Polistinae Research Articles

Homopteran Attendance by Wasps and Ants:The Stochastic Nature of Interactions

Associations of Hymenoptera with Homoptera have intrigued ecologists and evolutionary biologists as model systems of mutualism. The extensive body of literature, however, tends to be skewed to the interactions between ants and homopteran trophobionts in the Aphidae or Coccoidea (e.g., Kloft et al. 1965, Nixon 1951, Way 1963, Wilson 1971). In the following account we document a web of multispecies interactions within and between trophic levels, involving a species of wasp, several species of ants, and two species of Homoptera. This account is unique in the literature on Hymenoptera‐Homoptera associations because it (1) addresses observable interference between hymenopteran attendants, (2) reports behavioral preference by homopterans for certain hymenopreran attendants, and (3) describes an interaction between a polistine wasp and an aetalionid planthopper. In addition, this study has general implications about the quality of diffuse and multiple associations between Homoptera and their honeydew foragers.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR OF THREE POLISTINE WASPS (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE)

AbstractIn August 1984, the social behaviour of 3 species of polistine wasps was observed near Darwin. I saw no overt dominance behaviour among 3 gravid females of Polities bernardii richardsi Soika which founded a nest. Another non‐gravid female stayed mainly on the nest. In Ropalidia sp. nr. variegata (Smith), dominant females frequently attacked others on post‐emergence stage nests. On one nest only the top‐ranked female had developed ovaries. Females on pre‐emergence stage nests were peaceful and many had developed ovaries. The nest consisted of 2 rows of cells and each mature colony tended to have multiple combs. In R. gregaria gregaria (de Saussure), “excess” females, who founded a nest but could not settle on the small just‐founded nest, were frequently aggressive.

Multiple-foundress associations in a temperate population of Halictus ligatus (Hymenoptera; Halictidae)

Thirteen pleometrotic (multiple-foundress) nests of the primitively social sweat bee Halictus ligatus were excavated in the summer of 1984 at Victoria, near Toronto, southern Ontario. Subordinate foundresses were significantly smaller than both dominant females in pleometrotic nests and females that nested solitarily. Most subordinates were smaller than the workers that they helped to raise. These small females could have been surviving workers from the previous summer or the offspring of workers. It seems unlikely that they were malnourished reproductive brood individuals produced as a result of parental manipulation. In successful nests, the number of workers produced was positively correlated with the number of founding females such that productivity per foundress remained fairly constant. Pleometrotic nests also produced more reproductives than haplometrotic (single-foundress) ones. Subordinates may occasionally lay reproductive brood eggs. The increased productivity of multiple-foundress nests was not quite sufficient, by itself, to select for subordinate behaviour. The small subordinates had lower potential productivities in comparison to the larger females. This decreased reproductive potential, when combined with the increased productivity of pleometrotic nests, was sufficient to make subordinate behaviour selectively advantageous. When both factors are taken together, subordinate behaviour is selected for as long as the coefficient of relatedness between dominant and subordinate individuals is greater than 1/4. This indicates that high coefficients of relatedness are not necessary for pleometrosis to be selectively advantageous under the conditions found in this study. Dominant females may suffer increased reproductive competition from their numerous workers. This, plus the difficulty of ensuring association with siblings in spring, may be the reason why multiple-foundress associations were uncommon at this locality. The data presented here are compared with those from other studies of this species. The factors promoting pleometrosis in halictines are compared with those that result in multiple-foundress associations in temperate polistine wasps.

