1978] Wood — Parental Care in Guayaquila compressa 
139 
Figure 2. Female of G. compressa on egg mass [Original drawing by Sarah 
Landry], 
circular flight back, or flew to adjacent trees with a series of short 
flights back to the host. One undisturbed female was observed to 
desert and relocate offspring, but whether this was triggered by a 
predator could not be determined. 
Nymphs dispersed almost immediately in 12 of 18 trials after the 
female was disturbed. Nymphs moved distances of up to several feet 
and often reaggregated on new branches. In one trial, when the 
female was probed once, she fanned her wings which produced an 
audible clicking while nymphs dispersed up and down the branch. 
This female did not fly off until all nymphs had dispersed. Careful 
hand removal of 2 other females triggered immediate nymphal 
dispersal and reaggregation within a 40-min period. When the 
female was removed from 3 aggregations, nymphs remained to- 
gether for 3 days. 
When an injured or crushed nymph was presented, both siblings 
and female responded. In 1 case, as 7 of 56 1st instars moved past 
the female, she responded by a rapid twisting motion and followed 
the nymphs for 6 inches. When the female started to move, the 
