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Background: The poly-sensitization to Hymenoptera venom makes it difficult to select genuine allergens for immunotherapy and increases patients' costs. The objective of this study was to determine the culprit allergen in dual or triple-sensitized patients to three Hymenoptera venoms through molecular diagnosis and evaluating the results of incorporating the molecular diagnosis with skin tests. Methods: Thirty-two patients with anaphylactic reactions and dual or triple-sensitization to Hymenoptera venoms in skin tests entered this study. IgE-sensitization to whole extracts and molecules of Apis mellifera (Api m), Vespula vulgaris (Ves v), and Polistes dominulus (Pol d) was evaluated utilizing ALEX or ImmunoCAP. Results: Twenty-nine patients (90.6%) were male. IgE-sensitization to at least one of the allergenic molecules related to Apis mellifera, Vespula vulgaris, and Polistes dominulus was seen in 59.4, 53.1, and 21.9%, respectively. Among 32 patients, 14 (43.8) and 8 (25%), were mono-sensitized to Api m and Ves v components in ALEX, respectively. Double sensitization to Hymenoptera was identified in 18.8% of patients in ALEX. Api m 1+/Api m 2−/Api m 10− and Ves v 1+/Ves v 5+ demonstrated the most prevalent sensitizations patterns in our patients. Conclusions: The molecular diagnosis of IgE-sensitization to Hymenoptera venoms can be valuable, especially in patients who show dual or triple-sensitization in skin tests, as the ALEX results revealed mono and double-sensitization to Hymenoptera venoms in 22 and 6 patients, respectively. Regarding the high cost and adverse reactions of venom immunotherapy, especially for two or three venoms, incorporating the molecular diagnosis alongside skin tests for accurate diagnosis of the culprit venom could help decrease costs for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article distinguishes the role of hexagonal motifs in close-packed solid-state structures and in graphite and graphene; we then illustrate how hexagonal cells in the nests of honey bees and paper wasps minimize construction materials while optimizing space and achieving a robust architecture from delicate materials

The European paper wasp, Polistes dominula (Christ) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), directly competes with native Polistes and is a safety concern for workers and homeowners. A previous investigation of Polistes behavior found that a portion of wasps died after consuming a solution of pear ester, a compound commonly found in fruits that is considered non-toxic to humans. The goal of our study was to corroborate those preliminary observations and investigate the toxicity of pear ester to P. dominula. Two experiments were performed. First, 3 wasp castes were fed 17% sugar water, or sugar water mixed with 0.5%, 1.0%, 5.0%, or 10.0% (w/v) solutions of pear ester. Mortality after 24 h ranged from 0% among wasps fed sugar water only, to >10% among wasps that were fed pear ester. Mortality increased logarithmically with pear ester concentration. Pear ester toxicity differed among wasp castes, with <5% mortality recorded among fall gynes to >10% mortality among workers. The second experiment attempted to define the relationship between morbidity and volume of pear ester consumed by P. dominula workers. Although results confirmed that ingestion of pear ester causes death or paralysis of P. dominula workers, there was no clear relationship between volume of ingested pear ester and wasp morbidity. About 80% of P. dominula were unaffected by pear ester despite consuming large quantities of the solution. This is the first study to demonstrate lethal effects of pear ester compound and may indicate its potential as an insecticide for paper wasps. La avispa cartonera europea, Polistes dominula (Christ) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), compite directamente con las Polistes nativas y, además, es una preocupación de seguridad para trabajadores y familias en sus casas. Una investigación previa sobre el comportamiento de Polistes, encontró que algunas de las avispas morían después de consumir una solución de éster de pera, un compuesto comúnmente encontrado en frutas y que no es considerado tóxica para humanos. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue corroborar esas observaciones preliminares e investigar la toxicidad del éster de pera para P. dominula. Se realizaron 2 experimentos. Primero, 3 castas de avispas fueron alimentadas con soluciones de 17% agua azucarada, o agua mezclada con 0.5%, 1.0%, 5.0% y 10.0% (p/v) con éster de pera. La mortalidad después de 24 horas varió desde 0% entre avispas alimentadas solamente con agua azucarada, a >10% entre avispas a las cuáles se les dio éster de pera. La mortalidad aumentó logarítmicamente con la concentración de éster de pera. La toxicidad del éster de pera varió entre las castas de avispas, con una mortalidad registrada <5% entre hembras reproductivas de otoño a >10% entre obreras. El segundo experimento intentó definir la relación entre morbilidad y volumen de éster de pera consumido por obreras de P. dominula. Aunque los resultados confirmaron que la ingesta de éster de pera causa la muerte o parálisis de obreras de P. dominula, no hubo una relación clara entre el volumen ingerido de éster de pera y morbilidad. Cerca del 80% de P. dominula no fue afectado por el éster de pera, a pesar, de haber consumido grandes cantidades de la solución. Este es el primer estudio que demuestra que la ingestión de éster de, pero por un insecto causa parálisis o muerte. Este es el primer estudio que demuestra efectos letales del compuesto de éster de pera y puede indicar su potencial como insecticidas para avispas papeleras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The heat-loving paper wasp Polistes dominula builds small nests in sheltered places in quite differing habitats, providing a favorable microclimate for brood development. Their careful choice of the nesting site enables them to keep the nest and brood temperature above the ambient air temperature. In temperate Austrian (Central European) climates, the cooling efforts of the adult wasps keep the mean comb temperature from exceeding approximately 39 °C, which seems to be a threshold for optimal development. Measurement of