Changes in female behavior in eusocial wasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus (Hymenoptera : Vespidae) due to the removal of males from the nest

Males of independent founding hymenoptera contribute little to the nest by not foraging for food or feeding larvae. Males are a potential cost to the nest because they consume resources and are not used for reproduction, but males of Myschocyttarus mastigophorus can be found on the nest year. To investigate if the behavior of females changes when the males are not present, baseline behaviors of both males and females were recorded for four nests M. mastigophorus, then the males were removed and observations continued. Baseline behaviors indicate that females departed (t = 2.33) and arrived (t = 2.81). Departures increased after the males were removed (t = 2.33, all p \u3c 0.10) and there was a trend for females to arrive more frequently (t = 1.67, p = 0.14). Females possibly increased these behaviors to forage while the males are not present so the males cannot take food away from the females. It is possible that the males are present year round purely for reproduction with non-sibling females. Los machos de Hymenoptera contribuyen muy poco a la colonia ya que no cumplen ninguna función de forrajeo o alimentación de las larvas. Los machos son un posible costo para el nido debido a que consumen recursos y no son utilizados para la reproducción, pero los machos de Myschocyttarus mastigophorus pueden ser encontrados en los nidos aun un año después. Para investigar si el comportamiento de las hembras cambia cuando los machos no están presentes, datos basales del comportamiento tanto de machos como de hembras fueron tomados para cuatro nidos, luego se removieron a los machos y continuaron las observaciones.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1030/thumbnail.jp