Wasp societies overcome brutal battles to be queen by workers picking up the slack

Polistes canadensis. (UCL via SWNS)

By Stephen Beech

Wasp societies overcome brutal battles to be queen by helpful workers picking up the slack, reveals new research.

Wasp societies overcome brutal battles to be queen by workers picking up the slack

Scientists say the loss of a queen wasp triggers a power struggle and social turmoil that can often be violent and chaotic. (UCL via SWNS)
Wasp societies overcome brutal battles to be queen by workers picking up the slack

Findings show that even in colonies where leadership succession wars are the fiercest, there are individual wasps that compensate for the upheaval by working harder on essential tasks. (UCL via SWNS)
Wasp societies overcome brutal battles to be queen by workers picking up the slack

A new study focuses on cooperative societies of tropical paper wasps, found in the Caribbean. (UCL via SWNS)

Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

Tags

Recommended for you