Ava McKaig
Research Mentor: Joseph Caldwell
Mentor Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, LSA
Author(s): Ava McKaig, Joseph Caldwell
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 73
Abstract
Behavior is an important part of animals’ lives. It is a major way in which animals adapt and respond to their environment. Different species often use unique behavioral strategies in order to specialize in their environments to successfully survive and reproduce. Biologists are interested in studying the behavioral differences between species because they can help us understand the function of behavior and how it evolves. Evaluating the similarities and differences between two or more species is called a comparative study. My project was a comparative study of on-nest behavior of two species of paper wasps, Polistes fuscatus and Polistes metricus. These two species are closely related and have overlapping ranges, but they are reproductively isolated. These factors suggest that some of their traits may have evolved independently. Specifically, P. fuscatus and P. metricus are known to use different behavioral strategies in the wild. Our lab video recorded 60 wild wasp nests over the summer of 2025 to capture the natural behavior of individuals. To quantify the behavior of wasps, I scored these videos using a behavioral ethogram (a behavior catalog). The ethogram included aggressive, cooperative, and foraging behaviors. Ultimately, with this data, I was able to perform an in-depth analysis of the on-nest behavior of these two species.
