scholarly journals Assured fitness returns in a social wasp with no worker caste

2011 ◽  
Vol 278 (1720) ◽  
pp. 2991-2995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric R. Lucas ◽  
Jeremy Field
Keyword(s):  
Social Wasp ◽  
Brood Rearing ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Group Nesting ◽  
Worker Caste

The theory of assured fitness returns proposes that individuals nesting in groups gain fitness benefits from effort expended in brood-rearing, even if they die before the young that they have raised reach independence. These benefits, however, require that surviving nest-mates take up the task of rearing these young. It has been suggested that assured fitness returns could have favoured group nesting even at the origin of sociality (that is, in species without a dedicated worker caste). We show that experimentally orphaned brood of the apoid wasp Microstigmus nigrophthalmus continue to be provisioned by surviving adults for at least two weeks after the orphaning. This was the case for brood of both sexes. There was no evidence that naturally orphaned offspring received less food than those that still had mothers in the nest. Assured fitness returns can therefore represent a real benefit to nesting in groups, even in species without a dedicated worker caste.

scholarly journals The evolution of eusociality in allodapine bees: workers began by waiting

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Schwarz ◽  
Simon M. Tierney ◽  
Sandra M. Rehan ◽  
Luke B. Chenoweth ◽  
Steven J. B. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Social Evolution ◽  
Early Step ◽  
Social Hierarchies ◽  
Insurance Benefits ◽  
Brood Rearing ◽  
Evolution Of Eusociality ◽  
Dual Constraints ◽  
Worker Castes ◽  
Worker Caste ◽  
Evo Devo

Understanding how sterile worker castes in social insects first evolved is one of the supreme puzzles in social evolution. Here, we show that in the bee tribe Allodapini, the earliest societies did not entail a foraging worker caste, but instead comprised females sharing a nest with supersedure of dominance. Subordinates delayed foraging until they became reproductively active, whereupon they provided food for their own brood as well as for those of previously dominant females. The earliest allodapine societies are, therefore, not consistent with an ‘evo-devo’ paradigm, where decoupling of foraging and reproductive tasks is proposed as a key early step in social evolution. Important features of these ancestral societies were insurance benefits for dominants, headstart benefits for subordinates and direct reproduction for both. The two lineages where morphologically distinct foraging worker castes evolved both occur in ecosystems with severe constraints on independent nesting and where brood rearing periods are very seasonally restricted. These conditions would have strongly curtailed dispersal options and increased the likelihood that dominance supersedure occurred after brood rearing opportunities were largely degraded. The origins of foraging castes, therefore, represented a shift towards assured fitness gains by subordinates, mediated by the dual constraints of social hierarchies and environmental harshness.

The social wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) population dynamics in England over 39 years.

2018 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-155
Author(s):  
Michael Archer
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Population Dynamic ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Social Wasp ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Vespula Germanica ◽  
The Social ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Suction Traps

1. Yearly records of worker Vespula germanica (Fabricius) taken in suction traps at Silwood Park (28 years) and at Rothamsted Research (39 years) are examined. 2. Using the autocorrelation function (ACF), a significant negative 1-year lag followed by a lesser non-significant positive 2-year lag was found in all, or parts of, each data set, indicating an underlying population dynamic of a 2-year cycle with a damped waveform. 3. The minimum number of years before the 2-year cycle with damped waveform was shown varied between 17 and 26, or was not found in some data sets. 4. Ecological factors delaying or preventing the occurrence of the 2-year cycle are considered.

Sex (Similarities and) Differences in Friendship Jealousy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaimie Krems ◽  
Keelah Williams ◽  
Laureon Allison Watson ◽  
Douglas Kenrick ◽  
Athena Aktipis
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Architecture ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Best Friends ◽  
Adaptive Challenges ◽  
The Face ◽  
Initial Support ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Material Benefits

Friendships provide material benefits, bolster health, and may help solve adaptive challenges. However, a recurrent obstacle to sustaining those friendships—and thus enjoying many friendship-mediated fitness benefits—is interference from other people. Friendship jealousy may be well-designed for helping both men and women meet the recurrent, adaptive challenge of retaining friends in the face of such third-party interference. Although we thus expect several sex similarities in the general cognitive architecture of friendship jealousy (e.g., it is attuned to friend value), there are also sex differences in friendship structures and historical functions, which might influence the inputs of friendship jealousy (e.g., the value of any one friendship). If so, we should also expect some sex differences in friendship jealousy. Findings from a reanalysis of previously-published data and a new experiment, including both U.S. student and adult community participants (N = 993), provide initial support for three predicted sex differences: women (versus men) report greater friendship jealousy at the prospective loss of best friends to others, men (versus women) report greater friendship jealousy at the prospective loss of acquaintances to others, and men’s (but not women’s) friendship jealousy is enhanced in the context of intergroup contests.