the nest and the body temperature of the wasps at typical nesting sites revealed a close relationship with the air temperature at the nests but a suboptimal correlation with climate data from a local standard weather station or model-generated macroclimate data. The comparison emphasizes the importance of microclimate measurements if it is to judge the vulnerability of insects to climate change. The paper wasp Polistes dominula is a thermophilic species originating from the Mediterranean climate, but is now widely spread in Europe. They live in quite differing habitats; and as synanthropic species, they have been established in human settlement areas. They build a single small comb at protected places with a favorable microclimate. We measured the temperature of the wasps, the nests and their environment at typical nesting sides in Austria (Europe) in the temperate climate, in order to reveal relationships between nest and body temperature and the habitats' microclimate. The temperatures of the comb and of the wasps' body were in a wide range (~20–37 °C) above the ambient air temperature at the nest. This is an advantage as higher temperatures accelerate the development speed of the brood. However, the mean comb temperature did not exceed approximately 38.6 °C. This was managed by cooling efforts of the adult wasps. The ambient air temperature near the nest (~1–2 cm) was always clearly elevated above the ambient air temperature at a local standard weather station in the habitat. A comparison with climate-model-generated macroclimate data revealed the necessity of measuring microclimate data for a reliable description of the insects' thermal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social wasps are known to be aggressive, and this trait causes some other animal species to associate with these insects. These associations appear to be common in nature, however, they are not easily located nor understood. Thus, the objective of this work is to add new data to studies of associations between birds and wasps, recorded from the cerrado and caatinga of the states of Bahia, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, from 2018 to 2021. Nine colonies of social wasps were found, associated with Tolmomyias flaviventris (Wied, 1831) and Tolmomyias sulphurescens (Spix, 1825) (Passeriformes: Rhynchocyclidae). The behavior of associating with wasp colonies is a form of defense of these birds against predators, and seems to be related to the breeding season of the birds, since predation on their nests is the main factor for reducing their reproductive success.

With powerful functional genomics tools, including RNA interference (RNAi), the study of gene function is moving from simpler phenotypes in model organisms to more complex traits in non-models. However, optimizing RNAi-mediated gene knockdown for a novel system can be time consuming and expensive, so researchers interested in initiating an RNAi study for functional genomics in a non-model organism will want to consider the successes and failures of RNAi in related species and similar phenotypes. Yet, sub-optimal and negative knockdown results are rarely reported alongside positive ones, so choosing the best methodological parameters can be difficult. Furthermore, social insects pose extra challenges to designing functional genomics studies, as the traits we measure are often part of the extended phenotype of a primary reproductive, emerge from the collective phenotypes of many individuals, and may be the result of a gene taking on a novel functional role in a social system. We attempt to mitigate these challenges for other social insect biologists by reporting our own successes and impediments to optimizing RNAi for the gene vitellogenin in the paper wasp Polistes fuscatus. We discuss the many factors that can affect RNAi experimental design and which parameters worked optimally for our study, as well as compile a list of working parameters from previous RNAi studies in social Hymenoptera. We highlight the difficulties of RNAi that are specific to social Hymenoptera, including the potential differences in RNA efficacy across behavioral caste, and share results on our optimized parameters as a potential roadmap for other social insect biologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of social wasp biology is often focused on understanding the factors involved in the evolution of social behavior. However, despite the importance of parasitism for the fitness of social insect colonies, little is known about the presence of parasitic protozoan infections in Neotropical social wasp populations. Herein, we report the first recorded occurrence of eugregarines in the midgut of the paper wasp Polistes versicolor. Our study shows 46% of the adults (n = 50) in the studied population were infected with gregarine trophozoites. No protozoans were identified in any of the sampled larvae (n = 14). This new record may indicate the existence of a new taxon within Order Eugregarinorida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper wasp Polistes dominula is a thermophilic species originating from the Mediterranean climate, but is now widely spread in Europe. They live in quite differing habitats; and as synanthropic species, they have been established in human settlement areas. They build a single small comb at protected places with a favorable microclimate. We measured the temperature of the wasps, the nests and their environment at typical nesting sides in Austria (Europe) in the temperate climate, in order to reveal relationships between nest and body temperature and the habitats’ microclimate. The temperatures of the comb and of the wasps’ body were in a wide range (~20–37 °C) above the ambient air temperature at the nest. This is an advantage as higher temperatures accelerate the development speed of the brood. However, the mean comb temperature did not exceed approximately 38.6 °C. This was managed by cooling efforts of the adult wasps. The ambient air temperature near the nest (~1–2 cm) was always clearly elevated above the ambient air temperature at a local standard weather station in the habitat. A comparison with climate-model-generated macroclimate data revealed the necessity of measuring microclimate data for a reliable description of the insects’ thermal environment.

