Social context predicts male dispersal in nests of a paper wasp

In social hymenopterans, male reproductive success depends entirely on direct reproduction, with practically no role in colony maintenance. Males of many species, including social wasps, undergo post-pupal sexual maturation within the natal nest before dispersing to mate, during which they rely on nestmates for protection and food. We investigated whether the number of adult females in the natal nest affects the timing of male dispersal in the neotropical social wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus. Using both correlational (36 nests, 59 males) and experimental (22 nests, 49 males) approaches, we found that males from nests with more adult females delayed dispersal significantly longer than those from nests with fewer females. On average, males remained 2.76 days on nests with more females compared to 1.8 days on nests with only one female. These findings suggest that a richer social environment—likely providing better protection and food availability—promotes delayed male dispersal. This highlights the role of social context in shaping male reproductive strategies and suggests that pre-dispersal social life may be an underappreciated factor in male fitness in social insects.