Resting metabolism and critical thermal maxima of vespine wasps (Vespula sp.)

► Vespine wasps have a very high mass-specific resting metabolic rate. ► They exhibit a steep increase of resting metabolism with ambient temperature. ► Wasp thermolimit was considerably below that of honeybees (44.9 vs. 48.9 °C). ► Infrared thermography allowed accurate estimation of the respiratory thermolimit.