98 
Psyche 
[Vol. 95 
regions remain as they were built and new sections are soon built 
normally within the new orientation (JWW, unpubl. data). This nest 
has pupae pointing in all directions in the uppermost cells, suggest- 
ing that they were built back-to-back early in the nest’s history, just 
as are the younger cells below them. 
Back-to-back cells originating at the margin of a central plate 
have long been falsely reported for the Old World genus Polybioides 
(van der Vecht, 1966). This design is currently known in the South 
American Stelopolybia lobipleura Richards (Richards, 1978), which 
builds such combs in cavities. Whether the nest described here is 
typical for its species and how it expands await confirmation by 
observers in the field. 
Acknowledgments 
A. S. Menke loaned the type series to JWW. M. C. Day assisted 
JMC while at the British Museum, and C. L. Smith sent the mate- 
rial from the University of Georgia. C. K. Starr was of great assist- 
ance with his notes on Costa Rican Polistinae. Thanks to C. D. 
Michener, J. Pakaluk and S. G. Reyes for improving the manu- 
script. Support for JMC was provided by NSF grant BSR-8508055, 
and for JWW by NSF grant BNS 82-00651 (C. D. Michener, princi- 
pal investigator). 
Literature Cited 
Herre, E. A., D. M. Windsor and R. B. Foster. 
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It6, Y. 
1986. Social behavior of Ropalidia fasciata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) females 
on satellite nests and on a nest with multiple combs. J. Ethol. 4 : 73-80. 
Jeanne, R. L. 
1979. Construction and utilization of multiple combs in Polistes canadensis in 
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Raw, A. 
1985. Two new species of Mischocyttarus (Vespidae: Hymenoptera) from 
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