Detection of the willow mason wasp, Symmorphus bifasciatus (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), in Canada

Abstract

The willow mason wasp, Symmorphus bifasciatus (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is a Palearctic and Oriental species, which we verify as having been introduced to North America at least as early as 2010. Since then, it has become established across Canada, a fact which came to light through Bees@School, a community science initiative in which solitary bee nests were deployed across Canada from 2019 to 2023. Using DNA barcoding, with identifications subsequently confirmed by morphological identification of barcoded specimens, we detected S. bifasciatus 80 times throughout the sampling period.