Losing a queen throws a tropical wasp colony into chaos, leading to violent power struggles and social collapse. But a new study led by UCL scientists has found that some wasps quietly intervene to keep their colonies functioning during times of turmoil.
This study animal behaviorinvestigated the tropical paper wasp (paper wasp canadensis) in the Caribbean. These colonies are built around a single dominant breeding female, but unlike some social insects, other females are still able to reproduce on their own. This means that if the queen disappears, several wasps may compete to take her place.
To investigate what happens after the queen is gone, the researchers removed the queen from an established colony and observed how the insects responded.
After the queen’s disappearance, a fierce battle erupts.
The effects were immediate. Female wasps began to compete aggressively for dominance, and the colony’s normal social structure quickly disintegrated. Instead of an orderly transfer of leadership, the colony entered a period of intense conflict involving many individuals.
Despite the chaos, the colony did not collapse.
The researchers discovered that another group of hornets plays an important role during the riots. These people did not participate in battles, but focused on important tasks such as collecting food and caring for the growth of children. Scientists called these wasps “compensators.” This is because it helped offset the damage caused by the conflict.
By keeping the larva fed and maintaining day-to-day colony functions, the compensatory apparatus helped the society survive, even as competition for leadership was raging around it.
Cooperation continues even in times of conflict
This study found no clear biological differences between wasps involved in aggressive competition and those acting as compensators. The researchers say this suggests that these behaviors may reflect strategic choices rather than fixed social roles.
Some wasps may see fighting for dominance as their best chance to reproduce in the future. Others may benefit more by helping to ensure the survival of their siblings (often including siblings).
Lead author Dr Owen Corbett (UCL Center for Biodiversity and Environment Research, UCL Biosciences), who carried out the study during his PhD at UCL, said: “While the conflict after the removal of the queen was intense, it wasn’t the whole story.
“While some fought for control, others avoided conflict altogether and quietly worked to keep the colony running. Cooperation did not disappear, but was redistributed.”
Different types of wasp societies
Most previous research on cooperative societies in insects has focused on temperate species in Europe and North America. These species often have stricter dominance hierarchies and predictable inheritance systems.
The study instead looked at tropical bees, which have a much more disorganized social structure, where leadership changes are driven by aggression and competition. The discovery deepens scientists’ understanding of the different ways animal societies can respond to leadership crises.
This study is based on new analysis of behavioral data originally collected by members of the research team during fieldwork in Panama in the early 2000s.
What hornets can teach us about cooperation
The findings cast doubt on the idea that societies can maintain stability only through orderly, rules-based leadership transitions. Although proactive succession systems are often thought to be too costly to sustain, research suggests that they can still work if some individuals can compensate by retaining key tasks.
Senior author Professor Seillian Sumner (UCL Center for Biodiversity and Environment Research, UCL Biosciences) said: “Understanding how animal societies manage conflict can help us think differently about wider cooperation. In times of turmoil, societies rely on people continuing to do important work in the background. In many ways, we may be more like hornets than we think.”
This research was funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the Smithsonian Institution.
