such as beetle borings  in excavations of pithy stems and twigs like Sambucus and Juglans. Artificial nesting materials are also acceptable and provide a convenient approach to study nest architecture, nesting activity, provisions and parasites. Arti­ficial nesting materials have included bamboo, glass tubes, plastic straws, cuttings of twigs and stems, and trap-nests. However, use of many of these materials have significant drawbacks. Condensation in glass tubes and plastic straws make these materials ineffective. Bamboo has a varying bore diameter and cuttings of twigs and stems are split with great difficulty. Trap-nests, small rectangular wooden blocks with holes drilled into their longitudinal axes, eliminate or greatly reduce all of these problems. Trap-nest bores can be varied in depth and diameter and are analogous to natural cavities used as nesting sites. Trap-nests of clear straight-grain pine can be split in half lengthwise to expose nest contents with relative ease, especially if bore diameters are greater than 3.2 mm. Initial trap-nest construction techniques for my studies were derived from Fye (1965) and Krombein (1967). Pine boards were cut into trap-nests (19 x 19 x 140 rom) with bores drilled to depths of 60 and 120 rom. Bore diameters and bore depths varied seasonally, dependent upon prior experience and current study focus. Several p oblems encountered in early studies were resolved with modifications of trap-nest construction techniques. Small bore trap-nests (1.6 mm-3.2 mm) are split with much difficulty. The splitting plane frequently did not intercept the bore, since the axis of the bore was seldom parallel to the long axis of the wood grain. These problems were solved by the use of pre-split trap-nests. Stages in the construction of pre-split trap-nests are illustrated in Figure 1. Several steps were required for their construction. A band saw was used to cut trap-nest blocks length-wise into two sections with dimensions nominally 6.4 x 19 x 140 mm and 12.6 X 19 x 140 mm. A drill-guide channel was routed in a longitudinal face of the larger section. trap­nest sections were bound together with masking tape and drilled to selected depths and diameters with high speed twist-steel bits. Pre-split trap-nest sections did not fit well together. Irregularities across split surfaces admitted light and excess moisture, both detrimental to trap-nest use. These difficulties were eliminated by modifying a technique from Krombein (1967). Pre­split trap-nests were coated with melted paraffin and then re-drilled to their appro­priate bore diameter and depths. Paraffin provided water-proof seal across split surfaces and re-drilling removed paraffin that blocked the bore and produced excep­tionally smooth bore surfaces. Completed trap-nests were bound together into trap­nest bundles of nine (3 x 3), twelve (3 x 4), or twenty (4 x 5) trap-nests. Cotton cord, rubber bands and plastic strapping were used to secure individual -nests in bundles. Fye's (1965) design for a bundle carrier was used to place es in the field and fence staples were used to attach bundles to the trunks of trees in the study area. A typical trap-nest bundle is illustrated in Figure 2. lNatural Science and Mathematics Division, Concordia College, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. 1Fricke: Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting HymenopteraPublished by ValpoScholar, 1991122 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 24, No.2 P G t t A ( , B c Q# , ~~~~ c D Figure 1. Construction of pre-split trap-nests: A-pine trap-nest block; B-a 6.4 nun section removed from side of trap-nest; C - 60° channel routed in trap-nest face; D - pre-split trap­nest with bore drilled out. Figure 2. A 3 by 3 bundle of trap-nests ready for placement in the field. LITERATURE CITED Fye, R. E. 1965. The Biology f the Vespidae, Pompilidae and Sphecidae from trap nests in northwestern On ario. Ca adian Ent. 97:716-744. Krombein, K. V. 1967. Trap-nesting wasps and bees: life histories, nests, a d associates, ii -vi + 570 pp. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington D.C. 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 24, No. 2 [1991], Art. 9https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol24/iss2/9

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Trap-Nest Design for Small Trap-nesting Hymenoptera

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