Honey is a healing compound produced by the Apidae bees. So far, the only genus of Apis with 9 known species worldwide is a honey bee. But species of paper wasps in the Vespidae can also produce honey. This research was conducted to study and identify the species of paper wasp honey producer in the South of Kerman. For this purpose, the activity areas of this wasp were identified, and specimens of this paper wasp were collected for species identification. The specimens were identified by keys and related articles and Confirmed by Dr. James M. Carpenter at the American Museum of natural history. Parapolybia escalerae (Meado-Waldo) was described by Mead-Waldo in the London British Museum in 1911 as a single female specimen from southwestern Iran. The World distribution of this paper wasp is in Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran. According to the results of this study, the species Parapolybia escalerae (Meado-Waldo, 1911) was identified for the first time in southeastern Iran (south of Kerman). This species was distributed south of Kerman from the tropical foothills of Jabalbarz Mountains (southern Jabalbarz to Mohammadabad) and Bahraseman. Parapolybia escalerae is introduced in the world as a paper wasp species of a honey producer. The paper wasp is known as dry or chocolate honey and has medicinal use. In this study, the male and queen specimens were collected and identified for the first time. This study found that this species of paper wasp, like the Apis florea, produces wild honey. A. florea has open nests and small colonies of a single comb, but P. escalerae is in the dark space of mountains and cliffs and produces many combs. The activity of this species was mostly observed on the Ziziphus sp. and Pistacia terebinthus trees. This paper wasp has a social life and includes three forms of queens, workers, and males. So far, only two species of Honey producing paper wasps have been reported in South America, including Brachygastra mellifica (Say, 1837), known as the Mexican Honey Wasp and Brachygastra lecheguana (Latreille, 1824), which are paper wasps belonging to the subfamily Polistinae. These two species have round nests and build their nests on tall trees and the ground in open spaces. Their honey has medicinal use in different regions of South America and is collected by local people. The paper wasp species P. escalerae works in the crevices of the rocks and has several flat combs. In Iran, the local people of the southern regions of Iran use this honey as medicine to treat respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Molecularly adapted: Paper wasps inhabit extremely variable thermal environments. • Normal cellular function: Hsc70 and Hsp83 appear important under benign conditions. • Stress response: Hsp70 and Hsp83 expression is highly induced by severe heat stress. • Development: Expression of Heat Shock Proteins varied between life stages. • Environmental adaptation: Use of the Heat Shock Response differ between populations. Temperature is a crucial factor in many physiological processes, especially in small ectotherms whose body temperature is highly influenced by ambient temperature. Polistes (paper wasps) is a genus of primitively eusocial wasps found in widely varying thermal environments throughout the world. Paper wasps construct open-faced combs in which the brood is exposed to varying ambient temperatures. The Heat Shock Response is a physiological mechanism that has been shown to help cope with thermal stress. We investigated the expression of heat shock proteins in different life stages of three species of Polistes from different climates with the aim of deducing adaptive patterns. This was done by assaying heat shock protein (hsp70 , hsp83 , hsc70) expression during control conditions (25 °C) or a heat insult (35 or 45 °C) in individuals collected from natural populations in Alpine, Temperate, or Mediterranean climates. Basal expression of hsc70 and hsp83 was found to be high, while hsp70 and hsp83 expression was found to be highly responsive to severe heat stress. As expression levels varied based on species, geographical origin, and life stage as well as between heat shock proteins, the Heat Shock Response of Polistes was found to be complex. The results suggest that adaptive utilization of the heat shock response contributes to the ability of Polistes spp. to inhabit widely different thermal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper wasps are a model system for the study of social evolution due to a high degree of inter- and intraspecific variation in cooperation, aggression, and visual signals of social status. Increasing the taxonomic coverage of genomic resources for this diverse clade will aid comparative genomic approaches for testing predictions about the molecular basis of social evolution. Here, we provide draft genome assemblies for two well-studied species of paper wasps, Polistes exclamans and Mischocyttarus mexicanus. The P. exclamans genome assembly is 221.5 Mb in length with a scaffold N50 of 4.11 Mb. The M. mexicanus genome assembly is 227 Mb in length with a scaffold N50 of 1.1 Mb. Genomes have low repeat content (9.54–10.75%) and low GC content (32.06–32.4%), typical of other social hymenopteran genomes. The DNA methyltransferase gene, Dnmt3  , was lost early in the evolution of Polistinae. We identified a second independent loss of Dnmt3 within hornets (genus: Vespa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirror studies have uncovered evidence for self-awareness in several non-human animals; however, this approach has not been extended to invertebrates. Here, we examined mirror responses of Polistes paper wasps, insects with high social cognitive abilities. We used a highly replicated design, exposing wasps to mirror self-recognition (MSR) test stimuli (mirror, facial marking) and several control stimuli (non-reflective surfaces, invisible marks, and sham marks). We found that nest-founding queen wasps respond to mirrors with increases in antennation and touching over non-reflective surfaces. Visible marks also resulted in more exploratory behaviours (antennating and touching the mirror), but decreases in self-directed behaviours typically used as indicators of MSR. While this experiment does not support the notion that wasps possess self-awareness, it shows that wasps respond to subtle alterations in their visual environment and appearance with exploratory behaviour. This work thus increases our understanding of insects' cognitive abilities, suggesting high levels of perceptual richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nest of a paper wasp, Polistes(Gyrostoma)sp., infested by the pyralid Hypsopygia mauritialis was