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On “intercolonial” cannibalism in Japanese paper wasps, Polistes chinensis antennalis Pérez and P. Jadwigae dalla torre (hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Author(s) -
Kasuya Eiiti,
Hibino Yoshinori,
Itô Yosiaki
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
population ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1438-390X
pISSN - 1438-3896
DOI - 10.1007/bf02530849
Subject(s) - vespidae , biology , paper wasp , cannibalism , nest (protein structural motif) , polistes , hymenoptera , foraging , ecology , larva , population , pupa , zoology , demography , biochemistry , sociology
Summary Foundresses of two species of Japanese paper wasps, Polistes chinensis antennalis and P. jadwigae , attacked other colonies of the same species. A foundress of P. chinensis antennalis visited two nests of the same species, and ate larvae from them, while two foundresses of P. jadwigae each visited a nest of the same species, eating larvae and pupae even when the foundress of the attacked nest was on her nest. In addition, a foundress of P. jadwigae distributed flesh balls thus obtained among their larvae. Discussion was made on the adaptive significance of the inter‐colonial cannibalism. It was considered that, at first, it increases the foraging efficiency and secondly it plays a role in regulating population density.