348 
Psyche 
[December 
route. After followers appear, the number of wasps at the swarm site 
dwindles rapidly, but there is continuous activity there as wasps fly in 
and out of the swarm. Movement of the swarm is completed in less 
than one hour. Since Naumann (1975) found similar behavior by 
species in four genera, Angiopolybia, Leipomeles, Polybia and Stelo- 
polybia, it may be typical of all or most polybiines. 
We have observed such behavior on several occasions in Angiopo¬ 
lybia pallens (Lepeletier) and Polybia catillifex Moebius when colo¬ 
nies moved after they were attacked by army ants. However, the 
behavior of the wasps was distinctly different following a raid by 
Eciton rapax Fr. Smith on a nest of Polybia velutina Ducke (colony 
V-535, Ecuador). The nest in a large Codeum bush was raided on 
24-VI-1977 at 5:30 PM, and the wasps started a swarm on several 
leaves on the north side of the same bush 15-20 min after leaving the 
nest. The swarm consolidated on 2 leaves about 1.3 m north of the 
nest during the next 2 hours. Based on photographs of the swarm 
taken about 11:45 PM, there were 325-375 wasps in the colony. 
At 1:40 PM the next day, 20 hours after the wasps absconded and 
more than 2 hours before the swarm moved, we located the new nest 
site on a wire under a nearby house. There were 17 wasps at the new 
location which was 8 m south of the swarm. Earlier in the day wasps 
were observed flying north and south from the swarm, but the 
northern flights were abandoned shortly after 1:00 PM. Despite the 
short distance between the swarm and the new nest, it was impossible 
for the wasps flying from the swarm at a height of 2.3 m to see the new 
site at a height of 1.8 m because it was hidden by the thick Codeum 
bush and an overhang on the side of the house. The new nest site 
would not be within sight of the wasps until they approached it at a 
height of about 1.5 m in the last 2 m. 
The wasps did not fly directly to the new nest site but flew around 
the east or west sides of the Codeum shrub, a total flight distance of 
9-10 m. Between the swarm and the new nest site there were approxi¬ 
mately 3 m of Codeum foliage and 3 posts 1-2 m high. To see if we 
could stimulate dragging behavior, we placed a wooden chair in the 
flight path of the wasps at 2:36 PM in the area of about 3 m where 
there was no vegetation higher than a few centimeters and no posts. 
The wasps ignored this potential substrate for chemical marking. 
At the swarm there was a high level of activity. A typical count at 
2:22 PM showed 11 wasps arriving and 9 leaving per minute. Wasps 
were seen landing on the swarm and performing breaking behavior. 