dissected and examined in detail. The nest was found in Kagoshima, southern Japan, and collected in mid-September, 2021. Cell walls of the nest comb had many holes, and no brood or meconia remained, probably because of destruction from the feeding activities of the larval moths. The nest had a strange structure(fecal dangler)suspended from the nest comb: the fecal dangler was about 10 cm long and mainly comprised fecal grains of the moth mixed with pupal exuviae of the moth and fragments of wasp cocoons woven together with silk. The nest comb and fecal dangler contained 43 live moth larvae(only 13 of which were vigorous)and 8 live pupae. A total of at least 123 pupal exuviae were present. The feeding behavior and the function of the fecal dangler are discussed, and compared with other cases of Polistes nests infested by Hypsopygia species previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ropalidia marginata is a common primitively eusocial wasp in peninsular India. Their colonies contain a single egg-laying queen and several non-egg-laying workers. Queens and workers are morphologically indistinguishable, and individuals can change from one role to the other. Unlike most primitively eusocial species, queens of R. marginata are docile, non-aggressive and non-interactive. Nevertheless, the queens maintain a complete reproductive monopoly mediated by non-volatile pheromones. Upon the death or removal of the queen, one worker becomes temporarily hyper-aggressive and becomes the next queen within about a week; we refer to her as the 'potential queen'. Because only one individual becomes hyper-aggressive and reveals herself as the potential queen, and the other wasps never challenge her, we have been much interested in identifying the potential queen in the presence of the queen. However, we have failed to do so until recently. Here, we recount the four decades of search for the potential queen, ending with the recent resolution that emerged from applying the novel technique of multilayer network analysis. Identifying the potential queen in the presence of the previous queen is now possible by integrating behavioural information from multiple social situations to form a holistic view of the social structure of the wasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the abundance, nesting ecology, and colony survival of two invasive species of paper wasp, Polistes dominula Christ (Hymenoptera:Vespidae) and Polistes chinensis Pérez (Hymenoptera:Vespidae), within their invaded range in New Zealand. The more recent invader, P. dominula, exhibited a strong habitat preference, reaching the highest abundances within suburban areas with an average of 87.4 wasps per 1,000 m2. Coastal habitats were also found to be suitable environments for P. dominula, although wasp abundance in these areas was comparatively lower than suburban sites at 26.5 wasps per 1,000 m2. Although P. chinensis were observed to build more nests in coastal habitats, this was not reflected in the abundance of adult wasps in these areas. Nests of P. dominula were larger and more productive, likely a result of the multiple founding and earlier emergence of workers compared to P. chinensis. Both species exhibited significant differences in nest survival, with P. dominula observed to have a higher colony survival rate, particularly in suburban habitats where this species utilized man-made substrates as nesting sites. Neither species nested within forest sites and translocated nests of P. dominula failed to thrive within forest habitats. Findings of this research suggest that P. dominula will not pose a threat to species inhabiting forested areas. Instead, biodiversity managers should focus their efforts on suburban and coastal environments as native species in these areas will require the greatest protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuticular hydrocarbons perform multiple functions in insects such as protecting against desiccation and pathogenic infection, and signaling interactions. Evaluation of cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of insects is commonly performed by extraction using a nonpolar solvent such as hexane. Specimens intended for CHC analysis are ideally handled by avoiding contact with solvents such as ethanol. However, insects are frequently stored in ethanol after collection, especially if intended for molecular analysis. To determine if it is possible that chemical compounds in the cuticles of specimens can withstand previous exposure to ethanol, we evaluated the efficiency of CHC extraction from specimens preserved in 95% ethanol. We extracted cuticular compounds from specimens of the social wasp Polybia paulista (Ihering) with no contact with ethanol solvents and compared them with those from specimens stored in 95% ethanol. We analyzed chemical composition from wasps and the 95% ethanol in which they had been stored by a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. In total, 56 compounds were detected: 50 that were classified as hydrocarbons which were mostly branched alkanes, followed by linear alkanes and alkenes. Three compounds were identified as fatty acids, and three compounds were unidentifiable. The ethanol-preserved specimens showed similar chemical profiles to those of specimens that had no contact with ethanol. Thus, we suggest that it is possible to study the chemical profiles of ethanol-preserved specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetsuya Muto, Shigeki Machida Department of Ophthalmology, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Koshigaya, Japan Purpose: Many treatments, such as conservative management or penetrating keratoplasty, exist for corneal wasp sting. Here, we report a case of paper wasp sting of the cornea treated by anterior chamber wash immediately following admission, which soon resolved the inflammation.Case: A healthy 9-year-old boy who had been stung by a paper wasp on his left eye 2 days prior to presentation at Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center was found to have corneal opacity accompanied by ciliary injection. The boy had difficulty opening his left eye due to pain. His left corneal endothelial cell density was 2,789 cells/mm2, which was relatively lesser than that in the right eye. We diagnosed a paper wasp sting of the cornea based on both the patient’s clinical findings and sting history. The anterior chamber was promptly irrigated using a balanced salt solution; the inflammation resolved in a few hours, and the patient could open his left eye easily the following day. One day after the operation, the visual acuity improved to 1.2, and only slight corneal opacity remained at the original wasp sting site.Conclusion: The positive outcome of the current case suggested that anterior chamber irrigation leads to rapid resolution of the inflammation. Keywords: anterior chamber, endothelial cell density, paper wasp

