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Honey supplementation and its developmental consequences: evidence for food limitation in a paper wasp, Polistes metricus
Author(s) -
ROSSI A. M.,
HUNT J. H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1988.tb00376.x
Subject(s) - biology , offspring , vespidae , paper wasp , nest (protein structural motif) , zoology , predation , hymenoptera , ecology , pregnancy , biochemistry , genetics
.1 Polistes metricus Say (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) field colonies were supplemented with dilute honey during the pre‐emergence and early post‐emergence phases of colony development. 2 Supplementation did not increase number of nest cells constructed or rates of loss to predation or foundress disappearance compared with controls. 3 Colonies receiving honey supplementation produced first offspring earlier in the season than control colonies. The difference is due to a shorter time span between founding and first emergence. 4 Foundresses of supplemented and control colonies did not differ in wing length or per cent body fat. 5 Offspring of both supplemented and control colonies had shorter wing lengths than did foundresses of supplemented colonies. Offspring of control colonies had shorter wing lengths than did foundresses of control colonies but not foundresses of supplemented colonies. 6 The per cent body fat of offspring from control colonies was lower than that of all foundresses and of offspring from supplemented colonies. 7 The per cent body fat of offspring from supplemented colonies was higher than that of all foundresses.