Social behavior of early emerging males of a Japanese paper wasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract

SummaryFive cases of the early emergence of males in a Japanese paper wasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis, in which male emerged together with the first group of workers, were described. In one case of the five where the queen disappeared before the emergence of male, worker(s) produced female offspring.The frequency of the nests where the early emergence of male was observed was 16.7% (5/30 nests). In two colonies, worker(s) and/or queen chased off males. But in an orphan nest where worker(s) produced female offspring, the dominance order among workers which was similar to that of colony without male was observed. The significance of the early emergence of male in the social evolution of wasps was discussed.