Worker policing in the common wasp Vespula vulgaris is not aimed at improving colony hygiene |
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Authors: | H Helanterä A Tofilski T Wenseleers F L W Ratnieks |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014, Finland;(2) Department of Pomology and Apiculture, Agricultural University, 29 Listopada 52, 31-425 Krakow, Poland;(3) Laboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, Catholic University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium;(4) Present address: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK |
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Abstract: | In insect societies, eggs laid by workers are frequently killed by other workers – a behaviour known as “worker policing”.
The traditional explanation of worker policing is that it is a mechanism to resolve intracolony conflict, and maintain the
reproductive monopoly of the queen. Recently, Pirk et al. (2004) proposed that worker policing instead is aimed at removing
unviable worker-laid eggs and is ultimately just another example of hygienic behaviour. Here we test this hypothesis for the
common wasp Vespula vulgaris, a species with highly effective worker policing. We show that worker-laid eggs from queenless colonies have a lower hatch
rate (68%) than queen-laid eggs (82%). Analysis of egg laying rates of queens and workers, however, shows that the difference
is not big enough to explain the apparent absence of adult worker-derived males in this species.
Received 30 January 2006; revised 2 May 2006; accepted 5 May 2006. |
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Keywords: | Worker reproduction worker policing egg viability Vespula vulgaris common wasp |
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