1968] 
Matthews — Microstigmus 
4i 
The only available information on this point is that of Iwata (1964) 
who found that many presocial Hymenoptera have a relatively low 
egg maturation rate. Additionally it would be good to know the 
spermathecal condition of each female and the rate of development 
of laid eggs. Certainly the available data for M. comes do not rule 
out the possibility that cells in the larger nests (3 cells with eggs 
in one case) could be the product of more than one female. 
Table 4. Ovarian condition of females from eight M. comes nests with 
three or more female adults present, ranked in order of de- 
creasing size of largest oocyte. Parentheses indicate number of 
visible oocytes, nr = not recorded. U no visible oocyte 
development. D m destroyed accidentally. 
Oocyte lengths (in mm) 
Longest 
Nest Total two for 
cells most 
mature $ 
For other females present in nest 
5-1 4 0.75(4) 
0.30(2) 0.18(1) 
0.23 
11 7 0.18(2) 
0.15(2) 0.13(1) 0.13(2) 
nr 
24-1 4 0.38(3) 
0.15(2) 0.10(1) 0.08(2) 
0.30 
5-4 1 0.33(2) 
0.23 (3) 0.20(1) 0.18 (1) 0.15(1) 
nr 
30-1 3 0.27(1) 
0.20(1) 0.10(2) 0.10(1) U 
5-2 10 0.43(4) 
0.15(2) 0.15(2) 0.13(1) 0.08(1) 
0.18 
5-3 9 0.68 (3) 
0.18(2) 0.13(2) 0.10(1) U D 
0.25 
72-1 13 1.00(3) 
0.20(3) 0.13 (2) 0.13 (1) 0.10(2) 0.10(2) 0.08 (2) 3U 
0.55 
As yet unanswered are the questions of how the multi-adult 
colonies of M. comes arise and how sociality may have evolved in 
this species. Since no information is available on colony change 
through time, colony founding, or adult longevity, presence of more 
than one adult per nest could be interpreted either as association of 
adults of the same generation or as offspring associating with pre- 
viously established nests. However, half of the active nests censused 
contained but a single adult; further, although many new adults 
emerged during the period of study, no nests under construction were 
found. It therefore seems likely that offspring do associate with 
previously established nests. That parental and offspring adult lives 
overlap also seems probable since 3 of the 10 females in the largest 
