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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Evaluation of the Productivity of Social Wasp Colonies (Vespinae) and an Introduction to the Traditional Japanese Vespula Wasp Hunting Technique
07:17

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Published on: September 11, 2019

Nest-founding paper wasps aggregate in "social leks" and decrease aggression during partner selection.

Emily C Laub1, Maxwell C Ewing1, Erin R Baldwin1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, 310 La Kretz Botany Building, Los Angeles 90095, USA.

Current Zoology
|May 28, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Social paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) form cooperative groups. During nest founding, these wasps engage in partner sampling, forming aggregations that resemble social leks with aggressive interactions.

Keywords:
cooperationlekpartner choicesocial behaviorsocial insect

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Social Insects
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Animal group success depends on individual and partner traits.
  • Social animals invest time in assessing potential partners.
  • Understanding partner selection is key to social group dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate partner sampling and social group formation in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps.
  • To quantify wasp behavior during the pre-nest foundation period.
  • To determine if wasp partner selection resembles lekking behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of Polistes fuscatus behavior.
  • Quantification of wasp interactions during partner sampling using day censuses.
  • Analysis of aggressive behaviors and aggregation patterns.

Main Results:

  • Paper wasps aggregated in specific locations without resources, forming "social leks."
  • Aggressive interactions were observed, with higher intensity early in the sampling period.
  • Wasp behavior indicated a period of partner selection prior to nest foundation.

Conclusions:

  • Polistes fuscatus exhibit a distinct partner sampling phase before nest founding.
  • The observed behaviors are consistent with lekking, a mating strategy.
  • This study highlights the significant investment in partner assessment by social wasps.