1986] Ward — Rhytidoponera me tallica 5 
Table 1. Development of incipient queenright colonies of Rhytidoponera under 
laboratory conditions. Under columns E, L, C, and W are given the numbers of eggs 
(approximate), larvae, worker cocoons, and adult workers observed, respectively, at 
each census period. 
Date 
chalybaea 6297 
E L C 
W 
metallica 6280 
E L C 
W 
metallica 628 1 
E L C 
W 
12.x. 83 
18 
— 
— 
— 
20 
1 
— 
— 
20 
1 
— 
— 
2.xi.83 
5 
11 
2 
— 
20 
12 
— 
— 
8 
20 
— 
22.xi.83 
3 
10 
8 

5 
17 
6 

0 
10 
6 

29.xi.83 
3 
7 
9 
— 
5 
21 
7 
— 
5 
14 
8 
— 
6.xii.83 
7 
6 
11 
— 
5 
18 
8 
— 
8 
14 
8 
— 
13.xii.83 
18 
4 
13 
— 
0 
18 
10 
— 
7 
14 
8 
— 
20.xii.83 
25 
4 
13 
1 
1 
15 
11 
— 
9 
12 
9 
- 
27.xii.83 
29 
3 
12 
4 
3 
14 
13 
— 
8 
10 
10 
— 
3.L84 
25 
6 
12 
5 
0 
13 
12 
— 
5 
6 
12 
10.i.84 
25 
8 
8 
7 
0 
15 
13 
— 
5 
9 
9 
I 
17.i.84 
25 
10 
6 
9 
4 
10 
14 
— 
5 
9 
10 
1 
24.i.84 
23 
17 
5 
9 
10 
8 
10 
— 
10 
8 
9 
1 
31.i.84 
20 
26 
3 
13 
11 
5 
10 
— 
14 
7 
8 
7.ii.84 
10 
27 
5 
13 
12 
4 
8 
— 
14 
5 
11 
14.ii.84 
10 
22 
11 
13 
18 
3 
8 
1 
17 
4 
9 
2 
21.ii.84 
15 
24 
17 
13 
20 
5 
8 
— 
15 
4 
7 
3 
28.ii.84 
20 
15 
24 
14 
22 
7 
8 
— 
18 
6 
7 
3 
6.iii.84 
27 
15 
32 
15 
12 
9 
7 
1 
20 
12 
6 
4 
13.iii.84 
32 
15 
34 
18 
10 
16 
6 
4 
17 
14 
5 
5 
20.iii.84 
40 
17 
33 
22 
4 
26 
5 
5 
18 
14 
6 
7 
disrupted in the R. metallica colonies (compare respective columns 
of Table 1). 
Because of the delay in successful emergence of workers, the R. 
metallica queens continued to forage for about two months after the 
R. chalybaea queen ceased such activity. In both species the forag- 
ing activity of the queen declined gradually, over a period of several 
weeks after the first successful eclosion of workers. For three weeks 
after her first daughter appeared the R. chalybaea queen continued 
(with decreasing frequency) to capture and sting prey ( Drosophila 
adults) held at, or near, the nest entrance. During the equivalent 
transition period, the R. metallica queens continued to make forays 
into the foraging arena and to capture prey. The sequence of events 
in colony #6280 is summarized in Table 2; similar observations were 
made on colony #6281. 
