Flight behaviour during foraging of the social wasp Vespula vulgaris (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and four mimetic hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) Sericomyia silentis, Myathropa florea, Helophilus sp. and Syrphus sp.

The social vespid wasps are common insect predators and several species behave in unison in the same biotopes. It is commonly accepted that social wasps are mainly opportunistic generalist predators without differences in prey selection and hence they compete for the same food resources. Trophic positions of six vespid wasp species and their potential prey from four sites in Finland and one in the UK were evaluated using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N). The difference in isotope values indicated different trophic positions among species. In general, Dolichovespula spp. showed higher δ 15 N values than Vespula spp., which suggests that Dolichovespula forage on higher trophic levels. Dolichovespula media (Retzius, 1783) showed the highest δ 15 N values, whereas Vespula vulgaris showed the lowest. Dolichovespula media partly expresses apex predator-like δ 15 N values, whereas Vespula species tend to forage on primary consumers. The largest species Vespa crabro (Linnaeus, 1758) showed also similar δ 15 N values as Vespula spp. However, δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of V. vulgaris workers varied slightly during the season. This study offers novel insights about the trophic segregation in the social wasp community, suggesting specialization in diet resource utilization, especially between Dolichovespula and Vespula .

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Nest odor dynamics in the social wasp Vespula vulgaris

The Science of Nature ◽

10.1007/s00114-005-0006-9 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 92 (9) ◽

pp. 414-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Inge Steinmetz ◽

Erik Schmolz

Keyword(s):

Social Wasp ◽

Vespula Vulgaris ◽

The Social

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The social wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) population dynamics in England over 39 years.

The Entomologist s monthly magazine ◽

10.31184/m00138908.1542.3906 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 154 (2) ◽

pp. 149-155

Author(s):

Michael Archer

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Population Dynamic ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Social Wasp ◽

Data Sets ◽

Data Set ◽

Vespula Germanica ◽

The Social ◽

Minimum Number ◽

Suction Traps

1. Yearly records of worker Vespula germanica (Fabricius) taken in suction traps at Silwood Park (28 years) and at Rothamsted Research (39 years) are examined. 2. Using the autocorrelation function (ACF), a significant negative 1-year lag followed by a lesser non-significant positive 2-year lag was found in all, or parts of, each data set, indicating an underlying population dynamic of a 2-year cycle with a damped waveform. 3. The minimum number of years before the 2-year cycle with damped waveform was shown varied between 17 and 26, or was not found in some data sets. 4. Ecological factors delaying or preventing the occurrence of the 2-year cycle are considered.

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Colony founding in the social wasp,Polistes stigma(Hymenoptera Vespidae), in India

Ethology Ecology & Evolution ◽

10.1080/08927014.1992.9523126 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 333-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

T. Suzuki ◽

M. Ramesh

Keyword(s):

Social Wasp ◽

Colony Founding ◽

The Social

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Soluble proteins of chemical communication in the social wasp Polistes dominulus

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences ◽

10.1007/s00018-003-3186-5 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 60 (9) ◽

pp. 1933-1943 ◽

Cited By ~ 97

Author(s):

M. Calvello ◽

N. Guerra ◽

A. Brandazza ◽

C. D'Ambrosio ◽

A. Scaloni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Communication ◽

Social Wasp ◽

Soluble Proteins ◽

Polistes Dominulus ◽

The Social

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Protonectin (1–6): A novel chemotactic peptide from the venom of the social wasp Agelaia pallipes pallipes

Toxicon ◽

10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.06.011 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 56 (6) ◽

pp. 880-889 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Nicoli B. Baptista-Saidemberg ◽

Daniel M. Saidemberg ◽

Bibiana M. de Souza ◽

Lilian M.M. César-Tognoli ◽

Virgínia M.R. Ferreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Wasp ◽

Chemotactic Peptide ◽

The Social

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Hyaluronidase from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera, Vespidae): Cloning, structural modeling, purification, and immunological analysis

Toxicon ◽

10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.12.019 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 64 ◽

pp. 70-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Débora Laís Justo Jacomini ◽

Franco Dani Campos Pereira ◽

José Roberto Aparecido dos Santos Pinto ◽

Lucilene Delazari dos Santos ◽

Antonio Joaquim da Silva Neto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structural Modeling ◽

Social Wasp ◽

Immunological Analysis ◽

The Social ◽

Polybia Paulista

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The timing of conflict and cooperation among cofoundresses of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z96-009 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 70-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

George J. Gamboa ◽

Katherine A. Stump

Keyword(s):

Social Wasp ◽

Adaptive Significance ◽

Field Observations ◽

Polistes Fuscatus ◽

Conflict And Cooperation ◽

Colony Cycle ◽

The Social ◽

Theoretical Predictions ◽

Ecological Pressure ◽

Temporal Overlap

Field observations were made on 37 preworker, multiple-foundress colonies of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. In total, 401.9 h of behavioural observations of cofoundresses were conducted at three different periods prior to the emergence of workers. Cofoundresses displayed a marked, significant increase in aggression at about the time in the colony cycle when reproductive-destined eggs began to be laid. Both queens and their subordinates became increasingly aggressive at this time. These empirical results support theoretical predictions that conflict among cofoundresses would intensify over the production of reproductive-destined (but not worker-destined) eggs. Cooperation in foraging to minimize nest inattendance as well as synchronicity (temporal overlap) in activity also increased significantly at the onset of the production of reproductive-destined eggs. Thus, conflict and cooperation are not necessarily antagonistic in P. fuscatus. Foundresses minimized the time that nests are unattended at a time in the colony cycle when most conspecific usurpations occur. This suggests that the ecological pressure of conspecific usurpation has favoured increased coordination in foraging to minimize the time nests are unattended. The adaptive significance, if any, of an increase in synchronicity of activity among cofoundresses at the onset of the production of reproductives is not obvious.

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