Why workers forfeit direct reproduction is a crucial question in eusocial evolution. Worker reproduction provides an excellent opportunity to understand the mechanism of kin conflict resolution between the queen and workers. We evaluated behavioral and physiological differences among females in the paper wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis to examine why some workers reproduce under queenright conditions. Reproductive workers were old and foraged less early in the season; their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles overlapped with those of queens but were significantly different. The distinct CHC profile of the eggs of the queen likely represented a cue for policing against those by workers. Juvenile hormone (JH) and dopamine seemed to be associated with gonadotropic function, and the JH level of reproductive workers was similar to that of the queen. The high JH level of reproductive workers likely facilitated their reproduction even under queenright conditions. Gene expression levels of the queen and reproductive workers differed only in vitellogenin. These results suggest that worker reproduction is facilitated by an increase in JH level; however, CHC is not a fertility-linked signal, but a queen-linked signal; consequently, reproductive workers without a queen-linked signal might be allowed to stay within the colony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuing to explore the fascinating world of the Indian paper wasp Ropalidia marginata, in this article, we will ask how wasps choose their queens in another context. In the previous article in this series, we saw how a simple experiment revealed that wasps fight, i.e., indulge in dominance-subordinate interactions, and the winner becomes the queen and the loser becomes the worker. This was in the context of new nest foundation. But context matters. When the same wasps once again have to decide who will be their next queen if the first one dies or is experimentally removed, the same rules do not hold. The wasps in a mature colony continue to show dominance-subordinate interactions and can even be arranged in a dominance hierarchy, but the dominance ranks of the wasps do not predict who their next queen will be. How they choose their next queen in this context continues to be an enduring mystery. In this article, I will describe four simple experiments that have helped us come close to nailing the culprit, although I must confess that we have not yet found the smoking gun—the chase is on, and we are hot on the trail—please join in! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to recognize others is a frequent assumption of models of the evolution of cooperation. At the same time, cooperative behavior has been proposed as a selective agent favoring the evolution of individual recognition abilities. Although theory predicts that recognition and cooperation may co-evolve, data linking recognition abilities and cooperative behavior with evidence of selection are elusive. Here, we provide evidence of a selective link between individual recognition and cooperation in the paper wasp Polistes fuscatus through a combination of clinal, common garden, and population genomics analyses. We identified latitudinal clines in both rates of cooperative nesting and color pattern diversity, consistent with a selective link between recognition and cooperation. In behavioral experiments, we replicated previous results demonstrating individual recognition in cooperative and phenotypically diverse P. fuscatus from New York. In contrast, wasps from a less cooperative and phenotypically uniform Louisiana population showed no evidence of individual recognition. In a common garden experiment, groups of wasps from northern populations formed more stable and individually biased associations, indicating that recognition facilitates group stability. The strength of recent positive selection on cognition-associated loci likely to mediate individual recognition is substantially greater in northern compared with southern P. fuscatus populations. Collectively, these data suggest that individual recognition and cooperative nesting behavior have co-evolved in P. fuscatus because recognition helps stabilize social groups. This work provides evidence of a specific cognitive phenotype under selection because of social interactions, supporting the idea that social behavior can be a key driver of cognitive evolution. [Display omitted] • Cooperation and signal diversity covary across the geographic range of a paper wasp • The ability to recognize individuals is related to cooperation and signal diversity • Individual recognition stabilizes social groups • Selection on social cognition genes is stronger in more cooperative populations Using three distinct approaches—a geographic cline of signal diversity and cooperation, common garden behavioral experiments, and genomic analyses of selection—Tumulty et al. show that cooperation favors the evolution of individual recognition in a cooperatively breeding paper wasp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper wasp Polistes riparius is distributed in cold regions of northern East Asia to Russia. P. riparius are characterized by having longer cells than those of the closely related P. chinensis, which has a similar life history, as an adaptation to cold regions. The phylogenetic relationships of paper wasps have recently been studied; however, the genetic diversity and population structure of P. riparius has not been determined. The present study is the first to analyze the complete mitochondrial genome using next generation sequencing of P. riparius collected from Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The genome consisted of a closed loop that was 16,383 bp-long and included 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one AT-rich control region. The average AT content was 84.54%. The heavy (H)-strand was predicted to have 12 PCGs and 14 tRNA genes, while the light (L)-strand was predicted to contain one PCGs, eight tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. All PCGs started with ATG. Stop codons were of two types: TAA for 11 genes (ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4L, ND5, ND6, COXI, COXII, COXIII, COB, ATP6 and ATP8) and TAG for two genes (ND3 and ND4). The molecular phylogenetic relationship based on the maximum likelihood method using 13 PCGs was consistent with some previous studies in which a closely relationship between P. riparius and P. jokahamae.

