Chemical nestmate recognition in a stenogastrine wasp, Liostenogaster flavolineata (Hymenoptera Vespidae)

Abstract

We investigated the chemical basis of nestmate recognition in the clusternesting stenogastrine wasp, Liostenogaster flavolineata. We conducted both behavioural experiments and chemical analysis of the cuticular lipids. As controls, colonies were presented with dead nestmate or non-nestmate conspecific females. The importance of cuticular lipids was tested by (i) presenting nestmates and non-nestmates deprived of their cuticular lipids; (ii) presenting specimens deprived of their own cuticular lipids and then re-treated with the cuticle extracts of nestmate or alien females. We also performed bioassays to test the involvement of the Dufour's gland secretion in the recognition process. The behavioural reactions of the colonies indicate that chemical cues on the body surface are necessary for nestmate discrimination. The chemical composition of the cuticular lipids of nestmates was found to be more similar than that of nonnestmates, suggesting the possible involvement of these compounds in the recognition process. We suggest two hypothesis to explain the common recognition errors observed during our bioassays.