Title

Changes in female behavior in eusocial wasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus (Hymenoptera : Vespidae) due to the removal of males from the nest

Alternative Title

Cambios en el comportamiento femenino en las avispas eusociales Myschocyttarus mastigophorus (Hymenoptera : Vespidae) debido a la eliminación de los machos del nido

Creator

Elizabeth C Feit

Files

Publication Date

May 2009

Abstract

Males of independent founding hymenoptera contribute little to the nest by not foraging for food or feeding larvae. Males are a potential cost to the nest because they consume resources and are not used for reproduction, but males of Myschocyttarus mastigophorus can be found on the nest year. To investigate if the behavior of females changes when the males are not present, baseline behaviors of both males and females were recorded for four nests M. mastigophorus, then the males were removed and observations continued. Baseline behaviors indicate that females departed (t = 2.33) and arrived (t = 2.81). Departures increased after the males were removed (t = 2.33, all p < 0.10) and there was a trend for females to arrive more frequently (t = 1.67, p = 0.14). Females possibly increased these behaviors to forage while the males are not present so the males cannot take food away from the females. It is possible that the males are present year round purely for reproduction with non-sibling females. Los machos de Hymenoptera contribuyen muy poco a la colonia ya que no cumplen ninguna función de forrajeo o alimentación de las larvas. Los machos son un posible costo para el nido debido a que consumen recursos y no son utilizados para la reproducción, pero los machos de Myschocyttarus mastigophorus pueden ser encontrados en los nidos aun un año después. Para investigar si el comportamiento de las hembras cambia cuando los machos no están presentes, datos basales del comportamiento tanto de machos como de hembras fueron tomados para cuatro nidos, luego se removieron a los machos y continuaron las observaciones.

Keywords

Wasps--Behavior, Avispas--Comportamiento, Wasps, Avispas, Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Monteverde Zone, Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Zona de Monteverde, CIEE Spring 2009, CIEE Primavera 2009

Description

Student Affiliation : Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Born Digital

Subject: topical

Wasps--Behavior; Avispas--Comportamiento; Wasps; Avispas; CIEE Spring 2009; CIEE Primavera 2009

Subject: geographic

Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Monteverde Zone; Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Zona de Monteverde

Genre

Reports

Holding Location

|Monteverde Institute MVI

Identifier

M39-00512

Recommended Citation

Feit, Elizabeth C, "Changes in female behavior in eusocial wasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus (Hymenoptera : Vespidae) due to the removal of males from the nest" (2009). Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]. 31.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/31