OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROVISIONING BEHAVIOR 
OF AMMOPHILA ABERTI HALDEMAN 
(HYMENOPTERA: SPHECIDAE) 
By F. D. Parker, V. J. Tepedino, and D. L. Vincent* 
Bee Biology & Systematics Laboratory Agricultural Research 
Science & Education Admin., USDA 
Utah State University, UMC 53 
Logan, Utah 84322 
Introduction 
Nest-building aculeate Hymenoptera construct a variable number 
of cells within each nest; a single egg is laid in each cell by the nesting 
female who also supplies sufficient food for the development of her 
offspring. The sequence of oviposition and food provisioning may 
vary from oviposition followed by prey stocking (e.g., Odynerus ), to 
oviposition on the initial prey item followed by additional provision¬ 
ing (e.g., Ammophila ), to oviposition after all food has been stocked 
(most bees). 
The manner of provisioning is also quite variable in those species 
that supply the offspring with more than one prey item. Evans (1966) 
delimited three basic types of provisioning behavior which are 
thought to form an evolutionary sequence: 1) mass provisioning, in 
which prey are brought to the cell in rapid succession and the cell is 
completed before eclosion of the egg; 2) delayed provisioning, in 
which prey are sometimes stocked over a longer period of time due to 
environmental circumstances, and egg eclosion occasionally occurs 
before provisioning is completed; and 3) progressive provisioning, in 
which prey are provided over an extended period of time, and the 
offspring pass through several larval instars before the final prey item 
is presented and the cell sealed. Evans (1966) further subdivided 
progressive provisioning into two additional categories but noted 
that this distinction was not clear-cut. For our purposes it is sufficient 
to treat progressive provisioning as a single category. Progressive 
provisioning is thought to reduce offspring mortality caused by 
parasites and predators, because the adult female is able to spend 
♦Present address: USDA-SEA, AR, Beneficial Insect Introduction Laboratory, 
Building 417, BARC-East, Beltsville, Maryland 20705 
Manuscript received by the editor January 8. 1981. 
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