How Do Wasps Work in Groups?
WouterUnlike most insects, wasps live in social groups. They work together to collect food, raise young, and protect the colony. Wasps use a complex system of chemicals called pheromones to communicate with each other.
Social wasp colonies have many queens and hundreds of workers. A queen will begin a new colony every spring. The workers expand the nest, and the queen is able to survive the cold and restart the process in the spring.
Some wasps do not have queens. These are known as provisioners. They feed on enclosed prey until they are fully developed. They also burrow into the ground to construct their cells. During hibernation, these wasps develop different social behaviors.
Other species of wasps build their nests in groups of dozens, hundreds, or thousands. The size of the nest does not affect the force required to destroy it. They also use strategy to kill prey. The larger wasps need help from other wasps. The smaller wasps gather food for the dominant wasps.
When spring arrives, the social wasp colony starts again. Each year, a new queen is fertilized, and her offspring take over the major duties of nest maintenance and defense. These wasp colonies can grow to 25,000 individuals.
The wasps also rely on hormones to signal each other. If a member of the colony thinks that another wasp has invaded their territory, they will attack. This activity is similar to that of young mammals. The wasps coordinate their attack, and each wasp knows what other wasps are going to do.
