Notes on the Behavior of the Social 
Wasp Polistes 
HORACE GUNTHORP 
Washburn College, Topeka, Kans. 
One day last September the writer picked up a nest of the common social wasp, 
Polistes, which had been detached from its support, and placed it upon his desk. A 
short time later he was attracted by a scratching sound, and discovered that one of 
the wasps was just beginning to cut the cap from its cell preparatory to emerging. 
During the next few days a series of observations were made and notes taken covering 
the behavior of the wasps which emerged from their cells during that period. Miss 
Enteman®* has made a careful study of the instincts of the social wasps, and while the 
observations recorded in the present paper are largely corroborative of her work, some 
interesting details are here added. 
The cutting of the cap of the cell cceupied some time, and extended around four- 
fifths of its circumference, the remaining one-fifth being gnawed and partially chewed 
through so that it was flexible enough to act as a hinge for the cap. After the cap was 
sufficiently cut away, the wasp started to slowly work itself out, pushing up the top 
of the cel! like a trap door as progress was made. A good deal of effort was required 
to get the body out until the front legs were freed. Then the wasp had more purchase 
and progress was somewhat faster until the second pair of legs came out. After this 
slight effort seemed to be necessary for the completion of the operation. 
For the next thirty minutes careful observations were made of the movements of 
this wasp in order to ascertain its first reactions. It is evident that they would be 
somewhat modified from what they are here recorded if the colony had contained the 
queen and other workers, as this specimen had the run of the entire nest, and none of 
its movements were effected by those of other individuals. It is equally evident that 
all stimuli came from within, or from contact with the nest, and not from suggestions 
received from other individuals or from contact with them. The following is the 
record made at one minute intervals, beginning with the time the specimen left its cell: 
8.06. Specimen emerged from its cell. 
8:07. Cleaned its front legs in its mouth and its antenne with its front legs. 
8:08. Moved around some. Rubbed its wings with its hind legs and spread them out 
twice. 
8:09. Cleaned antenne and front legs. 
8:10. Swung abdomen back and forth, and brushed its wings. Moved around the nest 
rapidly and waved the antenne, but all movements were jerky. 
8:11. Explored nest, occasionally rubbing abdomen with legs. 
8:12. Explored nest. 
$:13. Explored nest. Movements unsteady. Cleaned antenne and front legs. 
8:14. Explored nest, in the course of which it went over the edge on to the back side, 
but immediately returned to the under side. Cleaned the front legs and 
antenne, and then the hind legs. 
$:15. Spread out the wings. Cleaned the antenne. 
8:16. Cleaned abdomen. 
$:17. Crawled on top or back side of nest again and stayed there. Cleaned wings 
and abdomen. 
_ “Minnie Marie Enteman, “Some Observations on the Behavior of the Social Wasps.” Pop. 
Sci. Mo., 61: 339-351, 1902. 
