Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T04:23:22.596Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

THERMOREGULATION IN COLONIES OF VESPULA ARENARIA AND VESPULA MACULATA (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE): III. HEAT PRODUCTION IN QUEEN NESTS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

D. L. Gibo ,
A. Temporale ,
T. P. Lamarre ,
B. M. Soutar  and
H. E. Dew
D. L. Gibo
Affiliation:
Erindale College University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario
A. Temporale
Affiliation:
Erindale College University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario
T. P. Lamarre
Affiliation:
Erindale College University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario
B. M. Soutar
Affiliation:
Erindale College University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario
H. E. Dew
Affiliation:
Erindale College University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The V. arenaria queen was able to heat her nest shortly after it was constructed, and expended up to 550 cal per hour per gram of biomass to accomplish this. In contrast, the V. maculata colony was not heated until it was 11 days old, by which time the brood consisted of about 15–20 large larvae which probably played a major role in the heat production process. When both colonies were about 2 weeks old, energy expenditures of more than 400 cal/h could be maintained for several hours, and the nest temperature could be elevated as much as 4°C above the ambient. During these periods the larvae probably accounted for as much as 66–71% of this energy expenditure. In addition to playing an active role in heating the nest, the larvae apparently provide the queen with a food source while she is producing heat during non-foraging periods.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 109 , Issue 4 , April 1977 , pp. 615 - 620
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Gibo, D. L., Yarascavitch, R. M., and Dew, H. E.. 1974 a. Thermoregulation in colonies of Vespula arenaria and Vespula maculata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) under normal conditions and under cold stress. Can. Ent. 106: 503–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibo, K. L., Dew, N. E., and Hajduk, A. A.. 1974 b. Thermoregulation in colonies of Vespula arenaria and Vespula maculata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). II. The relation between colony biomass and caloric production. Can. Ent. 106: 873–879.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinrich, B. 1974. Thermoregulation in bumblebees. I. Brood incubation by Bombus vosnesenskii queens. J. comp. Physiol. 88: 129–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinrich, B. 1975. Energetics of pollination. A. Rev. Ecol. and System 6: 139–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hungerford, H. B. 1930. An unusual nest of Vespula (Dolichovespula) arenaria Fabr. (=V. diabolica de Saussure) (Hym: Vespidae). Ent. News 41: 329–330.Google Scholar
Ishay, I. 1973. Thermoregulation by social wasps: Behavior and pheromones. Trans. N.Y. Acad. Sci. (Ser III) 35(6): 169–171.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ishay, I. and Ikan, R.. 1968. Gluconeogenesis in the Oriental hornet. Vespa orientalis F. Ecology 49: 169–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maschwitz, V. 1966. Wasp larvae keep adult food reserve. New Scientist 29: 286.Google Scholar
Sailer, R.I. 1950. Nest temperature of the common yellow jacket, Vespula arenaria (F.). J. Kans. ent. Soc. 23: 134–137.Google Scholar
Spradbery, J. P. 1973. Wasps, an account of the biology and natural history of solitary and social wasps. Univ. of Washington Press, Seattle.Google Scholar
Weis-Fogh, T. 1970. Metabolism and weight economy in migrating animals, particularly birds and insects. In Insects and physiology. Oliver and Boyd, London.Google Scholar
Wilson, E. O. 1971. The insect societies. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.Google Scholar