The importance of location and visual cues during foraging in the German wasp (Vespula germanica F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

PAOLA D´ADAMO; MARIANA LOZADA

NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Año: 2003 vol. 30 p. 171 - 174

1175-8821

The way in which foraging wasps usecues for prey location and choice appears to dependon both the context and on the type of prey. Vespulagermanica is an opportunistic, generalist preyforager, and individual wasp foragers often return tohunt at sites of previous hunting success. In thispaper, we studied which cues are used by this waspwhen relocating a food source. Particularly weanalysed the response to a displaced visual cueversus a foraging location at which either honey orcat food had been previously presented. We concludethat location is used over a displaced visual cue fordirecting wasp hovering, although the landingresponse is directed differently according to baittype. When wasps are exploiting cat food, locationalso elicits landing, but if they are exploiting honey,a displaced visual cue elicits landing more frequentlythan location.