Morphology of sternal glands in male polistine wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidæ)

The sternal glands of 28 species of male wasps belonging to 12 polistine genera are described. Glands and associated cuticular modifications of these males and of males described in past studies are compared to those of conspecific females. Males in species of four swarm-founding genera have glandular areas similar in morphology and location to those of females. The glands are comprised of ducted cells associated with either a bed of erect cuticular scales along the anterior edge of the fifth sternite (Metapolybia, Chartergus, andPolybia) or a band of hairs along the anterior margin of both the fifth and sixth sternites(Apoica). Ropalidia montana males have ducted gland cells on sternites five and six, rather than just on six as in congeneric females;Brachygastra augusti males have them on sternites five through seven, rather than just on five as in their conspecific females. Also unlike those of conspecific females, these glands are not associated with any cuticular modification. Species in the remaining three swarm-founding genera lack male sternal glands. Males of independent-founding genera (Mischocyttarus, Polistes, Belonogaster, andParapolybia) have glandular cells covering the posterior 2/3 or 1/2 of the sternite, rather than the anterior portion as in their congeneric females.

A Comparison of Frequency of Intra‐colony Aggressive Behaviours among Five Species of Polistine Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract and SummarySocial behaviours among adult females on multifemale‐nests of five paper wasp species were observed in Panama and Okinawa. Polistes Canadensis females showed, during the pre‐emergence period, severe overt dominance or aggressive behaviours at a rate significantly higher than four other species. The interrelationship among females of Ropalidia fasciata was notably mild during the pre‐emergence period. In Mischocyttarus angulatus and M. basimacula the relationships were also mild during the pre‐emergence period but became aggressive in the post‐emergence period. Polistes versicolor maintained its mild relationship through post‐emergence period. Typical depressive posture shown by subordinates of P. Canadensis is considered to be a ritualized behaviour which diminishes intracolony aggression. Evolution of pleometrosis (multiple egg‐layers on a nest) with rudimentary caste differentiation in social wasps through mutualism and parental manipulation was discussed.ZusammenfassungAn fünf Faltenwespenarten wurde das Sozialverhalten adulter Weibchen in Vielweibchennestern in Panama und in Okinawa beobachtet. Während der Vorschlupfphase zeigten Polistes canadensis‐Weibchen deutliches Dominanzoder aggressives Verhalten signifikant häufiger als bei den anderen vier beobachteten Arten. Weibchen der Art Ropalidia fasciata sind während der Vorschlupfphase untereinander auffallend unaggressiv. Ebenso unaggressiv war die Beziehung unter den Weibchen der Arten Mischocyttarus angulatus und M. basimacula; sie wurden jedoch während der Nachschlupfphase aggressiv. Polistes versicolor blieb während der Nachschlupfphase unaggressiv. Die typische Beschwichtigungsgebärde von subdominanten P. canadensis‐Weibdien sehen wir als ritualisiertes Verhalten an, das die Aggression innerhalb der Kolonie verringert. Die Evolution von Pleometrosis (d. i. mehrere Weibchen legen in ein Nest) bei sozialen Wespen mit rudimentärer Kastendifferenzierung durch Mutualismus und elterliche Manipulation wird diskutiert.

Social behaviour and social structure of Neotropical paper waspsMischocyttarus angulatus Richards andM. basimacula (Cameron)

Social behaviour and social structure of 2 Neotropical polistine wasps,Mischocyttrus angulatus andM. basimacula, were investigated in the Canal Area, Republic of Panama. About 80% ofM. angulatus colonies and a half ofM. basimacula colonies were founted by multiple females having mature eggs in their ovaries. All of single-female colonies examined failed before the emergence of the first progeny. During the pre-emergence period, neither biting nor chasing was observed among females coexisting on the multifemale nests of both species. Although one of the females tended to stay on her nest for most of the time (‘queen-like female’), she was often replaced by a different individual on differrent days. In the post-emergence period, however, frequent aggression among females (including the foundresses and the first brood adults) was observed. The roles of pleometrosis and dominance behaviour in social lives of the 2 species in the wet tropics are discussed.

