Liostenogaster flavolineata

Liostenogaster flavolineata (tropical hover wasp) is an insect that belongs to the wasp family Vespidae. This hairy-faced hover wasp species is predominantly found in South Asian rain forests, especially in Malaysia. Individual colonies of this species are very small, but aggregations of nests allow for interactions between many smaller colonies. Some worker wasps, known as 'helpers', will move between multiple nests in an attempt to improve their position in the dominance hierarchy. Its nests are pale-colored and are usually built with mud. Liostenogaster flavolineata is one of the most studied species in the Stenogastrinae. Liostenogaster flavolineata is in the vespid subfamily Stenogastrinae, which is composed of about 58 different species of hover wasps in 7 genera (Anischnogaster, Liostenogaster, Eustenogaster, Stenogaster, Parischnogaster, Metischnogaster and Coclischnogaster). Like other hover wasp species belonging to this subfamily, Liostenogaster flavolineata is known for its small colonies and primitive social organization. Hairy-faced hover wasps live in small groups that consist of one to ten females. Since these wasps are located in the Southeast Asian rainforest, they are not subjected to seasonal variations in climate, other than rainfall. Individual nests are commonly found in aggregations. The queen is usually the founder of the nest and is the sole egg layer. In existing nests there is a phenomenon where an age hierarchy determines who will become the queen. When the current queen dies the next oldest helper will become the new queen. Since queens do not possess any morphological characteristics that make them distinct from workers, any worker may become queen. In each nest there are about 7 to 9 helper wasps who are female and are also capable of reproducing. Because Liostenogaster flavolineata is a primitive eusocial species the female offspring get to decide if they will stay in their mother's nest and become helpers or if they will become floaters. Due to the fact that Liostenogaster flavolineata also live in aggregations where there may be up to 100 different nests located in proximity, some females, called 'floaters' may decide to leave their nest and either go off to become helpers in other nests or try to found their own nests. Males leave the nest as soon as they reach adulthood. Liostenogaster flavolineata build energetically costly mud nests that have a pale color. Each nest comprises about 90 to 100 combs. Like other species in the Stenogastrinae, their nests do not have a petiole, which is unusual among social wasps. Their nests are also open so they must build them in protected places like under rocks or under bridges.