Social wasps use nest paper hydrocarbons for nestmate recognition

The role of nest paper hydrocarbons in nestmate recognition was examined in the social wasp Polistes metricus. Newly emerged workers were allowed to spend 4 days on their nest in the absence of other wasps. The nests were either (1) untreated, (2) extracted with hexane to remove surface hydrocarbons, or (3) extracted with hexane and then reapplied with surface hydrocarbons. The newly emerged workers were tested for nestmate recognition with a nestmate and a non-nestmate in blind triplet tests. These tests indicated that it was necessary for the surface hydrocarbons to be on the nest paper for newly emerged wasps to recognize their nestmate.