M. Pratte et J. Gervet, PROXIMATE FACTORS OF SINGLE FEMALE FOUNDING IN THE PAPER WASP POLISTES-GALLICUS L, Ethology, ecology and evolution, 9(2), 1997, pp. 175-182
In laboratory studies, we investigated the factors which caused the fa
ilure of joining associations amongst foundresses of the haplometrotic
paper wasp species Polistes gallicus. All the associations were succe
ssful when two foundresses were brought together immediately after the
diapause. However, the success rate dropped to 59% when females were
isolated for 8 days from the end of the diapause to the time of the ''
encounter'' experiments. The wasps were allowed to develop two-foundre
ss colonies for 10 days. Then we exchanged the foundresses in order to
bring two unacquainted females together. When encounters took place o
n nests containing a well developed larval brood, the success rate was
only 45%. However if there was no nest or a small nest without larvae
, 90% of the encounters were successful. We therefore concluded that t
he failure of joining associations cannot be entirely explained by the
hypothesis that there is a sensitive period for developing associatio
ns to build nests. Isolation certainly perturbed the capacity to estab
lish stable social relationships. On the other hand, the level of aggr
ession between unacquainted females increased if the brood was develop
ed, regardless of the origin of the nest. Familiarisation between fema
les allows cofoundresses to cohabit on a developing nest, despite the
increase in aggression. Nevertheless, comparison with others species s
uggests that the difference between the haplometrotic and pleometrotic
species is less due to the specific level of aggression itself than t
o the way foundresses cope with this aggression.