The Nesting Ecology of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae and Polistinae) in Northern Mongolia

Abstract

Observations on the nesting characteristics and colony life of Mongolian social wasps are essential to the field due to the peripheral locations of species distribution ranges and critical lack of such information. We found 35 nests of seven social wasp species, including three vespine species (Dolichovespula saxonica, D. media and Vespula vulgaris) and four polistine species (Polistes snelleni, P. riparius, P. nimpha and P. biglumis). Riparian woodland was the habitat where the most species (five out of seven) nests were found. Nests of P. snelleni, Baikal-Far Eastern species, were found only in river cut banks, in holes probably originally excavated by passerine birds most likely sand martin (Riparia riparia). Nesting sites of D. saxonica were the most diverse (bank hole, underground, aerial and birch stump/logs). Colony size of vespine wasps in northern Mongolia was relatively small (36-60 individuals). Nests of Polistes species (except P. snelleni) were found frequently on the branches of willow (Salix sp.) and wild rose (Rosa acicularis). Other characteristics associated with each species nest were considered separately.