Amino acid composition of the protein in pre-emergence nests of a paper wasp, Polistes chinensis (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Abstract

Amino acid composition of protein in oral secretion, which is widely used for construction and maintenance of social wasp nests, was analyzed in pre-emergence nests of Polistes chinensis. More than 20 amino acids were detected from field and laboratory nests, among which glycine, serine, alanine, valine and proline were major amino acids in all samples analyzed. The amino acid composition was very similar among various nest parts, and between field and laboratory nests. Foundresses of P. chinensis produce essentially similar kinds of oral secretion despite variation in their nest sites and in the environment around their nests. The composition of P. chinensis is similar to those so far known among other Polistes species, while different in intergenus comparisons. Amino acid composition of protein in oral secretion may reflect phylogenetical relationships among wasps. The chemical nature of oral secretion, especially the presence of proline in its amino acids, as well as the quantity of secretion production may play an important role to harden their nests. Wasps live their social life on nests which are maintained by such secretion characteristics.