1968] 
Steiner — Behavioral Interactions 
259 
Table 1. Typical changes from onset to completion of hunting phase. 1 
Different parameters compared 
Hunting phase 
Onset to Completion 2 
“early” to “full” 
1. Responsiveness of wasps to 
crickets. 
low (increas- 
ing gradually) 
high 
2. Duration and importance 
of preliminaries of attack. 
maximum 
(“loitering”) 
minimum 
3. Directiveness and selec- 
tivity of displacements, 
movements of wasps, be- 
fore contacts with crickets. 
poor 
good 3 
4. Interruption of hunting 
by non-hunting activities 
frequent 
limited or 
absent 
(feeding, grooming, etc.) 
or by periods of inactivity. 
important 
very short 
5. Quality of attacks and at- 
weak, 
vigorous, 
tempts of manipulation of 
“sluggish”, 
sustained, 
the cricket. 
often aborted 
complete 
6. Proportion of investiga- 
tion of crickets not fol- 
lowed by attack. 
high 
low 
7. Proportion of investiga- 
tions and attacks not fol- 
lowed by pursuit and 
stinging. 
high 
low 
8. Proportion of attacks and 
stinging not followed by 
other prey handling activi- 
ties. 
very high 
very low 
9. Degree of completion of 
low (if any 
high 
prey-stinging pattern. 4 
prey-stinging) 5 
(generally 
maximum) 
10. Level of antagonistic in- 
teractions between wasps. 6 
low 
high 
4 Table 1 is concerned with general trends only. 
2 Passage from early to full hunting phase is not necessarily gradual. 
Changes can be sudden or show fluctuations, often cyclical (Steiner, 1962). 
3 The wasp might also be guided toward favorable areas by memory 
of past hunting trips (Steiner, 1962). 
4 The complete pattern of prey stinging typically involves four stings 
(Steiner, 1962). 
incomplete paralysis results from incomplete set of stings and the 
cricket is generally abandoned immediately (Steiner, 1962). 
6 This level is extremely low in non-nesting interactions, even in feed- 
ing; however wasps in their overnight burrows may threaten or drive 
away intruding wasps (or other insects). 
