Difference Analysis of the Chemical Composition of the Cuticular of Vespa mandarinia and V. velutina

The Vespa mandarinia and V. velutina were collected using trapping methods, and the main components of the cuticular compounds of the 2 wasps were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that a total of 32 compounds were identified from the cuticular of the 2 wasps, dominated by hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids and alcohols, which accounted for 70.97% of the determined compound species. The types and contents of cuticular compounds differed between the 2 wasp species. The 5 most abundant compounds in V. mandarinia were 13-Methylheptacosane(32.31%), 2-Methyltetracosane(23.53%), Dotriacontane(14.61%), (E)-9-Octadecenoic acid(12.80%), and Cholesterol(5.70%), while the 5 most abundant compounds in V. velutina were Eicosane(22.45%), Tris(2,4-ditert-butylphenyl) phosphite(19.13%), Dotriacontane (17.55%), (E)-9-Octadecenoic acid(15.66%), and 13-Methylheptacosane(5.52%). Of the 5 compounds with the highest relative amounts in the 2 wasps, 2-Methyltetracosane was present only in the V. Mandarinia. The relative contents of tridecane and (E)-9-Octadecenoic acid were relatively close in the cuticular of the 2 wasps, while the relative contents of Eicosane, 13-Methyloctadecanes, Tris(2,4-ditert-butylphenyl) phosphite had large variations in the cuticular of the 2 wasps. The study of the cuticular compounds of the 2 wasp species can help to further reveal their habits and behavioural characteristics, with a view to providing a reference for better pest control and green prevention and control.