TY - JOUR AU - Grajales, Gretthehun G AU - Wcislo, Willian T PY - 1998/12/01 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Nest architecture of group-living wasps <i>Microstigmus</i> (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae): role of the pedicel as a defense against ants JF - Revista de Biología Tropical JA - Rev. Biol. Trop. VL - 46 IS - 4 SE - Articles DO - 10.15517/rbt.v46i4.20862 UR - https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/20862 SP - 1141–1143 AB - <span>The nest pedicel of a social sphecid wasp<em> Microstigmus</em> nr.<em> thripoctenuslplays</em> an important role in protecting the brood against ant predators, as inferred froq¡ data on artificial nests.. A pair of artificial nests with or without pedicels was suspended Cromihe undersides of leaves (<em>Carludovica palmata</em>) for 30 rnin to assess rates of discovery and removal of food (tuna bait) by ants (N = 36 pairs). Three-hundred lmd forty-thlee individuals of five ant species removed food at a higher frequency from nests wihout pedicels (83.3% oC 36 nests) than from nests with pedicels (11.1 % of 36 nests).</span> ER -