A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp

PLoS One. 2014 Jul 2;9(7):e101592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101592. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Hymenoptera show a great variation in reproductive potential and nesting behavior, from thousands of eggs in sawflies to just a dozen in nest-provisioning wasps. Reduction in reproductive potential in evolutionary derived Hymenoptera is often facilitated by advanced behavioral mechanisms and nesting strategies. Here we describe a surprising nesting behavior that was previously unknown in the entire animal kingdom: the use of a vestibular cell filled with dead ants in a new spider wasp (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) species collected with trap nests in South-East China. We scientifically describe the 'Bone-house Wasp' as Deuteragenia ossarium sp. nov., named after graveyard bone-houses or ossuaries. We show that D. ossarium nests are less vulnerable to natural enemies than nests of other sympatric trap-nesting wasps, suggesting an effective nest protection strategy, most likely by utilizing chemical cues emanating from the dead ants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ants / physiology
  • Female
  • Hymenoptera / physiology*
  • Male
  • Nesting Behavior*
  • Reproduction

Grants and funding

Funding was granted by the German Research Foundation (FOR 891/2, KL 1849/6-1, www.dfg.de) to MS and AMK, and by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (J1210002, www.nsfc.gov.cn) to CDZ. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.