Gadagkar, R and Gadgil, MA and Mahabal, AS (1982) Observations on population ecology and sociobiology of the paper wasp Ropalidia marginata (Lep.) (Family:Vespidae). In: Proceedings of the Symposium on Ecology and Animal Population, Zoological Survey of India, 1982 (1). pp. 49-61.
|
PDF (Gadagkar, R., Gadgil, M., and Mahabal, A.S. (1982) Observations on population ecology and sociobiology of the paper wasp Ropalidia marginata (Lep.) (Family:Vespidae) Proceedings of the Symposium on Ecology and Animal Population, Zoological Survey of India)
Gadagkar et al 1982b.pdf - Published Version Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Wasps are remarkable amongst the social insects in exhibiti ng all stages of development of social ity from completel9 solitary to highly advanced colonial species with females clearly differentiated into reproductive and worker castes. The stage of greatest interest, to the student of social evolution in this se ri es is that of truly eusocial wasps with multiple egg-layers morphologically indistinguisha ble from the non-laying workers. The tropical old world wa p ge nu Ropalidia is one of the few genera · occupying this crucial stage in the development of social habits ( Roubaud 1916, Wil son 1971, Gadgil and Mahabal 1974). A number of species of th is genus occur on the Indian subcontinent, 'Ropalidia marginata being one of the com monent paper wasps of P eninsular India (vander Vecht 1962). Tt is a medium sized wasp measuring abou t 20 mm from the tip of the head to the end of the abdomen, with a well grown adult weighing upto 75 mgm. It builds a nest of carton with naked combs suspended by one or more pedicels in any dark , undisturbed corner of hou es and buildings. The number of cells in a colony may go upto 500 while the number of adults may reach 100 or more. We have been investigating the population ecology and social biology of this species in Poona and Bangalore since 1971. This paper reports our preliminary findings on the cycle of population ~rowth in the colonies of these wasps, and attempts to relate thi .s population cycle to the social structure of the R . marginata colonies'.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Proceedings of the Symposium on Ecology and Animal Population, Zoological Survey of India |
| Publisher: | Zoological Survey of India |
| Additional Information: | copyright to this article belongs to Zoological Survey of India |
| Keywords: | Ropalidia marginata, Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Social Wasp, Behaviour, Population Ecology, Sociobiology, Social Structures, Observation |
| Department/Centre: | Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Mar 2021 09:07 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Mar 2021 09:07 |
| URI: | http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/68348 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
