Behavioral Observations on Paper-nest Wasps (Genus Polistes; Family Vespidae; Order Hymenoptera)

Twenty nest colonies of paper-nest wasps (Polistes) were transplanted to windows and other locations on the outside of a residence in Kingsville, Texas, in order to, observe their behavior. The seven species of wasps were P. metricus Say, P. annularis (L.), P. major Palisot de Beauvois, P. bellicosus Cresson, P. exclamans Viereck, P. apachus Saussure and P. carolina (F.). All of the nests were eventually parasitized by either Chalcoela iphitalis Walker, Sarcophaga polistensis Hall, or Elasmus polistis Burks. Other nests, transplanted to artificial shelters in the field for experiments in caterpillar control on crops, had only moderate to light infestation of the above parasites, although they had, in addition, the ichneumon parasites, Pachysomoides fulvus (Cresson) and P. stupidus (Cresson). Transplantation and other manipulations created adaptive contingencies for the wasps, such as "orphaning" of nests, attack by ants, increased attack by parasites, physical damage to nest and brood, presence of artificial pedicels and deprivation of nest and brood. As a research methodology for investigating the behavioral capabilities of wasps, interference. in this manner may have advantage in eliciting responses seldom, if ever, seen in nature. In one instance, renesting wasps based their first cell on a spot of marking enamel on the back of their queen, bringing into question the nature and complexity of the "queen concept" of wasps.