| Popis: |
This study compared the nest structure of the Korean yellowjacket, Vespula koreensis and the yellow hornet, Vespa simillima simillima, both belonging to the subfamily Vespinae which contains the largest and best-known eusocial wasps. Vespula and Vespa are considered as same category in major design of nest architecture among eusocial wasps. Four nests of V. koreensis and three nests of V. simillima simillima were examined. The nest of V. simillima simillima was 3.26 times bigger than that of V. koreensis, and nest envelope of V. simillima simillima was 1.3 times thicker than that of V. koreensis. The comb of V. koreensis contained 2.4 times more cells than that of V. simillima simillima: on average 647 cells vs. 269 cells within a comb. On the whole, mean diameter of the cell was almost two times greater in V. simillima simillima: 4.7mm vs. 8.9mm. In V. simillima simillima, cell size was bigger in larger comb. More vigorous researches should be done on life history traits of V. koreensis, a Korean endemic species which is almost unknown, while social wasp population seems to be dramatically increasing in temperate regions. |
