Group hunting by workers of two Neotropical swarm-founding paper wasps, Parachartergus apicalis and Agelaia sp.

O’Donnell, Sean; Hunt, James H.

doi:10.1007/s00040-013-0302-x

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Yet, my observations on V. vulgaris foragers are consistent with location-specific communication among nestmates, suggesting pilot flights as a possible recruitment mechanism. Together with previous research made on other Vespidae (Matsuura & Yamane, 1990;Naumann, 1970;O'Donnell & Hunt, 2013;Taylor, 2012), my findings suggest that further research will reveal currently unknown communication mechanisms within this group of social insects. The evidence found for nest-based information transfer and foraging activation in the common wasp further highlights the convergent evolution of food recruitment mechanisms within hymenopterans (Nieh 2009), and suggests an additional mechanism for their widespread success (Lester et al 2014).…”

Section: Synthesis With Wider Literaturesupporting

confidence: 74%

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Foraging Behaviour and Individuality in the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Santoro¹

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<p>The extreme ecological success of insect societies is frequently attributed to the division of labour within their colonies (Chittka & Muller, 2009; Holldobler & Wilson, 2009; E. Wilson & Hölldobler, 2005). Yet, we are far from understanding the causes and consequences of division of labour, implying workers’ specialization (Chittka & Muller, 2009; Dornhaus, 2008). Moreover, little studied is the behaviour of individual workers (Jeanson & Weidenmüller, 2013). Social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) have received less attention than social bees and ants, and our knowledge of basic aspect of their ecology is still poor (Jeanne, 1991; Greene, 1991). With my thesis, I aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) foraging ecology and organization of labour. With a particular attention to their foraging behaviour, I investigated the inter-individual variability among wasp workers and their cooperation. My thesis shows evidence of information sharing and co-ordination in V. vulgaris foragers’ activity. In fact, the discovery and choice of resources by wasp foragers was assisted by information provided by experienced nestmates (Chapter 2). When resources known to portion of the workforce became newly available, the foraging effort of the whole colony increased. My observations of common wasps are hence consistent with foraging activation mechanisms and suggest piloting (in which one individual leads one or more nestmates to a resource) as a possible foraging recruitment mechanism in social wasps. I found huge variation in lifetime activity, task performance, and survival among common wasp workers (Chapter 3). Some individuals specialized on alternative foraging tasks over their lifetime, and a minority individuals performed a disproportionately high number of foraging trips (elitism). Foragers appeared to become more successful with age, accomplishing more trips and carrying heavier fluid loads. Compared to smaller nestmates, larger wasps contributed more to the colony foraging economies. High mortality was associated with the beginning of the foraging activity, relative to lower mortality in more experienced workers. I evaluated the performance of common wasp workers within the same insect colony, and found empirical support for the hypothesis that specialist foragers are more efficient than generalists (Chapter 4). In fact, V. vulgaris behavioural specialists performed more trips per foraging day and their trips tended to be shorter. Despite their more intense foraging effort, specialists lived longer than generalists. I investigated the intra-colonial variation in the sting extension response (SER) of common wasps, measured as a proxy for individual aggressiveness (Chapter 5). I found that wasps vary greatly in their SER and that individuals change during their life. Aggressive individuals tended to become more docile, while docile individuals more aggressive. Older wasps tended to be more aggressive. Wasp size was not significantly related to the SER. Wasp foragers had a less pronounced sting extension than individuals previously involved in nest defence. For the same individual, the aggressive response was proportional to the intensity of the negative stimulus.</p>

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Section: Synthesis With Wider Literaturesupporting

confidence: 74%

“…Agelaia spp.). Groups of workers of these species have been previously observed in coordinated raiding and hunting actions, strongly suggesting nest-based active recruitment (Matsuura & Yamane, 1990;O'Donnell & Hunt, 2013).…”

Section: Further Researchmentioning

confidence: 91%

Foraging Behaviour and Individuality in the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Santoro¹

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“…América Latina alberga una gran diversidad de especies del orden Hymenoptera, dentro del cual se encuentran las avispas de los géneros Polybia y Parachartergus. Dichos géneros forman parte de la subfamilia Polistinae y se distribuyen desde Centroamérica hasta Sudamérica, principalmente en Brasil y Argentina [7]. Polistinae es una de las subfamilias más diversas a nivel taxonómico, perteneciente a la familia Vespidae (suborden Apocrita, orden Hymenoptera), cuya distribución es mundial, colonizando variedad de hábitats.…”

