Photoperiodicity stimulates cell size and caste determination in the oriental hornet Vespa orientalis Linne, 1775

• Published in: Insectes sociaux Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 332 - 346
• Main Authors: Ishay, J.S, Levanon, D, Avidor, N, Shechter, O.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel Springer 01-01-1983
• Subjects: animal behavior; animal ecology; Animal ethology; arthropods; Biological and medical sciences; entomology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Vespa orientalis; Vespidae; Caste determination; Arthropoda; Insecta; Environmental factor; Photoperiod; Invertebrata; Construction behavior; Hymenoptera; Social insect
• ISSN: 0020-1812; 1420-9098
• DOI: 10.1007/bf02223991

In the course of the active season combs are built in the nest of Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis ). Changes in the internal volume of the cells comprising the combs and consequently in the proportion of small hornet females (workers) and large ones (queens) are directly affected by the rate of nycthemeral changes and by changes in the length of the day. As the days lengthen and the rate of the daily changes diminishes, smaller cells are built whereas increasingly larger cells are constructed during the briefer days and the increasing rate of daily changes occurring in July-October.