The nesting of the relict wasp, Discoelius dufourii Lepeletier, 1841 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae): nest structure, nest building and hunting activity
Ivanov, S.P. | Amolin, A.V. | Fateryga, А.V.
The results of the nest structure research and patterns of nesting behavior of a rare transpalaearctic species, Discoelius dufourii Lepeletier 1841 are presented. Females build nests in deep and narrow pre-existing cavities. The nests of D. dufourii are linear outgoing type with incomplete cells which have uncertain dimensional structure. The walls between cells consist of two parts: friable obstruction of leave pieces which is fastened to diametrical membrane from the similar leaves chewed. Nests contain progeny of both sexes. Female cells come before the cells with males. Each D. dufourii female builds a certain number of nests. Each subsequent nest has lesser number of cells and higher ratio of male progeny. Sex ratio of larvae in all D. dufourii nests is equal. The egg is hung up to the ceiling of an empty cell near its proximal end. The larval food consists of paralyzed caterpillars of Anacampsis (Gelechiidae). The different number of caterpillars (7–11 in female cells and 3–5 in male cells) determines sex difference in wasp progeny. Relict features in the structure of D. dufouriinests are: walls between cells consist of friable cell obstructions, the location of walls between cells is not fixed in the nest cavity, in some cells food is mixed with building material. Females of D. dufourii can inhabit Fabre-type hives but do not demonstrate any tendency to repeated nesting.
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