Energetics of Paper Wasps (Polistes sp.) from Differing Climates during the Breeding Season.

ABSTRACT: Paper wasps are widely distributed in Europe. They live in the warm Mediterranean, and in the harsh Alpine climate. Some species are very careful in their choice of nesting sites to ensure a proper development of the brood. We investigated microclimate conditions at the nests of three species (P. dominula, P. gallicus, P. biglumis) from differing climates, in order to characterize environmental conditions and conduct energetic calculations for an entire breeding season. The mean ambient nest temperature differed significantly in the Mediterranean, temperate, and Alpine habitats, but in all habitats it was about 2 to 3 °C above the standard meteorological data. The energetic calculations of adult wasps' standard and active metabolic rate, based on respiratory measurements, differed s

SUBMITTER: Kovac H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9501522 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature