Evolution of nest construction technology from the aspects of fine surface structure and composition of nest material components

1996-1997年间进行了以下几个方面的研究：(1)“狭腹蜂巢材料的结合”。我们通过化学分析，首次证实了在这个原始的亚科中存在少量的口腔分泌物(发表在Jpn.J.Entomol上)。(2)参考纸黄蜂群体中的蛋白质流动，在筑巢中使用口腔分泌物。从它的巢中分离出大量的口腔分泌物来捆绑木质纤维。这种物质来自户外觅食的动物饲料，它可能有助于制造轻便坚韧的纸张，这种纸张本应使大型鸟巢和蜂巢成为可能。分泌物中的N-量表明，带入菌落的总蛋白质资源的10%用于筑巢和维护。这可能会改变我们的观点，即筑巢的主要成本是收集植物材料。在“第三届APCE”上发表(台湾，1997年11月，论文已被乙醇，Ecol.和Evol.接受)。从口腔分泌物中检测到24种氨基酸，其中甘氨酸、前胡萝卜素、丙氨酸、丝氨酸和巴林是主要成分。(3)不同纬度铸造女工筑巢劳力投入的比较。分布于北海道的Polistes riparius构建了一个由长细胞和周边空细胞组成的功能包膜。与此形成对比的是，居住在较温暖地区的中国白鼠从来没有建造过这样的结构。我们比较了两个物种的巢参数和巢材料组成。结果表明，在羽化前的巢中，白对虾的产卵量是中华对虾的两倍，可能是为了保持太阳辐射的温暖(服从于昆虫的社会)。

The followings were studied during 1996 and 1997.(1) "Binding of nest material in the Stenogastrine wasps". We analyzed chemically a nest of Eustenogaster calvptodoma, and first confirmed the occurrence of a few amounts of oral secretion in this primitive subfamily (published in Jpn.J.Entomol.).(2) "Use of oral secretion in the nest construction, with reference to protein flow in colonies of a paper wasp, Polistes chinensis". Ample oral secretion that bind woody fiberswas separated from its nests. This substance is originated from animal diet foraged outside, and it might contribute to make light and tough paper that should have enabled large nests and colonies. N-quantity in the secretion showed that > 10% of total protein resource brought into the colony was used for the construction and maintenance of nest. This may change our view that major cost of nest construction is the collection of plant material. Presented at "3rd APCE" (Taiwan in November 1997, and the paper has been accepted by Ethol., Ecol.& Evol.). 24 kinds of amino acids were detected from the oral secretion, of which Glycin, Prorin, Alanin, Serin and Balin were major components.(3) "Comparison of investment of labor in the nest construction by foundresses at different latitudes". Polistes riparius, distributed in Hokkaido builds a functional envelope consisted of long cells and peripheral empty cells. Contrasting to this, Polistes chinensis, inhabiting warmer districts, never builds such the structure. We compared nest parameters and nest material composition between two species. The results suggests that the foundress of P.riparius invests twice as much labor as P.chinensis in the pre-emergence nests, probably to keep warmth of solar radiations (submitted to Insectes Sociaux).