Mar 9
Uncharismatic Fact of the Day
In any hive can be only one queen bee- or, in the case of vespula squamosa, one queen wasp. In the spring, queens are known to seek out the nests of other wasps, both of their own species and of competitors, and fight the resident queen for dominance. These battles may actually consist of anywhere from 2-20 queens, as a single nest may have multiple reproductive females at any one time. The losers are either kicked out, or papered right into the nest's walls.
(Image: A southern yellowjacket queen (Vespula squamosa) by Emily Stanley)
