Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau MO, 63701, USA.
J Insect Physiol. 2010 Jan;56(1):42-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2009.09.002.
In wasps, nutrition plays a vital role for colony cohesion and caste determination. However, there is no baseline data set for the nutritional levels of wasps during the different stages of the colony cycle. Here we examined the levels of carbohydrates, lipids, protein, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn in the wasp Polistes metricus at different stages of the wasp's lifecycle. Individuals were collected at the following stages (1) spring gynes, (2) foundress colonies, (3) early worker colonies, (4) late worker colonies, (5) emerging reproductives (gynes and males), (6) early fall reproductives, and (7) late fall reproductives. All eggs, larvae, pupae and adults were analyzed for their nutritional content to determine if there were any differences between the nutrient levels in the different castes and how these nutrients changed within a caste during its lifetime. The results show there are differences in macro and micronutrient levels between the reproductive females and workers during development. Gynes showed changes in nutrient levels during their lifetime especially as they changed roles from a solitary individual to a nesting queen. Males also showed distinct nutritional changes during their lifetime. The implications for these nutritional differences are discussed.
在黄蜂中，营养对群体凝聚力和职型分化起着至关重要的作用。然而，在黄蜂群体周期的不同阶段，还没有关于黄蜂营养水平的基准数据集。在这里，我们研究了不同生命周期阶段的 Polistes metricus 黄蜂体内碳水化合物、脂类、蛋白质、Ca、Cu、Fe、K、Mg、Mn、Na 和 Zn 的水平。个体在以下阶段被收集：（1）春季雌蜂，（2）创始蜂群，（3）早期工蜂群，（4）晚期工蜂群，（5）新生生殖蜂（雌蜂和雄蜂），（6）早秋生殖蜂，和（7）晚秋生殖蜂。所有的卵、幼虫、蛹和成虫都进行了营养成分分析，以确定不同职型之间的营养水平是否存在差异，以及这些营养物质在一个职型的生命周期内如何变化。结果表明，在发育过程中，生殖雌蜂和工蜂之间的宏量和微量营养素水平存在差异。雌蜂在其一生中的营养水平发生变化，特别是当它们从单独的个体转变为筑巢的蜂王时。雄蜂在其一生中也表现出明显的营养变化。这些营养差异的影响将在讨论中进行讨论。
