ABSTRACT
Nest sharing is normally thought to be one of the earliest stages in the evolution of social behavior. Maternal care is a rare phenomenon among Holarctic Tenthredinoid sawflies, being known only for Paehynematus itoi of Eurasia. The composition of colonies of the woodroach Cryptocercus punctulatus was studied in spring 1981 by field dissection of logs at Mountain Lake Biological Station, Virginia, several collection trips were made and approximately 100 social groups were sampled each trip. Achromis bisparsa is one of six tortoise beetles that commonly feed on the vine, Merremia umbellata, in second-growth habitats in the Republic of Panama. Males precede females to new vine shoots where they lock elytra with and flip smaller sexual competitors from the plant. Females mate repeatedly while searching for oviposition sites; however, their final mating usually occurs at the oviposition site with the largest male on the plant.
