• Corpus ID: 89024942

Intraspecific variation in shapes of comb and the petiole in relation to angle of inclination of nests in pre-emergence nests of a paper wasp, Polistes chinensis (Hymenoptera vespidae)

@inproceedings{Kud2003IntraspecificVI,
  title={Intraspecific variation in shapes of comb and the petiole in relation to angle of inclination of nests in pre-emergence nests of a paper wasp, Polistes chinensis (Hymenoptera vespidae)},
  author={Kazuyuki Kud{\^o}},
  year={2003}
}

• K. Kudô
• Published 2003
• Biology

The correlation between the angle of inclination of nests and the shapes of comb and the petiole was analyzed in pre-emergence nests of a Japanese paper wasp, Polistes chinensis. Shapes of comb and the petiole were round when the comb orientation was horizontal with a vertical cell axis, while those shapes were oval when the nest was built vertically with a horizontal cell axis. This first study revealed that the shape of the petiole was influenced by the angle of inclination. In addition, the surface area of the petiole, on which the ant-repellent substances were expected to be effectively applied, did not correlate with the angle of inclination or the shape of the petiole. This suggested that foundresses of P. chinensis build variable shapes of the petiole with similar surface areas as the angle of inclination of the nests changed. To build the petiole with a similar surface area may be very important for the lone foundress not only to diminish the effects of ant invasion but also to use the ant repellent substances effectively.