Limits to behavioural plasticity in tropical paper wasps
Emily F Bell1,2, Christopher D R Wyatt3, Daisy Taylor1,3
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 1TQ, UK.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|May 5, 2026
Summary
Previous life history limits plasticity in Polistes paper wasps. Even when forced to switch roles, ex-queens struggled with worker tasks, showing that past experiences shape an individual
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Evolutionary biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cooperative breeders exhibit flexible division of labor via phenotypic plasticity.
- Polistes paper wasps display role plasticity between queen and worker castes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the limits of individual plasticity in Polistes canadensis.
- To investigate how previous life history influences role switching.
Main Methods:
- Experimentally isolated queens and workers of Polistes canadensis.
- Assessed behavioral, physiological, and molecular changes.
Main Results:
- All isolated wasps laid eggs and foraged; ex-queens were less effective at brood rearing than ex-workers.
- Brain transcription changed in both groups, but ex-queens failed to upregulate key worker phenotype molecular processes.
- Previous life history imposed limits on plasticity.
Conclusions:
- Polistes queens and workers demonstrate behavioral, physiological, and molecular plasticity.
- Past experiences significantly constrain the extent of plasticity in reproductive and non-reproductive roles.
