Bj. Harding et Gj. Gamboa, The sequential relationship of body oscillations in the paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera : Vespidae), GT LAKE ENT, 31(3-4), 1998, pp. 191-194
Three kinds of body oscillations by foundresses of the paper wasp, Polistes
fuscatus, were analyzed from 100 h of videotapes of 17 multiple- and 16 si
ngle-foundress, preworker colonies. The three kinds of oscillations were ob
served to be temporally proximate only after prey returns. Their sequential
occurrence was always antennal drumming (AD), abdominal wagging (AW), and
lateral vibration (LV). This sequence is consistent with the hypothesized c
ommunicative meanings of ADs, AWs, and LVs. In particular, ADs may signal l
arvae to withold salivary secretions prior to receiving a liquid meal from
an adult female; oscillations AW and LV may signal larvae to secrete and wi
thold saliva, respectively. Additional studies are required to provide caus
al evidence of the communicative meanings of ADs, AWs, and LVs.