Guinea Paper Wasp: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Bees and Wasps · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. In this wasp society, age means rank. Older workers sit higher, and if the queen is gone, the oldest worker becomes the new queen.
2. Colonies often start a backup 'satellite' nest close by. When birds knocked nests down, colonies with one could flee to safety there.
3. Its antennae wear bands of red, black and yellow. Most other paper wasps have antennae in a single colour.
4. Queens carry extra sugars that act like antifreeze. In a 15-day test at 5 °C, 76% of queens pulled through against 17% of workers.
5. Its face works like a badge. Bigger wasps have more brown on the face, and rivals check it before deciding whether to pick a fight.

The quiz

1. When the queen is no longer there, who becomes the new queen?

• The youngest worker
• A male
• The oldest worker (correct)
• A queen from a far-off colony

Rank follows age, so the next eldest worker takes over as queen.

2. What is a satellite nest used for?

• As a backup in case of attack (correct)
• As a place to store honey
• As a nursery only for males
• As a winter bed for the queen alone

Satellites are insurance against predators: colonies can move there if the main nest is knocked down.

3. What is special about this wasp's antennae?

• They glow in the dark
• They are banded red, black and yellow (correct)
• They are longer than its body
• They are pure white

Its antennae have red, black and yellow bands, unlike most paper wasps.

4. What helps the queens cope with cold better than workers?

• Thicker wings
• A thick coat of hair
• Shivering all day
• Sugars that act like antifreeze (correct)

Queens have more sugars that protect their cells, so 76% survived a cold test against 17% of workers.

5. What do rival wasps look at to size each other up?

• The brown on each other's face (correct)
• The length of each other's legs
• The smell of each other's nest
• The sound of each other's wings

Larger wasps have more brown on the face, and rivals use this to decide whether to challenge.

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