Insecticidal Activities of the Leaf Extract of the Invasive Alien Plant, Chromolaena odorata (L.) (Asteraceae) Against Macrotermes species (Termites)

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-153
Author(s):  
O. Uyi, ◽  
I.G. Amolo ◽  
A.D. Adetimehin
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Extract ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Chromolaena Odorata ◽  
Leaf Extracts ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Biological Efficacy ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Impregnation Technique ◽  
Aqueous Leaf Extract ◽  
Worker Caste

Several studies have demonstrated the biological efficacy of leaf, stem and root powders or extracts of Chromolaena odorata (L.) King and Robinson against insect pests but those that are focused on the biological efficacy of aqueous leaf extracts against Macrotermes species are scanty. Current management of termites with synthetic insecticides is being discouraged due to human and environmental hazards. Therefore, the insecticidal effectiveness of aqueous leaf extract C. odorata against Macrotermes species was investigated. Five concentrations (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% (w/v)) of the aqueous extract of C. odorata plant were evaluated for repellency and toxicity on the worker caste of Macrotermes species following standard procedures. The filter paper impregnation technique was used for the bioassay. Percentage repellency was monitored for 30 minutes and mortality recorded at 12, 24 and 36 hours post exposure. The leaf extract of C. odorata significantly repelled 95% of Macrotermes species at the highest concentration of 10% (w/v) after 30 minutes post treatment exposure. Mortality of Macrotermes species was independent of treatment concentration, but dependent on duration of exposure. All treatment concentrations of aqueous leaf extract of C. odorata caused significant mortality against Macrotermes species ranging between 94% and 98% compared to the control; indicating very great potential for adoption and use in the management of Macrotermes species.

scholarly journals Impact of “non-lethal” tarsal clipping on bumble bees (Bombus vosnesenskii) may depend on queen stage and worker size

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Mola ◽  
Clara Stuligross ◽  
Maureen L. Page ◽  
Danielle Rutkowski ◽  
Neal M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Material ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
First Year ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Worker Size ◽  
Monitoring Tools ◽  
Individual Survival ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Worker Caste

Abstract Recent bumble bee declines have prompted the development of novel population monitoring tools, including the use of putatively non-lethal tarsal clipping to obtain genetic material. However, the potential side effects of tarsal clipping have only been tested in the worker caste of a single domesticated species, prompting the need to more broadly test whether tarsal clipping negatively affects sampled individuals. To determine if tarsal clipping reduces queen survivorship and colony establishment, we collected wild queens of Bombus vosnesenskii and clipped tarsi from a single leg of half the individuals. We reared captive queens and estimated survivorship and nest establishment success. We also clipped tarsi of workers from a subset of colonies across a range of body sizes. We found no consistent negative effect of clipping on queen survival. In the first year, clipped nest-searching queens suffered heavy mortality, but there was no effect on foraging queens. The following year, we found no effect of clipping on queen survival or establishment. Clipping did not reduce overall worker survival but reduced survivorship for those in the smallest size quartile. Implications for insect conservation Our findings suggest tarsal clipping does not have consistent negative effects on individual survival. However, our results varied with queen behavioral state, year, and worker size, suggesting differences within and among species and interactions with landscape stressors warrant further study. In the interim, we recommend researchers and conservationists minimize the use of tarsal clipping for sensitive species, populations, or small workers except in cases of exceptional scientific need.

Antiseizure potential of peptides from the venom of social wasp Chartergellus communis against chemically-induced seizures

Toxicon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 194 ◽  
pp. 23-36
Author(s):  
Kamila Soares Lopes ◽  
Maria Varela Torres Quintanilha ◽  
Adolfo Carlos Barros de Souza ◽  
Fernando Zamudio-Zuñiga ◽  
Lourival Domingos Possani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Wasp ◽  
Chemically Induced

scholarly journals Spatial distribution of the Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara) in Sardinia explained by land use and climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianpasquale Chiatante ◽  
Marta Giordano ◽  
Anna Vidus Rosin ◽  
Oreste Sacchi ◽  
Alberto Meriggi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Distance Sampling ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
European Population ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Brood Rearing ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Study Sites

AbstractMore than half of the European population of the Barbary Partridge is in Sardinia; nonetheless, the researches concerning this species are very scarce, and its conservation status is not defined because of a deficiency of data. This research aimed to analyse the habitat selection and the factors affecting the abundance and the density of the Barbary Partridge in Sardinia. We used the data collected over 8 years (between 2004 and 2013) by spring call counts in 67 study sites spread on the whole island. We used GLMM to define the relationships between the environment (topography, land use, climate) both the occurrence and the abundance of the species. Moreover, we estimated population densities by distance sampling. The Barbary Partridge occurred in areas at low altitude with garrigue and pastures, avoiding woodlands and sparsely vegetated areas. We found a strong relationship between the occurrence probability and the climate, in particular, a positive relation with temperature and a negative effect of precipitation, especially in April–May, during brood rearing. Furthermore, dry crops positively affected the abundance of the species. We estimated a density of 14.1 partridges per km2, similar to other known estimates. Our findings are important both because they increase the knowledge concerning this species, which is considered data deficient in Italy, and because they are useful to plan management actions aimed to maintain viable populations if necessary.

scholarly journals Nesting, brood rearing, and summer habitat selection by translocated greater sage‐grouse in North Dakota, USA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kade D. Lazenby ◽  
Peter S. Coates ◽  
Shawn T. O’Neil ◽  
Michel T. Kohl ◽  
David K. Dahlgren
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
North Dakota ◽  
Sage Grouse ◽  
Brood Rearing
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