Effects of social parasitism ofpolistes atrimandibularison the colony cycle and brood production ofpolistes biglumis bimaculatus(Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

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Abstract
The cycle of colonies of Polistes biglumis bimaculatus invaded by the obligate and permanent social parasite Polistes atrimandibularis differs from that of normal colonies of the same species as an effect of the presence of the inquiline. In parasitized nests the host foundresses disappear sooner than they do from non parasitized ones and P. b. bimaculatus emergences are both limited in time and reduced in number. After a brief temporal gap from the end of the host emergence period parasite offspring begin to appear in invaded colonies and continue to emerge until the end of the season. In parasitized colonies the number of P. b. bimaculatus emergences is reduced by half with respect to non‐parasitized colonies, while the total number of emerged individuals (host plus parasite brood) is greater than that observed in normal colonies (only P. b. bimaculatus brood). Changes in colony cycle and loss in host brood production in parasitized nests are discussed.