Protection of brood by means of Dufour's gland secretion in two species of stenogastrine wasps

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Abstract
Two preliminary experiments on Parischnogaster jacobsoni and Liostenogaster flavolineata tested the hypothesis that the secretion from Dufour's gland helps protect the immature brood, both when used to cover the eggs and as an ant guard. An indirect protective function of the secretion for eggs has been demonstrated in the second species, while when used as an ant guard the secretion of the first species efficiently repelled ants tested with a double choice device.