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Paper Wasps are social wasps, making up the genus Polistes. They form small colonies with umbrella-shaped nests in sheltered spots, and are quite mild-mannered. They feed on caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects, most of them pests.
Despite the use of the proper name, most social wasps make nests from paper, although some tropical wasp species such as Listenogaster Flavolineata use mud, a far more easy resource for the wasp to collect. The larger colonial species, Yellowjackets, Hornets, can be very defensive and should not be approached unless one is experienced. All are beneficial and should be protected if possible. In Europe, hornets are a threatened species and are protected by law.
Paper wasps gather fibers from old wood and dead dry plant stems, chew them and mix with saliva to make a water-resistant gray paper. The nests are characterised by having open cells and a petiole attaching the nest to the substrate. The wasps produce a chemical which repels ants and secretes it around the base of this petiole in order to avoid letting their brood become ant food. Humans may have learned to make paper from watching wasps. In the photo one can see a much roughed deck post from the continual gathering of wood fibers by wasps making nests.
The European Polistes wasp, Polistes dominulus (the species in the upper photo) was introduced into the US about 1981 and has quickly spread throughout most of the country, in most cases replacing native species within a couple years. It nests earlier in the spring, in a wider variety of nest sites, is more aggressive, and feeds on a larger variety of insects. Native species feed almost entirely on caterpillars. Some entomologists are considering this to be an invasive species, while others note that it may become an important control of Japanese beetle a serious invasive pest.
BLOW ME
Dominance hierarchy system
Morphologically, there is little difference between the foundress and subordinate reproductive members of the colony. However, several studies have shown that behavioural differentiation occurs (Theraulaz 1992, Pardi 1942), the role the individual female taking determined by social interaction within the colony. Typically, the alpha female dominates all other individuals of a colony, and this female lays the majority of eggs, and partakes in differential oophagy. The alpha female devotes much of her time to social interaction, in comparison to subordinates that are much more involved in foraging and brood care (Theraulaz 1989).
These behavioural divisions are not permanent; if an alpha female is removed from a nest then another female (usually the second-most dominant, beta female) assumes the role and behavioural profile of the removed dominant. Indeed, individuals alternate between different profiles of behaviour within their own dominance rank position.
Some studies (Pardi 1946) seem to indicate that the dominant female, through its behaviour, suppresses the ovarian development of subordinates. Abdominal wagging is thought to serve as a dominance signal between dominant foundresses and subordinates, but studies by Roseler and Roseler (1989) showed that ovariectomiszed dominants failed to restrict subordinate reproduction whilst still retaining dominance.
References
- Nest building in a Social Wasp: Postures and Constraints (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Karsai I. & Theraulaz G., Sociology Vol. 26, No.1 pp. 83-114, 1995.
- Intra-specific variation in the comb structure of Polistes dominiculus: parameters, maturation, nest size and cell arrangement. Karsai I. & Penzes Z., Insect Sociaux Vol. 43 pp. 277-296, 1996.
- Polistes. Reeve H. K., in "The Social Biology of Wasps", edited by Ross K. G. & Mathews R. W., pp. 99-148, 1991.
- The dynamics of colony organisation in the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes dominulus Christ. Theraulaz G., Gervet J. et al. Ethology 91, pp. 177-202, 1992.
- Pardi (1942, 1946) from table compiled in Ito Y.: "Behaviour and Social Evolution of Wasps: The Communal Aggregation Hypothesis", p. 46 1993.
- Effects of removal of alpha individuals from a Polistes dominulus Christ. Wasp society: Changes in behavioural patterns resulting from hierarchical changes. Theraulaz G., Pratte M. & Gervet J.; Insectes Sociaux 5 pp. 169-179 1989.
- Kin recognition pheromones in social wasps: combining chemical and behavioural evidence. Gamboa G. J., Grudzien T.A., Espelie K.E. & Bura E.A. Animal Behaviour 51, pp.625-629 1996.
- Cuticular hydrocarbons, social organisation and ovarian development in a polistine wasp: Polistes dominulus. Bonavita-Cougourdan A., Theraulaz G., Bagneres A.G., Roux M., Pratte M., Provost E., Clement J.L.; Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B Biochem. Mol. Biol. 100 pp. 667-680 1991.
- Absence of within-colony kin discrimination: foundresses of the social wasp, Polistes Carolina, do not prefer their own larvae. Strassman J. E., Seppa P. & Queller D.C.; Naturwissenschaften 87 pp.266-269 2000.
- Opportunistic discrimination of alien eggs by social wasps (Polistes biglumis, Hymenoptera Vespidae): a defence against social parasitism? Lorenzi M. C. & Filippone F.; Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol 48: pp.402-406 2000.