Description
Book SynopsisThis book provides updated information on this intriguing and exciting group of insects: Neotropical Social Wasps. These insects have a particular biology and their colonies are formed by a few cooperative females living in either small or massive, structured nests where stinging individuals organize their activities and defend their offspring. Topics include evolutionary aspects, biogeography, post-embryonic development, community behavior and ecology, economic importance, and research methods.
Table of ContentsA Brief Review Of Studies On Social Wasps In Brazil.- The Evolution of Swarm Founding in the Wasps: Possible Scenarios.- The foraging behaviour of neotropical social wasps.- The choice of sexual partner in social wasps.- Nesting Habits of Neotropical Social Wasps.- Castes and polymorphisms in neotropical social wasps.- The biology of swarm-founding epiponine wasp, Polybia paulsita.- Causes and consequences of reproductive conflicts in wasp societies.- Post-embryonic Development in Brazilian Social Wasps.- Evolution and adaptation of the wings and mandibles of neotropical social wasps.- Cuticular hydrocarbon studies in Neotropical Social Wasps.- Biogeographic hypotheses for the Neotropical Social Wasps.- Chromosome diversity and evolution in Neotropical social wasps.- Phylogeny and classification of the Neotropical social wasps.- List of species of social wasps from Brazil.- The Old-World versus New-World social wasps: Similarities, differences and threats.- Key to the genera of social wasps (Polistinae) occurring in Brazil.- Research techniques used in the study of social wasps.- Community ecology of social wasps in Brazil: Forty years of studies.- lnteractions between wasps and other animals: associations and natural enemies.- Interactions of social wasps with microorganisms.- Artificial Environments for Studying Eusocial Wasps.- Economic importance of Neotropical Social Wasps.