Polymorphic Mimicry of Polistine Wasps by a Neotropical Neuropteran

Climaciella brunnea is a polymorphic mantispid studied in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. Five distinct color morphs were sampled, each being a presumed Batesian mimic of a different polistine wasp. The proportion of morphs varied between three separate localities and presumably reflected the differential abundance and aggressiveness of models at each site. Markrelease-recapture studies did not reveal any significant difference in mortality rates between morphs. Frequency-dependent selection via differential predation is probably responsible for the evolution of the polymorphism and would maintain different morph frequencies at different sites. Climaciella brunnea (Say) IS A PREDACEOUS MANTISPID which ranges northward through Central America, Mexico, and the western and central United States. Previous workers have noted that Climaciella individuals closely resemble polistine wasps (Smith 1934, Batra 1972). During studies conducted between 1971 and 1973 in Costa Rica, it was observed that C. brunnea populations were composed of individuals representing five distinct color morphs, each rather closely mimicking and presumably constituting a Batesian mimic of a different polistine wasp. The wasps involved were Polistes instabilis Sauss., P. canadensis (L.), P. carnifex (Fabr.), P. erythrocephalus Latr., and Synoeca sept entrionoalis Richards. This paper describes the mimetic relationships and reports on several experiments to test the existence of frequency-dependent selection which is presumed to maintain the polymorphism in these insects.

Behavioral ecology of the social wasp, Mischocyttarus mexicanus

1. The social biology of the polistine wasp Mischocyttarus mexicanus was studied in southern Florida at the Archbold Biological Station (January–May 1975=‘winter-spring’; November–December 1975 and January 1976=‘fall’). Nests were initiated by from one to twenty females (foundresses). The mean foundress-group size varied with season; most nests were founded by one female in winter-spring and by larger groups in the fall (Fig. 1). The females in a group were derived from one natal nest and were thus closely related. During the period between nest initiation and daughter emergence (predaughter phase) groups were stable in terms of membership. Approximately two months after nest initiation daughters began emerging; they remained on the nest, all as active foragers. Toward the end of the colony cycle future queens and males were produced. These gradually dispersed from their natal nests, the females leaving to found new nests. Mating probably occurred away from the nest. 2. Nest productivity (number of cells) at the end of the predaughter phase varied with the number of nest foundresses (Fig. 2). The number of cells/foundress was smaller in larger groups. 3. Survivorship of nests during the predaughter phase varied with group size, one-foundress nests suffering greater mortality than multiple-foundress nests (Table 3). Nests failed either when they were abandoned or when attacked by birds. Wasps sometimes renested or repaired the damaged nest. Larger nests were more likely to survive because these nests continued to be active after the disappearance of one female; this was impossible for single-foundress nests. 4. The number of queens (egg-layers) in a colony at any given time varied with group size and with season, one in winter-spring nests, and several in most fall nests. Among foundresses there were parallel hierarchies of dominance, defined in terms of degree of aggression (bitting frequency), ovarian development, and foraging frequency (Table 6). Away-from-the nest mortality rates of foraging foundresses (cofoundresses) and of lone-nesting females were greater than those of queens (Table 7). 5 Non-egg-laying foundresses were capable of laying eggs, because when queens were removed from nests, they were replaced by one of the cofoundresses. The replacement queen was in all cases the β-individual in the hierarchy previous to queen removal. 6. Mortality rates of foragers were lower in winter-spring than in fall. Many nestmates in large fall nests did no foraging but solicited others frequently. Durations of foraging trips for arthropods and nectar were longer in fall than in winter-spring because sources of prey and nectar were less available to wasps in fall. 7. Some possible effects of certain environmental factors (predation, abundance of food) on the foraging and social behavior of Mischocyttarus mexicanus are discussed.

Birds as Predators on the Brood of Polybia Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in a Costa Rican Deciduous Forest

Birds as Predators on the Brood of Polybia Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in a Costa Rican Deciduous Forest

Foundress associations in polistine wasps: dominance hierarchies and the evolution of social behavior.

Interactions among female paper wasps of newly founded colonies suggest that dominance relations assign social (reproductive) roles to siblings in a way advantageous to both dominants and subordinates. In various social animals dominance relations may have been an important prerequisite for the evolution of a division of labor between reproductive and nonreproductive (or less reproductive) adults.