INITIAL-STAGE OF NEST CONSTRUCTION IN A NEOTROPICAL SWARM-FOUNDING WASP, POLYBIA-PAULISTA (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE) (VOL 29, PG 227, 1997)

Initial stages of nest construction by swarms of the Neotropical swarm -founding wasp, Polybia paulista, were observed, The swarms began to b uild the nest envelope from the beginning stage of nest construction a nd the cells of the next comb were established on the outer surface of the envelope. Thereafter the swarms initiated new envelopes from the margin 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 l aid in it, eggs were laid after the other combs had been almost comple tely covered by the envelope.