Wasps are often overlooked or disliked, but they play important roles in ecosystems.

Researchers found that tropical paper wasp colonies survive queen loss by splitting social responsibilities carefully.

The leader is dead, triggering a bitter power struggle between rival factions bent on seizing control. Meanwhile, the ...

When a queen wasp suddenly disappears, her colony doesn’t calmly choose a successor — it erupts into chaos. Researchers found that female wasps immediately begin battling for power, shattering the ...

The loss of a queen triggers intense battles for power among female wasps, disrupting the colony’s social structure.

Tropical paper wasp colonies survive chaotic queen loss through "compensator" wasps that step up essential labor.

Social wasps build nests from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva, creating a durable, paper-like structure made up of tightly packed hexagonal cells. Each cell houses a developing wasp — starting as ...

When the loss of a queen wasp triggers a power struggle and social turmoil, colonies can survive the upheaval thanks to ...