• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.44 no.4 s.141
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• pp.307-315
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• 2005

In this study we tried to develop a biological method for evaluating environment using the potter wasps as an indicator. Wasp species in family Eumenidae, were collected from 13 locations including agricultural area using nest trap. The wasps collected were classified and selected candidate species as an environmental evaluation indicator. Seven species were collected and the Anterhynchium flavomarginatum was the most dominant species. The number of the nest of potter wasps was 12.8/m both in the non-fertilizer and the non-pesticide areas and 7.2/m in the general agricultural areas. The number of nests was 13.4/m in the location where the Degree of Green Naturality (DGN) was high (4.28) and it was 1.2/m where the DGN was low (1.00), suggesting that the index of both richness and diversity tend to increase in locations with more nests. Based on these results, A. flavomarginatum, Orancistrocerus drewseni (Saussure), Isodontia nigellus and Chalicodoma sculpturalis were selected as indicator species for the evaluation of environment including agricultural ecosystem. And a standard for grading an environment (I to IV) was made based on the occurrence, the total number of nesting and the species diversity of potter wasps.