title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ishay
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Afek
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Shimony