Relative inclusive fitness in the social wasp Polistes metricus

Summary

• 1. The average between-foundress relatedness for foundresses of Polistes metricus was estimated as 0.63. Both foundresses were assumed to be derived from the same nest.

• 2. The relative probability of producing a successful nest for two foundress: one foundress nests was estimated as 1.38, SE=0.022.

• 3. The relative reproductive success observed for two foundress: one foundress nests was 2.25, SE=0.35.

• 4. The inclusive fitness of an α foundress relative to its expected fitness if it and the β foundress act alone is 1.83±0.57. The inclusive fitness of a β foundress relative to its expected fitness if it and the α foundress act alone is 1.39±0.44.

• 5. The β foundresses who may have the option of founding their own nests would not appear to decrease their inclusive fitness by becoming a subordinated foundress on the nest of a foundress from their own nest even though they give up a substantial portion of reproduction and increase their chance of death. Thus the results presented in this paper are in accord with those expected for kin selection theory.