Comparison of investment in nest construction by the foundresses of consubgeneric Polistes wasps, P-(Polistes) riparius and P-(P)-chinensis (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Some metric characters of nests built during the founding phase by foundres ses were compared between two consubgeneric Polistes wasps, P. (Polistes) r iparius and P. (P.) chinensis, the former of which inhabit higher latitudes . Volumes and dry weights of P. riparius nests were strikingly larger than those of P. chinensis, even when standardized by the foundress weight (2.5 times for volume and 2 times for weight), showing that foundresses of P. ri parius invest much more in the nest construction than those of P. chinensis . However, percent weights of oral secretion used for nests to total nest w eights were smaller in P. riparius than in P. chinensis (52.1% vs. 60.4 %). The differences in the investment by foundresses of the two species in the construction and maintenance of nests were discussed in relation to climat ic and other environmental factors.