1970] 
Jeanne — Nests 
59 
The upper comb (Fig. 3) had 288 cells in 25 rows. There were 
three generations of brood 1 in this comb. Two cells in the center 
of the comb contained eggs of the third generation, and next to 
these were five second-generation pupae. Surrounding these were 
58 cells containing meconia and second-generation larvae, decreasing 
in age away from the center of the comb, and they in turn were 
surrounded by a ring of 90 cells containing meconia and second- 
generation eggs. Thirteen empty cells were scattered throughout 
these egg and larval cells. Around the second-generation egg cells 
were the remaining brood of the first generation: 92 pupae sur- 
rounded by 25 larvae and three eggs. 
The lower comb consisted of 52 cells. This comb was apparently 
younger than the upper one, and contained only two generations. The 
oldest part of this comb appeared to be at the proximal end (end 
nearest the leaf petiole), where the end cell contained a meconium 
and an egg, probably of the second generation. Moving distally 
along the comb, there were 37 pupae, three larvae and one egg of 
the first generation, with no empty cells. 
The entire nest, therefore, contained 97 eggs, 86 larvae, 134 pupae 
and 13 empty cells for a total of 330 cells. Richards and Richards 
(1951) estimate the ages of nests in developmental units, one unit 
being the developmental period from egg to adult. By this measure 
the nest was just over two developmental units old. 
There are three species of P seudocharter gus , and the nest of one, 
P. charter goides, has previously been described by R. von Ihering 
(1904), A. Ducke (1905) and J. Bequaert (1938). It consists of 
a single, usually elongate comb, attached by pillars to the underside 
of a banana-like leaf or a palm leaflet. The comb is enclosed by a 
second leaf or leaflet fastened under the first with a secretion similar 
to that described above for P. fuscatus. The nest of P. fuscatus 
differs from nests of P. chartergoides in having a second comb, and 
from nests of most other vespids in that the cells of this comb open 
upward. To my knowledge the only recorded instance of a vespid 
nest with upward-opening cells is Ropalidia flavopicta javanica from 
Java (van der Vecht, 1962). 
The transparent film enclosing the nest is likewise unusual but 
not unique to the genus. A nest of Ropalidia opifex described by 
^he term “generation of brood” as used here is defined such that the 
x th generation comprises all those brood in cells being used for the 
X th time. Since the adults of a colony may continue to add cells to the 
periphery of a comb that has developing brood in the center, several 
generations of brood may be present in a single comb at one time. 