Section: Caracterización De Los Géneros Polybia Y Parachartergusunclassified

Veneno de avispas de los géneros Parachartergus sp. y Polybia sp (Vespidae: Polistinae) en Costa Rica: un potencial biológico por explorar

Rodríguez-Picado¹,

Chavarría-Pizarro

Centeno-Cerdas³

2022

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América Latina alberga gran diversidad de especies del orden Hymenoptera, dentro de las cuales se encuentran las avispas de los géneros Polybia y Parachartergus. Se ha caracterizado que las picaduras de avispas causan reacciones como permeabilidad vascular, activación y movilización de células inflamatorias y moléculas mediadoras de inflamación. Esto ha incrementado el interés biotecnológico en el veneno de avispas, con el fin de identificar componentes bioactivos involucrados en las respuestas biológicas, en busca de moléculas con actividades específicas. En las últimas décadas, se ha encontrado que las más prometedoras son los péptidos mastoparán y otros péptidos anticancerígenos (ACPs). El potencial de estos péptidos se atribuye principalmente a su tamaño y estructura anfipática, que les permite interactuar diferencialmente con las membranas celulares. El perfil proteómico reportado para el veneno de Polybia paulista, en Brasil, motiva a estudiar también el de diferentes insectos en Costa Rica, considerando que los componentes del veneno pueden variar entre diferentes zonas geográficas, así como en función de sus depredadores y presas. El presente documento pretende resaltar el potencial farmacológico que encierra el veneno de avispas de los géneros Parachartergus sp. y Polybia sp., principalmente para tratar el cáncer, aprovechando la biodiversidad y capacidades tecnológicas de Costa Rica, aportando con esto a la lucha contra una de las mayores causas de morbilidad y mortalidad a nivel mundial. El perfil proteómico reportado para el veneno de Polybia paulista, motiva a estudiar también el de diferentes insectos en Costa Rica, considerando que los componentes del veneno pueden diferir entre diferentes zonas geográficas, así como entre especies y géneros en función, por ejemplo, de sus depredadores y presas. El presente documento pretende resaltar el potencial farmacológico que encierra el veneno de avispas de los géneros Parachartergus sp. y Polybia sp., principalmente para tratar el cáncer, aprovechando la biodiversidad y capacidades tecnológicas de Costa Rica, aportando con esto a la lucha contra una de las mayores causas de morbilidad y mortalidad a nivel mundial.

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The predatory behavior of the Neotropical social wasp Polybia rejecta

Déjean

Rodríguez‐Pérez

Carpenter

et al. 2017

Behavioural Processes

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We experimentally studied the predatory behavior of Polybia rejecta (Vespidae, Polistinae, Epiponini) towards 2-88 mm-long insects attracted to a UV light trap. Foragers, which began to hunt at 6:30, selected 4-14 mm-long prey insects. Prey detection by sight by hovering wasps was confirmed using decoys. After the wasps landed and walked along a sinuous path, prey were detected by contact or from a distance (1-3cm). This was followed by seizure, stinging (contrarily to most other known cases), prey manipulation and retrieval. Prey that flew off might be caught in flight. The prey load, representing 30.7% of a forager's weight, was optimized by capturing up to six small prey or two medium-sized prey successively (both of which might be consumed in situ). The foragers cut off the wings of larger prey or cut them into two pieces and returned to gather the second piece. The handling time increased exponentially with the weight of the prey. Partial loading (i.e., retrieving a load much inferior to the maximum possible) was likely related to social facilitation, a form of nest-based recruitment that was demonstrated through the experimental elimination of local enhancement by removing foragers (both mechanisms favor the exploitation of favorable patches).

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Group hunting by workers of two Neotropical swarm-founding paper wasps, Parachartergus apicalis and Agelaia sp.

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Foraging Behaviour and Individuality in the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Foraging Behaviour and Individuality in the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Veneno de avispas de los géneros Parachartergus sp. y Polybia sp (Vespidae: Polistinae) en Costa Rica: un potencial biológico por explorar

The predatory behavior of the Neotropical social wasp Polybia rejecta

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