K. Inagawa et al., Colony productivity of the paper wasp Polistes snelleni: Comparison between cool-temperate and warm-temperate populations, INSECT SOC, 48(3), 2001, pp. 259-265
Production characteristics, including colony productivity, labor efficiency
and sex ratio, in the paper wasp Polistes snelleni were compared between c
ool-temperate (Hokkaido, northern Japan) and warm-temperate (Nagano and Kan
to, central Japan) populations, based on examination of old nests. The prod
uction schedule of P. snelleni was protandrous. Numbers of workers, males a
nd gynes produced per colony were all larger in the warm-temperate populati
ons. The numbers of reproductives (males plus gynes) per worker were genera
lly greater in cool-temperate than in warm-temperate colonies, although som
e extraordinarily large warm-temperate nests had very high gynes/worker rat
ios. The number of males was not significantly correlated with the number o
f workers in either cool-temperate or warm-temperate populations. Differenc
es in the production characteristics between populations are discussed in t
erms of climatic conditions, a major factor in differences in the length of
the nesting period. The production of reproductives in very large warm-tem
perate nests is discussed in relation to worker reproduction.