Paper Wasp

Paper wasps demonstrate facultative eusociality—queens and workers are morphologically similar, and workers can become queens if the opportunity arises. This makes paper wasp colonies excellent models for understanding the individual decisions that generate social structure. Workers aren't locked into sterility; they're making ongoing cost-benefit calculations about helping versus leaving.

Dominance hierarchies are visible and contested. Unlike honeybee colonies where the queen's dominance is absolute, paper wasp hierarchies require active maintenance. The dominant female physically subordinates challengers through ritualized aggression. If she weakens, subordinates may challenge and depose her. This contested hierarchy resembles primate dominance systems.

Helper staying decisions follow predictable logic. Females help at natal nests when founding success is low (bad weather, few food sources) and leave to found their own nests when conditions favor independence. The environmental prediction model accurately explains helper presence across populations. Helping is a conditional strategy, not a fixed role.

Facial recognition enables individual tracking. Paper wasps recognize individual faces and track reputation—who challenged whom, who won, who submitted. This individual recognition enables the dominance hierarchy to function without constant fighting. Established relationships reduce conflict costs.

For organizations, paper wasps illustrate how voluntary cooperation depends on alternatives. Workers stay when founding is hard and leave when founding is easy. Organizations retain talent when outside options are poor and lose talent when outside options are good. The helper calculation applies to human career decisions.