Effective Sampling Ranges for Monitoring Vespid Hornets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), using Variogram Models

Abstract

Independent sampling is the prerequisite for the population dynamic study in ecology. From the interdispersedsampling data of vespid hornets in a year, we analyzed the effective sampling range whichcould indicate the independence of each sample in the space. Variogram model were evaluated toestimate and compare effective sampling ranges of seven different Vespid species from Songcheon,Andong during the season of 2013. Empirical semivariograms of each hornet were well fitted inspherical models except Vespa crabro flavofasciata, V. dybowskii, and V. velutina nigrothorax, whichshowed no spatial correlation. The effective sampling ranges, defined as the distance at whichdensity of hornet are no longer spatially related, were 74m for V. analis, 75m for V. simillima, 89m forV. ducalis, and 88m for V. mandarinia, respectively. The variogram model analyses indicated that thesampling distance of each hornet should be separated at least 70m. These results have implicationsfor developing appropriate monitoring strategy for vespid hornets in Korea.