ABSTRACT
The exchange of alimentary liquid among individuals of a social species has been recognized for more than two centuries as a prominent aspect of hymenopteran biology. The exchange by adults of liquids regurgitated from the crop is a conspicuous behavior in many social Hymenoptera. Oophagy has been reviewed by E. O. Wilson and reported to occur in varied patterns and at varied frequencies in many taxa of social Hymenoptera. The potential nutritional significance of oophagy is intimated by Wilson's observation that oophagy and adult-adult trophallaxis are largely complementary behaviors that is when a social species conspicuously exhibits one of these behaviors the other is usually infrequent. One extrinsic factor that has been effectively shown to be requisite to eusocial evolution is complex nesting habits. No hymenopteran is social in the absence of a nesting habit that directly facilitates the conmingling of conspecifics.
