Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: paul.fr on 12/10/2007 23:13:03

Title: do wasps really know i tried to splat one of their friends?
Post by: paul.fr on 12/10/2007 23:13:03

wasps, so i am told. give off some kind of signal when i am trying to splat them, and this alerts their mates who come to the rescue. Does this really happen? if it does how? and do any other insects or creatures have this "ability".

for example, spiders? god, i hope not!

Title: do wasps really know i tried to splat one of their friends?
Post by: JimBob on 13/10/2007 01:34:00

pheromones - that is how they communicate - all communal-living insects do this. Even some non-communal living bugs release "fear" pheromones. Stink bugs - possibly called shield bugs across the pond - do this.

Spiders are not insects, they are arachnids. I would need to research communal living spiders but suspect they do not use pheromones, just the web vibration frequency.

Title: do wasps really know i tried to splat one of their friends?
Post by: another_someone on 13/10/2007 02:25:27

Pheromones are given off by most animals - even humans (although we don't use them as extensively as insects, since we have other, more sophisticated, communication options).

Insects also often have other means of communicating - honey bees, and their dances, crickets use sound, etc.  Generally, I would guess that any odour based communication system would be far less efficient for a flying insects (or animal of any sort) than a ground based one.

Title: do wasps really know i tried to splat one of their friends?
Post by: Bentherdonthat on 17/10/2007 18:39:16

Just like any other street gang ghetto, obvious they have awarness if they saw it they may get piss and come out and get you if they did not see it happen you can get away but I think it only happens when your close to the nest.