Polistes Chinensis Antennalis Research Articles

Behavioral ecology of Japanese paper wasps,Polistes spp. III. Decision making byP. chinensis antennalis foundresses at the departure from nests

Analysis of the behavior of foundresses of a Japanese paper wasp,Polistes chinensis antennalis Perez, was made to clarify the patterns of decision making. It was found that: (1) Foundresses postponed the next activity off the nest after being attacked by a foundress from another colony. (2) After a spiral flight, the frequency of subsequent spiral flights and patrol flights around the nest increased. (3) Following successful flesh collection, the frequency of flesh collection increased. (4) Following successful flesh collection, the time spent for a single trip of flesh collection increased. It was concluded thatP. chinensis antennalis foundresses solve their dilemma between the need of nest defence and resource gathering by decision making based on intraspecific attacks and the intake of the most difficult resource to obtain.

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

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.

Number of offspring and seasonal changes of their body weight in a paperwasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis Pérez (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), with reference to male production by workers

Mesure des effectifs par caste et par sexe et de l'evolution saisonniere du poids corporel sur deux colonies de P.c.a. Comparaison entre les pontes de la reine et celles des ouvrieres afin de connaitre leur contribution respective a la production de mâles dans une colonie normale

Central place water collection in a Japanese paper wasp, Polistes Chinensis antennalis

The water collection behaviour of colony foundresses of a Japanese paper wasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis, was recorded. A single round-trip of water collection consists of (1) an outward flight, (2) water-sucking, and (3) a homeward flight. The rate of water intake decreased as the length of water-sucking increased. There was a positive correlation between the duration of the outward flight and that of water-sucking. The variance of time for outward flights was larger than that for homeward flights. The data were consistent with the predictions of the central place foraging model of Orians & Pearson (1979).

Internidal drifting of workers in the Japanese paper waspPolistes chinensis antennalis (Vespidae; Hymenoptera)

Some workers of the Japanese paper wasp,Polistes chinensis antennalis Perez drifted from the maternal nests to other nests. Some of these workers performed tasks for nests they had drifted in. One possible cause of drifting should be errors in the memory of terrains around the nests by these workers.

On “intercolonial” cannibalism in Japanese paper wasps, Polistes chinensis antennalis Pérez and P. Jadwigae dalla torre (hymenoptera: Vespidae)

SummaryFoundresses of two species of Japanese paper wasps, Polistes chinensis antennalis and P. jadwigae, attacked other colonies of the same species. A foundress of P. chinensis antennalis visited two nests of the same species, and ate larvae from them, while two foundresses of P. jadwigae each visited a nest of the same species, eating larvae and pupae even when the foundress of the attacked nest was on her nest. In addition, a foundress of P. jadwigae distributed flesh balls thus obtained among their larvae. Discussion was made on the adaptive significance of the inter‐colonial cannibalism. It was considered that, at first, it increases the foraging efficiency and secondly it plays a role in regulating population density.

Life tables of colonies and workers in a paper wasp, Polistes Chinensis antennalis, in central Japan (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Life tables of colonies and workers in a paper wasp, <i>Polistes Chinensis antennalis</i>, in central Japan (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Reconstruction of Nests by Polistes jadwigae and Polistes chinensis antennalis Workers

Reconstruction of Nests by Polistes jadwigae and Polistes chinensis antennalis Workers