54 
Psyche 
[Vol. 91 
Sabal palmetto (Fig. 3), most abundant on the south end of 
Sapelo Island, appears ideal for a nesting site because of the way in 
which mature leaves hang in a horizontal plane, each leaf offering a 
pair of nesting sites, one on each side of the midrib. Serenoa repens, 
on the other hand, has leaves that extend upward from the ground 
in a more-or-less vertical plane (Fig. 4). Such leaves offer very little 
protection from both weather and birds. 
Reproductive Potential 
Based on information from 10 nests, a single egg layer was 
apparently on each nest during the June 9-12 observation period 
(Table 1). This is based entirely on ovary size. Although escaping 
females were lost, the most gravid females of other polistine species 
(Hermann, unpublished) usually remain on the nest when provoked 
while less gravid females depart. Therefore, it is our opinion that 
each nest had a single egg layer. Only in one case (Nest #4) a second 
female on the nest had other than small, non-reproductive ovaries, 
and they were developed but not large. 
At least half of the nests found at Sapelo Island, and probably 
more, were in the predaughter (= preemergence) phase. Litte (1977) 
also found her nests at this stage with a single egg layer. Females 
other than the gravid queen on nest #4 in which there were no pupae 
are considered to be cofoundresses. This supports the pleometrotic 
status of this subspecies as found earlier by Litte (1977). Our data 
(Table I) do no show a significant difference in wing length between 
the queens and non-queens (X 2 0.5 (1) = 3.841). 
Predation and Potential Predators 
A high degree of predation by birds of wasp nest immatures was 
apparent on Sapelo Island. Although bird species were not 
identified in this location, nests were often found shredded and 
abandoned, a condition characteristic of bird damage. Numbers of 
damaged nests were not recorded. Jeanne (1975), Richards and 
Richards (1951), and Turillazzi (1984) have stated that birds and 
ants are the most important predators of social wasps in general. 
Birds apparently are the most significant predators in temperate 
zones (Jeanne, 1975). Jeanne (1970) reported predation on Mischo - 
cyttarus by bats. 
Litte (1977) reported seeing blue jays attacking nests of M. m. 
cubicola in south Florida and she listed the Carolina wren, scrub 
jays, common yellowthroat, cardinal, thrashers, mockingbird and 
