INITIAL-STAGE OF NEST CONSTRUCTION IN A NEOTROPICAL SWARM-FOUNDING WASP, POLYBIA-PAULISTA (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE)

Initial stages of nest construction by swarms of the Neotropical swarm -founding wasp, Polybia paulista were observed. The swarms began to bu ild the nest envelope from the beginning stage of nest construction an d the cells of the next comb were established on the outer surface of the envelope. Thereafter the swarms initiated new envelopes from the m argin of the last comb to cover the apical comb. Except for the first comb, which seemed to have a pedicel-like function and no eggs were la id in it, eggs were laid after the other combs had been almost complet ely covered by the envelope.