Summary
Measurements were taken from the nests of 12 species ofPolistes wasps and qualitative differences described. The combs of theFuscopolistes spp.,P. Palisotius major andP. Epicnemius pacificus were horizontal and either oval or round with a central petiole, while those of theP. Aphanilopterus spp. were tear-shaped with eccentric or lateral petioles. For all species the angle of the petiole to the substrate was close to 90°. The fourFuscopolistes species usually built the first cell vertically, regardless of the substrate angle, and thus reduced the angle of the nest. In contrast, the angle of the first cell increased the nest angle of the 6Aphanilopterus species studied. A regression of average cell diameter on headwith was significant. All species stopped lengthening cells after larvae pupated in them.P. (A.) canadensis (Brazil) exhibited the greatest average angle of cell divergence and was also the only wasp investigated that regularly built its nest a several small combs in close proximity. In many species the comb angle with respect to the petiole changed during construction. Temperate species tended do add more pulp to the petiole of the nest than did tropical species, built secondary petioles, and added pulp to the substrate. Whether or not pulp is added to pupal caps and comb back, paper strength and color, and the shape of cell backs were also variable among species.
Zusammenfassung
Qualitative Unterschiede im Nestbau von 12Polistes-Arten werden beschrieben. Die Waben vonFuscopolistes spp.,P. Palisotius major undP. Epicnemius pacificus waren horizontal angelegt, sie hatten entweder eine ovale oder runde Form mit einem zentralen Pedicellus; dagegen waren die Waben vonP. Aphanilopterus spp. tropfenförmig mit einem azentralen oder seitlichen Pedicellus. Der Winkel zwischen Pedicellus und Substrat betrug bei allen Arten ungefähr 90°. Die vierFuscopolistes-Arten bauten die erste Zelle in der Regel vertikal ungeachtet der jeweiligen Neigung des Substrats, wodurch der Winkel zwischen Nest und Substrat verkleinert wurde. Im Gegensatz dazu wurde bei den sechs untersuchtenAphanilopterus-Arten der Winkel zwischen Nest und Substrat durch die Anlage der ersten Zelle vergrößert. Der mittlere Zellendurchmesser war mit der Kopfbreite signifikant korreliert. Alle Arten hörten mit der Verlängerung der Zellen auf, sobald die darin befindlichen Larven sich verpuppt hatten.P. Aphanilopterus canadensis (Brasilien) besaß den größten mittleren Divergenzwinkel der Zellen, sie war auch die einzige der untersuchten Arten, die ihre Nester regelmäßig in Form kleiner, eng benachbarter Waben baute. Bei vielen Arten änderte sich der Winkel zwischen der Wabe und dem Pedicellus im Verlauf des Nestbaus. Arten der gemäßigten Klimazonen tendierten dazu, den Pedicellus zu verstärken, sie bauten sekundäre Pedicellen und fügten auch Baumaterial dem Substrat an. Ob Baumaterial auf den Puppendeckel und auf die Rückseite der Wabe angebracht wurde, war bei den Arten ebenso variabel wie die Festigkeit und die Farbe der Nester und die Form der Rückseite der Zellen.
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Downing, H.A., Jeanne, R.L. Intra-and interspecific variation in nest architecture in the paper waspPolistes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Ins. Soc 33, 422–443 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223949
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223949