Nutrients in Social Wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) Honey

Abstract

Previous investigators have questioned the temporal occurrence, biochemistry, and nutritional use of honey sometimes present in nests of some social polistine wasps. Honey of species in the genera Polistes and Polybia contains diverse amino acids. Inositols (alicyclic polyalcohols) also are present in the honey of both genera; quercitol was the most abundant inositol in honey of Polistes metricus (Say) from Missouri, but it was not present in honey of Polybia diguetana R. du Buysson from Costa Rica. Honey of P. metricus from Missouri is similar to that of Brachygastra mellifica (Say) because it contained more fructose than glucose. Honey has been seen in P. metricus nests in Missouri at all phases of the colony cycle except late preemergence (1st pupae); scattered but suggestive observations indicate that swarm-founding tropical polistine wasps store honey primarily during low activity phases of the colony cycle in locales with alternating wet and dry or subtropical seasons. Although the nutritional value of wasp honey seems clear, the nutritional role of honey in wasp colonies remains unknown.