Current Ethology 2016, Vol.

15, N°2, 30-32

Water landing as a foraging strategy to water collection in a social wasp:

Polistes dominulus

Fábio Prezoto1; Bruno Corrêa Barbosa1; João Pedro Cappas2; Manuel Eduardo dos Santos3

Abstract: This study describes the first case of water landing for water collection in the European paper wasp
Polistes dominulus. Wasp workers land directly on the water surface and spend 10-15 s collecting water. By
doing so, the workers may avoid predation by ground predators. However, not all workers land directly on the
water surface, and we suggest that this specialized behavior is performed only by experienced foragers
Key-words: Behavioral plasticity, Polistinae, paper wasps, predation risk.

O pouso na água como estratégia de forrageamento para coleta de água em uma

vespa social: Polistes dominulus

Resumo: Este estudo descreve o comportamento de coleta de água da vespa social europeia Polistes
dominulus. As vespas campeiras pousavam diretamente na superfície da água e gastam 10-15 s coletando
água. Ao fazer isso, as vespas podem evitar a predação por predadores no solo. No entanto, nem todos os
indivíduos pousam diretamente na superfície da água, e sugerimos que esse comportamento especializado
seja realizado apenas por forrageiras experientes.
Palavras-chave: Plasticidade comportamental, Polistinae, risco de predação, vespa papel.

Foraging for food resources, materials for nest construction, and water represents an
important task to the maintenance of colonies in social wasps (Richter, 2000; Clemente et al.,
2012; Barbosa et al., 2014). During foraging trips, wasps perform flights that can reach over
500 m from the colony (Bechinski et al., 2009; De Souza et al., 2010). A side from energetic
costs, foraging trips may also increase predation risk to the wasp workers. In fact, as alre-
ady reported for stingless bees (Nogueira-Neto, 1997), foraging wasp workers are exposed
to many predators, including birds, geckos, frogs, and many arthropods such as mantises,
assassin bugs, ants, and spiders (e.g. Jeanne, 1970). Thus, the experience acquired by wasp
workers during foraging trips may decrease energetic costs and predation risks, as well as
may increase resource acquisition (Richter, 2000).
Water is used by social wasps for two main functions within the colony: (1) to be mixed
with masticated plant fiber in processing material for nest construction, and (2) to be evapora-
ted with wing fanning to cool the nest (Wilson, 1971; Akre, 1982). Although water is clearly
important for the colony, there are few studies focused on how wasp workers forage for this
particular type of resource. In this study, we describe the behavior of the European paper wasp
Polistes dominulus (Christ, 1791) while foraging for water. As far as we know, this is the
1
Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Bioacústica- LABEC, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz
de Fora, Brazil.
2
Insectozoo - Museu de Insectos Sociais, Vila Ruiva, 7940-456 Cuba, Portugal
3
Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas (ISPA), Unidade de Investigação em Eco-Etologia. Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041
Lisboa, Portugal
*Corresponding author: fabio.prezoto@ufjf.edu.br

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 Water landing as a foraging strategy to water collection in a social wasp: Polistes dominulus

first report of water landing by wasp workers Water can be a limiting resource for
while foraging for water. We discuss the pos- wasps (Horwood, 1993), and in periods
sible benefits of water landing as a foraging or areas where fresh water is scarce, wasp
strategy in social wasps. workers are frequent visitors to sinks and
We carried out field observations at dripping water spigots (Richter, 2000). In
a rural property in Vila Ruiva, Alentejo re- the social wasps, water foraging typically
gion, southern Portugal (40°34’12.67”S, involves landing close to the water source,
7°30’59.77”W) in 2007, during the begin- moving to the best access point, collecting
ning of summer, a period with warm tempe- water, and flying back to the colony (Ri-
rature and dry weather conditions. We recor- chter, 2000). The water landing behavior
ded the foraging activity of wasp workers in reported here may decrease predation by
a water box of approximately 2 m2, during terrestrial animals, including geckos, fro-
the hottest hours of the day (13-15 h). Our gs, ants, assassin bugs, and wandering
observations comprised a total of 8 hours spiders. However, not all workers land on
the water surface, and we suggest that this
distributed along 2 days, during which we
specialized behavior is performed only
recorded 80 foraging visits to the water box.
by experienced foragers. This hypothesis
We observed workers of P. dominu-
can be tested with marked individuals of
lus landing directly on the water surface known age within a colony.
(n = 60). The workers kept their legs fully Although social wasps are incredibly
spread, probably to distribute body weight diverse and well-studied in the neotropics,
on the surface and float due to the water’s there is no report of water landing among
superficial tension (Fig. 1). Workers remai- species of this region. Workers of Neotropi-
ned about 10 to 15 s (n = 60) landed on the cal wasps usually collect water from flowers,
surface collecting water with the mouth leaves, and phytotelma, but are also able to
parts. We also observed workers collecting land on the ground and collect water from
water on the edge of the water box (n = 20), ponds avoiding direct contact with the water
thus avoiding direct contact with the water. (Richter, 2000). The presence of a rich fauna
However, this behavior was less frequent of water predators may explain why water
than the water landing. Moreover, workers landing does not occur in neotropical wasps.
that landed on the ground spent about 20 to Some fish species, such as Osteoglossum
40 s to collect water. bicirrhosum Vandelli, 1829, feed mainly on

A B C

Figure 1. Example and angles of water landing behavior for water foraging in the wasp Polistes dominulus.
A – Posterior view; B – Front view; C – Upper view

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 Autor & Autor

insects (Coleoptera and Hymenoptera) cap- Bechinski, E., Merickel F., Stoltman, L. &
tured on the water surface (Chaves et al., Homan, H. (2009). Homeowner guide to
2005). Thus, predation by fish may be an yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets, and
important selective pressure acting against paper wasps. Moscow, University of Idaho.
water landing in the neotropics.
Why other social wasps from Tempe- Chaves, R., Camargo, M., Queiroz, H. &
rate regions do not land directly on the water Hercos, A. (2005) Ritmo de atividade diária
surface is still an open question. The fora- de Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Peixes:
ging behavior described here for a popula- Osteoglossiformes) em quatro lagos da
tion of P. dominulus may be a rare case of Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável
behavioral plasticity or a local adaptation to Mamirauá (AM). Uakari, 1(1), 71-78.
ecological conditions, such as intense pre-
Clemente M. A., Lange, D., Del-Claro K.,
dation by ground predators. In this sense,
Prezoto F., Campos, N. R. & Barbosa, B.
future studies should test if predation risk is C. (2012). Flower-visiting social wasps
higher for workers that land preferentially and plants interaction: Network pattern
on the ground when compared with workers and environmental complexity. Psyche: A
that land preferentially on the water surfa- Journal of Entomology. p. 1-10.
ce. Moreover, field observations with other
populations of P. dominulus and closely re- De Souza, A. R., Rocha, M., Netto, P., Venâncio,
lated species may help to understand how D. & Prezoto, F. (2010). Preliminary
widespread is water landing among Tempe- Homing Ability Study of Polybia
rate social wasps. fastidiosuscula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Workers. Sociobiology, 56(1), 133-136.

Acknowledgment Horwood, M. A., Toffolon, R. B., Brown, G.

R. (1993). Establishment and spread of
We thank Mateus Detoni for the re- Vespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera:
vision of this manuscript and the National Vespidae) in New South Wales and
Council for Scientific and Technological theinfluence of rainfall on its abundance.
Development (CNPq) for financial support Journal of the Australian Entomological
(F. Prezoto 310713/2013-7). Society. 32, 241–248.

Jeanne, R. L. (1970) Chemical defense of brood

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