I have been hearing a repetetive croaking sound from a wasp nest in a wall, which is different from the regular humming sound they normally make. I have been hearing it mainly late at night and early in the morning. What is the origin of this sound and why do they make it? I am not quite sure which species it is, genus is Vespula. Thanks
Alternatively, it could be rasping made by larvae. They scrape their mandibles across the paper cell, and i've noticed this in intact colonies and when they are disturbed. There is some old literature claiming it's a hunger signal from larvae to adult workers, but I don't think there has been any detailed study of this.
I have observed open nests of Paravespula in my lab and observed exchange of nutrients between larvae and imagoes. The adults knock on the larvae and then the larvae regurgitate a droplet which is taken up by the adults. The larvae croak with their mandibles at the wall of their brood cells and the an adults feeds these larvae with meat.
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