Weak queen or social contract?

Article Abstract:

Beta queens in wasp societies exhibit increased aggression towards alpha queens when eggs are removed experimentally. Reeve and Nonacs interpret this as a social contract that has been broken, causing the betas to retaliate when they think that their eggs have been eaten by the alpha queen. The weak queen hypothesis suggests that aggressive displays are ways of establishing rank among queens during a period when hormones dictate increased egg-laying.

Insect societies

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Eusociality in Australian gall thrips

Article Abstract:

Oncothrips tepperi Karny and O. habrus Mound defend the galls they inhabit against invasion by other thrips species. Soldier adults of these Australian gall thrips defend their mother and siblings within the gall, using their enlarged, armed forelegs. Observations of these thrips fighting off Koptothrips provides insight into the evolution of eusocial behavior and the selection pressures that caused it.

Insect-plant relationships, Thrips, Galls (Botany)

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Facultative worker policing in a wasp

Article Abstract:

Multiple mating by the queen wasp Dolichovespula saxonica is found to result in mutual policing by workers, while single mating does not.

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