Theophylline induces diapause-like state in social wasps.

ABSTRACT

Feeding of theophylline to hornet workers from their moment of eclosion during the summer results in the following effects on the hornets loss of appetite for proteins, inhibited ovarial development, no cell-building activity, negative phototaxis, gradual slow-down of spontaneous motor activity, difficulty in flight and orientation, and an overall behavior pattern reminiscent of hornet queens in nature when they are in a state of winter diapause. These findings suggest that theophylline exerts anti-juvenile-hormone-like effects on hornets and raise the possibility of utilizing theophylline baits to suppress pest hornet populations.