Defensive behavior of colonies of the paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus , against vertebrate predators over the colony cycle

1998 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Judd
Keyword(s):  
Defensive Behavior ◽  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
Vertebrate Predators

Defence against intraspecific usurpation by paper wasp cofoundresses (Polistes fuscatus, Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2369-2372 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J. Gamboa ◽  
Tracy L. Wacker ◽  
Kimberly G. Duffy ◽  
Scott W. Dobson ◽  
Thomas G. Fishwild
Keyword(s):  
Social Wasp ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus ◽  
Joint Effort ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
Extensive Field ◽  
The Social ◽  
Colony Defence ◽  
Nest Initiation

We conducted extensive field observations (369.6 h) and surveys of 36 preworker, multiple-foundress colonies of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. We observed 48 intrusions by foreign conspecifics in 18 of 36 colonies. The rates of intrusion by foreign females, about 1 intrusion per colony each day, did not differ among observations conducted approximately 22, 39, and 48 days after nest initiation. Thus, it appears that usurpation pressure is both intense and constant throughout the preworker stage of the colony cycle. None of the observed intrusions resulted in the replacement of resident foundresses, although surveys revealed that 2 of 36 multiple-foundress colonies were usurped. All 48 intrusions were by females that were unlikely to be closely related to the colonies they attempted to usurp. Resident foundresses exhibited highly intolerant behaviour toward intruders, and evicted them within 40 s of their landing on the nest. There was a pronounced division of labour between queens and subordinates in colony defence. When present together on the nest, queens were significantly more involved than their subordinates in repelling intruders. The vast majority of intruder evictions did not involve cooperation or joint effort by cofoundresses. Therefore, the ability of multiple foundresses to successfully defend against usurpation is probably due to the decreased probability that their nest is left unattended.

The timing of conflict and cooperation among cofoundresses of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J. Gamboa ◽  
Katherine A. Stump
Keyword(s):  
Social Wasp ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus ◽  
Conflict And Cooperation ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
The Social ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Ecological Pressure ◽  
Temporal Overlap

Field observations were made on 37 preworker, multiple-foundress colonies of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. In total, 401.9 h of behavioural observations of cofoundresses were conducted at three different periods prior to the emergence of workers. Cofoundresses displayed a marked, significant increase in aggression at about the time in the colony cycle when reproductive-destined eggs began to be laid. Both queens and their subordinates became increasingly aggressive at this time. These empirical results support theoretical predictions that conflict among cofoundresses would intensify over the production of reproductive-destined (but not worker-destined) eggs. Cooperation in foraging to minimize nest inattendance as well as synchronicity (temporal overlap) in activity also increased significantly at the onset of the production of reproductive-destined eggs. Thus, conflict and cooperation are not necessarily antagonistic in P. fuscatus. Foundresses minimized the time that nests are unattended at a time in the colony cycle when most conspecific usurpations occur. This suggests that the ecological pressure of conspecific usurpation has favoured increased coordination in foraging to minimize the time nests are unattended. The adaptive significance, if any, of an increase in synchronicity of activity among cofoundresses at the onset of the production of reproductives is not obvious.

The disappearance of subordinate foundresses in paper wasps: eviction by nestmates or reproductive strategy?

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 1928-1933 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J Gamboa ◽  
Janet L Savoyard ◽  
Laura M Panek
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Social Wasp ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Paper Wasps ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
The Social ◽  
Behavioural Evidence ◽  
Related Mortality

Videotaped observations (371.3 h) were conducted in 1995, 1996, and 1997 on 50 multiple-foundress colonies of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. Observations were made during the mid-preworker, late-preworker, and early-postworker stages of the colony cycle. The vast majority of lost subordinate cofoundresses (62 of 77) disappeared during the time interval from 2 weeks before to 4 weeks after the emergence of the first workers. The loss of subordinates did not appear to be the result of senescence or foraging-related mortality. Lost subordinates were from productive and presumably healthy colonies. In colonies containing two or more subordinates, lost subordinates had significantly greater dominance ranks than expected. There was no behavioural evidence that lost subordinates were evicted from their colony by queens, other subordinate foundresses, or workers. Lost subordinates were not observed to renest, join sister colonies, or adopt orphaned nests. Our results indicate that lost subordinates leave colonies of their own volition. Indirect evidence from other studies suggests that subordinates may disperse and usurp colonies from other sites.

SEASONAL VARIATION IN BODY SIZE AND REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION OF A PAPER WASP, POLISTES METRICUS (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE)

1980 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance M. Haggard ◽  
George J. Gamboa
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
The Body ◽  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Reproductive Condition ◽  
Polistes Metricus ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
Similar Body

AbstractSeasonal morphometric analysis of 788 adult Polistes metricus Say showed that: (1) Queens sampled throughout the colony cycle were of similar body size but significantly smaller than fall gynes. (2) Queens’ ovaries are large in the spring, decline early in the colony cycle, peak near the mid-postemergence period and decline late in the colony cycle. (3) There are no significant correlations between head width, ovary width, and size of nest in workers or queens. (4) Early and late workers are small but workers emerging during the mid-postemergence period are large. (5) All workers and gynes emerge with small, similar sized ovaries but older workers may develop larger ovaries. (6) Queens are larger than early and late workers but the same size as workers emerging during the mid-postemergence period. (7) The class with the largest adults were intermediates collected when colonies began production of males. These adults, intermediate in fat content between workers and gynes, comprised a large proportion of females emerging late in the colony cycle. (8) The body size of gynes is independent of colony size. (9) Males were significantly more variable in body size than gynes.

Effects of stage of colony cycle, context, and intercolony distance on conspecific tolerance by paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus)

1991 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J. Gamboa ◽  
Robin L. Foster ◽  
Julie A. Scope ◽  
Angela M. Bitterman
Keyword(s):  
Paper Wasps ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
Conspecific Tolerance

scholarly journals Diploid males and their triploid offspring in the paper wasp Polistes dominulus

2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aviva E Liebert ◽  
Annagiri Sumana ◽  
Philip T Starks
Keyword(s):  
Social Evolution ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Polistes Dominulus ◽  
Diploid Males ◽  
Colony Cycle ◽  
Introduced Populations ◽  
Two Generations

Although the hymenopteran sex-determining mechanism generally results in haploid males and diploid females, diploid males can be produced via homozygosity at the sex-determining locus. Diploid males have low fitness because they are effectively sterile or produce presumably sterile triploid offspring. Previously, triploid females were observed in three species of North American Polistes paper wasps, and this was interpreted as indirect evidence of diploid males. Here we report what is, to our knowledge, the first direct evidence: four of five early male-producing Polistes dominulus nests from three populations contained diploid males. Because haploid males were also found, however, the adaptive value of early males cannot be ignored. Using genetic and morphological data from triploid females, we also present evidence that both diploid males and triploid females remain undetected throughout the colony cycle. Consequently, diploid male production may result in a delayed fitness cost for two generations. This phenomenon is particularly relevant for introduced populations with few alleles at the sex-determining locus, but cannot be ignored in native populations without supporting genetic data. Future research using paper wasp populations to test theories of social evolution should explicitly consider the potential impacts of diploid males.

The function of dart behavior in the paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus

2004 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 220-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sumana ◽  
Philip T. Starks
Keyword(s):  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus

The function of abdominal stroking in the paper wasp,Polistes fuscatus(Hymenoptera Vespidae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Van Hooser ◽  
G.J. Gamboa ◽  
T.G. Fishwild
Keyword(s):  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Polistes Fuscatus
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