?Polistes
Polistes dominulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Vespidae Subfamily: Polistinae Genus: Polistes Latreille, 1802

Wasps of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes are the most familiar of the polistine wasps, and are the most common type of paper wasp. It is also the single largest genus within the family Vespidae, with over 300 recognized species and subspecies. Their innate preferences for nest-building sites leads them to commonly build nests on human habitation, where they can be very unwelcome; although generally non-aggressive, they can be provoked into defending their nests. They are all-predatory, and they consume large numbers of caterpillars, in which respect they are generally considered quite beneficial. The European Polistes wasp, Polistes dominulus was introduced into the US about 1981 and has quickly spread throughout most of the country, in most cases replacing native species within a couple of years. It nests earlier in the spring, in a wider variety of nest sites, is more aggressive, and feeds on a larger variety of insects. Native species feed almost entirely on caterpillars. Some entomologists are considering this to be an invasive species, while others note that it may become an important control of Japanese beetle, a serious invasive pest. This wasp is very commonly mistaken for a yellowjacket, as it is black strongly marked with yellow, in a pattern very reminiscent of a yellowjacket, and quite different from the native North American species of Polistes. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1628x1303, 720 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Polistes Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Many families, see article Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of Insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... Polistes wasp, common name- Paper wasp. ... Pierre André Latreille. ... A paper wasp (Ropalidia sp. ... Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lantana Invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel; May 2, 2006 The term invasive species refers to a subset of those species defined as introduced species or non-indigenous species. ... Binomial name Popillia japonica Newman, 1841 The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is a beetle about 1. ... For the comic book characters, see Yellowjacket (comics). ...

Life-cycle

A European paper wasp gathering wood fibres from a deck post in Norwich, New York

The general life cycle of Polistes follows a cycle that can be divided into four phases^[1]: Paper wasp gathering wood fibers Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 13:25, Sep 23, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Paper wasp gathering wood fibers Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 13:25, Sep 23, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ... Norwich, New York is the name of two locations in Chenango County, New York. ...

1. Founding (or pre-emergence) phase
2. Worker phase
3. Reproductive phase
4. Intermediate phase

The founding stage involves a solitary female (foundress) initiating a nest, building 20-30 cells before initially egg-laying. This phase begins in spring, depending on climatic conditions. The foundress (or foundresses) begin by fashioning a petiole and produce a single cell at the end of it. Further cells are then added around this, 6 cells surrounding it to produce the characteristic hexagonal shape of the cells. A petiole (also called a pedicel) is the first abdominal segment of members of the Apocrita. ...

Paper wasps attending to a nest. Larvae at two stages of development are visible in cells.

After the hatching of the first larvae, the foundress progressively provisions (brings food multiple times throughout development) the larvae with softened caterpillar flesh, halting further egg-laying until some of the larvae have pupated. These larvae will eventually hatch to become first generation workers. Image File history File links Paper wasp nest Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Peterg22 14:00, Jun 11, 2005 (BST) Paper Wasps attending to a nest. ... Image File history File links Paper wasp nest Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Peterg22 14:00, Jun 11, 2005 (BST) Paper Wasps attending to a nest. ... In classical economics and all micro-economics labour is one of three factors of production, the others being land and capital. ...

As well as founding a nest, a foundress can also choose to attempt to usurp a nest of a similar species, or join similar species upon another nest. In the case of the latter, evidence shows that such co-founding females are generally, but not exclusively, closely-related.^[1]

The worker phase usually begins in early summer, roughly 2 months after colony initiation, with the emergence of the first workers. On emergence, the workers take up most of the colony's foraging, brood care and nest maintenance. Typically at this stage, the auxiliary (subordinate) females are driven from the nest, leaving the alpha female and newly emerged workers.

Native yellow paper wasps, Western Australia

Emergence of the first female reproductives (gynes) is taken to signal the start of the reproductive phase of the colony. The reproductives differ from workers produced at this latter phase of the colony by having increased levels of fats stores to allow them to survive the over-wintering period, as well as having increased levels of cryoprotectant carbohydrate compounds for the same purpose. In some species, a very small number of these future nest-founding females may be produced among the worker brood, rather than having a truly distinct reproductive phase. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x1123, 386 KB) Native Yellow Paper Wasps in Western Australia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x1123, 386 KB) Native Yellow Paper Wasps in Western Australia. ... Emblems: Floral - Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii); Mammal - Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus); Bird - Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) Motto: none Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Const. ... A cryoprotectant is a substance that is used to protect biological tissue from freezing damage (damage due to ice formation). ...

