RHYTHM OF ACTIVITY AND FEEDING-BEHAVIOR OF BELONOGASTER JUNCEA JUNCEA(HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE)

The feeding behavior of Belonogaster juncea juncea was studied by reco rding the number of individuals arriving at the nest per hour as well as the type of load brought back to the nest. The foraging activity va ries with the time of the day: liquid matter is collected early in the morning while prey is collected later. Liquid matter is comprised mai nly of floral and extra-floral nectar from several plant species, and the honeydew collected on leaves or by tending Homoptera of the Aphidi dae, Coccidae, Margarodidae, Stictococcidae, and Tettigometridae. Prey is comprised of caterpillars, winged ants and grasshoppers. On the ba sis of these data, the hypothesis of using B. j. juncea in applied ent omology is discussed.