![](/images/graphics-bg.png)
Nesting Behavior of Abispa ephippium (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera : Vespidae: Eumeninae): Extended Parental Care in an Australian Mason Wasp
Joint Authors
Matthews, Robert W.
Matthews, Janice R.
Source
Issue
Vol. 2009, Issue 2009 (31 Dec. 2009), pp.1-15, 15 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2009-11-15
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
15
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
The genus Abispa includes Australia's largest wasps, potters with distinctive mud nests weighing up to 0.5 kg.
During 31 days near Katherine, NT, Australia, we observed 8 active A.
ephippium (Fabricius) nests and dissected 16.
Nesting is lengthy and asynchronous; female generations often overlap.
Females display long-term parental care through truncated progressive provisioning, removing debris, repairing damage, and attacking potential invaders.
Males patrol water-gathering spots, and visit and associate with active nests, mating there and in flight.
Females actively guard nests, but challenged nest-attending males simply retreat.
The distinctive funnel-shaped entrance helps females defend nests physically but probably not chemically; dismantled for cell closure material, it is built anew for each cell.
Nests contain up to 8 cells; construction and provisioning total about 7 days per cell.
The only parasite was Stilbum cyanurum Forster.
Thievery and nest usurpation by Pseudabispa paragioides (Meade-Waldo) were discovered.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Matthews, Robert W.& Matthews, Janice R.. 2009. Nesting Behavior of Abispa ephippium (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera : Vespidae: Eumeninae): Extended Parental Care in an Australian Mason Wasp. Psyche،Vol. 2009, no. 2009, pp.1-15.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-503337
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Matthews, Robert W.& Matthews, Janice R.. Nesting Behavior of Abispa ephippium (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera : Vespidae: Eumeninae): Extended Parental Care in an Australian Mason Wasp. Psyche No. 2009 (2009), pp.1-15.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-503337
American Medical Association (AMA)
Matthews, Robert W.& Matthews, Janice R.. Nesting Behavior of Abispa ephippium (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera : Vespidae: Eumeninae): Extended Parental Care in an Australian Mason Wasp. Psyche. 2009. Vol. 2009, no. 2009, pp.1-15.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-503337
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-503337