Finally, the "intermediate" phase is just the period in which the gynes and males mate and then disperse from the birth colony, before over wintering (hibernating) until the start of the next colony cycle. Typically this period is characterised by a decline in brood care and foraging, as well as fewer workers (due to mortality, without workers being replaced by newly-hatched brood). In temperate species such as P. dominulus the colony disperses in the late summer and individuals frequently cluster in groups of up to 50 (called a hibernaculum) over winter. Hibernation does not usually take place on former nest sites. A hibernaculum is the location chosen by an animal for hibernation. ...

Dominance hierarchy system

Morphologically, there is little difference between the foundress and subordinate reproductive members of the colony. However, several studies have shown that behavioural differentiation occurs,^[2][3] the role the individual female taking determined by social interaction within the colony. Typically, the alpha female dominates all other individuals of a colony, and this female lays the majority of eggs, and partakes in differential oophagy. The alpha female devotes much of her time to social interaction, in comparison to subordinates that are much more involved in foraging and brood care.^[4] Oophagy (egg eating) is the practice of embryos feeding on eggs produced by the ovary while still inside the mothers uterus. ...

These behavioural divisions are not permanent; if an alpha female is removed from a nest then another female (usually the second-most dominant, beta female) assumes the role and behavioural profile of the removed dominant. Indeed, individuals alternate between different profiles of behaviour within their own dominance rank position.

Some studies seem to indicate that the dominant female, through its behaviour, suppresses the ovarian development of subordinates.^[3] Abdominal wagging is thought to serve as a dominance signal between dominant foundresses and subordinates, but studies by Roseler and Roseler (1989) showed that ovariectomiszed dominants failed to restrict subordinate reproduction whilst still retaining dominance.

Nestmate recognition

A pail of paper wasps huddling together in early winter

Polistes discriminate colony mates using an acquired (i.e. learned) cue, absorbing hydrocarbons from the natal nest at eclosion.^[5] This cuticular hydrocarbon "signature" is derived both from the plant material and the foundress-applied substances that the nest is made of. Studies of Polistes fucatus have looked into the molecular basis of the recognition "pheromone" used by the wasps, and indicate that at least some of the recognisable labels have the same chemical constituents as the adult cuticular hydrocarbons. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (495x638, 95 KB) A group of paper wasps huddling together in early winter. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (495x638, 95 KB) A group of paper wasps huddling together in early winter. ... In biology, cuticle or cuticula refers to a more or less tough (but flexible) non-mineral covering of an organism, or part of it. ...

Dominant individuals of P. dominulus have differing cuticular profile to workers,^[6] and the frequent observations of the dominant female stroking its gasters across the nest surface, combined with its staying on the nest for longer times than subordinates, suggests that the dominant individual may contribute more to the nest odour. Theodor Herzl Gaster (1906 - 1992) was an American Biblical scholar known for work on comparative religion, mythology and the history of religions. ...

A study of P. carolina showed that females do not preferentially feed their own progeny (as larvae),^[7] so it may be the case that nest odour only serves as a likely indicator of relatedness, rather than a specific label of kinship.

Further to this recognition of nest-mates, a study on Polistes biglumis illustrated how foundresses discriminate between 'alien' eggs and their own, via differential oophagy.^[8] Interestingly, the discrimination focused upon eggs destined to be reproductives, with 'alien' worker destined eggs allowed to remain on the nest. The authors speculated that the benefits of allowing worker destined eggs to remain (and so hatch to become workers which will then aid the colony) outweigh the costs of initially provisioning the resultant larvae.

The mechanism of differentiation was not elucidated, but was thought to be based upon differences in cuticular hydrocarbon odour. Whether the discriminatory oophagy was a result of decreased tolerance of alien odours during the later, reproductive phase of the colony cycle, or an actual discrimination between worker and reproductive destined eggs, remains to be supported with good evidence.

External links

• Paper wasp Polistes dominulus reference photographs, descriptions, taxonomy
• Paper wasp Polistes fuscatus diagnostic photographs, natural history
• Polistes dominulus facial markings indicating dominance

References

• S. Turillazzi and M. J. West-Eberhard (1992). "The Natural History and Evolution of Paper-Wasps".
• Karsai I. & Theraulaz G. (1995). Nest building in a Social Wasp: Postures and Constraints (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Sociology 26 (1): 83-114.
• Karsai I. & Penzes Z. (1996). Intra-specific variation in the comb structure of Polistes dominiculus: parameters, maturation, nest size and cell arrangement. Insectes Sociaux 43: 277-296.

Notes