In this article, we move from sensory physiology to psychology and consider the proverbially lazy drone. I will describe how some simple experiments permitted us to understand why males in the Indian paper wasp Ropalidia marginata do no work in the colony even during the time they live in it. Taking the behaviour of feeding larvae as an example of work, we show that male wasps normally do not feed larvae, not because they are incapable of doing so, but because they do not have access to enough food and also because female wasps are so much better at this job. As a confirmation of this conclusion, we could cure the males of their laziness, i.e., get them to feed the larvae by providing them with excess food and leaving them in the presence of hungry larvae, without the presence of females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through natural selection, many animal organs with similar functions have evolved different macroscopic morphologies and microscopic structures. Here, we comparatively investigate the structures, properties and functions of honey bee stings and paper wasp stings. Their elegant structures were systematically observed. To examine their behaviors of penetrating into different materials, we performed penetration–extraction tests and slow motion analyses of their insertion process. In comparison, the barbed stings of honey bees are relatively difficult to be withdrawn from fibrous tissues (e.g. skin), while the removal of paper wasp stings is easier due to their different structures and insertion skills. The similarities and differences of the two kinds of stings are summarized on the basis of the experiments and observations.

We investigated associative learning of food odors by the European paper wasp Polistes dominula Christ (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) because of consistent low rates of attraction to food materials in laboratory assays. We hypothesized that wasps in nature exhibit nonspecific food-finding behavior until locating a suitable food, and then respond more strongly and specifically to odors associated with that food reward. Female P. dominula workers exhibited higher rates of attraction in a flight tunnel to piped odors of fermented fruit purees following previous experience with that puree, compared to wasps with no prior experience with the fermented fruits. Attraction behavior included upwind-oriented flight and casting within the odor plume, indicative of chemoanemotaxis. Synthetic chemicals representative of volatiles P. dominula may encounter in nature while foraging was also tested. Similar increases in attraction responses occurred following feeding experience with a sugar solution that included either 3-methyl-1-butanol or pear ester, but not eugenol. These experimental results support the hypothesis of associative learning of food odors in P. dominula. We discuss the ecological relevance of our results and suggest an alternative approach to trap paper wasps in pest situations utilizing learned chemical attractants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides the first molecular phylogeny of the social wasp subgenus Polistella (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistes ) from Vietnam. Fragments of the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA genes were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic trees among 38 Polistes species plus two out-group species ( Vespa soror du Buysson and Ropalidia fasciata (Fabricius)). Our results support the existence of several species-groups, including two that are congruent with the previous stigma and Stenopolistes groups defined on the basis of morphology. Moreover, we recovered a clade including the stigma group and the two species P. humilis and P. variabilis that was sister to all other species of Polistella . However, the results also challenged the definition of other groups of Polistella based on morphological data, as well as the definition of two species: P. brunus and P. affinis . This first study calls for further analyses including morphological characters to clarify the taxonomy and the classification of the group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of ocular injuries of hornets and paper wasps’ stings.Study design: Retrospective case series.Methods: Patients diagnosed with ocular injuries sustained by bee stings at Miyata Eye Hospital (Miyazaki, Japan) between August 2000 and July 2016 were enrolled. Retrospective data regarding type of bee, visual acuity, and treatment were collected from medical records. Outcomes of the hornet and wasp groups were compared.Results: Five eyes of 5 patients (3 men, 2 women; mean age 44.6±21.2 years [range 9-62 years]) were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 50.6 ± 57.6 months (range 4 days to 121 months). The causative bee was hornet in 3 cases and wasp in 2. The anterior chamber was irrigated in 2 patients, both from the hornet group. The best-corrected visual acuity at the final visit was no light perception, light perception, and (0.02) in the hornet group, (1.5) and (1.2) in the wasp group.Conclusions: The hornet group exhibited significantly worse prognosis than the wasp group. Identifying the type of bee is important in establishing prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caste determination in social insects with morphologically distinct castes occurs during a critical period during the larval stage. In contrast, in social insects without morphologically distinct castes the time of eclosion can act as an additional critical period. A number of cues have been identified that influence caste differentiation in social insects but to date, most of the studies have used physiological correlates to determine the effects of these cues on caste determination. Few studies have measured behavioral differences in a natural setting. In this field study, the behavioral and nutritional profiles of individuals of the paper wasp Polistes metricus emerging on nests with and without larvae were determined and compared to emerging workers and gynes from unmanipulated colonies. Based on previous studies, it was predicted that individuals eclosing on nests with larvae would have similar profiles to workers and those eclosing on nests without larvae would have similar profiles to gynes. Individuals that emerged on colonies with larvae had similar behavioral and nutritional profiles to workers as expected. Individuals that emerged on nests without larvae had behavioral and nutritional profiles that were in between workers and gynes and showed signs of active reproduction and nest construction. The results of this study were combined with those of other studies into a model that proposes that there are three thresholds, one in response to photoperiod, one during the larval stage, and one during eclosion that determines if individuals will be workers, active reproducers, or overwintering gynes. This model provides a more complete picture of caste determination in Polistes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The