New research shows Polistes fuscatus is able to form abstract concepts and apply these on stimuli of different senses. The wasp is capable to learn concepts ’same’ and ’different’ in a visual context and then apply it in a new scent based context.

Learning and applying abstract concepts are associated with cognitive sophistication. Cognitive skills have been shown so far in primates but also dolphins, cows, pigeons, ducks, parrots and honey bees.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY article source