Nest sharing and provisioning activity of females of the digger wasp, Cerceris rubida (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae)

Figures & data

Figure 1 Number of provisioning wasps from four nests(n = 26) and their average (percentage) provisioning activity (prey/day), in 2004 (second‐generation activity period). The dashed line represents the average of all wasp provisioning activities (percentages).

Table I. χ² tests results to verify the validity of the 2.9% limit for definition of primary provisioners and secondary provisioners (2004 data). Tests compared the number of provisioning flights of primary provisioners to all the secondary provisioners of the same nest.

Primary provisioner	Nest	χ^2	Df	P
4	1	62.26	4	<0.01
6	1	60.3	4	<0.01
8	2	36.12	7	<0.01
11	2	39.69	7	<0.01
15	2	43.35	7	<0.01
18	3	68.76	4	<0.01
22	3	15.80	4	<0.01
24	4	56.00	2	<0.01
26	4	28.80	2	<0.01

Figure 2 SP and LP frequencies(average per day) and LP average duration (minutes) across the day (2004 data). SP, short presence in the nest after a provisioning flight; LP, long presence in the nest after a provisioning flight.

Figure 3 Average number of SP between two subsequent LP received in a nest(2004 data, n = 4). Abbreviations as in figure 2.

Figure 4 Average number of SP between to subsequent LP performed by wasps(2004 data, n = 25). Abbreviations as in figure 2.

Table II. Comparison of the morphology of primary and secondary provisioners (2004 data).

	>2.9% prey/day (primary provisioners)	<2.9% prey/day (secondary provisioners)
Head width (mm)	1.92±0.14, n = 9	2.00±0.17, n = 14
Ovarian development	Well developed (n = 2)	Well developed (n = 2)
Mandibular wear	2 worn (type A) and 2 unworn (type B)	1 worn (type A) and 1 unworn (type B)
Wing wear	3 worn (type A) and 2 unworn (type B)	Worn (n = 3)

Figure 5 Mandibles and forewings of primary and secondary provisioning wasps: a, unworn mandible (type A) (the arrows point to the two teeth; the dashed line marks the length between the distal part of the second tooth and the end of the mandible); b, worn mandible (type B) (note the worn first tooth and the shortened distance between the distal part of the second tooth and the end the mandible); c, unworn forewing (type A); d, worn forewing (type B). Bar = 0.5 mm.

Table III. Data on social traits in nest‐sharing species of Cerceris. Abbreviations: W, highest number of active wasps per nest at a given moment; Pr, differences in provisioning activity among females; G, presence of a guard wasp at the nest entrance; S, size differences between wasps with different provisioning activity; O, ovarian development differences between wasps with different provisioning activity; M/W, mandible and/or wing wear differences between wasps with different provisioning activity; R, relatedness among nest‐sharing females (M–D, mother–daughter, S–S, sister–sister).

	W	Pr	G	S	O	M/W	R	References
C. acanthophila	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	Hook 1987
C. antipodes	4	yes	yes	no	no	–	M–D, S–S	Alcock 1980; Evans & Hook 1986; McCorquodale 1988, 1989, 1990
C. australis	4	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	–	Evans & Hook 1982, 1986
C. goddardi	7	yes	yes	no	no	–	–	Evans & Hook 1986
C. minuscula	4	yes	–	–	no	–	–	Evans & Hook 1986
C. rubida	5∗	yes∗	yes	no∗	no∗	no∗	–	Grandi 1944, 1961; Jacobi 2003; ∗this study
C. unispinosa	1	yes	–	–	–	–	–	Evans & Hook 1986
C. watlingensis		yes	–	–	–	–	–	Elliot et al. 1986
C. windorum	2	yes	–	–	–	yes	–	Evans & Hook 1986
C. xanthura	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	Evans & Hook 1986

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