Biological control of the invasive wasp Vespula germanica in Australia: Assessing socio-economic feasibility

Abstract

Invasive species cause significant damage to economies, human health, biodiversity and society in general. Social insects are among the most successful invaders, often becoming major pests when they establish outside their native range. Once established they can be difficult to eradicate or contain, and classical biological control is usually the only feasible management option. Successful classical biological control programs must be both technically and economically feasible. A technically feasible program — where a biological control agent establishes, spreads and suppresses the growth and spread of the pest — is a necessary pre-requisite for economic feasibility, where benefits and costs of a biological control program are subsequently assessed. We investigate whether the highly invasive eusocial wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) could be a candidate for a renewed biological control management program in Australia, where it established almost 60 years ago. The potential impacts of V. germanica on horticulture, apiculture, tourism, outdoor social activities, and biodiversity are estimated to be AUD 2.6 billion over 50 years, should V. germanica continue to spread unhindered. We found median benefits of AUD145 million to AUD385 million, depending on effectiveness and growth rates of the biocontrol, with non-market benefits exceeding market benefits by 50%.