We Know That The Wasps 'know": Cryptic Successors To The Queen In Ropalidia Marginata

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 18 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Raghavendra Gadagkar and his students have long investigated the social life of the rather unique primitively social wasp Ropalidia marginata in southern India.

One aspect of the uniqueness of this species is that, unlike in other species, the queen's successor cannot be identified by the human observer, until the death of the previous queen.

Using a clever experimental design, Anindita Bhadra and Gadagkar now demonstrate that there is nevertheless a pre-designated cryptic successor, which is "known" to the rest of the colony, so that she alone is acceptable to all the wasps as the next queen, without any challenge from anyone.

Royal Society journal Biology Letters

Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.

Biology Letters