Nesting Biology of a Quasisocial Sphecid Wasp Trypoxylon fabricator : II. Life History of Nests and Adult Behaviors on Nests

Nests of the quasisocial hunting wasp Trypoxylon fabricator SMITH are haplometrotically founded. There are small solitary nests and medium to large multifemale nests. In the latter various interactions among cohabitants are observed, such as cell usurpation, prey stealing, pulling out of other females from cells, etc. Some cells are occupied by more than one female on the same day but, to some degree, there is also a preference for particular cells by particular females. The cohabitants exhibit a social dominance order for pulling out from cells and being pulled out, and driving away and being driven away. The nature of the quasisocial colony is critically examined and its significance for social evolution is discussed.