Nest building by a neotropical social wasp using Cecropia trichomes as main construction material (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

Abstract

Nest architecture is such a splendid product of social wasp behavior, there being a large diversity of nest types in the Neotropical fauna. Charterginus is a small wasp genus with six species recorded from Honduras through South America, and one species C. fulvus is notable for normally making nests with a very peculiar star shape. Few behavioral traits of this genus have been described, an exception being a record of cleptobiosis between Charterginus species and Azteca ants on Cecropia trees in Amazonia and Central America. Here we describe behavioral traits of C. fulvus related to the construction process of the nest envelope and the materials used, discussing the apparent dependency of this wasp species on resources provided by Cecropia trees. Experimental induction of reconstruction of the envelope resulted in a different oval regular shape, without the characteristic hollow points. Evidence is also presented of the use by this wasp of lichen components to make the white spots typically seen on nests.

Two More Social Wasp Species (Vespidae, Polistinae) Collect Mullerian Bodies From Cecropia Trees (Urticaceae)

“…They were never observed swallowing MBd aggregates. Observations on material brought by foragers to a C. fulvus nest on the MPEG campus (see Borges et al, 2017), indicated that MBd masses were shared with workers in the nest, in the same way as other collected materials.…”

“…In that respect, it is important to note that during parallel observations of a colony of C. fulvus at the Goeldi Museum campus, a large proportion of the observed foragers returned to the nest carrying trichomes and MBds. Further investigation showed that the observed nest was entirely constructed with trichomes collected on trichilia of Cecropia trees (Borges et al, 2017). Quantitative measurement of the relative importance of MBds as forage items should be undertaken in future studies of the foraging activities of those wasps.…”

“…Both wasps are epiponini swarming species, with largely Amazonian distributions (Richards, 1978). We have observed those wasps collecting trichomes and Mullerian bodies; their use of trichomes in nest construction is treated in another paper (Borges et al, 2017). To better describe the interactions between these wasps and Cecropia trees and ants, we made additional observations of their activities (mainly on Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol.…”