founding individuals of a new group or lineage are uniquely poised to have long-lasting effects on their descendants. Here we explore how the behavioural traits of new foundresses influence their task allocation strategies and the downstream collective behaviour of their colonies. We collected individual paper wasp ( Polistes metricus ) queens from the wild and measured their boldness, aggressiveness, exploration, activity and time budgets in the laboratory. We then provided queens with food and nest materials and waited for their workers to eclose. We subsequently tested for links between queen behavioural traits (e.g. boldness, aggressiveness) and the collective aggressiveness of their colonies, as estimated by the number of workers that responded to and stung a model predator. We found that bolder queens (i.e. queens that were less likely to leave their nests after repeated exposure to an agonistic stimulus) spent more time nest guarding, reared more workers and produced groups that were less responsive to a model predator. Thus, there appears to be parent–offspring, or queen–worker, resemblance in the degree to which individuals remain on their nests in different social contexts (solitary queen versus queen + her worker group). To our knowledge this represents the first study to explicitly test for links between individual variation in foundress behaviour, worker production and intercolony collective behaviour; the results highlight the possibility that cross-contextual and transgenerational behavioural links could be a reasonably common and potentially important phenomenon in complex societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additions to the knowledge of the paper wasp genus Polistes (Polistella) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) from the northern part of Vietnam are presented. The males of two species, P. affinis Gusenleitner, 2006, and P. curcipunctum Nguyen, Kojima & Saito, 2011, are described for the first time. The nests of P. affinis Gusenleitner, 2006, and P. nipponensis Pérez, 1905, are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wasps of the genus Polistes build combs without any cover and hence are insufficiently protected against temperature fluctuations. Due to this fact, different types of thermoregulation of Polistes dominula nests were investigated using the modern method of thermography. The study of active mechanisms for nest thermoregulation revealed no brood incubation or clustering behaviour of P. dominula . Furthermore, we found out that wing fanning for cooling the nest was almost undetectable (4 documented cases). However, we could convincingly record that water evaporation is most effective for nest cooling. By the direct comparison of active (with brood and adults) and non-active (without brood and adults) nests, the start of cooling by water evaporation was detected above maximum outside temperatures of 25 °C or at nest temperatures above 35 °C. The powerful role of water in nest cooling was manifested by an average decrease of temperature of single cells of about 8 °C and a mean duration of 7 min until the cells reached again their initial temperature. The investigation of passive thermoregulatory mechanisms revealed that the architecture of the nest plays an important role. Based on the presented results, it can be assumed that the vertical orientation of cells helps maintaining the warmth of nests during the night, whereas the pedicel assists in cooling the nest during the day. Therefore, our study of nest thermoregulation has revealed that P. dominula wasps regulate the temperature of their nest actively by evaporative cooling and passively by a careful site selection and the architecture of their nests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative genomics of social insects has been intensely pursued in recent years with the goal of providing insights into the evolution of social behaviour and its underlying genomic and epigenomic basis. However, the comparative approach has been hampered by a paucity of data on some of the most informative social forms (e.g. incipiently and primitively social) and taxa (especially members of the wasp family Vespidae) for studying social evolution. Here, we provide a draft genome of the primitively eusocial model insect Polistes dominula, accompanied by analysis of caste-related transcriptome and methylome sequence data for adult queens and workers. Polistes dominula possesses a fairly typical hymenopteran genome, but shows very low genomewide GC content and some evidence of reduced genome size. We found numerous caste-related differences in gene expression, with evidence that both conserved and novel genes are related to caste differences. Most strikingly, these -omics data reveal a major reduction in one of the major epigenetic mechanisms that has been previously suggested to be important for caste differences in social insects: DNA methylation. Along with a conspicuous loss of a key gene associated with environmentally responsive DNA methylation (the de novo DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3), these wasps have greatly reduced genomewide methylation to almost zero. In addition to providing a valuable resource for comparative analysis of social insect evolution, our integrative -omics data for this important behavioural and evolutionary model system call into question the general importance of DNA methylation in caste differences and evolution in social insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate the extent of ecological impacts of the invasive Asian paper wasp across different landscapes in New Zealand. We used: (i) a baseline distribution layer (modelled via MaxEnt); (ii) Asian paper wasp nest density (from >460 field plots, related to their preferences for specific land cover categories); and (iii) and their foraging intensity (rates of foraging success, and the time available to forage on a seasonal basis). Using geographic information systems this information is combined and modelled across different landscapes in New Zealand in a step-wise selection process. The highest densities of Asian paper wasps were in herbaceous saline vegetation, followed closely by built-up areas, and then scrub and shrubland. Nest densities of 34 per ha, and occupancy rates of 0.27 were recorded for herbaceous saline vegetation habitats. However, the extent of impacts of the Asian paper wasp remains relatively restricted because of narrow climate tolerances and spatial restriction of preferred habitats. A step-wise process based on geographic information systems and species distribution models, in combination with factors such as distribution, density, and predation, create a useful tool that allows the extent of impacts of invasive species to be assessed across large spatial scales. These models will be useful for conservation managers as they provide easy visual interpretation of results, and can help prioritise where direct conservation action or control of the invader are required.

