Abstract

Polistes dominula, a model species paper wasps of the family Vespidae has been for long reared in captivity for studies on its social biology. Various laboratory breeding systems have allowed many researchers to deepen their knowledge on social behavior, physiology, development, nest construction techniques of this species with results that can also be extended to other social animals. However, like other congeneric species, it also has the potential to be used for useful services to man if bred in the field with vespiculture techniques that will have to be increasingly perfected. Here we briefly trace the story and the perspectives of Polistes vespiculture in times of scarcity of these insects.

Keywords:Wasps; Polistes dominula; Vespiculture; Rearing techniques