Paper Wasp Research

Why study paper wasps?  Paper wasps are relatively big and easy to find.  Paper wasps also behave socially and form colonies. Scientists still do not know very much about the development of social behavior.  Much like honey bees, wasp colonies are started by a single female that becomes the queen of the colony.  The queen is then fed and protected by all of her children who help to raise their siblings.  This study hopes to learn more about why the queen’s children do this instead of leaving to start their own colonies, and how the presence of fertile female and male wasps affect the life span of the queen.

How are the wasps studied?  Dr. Hunt will monitor all forty nest boxes throughout the spring and summer.  As autumn approaches, Dr. Hunt will remove the male and fertile female wasps from some of the wasp colonies leaving the remaining colonies undisturbed.  He will then monitor and record how long the queen of each colony survives.  Dr. Hunt has written a short summary of his study.

Is there a danger to my family when we visit Prairie Ridge Ecostation?  Prairie Ridge Ecostation is home to a variety of wildlife.  Some animals can be harmful to people if harassed, and some people can have serious allergies to the stings of bees and wasps.  Paper wasps can and will sting to defend their colony.  Dr. Hunt’s nest boxes have been placed away from the public trails in an attempt to minimize any contact between the public and the wasp colonies. 

One of forty wasp nest boxes at Prairie Ridge

A paper wasp

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