In insects, chemical communication is the most common form of communication, and cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are employed in recognition processes. In social insects, CHCs also help define colony identity and thus contribute to social cohesion among nestmates. Individuals can deposit their chemical signatures on nest surfaces. This information serves as a reference for newly emerged individuals and allows them to obtain the odor specific to their colony. This study examined nest chemical profiles in an inbred invasive species: the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax. We demonstrated that nest structures (i.e., envelopes, combs, and pillars) had specific hydrocarbon profiles, which were colony specific. There were similarities between the chemical profiles of the nests and the CHC signatures of hornets. The loss of genetic diversity previously documented in the yellow-legged hornet population in France does not appear to have constrained nest chemical diversity.

在昆虫中，化学交流是最常见的交流形式，表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）用于识别过程。在社交昆虫中，CHC还有助于定义菌落的身份，从而有助于巢鸟之间的社交凝聚力。个人可以将其化学签名沉积在巢表面上。该信息为新出现的个体提供参考，并使其获得特定于其菌落的气味。这项研究检查了近交入侵物种：黄腿大黄蜂Vespa velutina nigrithorax巢化学特征。我们证明巢结构（即包膜，梳子和柱子）具有特定的碳氢化合物特征，这些特征是特定于菌落的。巢的化学特征和大黄蜂的CHC签名之间有相似之处。以前在法国黄足大黄蜂种群中记录的遗传多样性丧失似乎并没有限制巢的化学多样性。