Intraspecific nest parasitism in the sand wasp Stictia heros (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Two forms of intraspecific nest parasitism are described for the neotropical sand wasp Stictia heros (Fabr.). Females behaving aggressively made aerial attacks on prey-laden females as they approached their nest for provisioning. Attacks resulted in prolonged grappling on the sand, and the relative...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect behavior 1996, Vol.9 (1), p.105-119
Main Authors: VILLALOBOS, E. M, SHELLY, T. E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aggressive behaviour
Animal ethology
Biological and medical sciences
biological competition
competencia biologica
competition biologique
comportamiento agresivo
comportement agressif
costa rica
depredacion
dimension
dimensions
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hymenoptera
nesting
nidificacion
nidification
parasitism
parasitisme
parasitismo
predation
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Sphecidae
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Description
Summary:Two forms of intraspecific nest parasitism are described for the neotropical sand wasp Stictia heros (Fabr.). Females behaving aggressively made aerial attacks on prey-laden females as they approached their nest for provisioning. Attacks resulted in prolonged grappling on the sand, and the relative sizes of the contestants influenced final possession of the prey. Also, the probability that returning females were attacked was directly related to the size of the prey being delivered. Females displaying marauding behavior entered the nests of other females, removed prey, and deposited it in their own nest. Females usually raided nests that were near their own nest and tended to concentrate raiding attempts on nests that previously yielded prey. We also describe the behavior associated with the delivery of hunted prey and examine possible interrelationships between wasp size, prey size and hunting trip duration.
ISSN:0892-7553
1572-8889
DOI:10.1007/BF02213726