Attractants are sought for trapping of Polistes spp. paper wasps when they are pestiferous. The serendipitous capture of Polistes metricus Say and Polistes bellicosus Cresson in traps baited with a wine/vinegar mixture for spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) prompted experiments to determine the nature of the wasp response. Both wasp species were captured in subsequent field tests in traps baited with the same mixture of wine plus vinegar, and not in unbaited traps. Polistes bellicosus responses to wine, vinegar, ethanol (as a major volatile of wine), and acetic acid (as a major volatile of vinegar) were evaluated using a Y-tube olfactometer. In the olfactometer, P. bellicosus wasps were attracted to wine and not to vinegar. They also preferred wine alone to wine with vinegar, and were attracted to ethanol. Female wasps were deterred by acetic acid. In field tests comparing traps baited with wine, vinegar and a combination of the 2 materials, P. bellicosus and Polistes fuscatus (Fab.) were captured in traps baited with wine, but were not trapped with vinegar. The inclusion of vinegar with wine did not improve bait attractiveness in the field. We conclude that the paper wasp response to the D. suzukii bait of wine plus vinegar was largely the result of the wasp response to wine. This work constitutes the first demonstration of an attractive bait that can be used to trap P. bellicosus and P. metricus in situations where they are pestiferous, and suggests a potential source of a chemical attractant based on wine volatiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several eusocial wasps are prominent invaders to remote islands. The paper wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis is native to East Asia, was introduced to New Zealand in 1979 and has expanded its distribution there. This provides an excellent opportunity to examine the impacts of an initial bottleneck and subsequent expansion on genetic structure. We analysed and compared the genetic population structures of the native (Japan and South Korea) and invasive New Zealand populations. Although 94% of individuals had shared haplotypes detected across both populations, the remaining 6% had private haplotypes identified in only one of the three countries. The genetic variation at microsatellite loci was lower in New Zealand than in native countries, and the genetic structure in New Zealand was clearly distinct from that in its native range. Higher frequencies of diploid-male- and triploid-female-producing colonies were detected in New Zealand than in the native countries, showing the reduction in genetic variation via a genetic bottleneck. At least two independent introductions were suggested, and the putative source regions for New Zealand were assigned as Kanto (central island) and Kyushu (south island) in Japan. Serial founder events following the initial introduction were also indicated. The estimated dispersal distance between mother and daughter in New Zealand was twice that in Japan. Thus, the introduction history of P. chinensis antennalis in New Zealand is probably the result of at least two independent introductions, passing through a bottleneck during introduction, followed by population expansion from the point of introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper wasps negotiate over help using indicators of demand. Animal societies are composed of individuals whose genetic interests are often opposed. We conducted experiments on a cooperative paper wasp which reveal the behavioural rules by which group members settle these conflicts.Recent theory and empirical studies of avian biparental systems suggest that animals resolve conflict over parental care via a process of behavioral negotiation or “rules for responding.” Less is known, however, about whether negotiation over helping effort occurs in cooperatively breeding animal societies or whether behavioral negotiation requires a relatively large brain. In this study, we tested whether negotiation over help occurs in a social insect, the paper wasp Polistes dominulus, by recording individual responses to both observed and experimentally induced foraging returns by other group members. In our experiments, we manipulated food delivery to the nest in 2 ways: 1) by catching departing foragers and giving them larval food to take back to the nest and 2) by giving larval food directly to wasps on the nest, which they then fed to larvae, so increasing food delivery independently of helper effort. We found no evidence from Experiment 1 that helpers adjusted their own foraging effort according to the foraging effort of other group members. However, when food was provided directly to the nest, wasps did respond by reducing their own foraging effort. One interpretation of this result is that paper wasp helpers adjust their helping effort according to the level of offspring need rather than the work rate of other helpers. Negotiation based on indicators of demand rather than work rate is a likely mechanism to resolve conflict over investment in teams where helpers cannot observe each other’s work rate directly, as is commonly the case in insect and vertebrate societies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In many signalling systems, intraspecific variation in recognition abilities is based on developmental stage, experience or caste. However, the occurrence of intraspecific variation in recognition has not been thoroughly examined in species with individual recognition. For example, previous work has shown that individual recognition is an important aspect of the social life of Polistes fuscatus (paper wasp) nest-founding queens, as individual recognition stabilizes dominance interactions and reduces aggression. To date, the potential for individual recognition among P. fuscatus workers has been largely ignored. Here, we explore whether there is intraspecific variation in individual recognition by testing P. fuscatus worker recognition abilities in a series of staged contests. The results indicate that P. fuscatus workers are capable of individual recognition: focal workers paired with previously encountered partners experienced significantly less aggression and more nonaggressive bodily contact than focal workers paired with unknown social partners. We propose two potential explanations for individual recognition among workers: (1) worker individual recognition may be favoured because it provides social benefits to workers, or (2) worker individual recognition may be a byproduct of selection for individual recognition in foundresses. Individual recognition is often considered a cognitively challenging form of recognition, so future studies that compare the sophistication of recognition across castes will be useful to assess whether there are more subtle differences in cognitive abilities or recognition behaviour between P. fuscatus nest-founding queens and workers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]