Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Even Wasps Make Trade Deals, Scientists Discover - Science Daily

Wasps have trading partners and compete for the 'best trade deals,' scientists have discovered.  (Science Daily:  Even wasps make trade deals, scientists discover)


This is a picture of helper wasps used in the study

Credit: T. Pennell

In the study, the team from the University's School of Life Sciences, looked at how the economic rule of 'supply and demand' applies to populations of paper wasps -- in which 'helper wasps' raise the offspring of dominant breeders in small social groups in return for belonging in the nest.

- SD

Ed:  socialism at its finest?

Sure enough since bugs are much better at it than we.


By increasing the number of nest spots and nesting partners available around the hedge, the scientists discovered the helper wasps provide less help to their own 'bosses' (the dominant breeders) when alternative nesting options are available.  The dominant wasps then compete to give the helper wasps the 'best deal', by allowing them to work less hard, to ensure they stay in their particular nest.

- SD

Ed:  is all this just for a political point?

Noooo, I just wanted this for the pun from the title because I got a swell giggle out of that one.  That yokel at work who constantly makes cheesy puns won't work this hard for it so who loves ya, baby.


"Our findings reveal intriguing parallels between wasp populations and our own business world: a bad deal is better than no deal, so when competition increases so does the risk that you have to accept a lower price for what you offer.

"Market forces can clearly affect trade agreements in nature, as they can in human markets: with a larger number of trading partners available, you can negotiate better trade deals."

- SD

Ed:  they were making the political point!

They just couldn't help themselves (larfs).

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