The Biology of the Spider Wasp, Pepsis Thisbe (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) From Trans Pecos, Texas. II. Temporal Patterns of Activity and Hunting Behavior With Special Reference to the Effects of Experience

The temporal pattern of activity and hunting behavior of the spiderwasp, Pepsis thisbe, from Trans Pecos, Texas are described.Females exhibited a bimodal pattern with peak periods of huntingactivities occurring between 0800–0959 and 1600–1759 hr. Thelowest levels of activity (1100–1359 hr) occurred when ambienttemperatures exceeded 38℃. Activity declined abruptly after 1800hr indicating a strong preference for diurnal activity in this species.The behavioral components of the hunting sequence consist of aninitial approach and antennation of the host, grooming, antennationand paralyzation followed in some cases by lapping, ovipositiomburial of the host, and closure of the nest. The time required tocomplete the hunting sequence was recorded for both field and laboratoryencounters between a wasp and spider. The amount of timerequired by a female wasp to complete the initial approach andantennation-paralyzation sequences decreased significantly as afunction of increasing encounter experience. The spider is stungmost frequently (>80%) through the intersegmental membranebetween the sternum and coxa of the first leg. Whether or not awasp exhibits lapping behavior is determined by the amount oftime spent in flight searching for a host burrow