Absence of within-colony kin discrimination: foundresses of the social wasp, Polistes carolina, do not prefer their own larvae

There is great potential for conflict within social insect colonies especia lly when there are multiple inseminated females laying eggs. One reason tha t conflict is not always realized may be that these females do not identify their own progeny and direct their attentions preferentially towards them. Using DNA microsatellite loci we were able to determine exactly which fema le was the mother of each larva in eight nests of the social wasp, Polistes carolina. Using 26 h of videotapes of natural nests we observed 2,093 feed ings of specific larvae by these adults and found that they did not prefere ntially feed their own progeny. Instead feedings were distributed to progen y as predicted based on their frequency in the nest. The absence of nepotis m towards closest kin within colonies in this system is likely to promote c olony harmony.