Speaker: Sofia Angelo
Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Biology
Time: 5:05 PM
Place: Trustee Hall 113
Supervisor: Dr. Allan Hook
Title: An Ethological Study of the Entrance Opening Behavior of Bembecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Abstract: The provisioning behavior of Bembecinus neglectus was studied with respect to temporal aspects of female entering of a nest. The strongest correlation found was between the total time taken by a prey-laden female to enter a nest and the number of times she took-off from the nest. There was a significant difference between the total and actual time spent opening a nest, and between the actual times recorded in 2002 and 2003. We also examined how prey size affected the time that it took a female to open her nest; the total time taken to open a nest with small prey was significantly more than that for medium and large prey. There was a slight correlation between the weight of a female and the weight of her prey. No correlation was found between the number of conspecific prey-stealing attempts and the number of take-offs at the nest entrance.