Helping behaviour in facultatively eusocial hover wasps: an experimental test of the subfertility hypothesis

A candidate explanation for the evolution of eusociality is that helpers are physiologically constrained such that helping is their only realistic option. We tested this subfertility hypothesis in a species of facultatively eusocial hover wasp (Hymenoptera, Stenogastrinae: Liostenogaster flavolineata) by seeing whether helpers that were forced to nest on their own were able to mature their own eggs. One focal helper was left alone on each of 22 nests, from which all other adult wasps (including the dominant) were permanently removed. After 18 days, all but one of the 19 focal helpers that remained on their nests had ovarian development and insemination status characteristic of dominants, and the majority had probably laid eggs. This was in striking contrast to the reproductive status of other helpers removed from the same nests at the start of the experiment. These results provide convincing experimental evidence that females do not become helpers because of some unconditional physiological constraint. There is currently no unequivocal support for the subfertility hypothesis in facultatively eusocial Hymenoptera lacking morphological castes. (C) 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.