NEST-FOUNDING BEHAVIOR INDUCED IN THE FIRST DESCENDANTS OF POLISTES-DOMINULUS CHRIST (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE) COLONIES

First descendants' founding ability was tested in P. dominulus colonie s by experimentally removing the original nests and queens 21-24 days after the first emergence. Foundation tests were carried out after thr ee different periods had elapsed after the removal and the results wer e analyzed with regards to the effects of participation in social task s, duration of stay within the colony and seasonal factors. 1. Immedia tely after the removal, the foundations that occurred were performed a lmost entirely by workers, regardless of the duration of their stay wi thin the colony. The number of foundations depended on the season in w hich the females had emerged. 2. Two months and four months after the removal, foundations were made by only a small number of females (work ers and non-workers). These females, which were therefore able to foun d a nest the year they were born, were mostly among the very first-bor n individuals in the colonies. 3. The following year after hibernation : females (workers and non-workers) which had stayed for only a short time within the colony (1-15 days) had the highest survival rates. The foundation rates among the surviving females depended only on seasona l factors, since the foundation rates were higher among the non-worker s which had emerged later in the season. The results throw some light on the first descendants' nest-founding potential in colonies developi ng under natural conditions, where many workers in fact stay for only a short time at the nest.