Mutillid wasps in the genus Dasymutilla must physiologically and behaviorally tolerate high temperatures. Three species of Dasymutilla were collected and exposed to increasing and decreasing temperatures to determine the Critical Thermal Maximum (CTMax) and Minimum (CTMin). The CTMax and CTMin results explain why Dasymutilla spp. are more active during the hottest months and are not during the colder months. Previous studies (Manley and Spangler 1983) suggest that Dasymutilla are most active from dawn - 1100h and 1600h - dusk, but through numerous observations they are more active between 1100h and 1600h with some overlap. Daily activity was recorded each hour for 12 hours two times a month during the months from June - October. Temperature was also recorded for the 12 hours to determine if there was a correlation with activity.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Mutillidae Dasymutilla
Keywords: Critical Thermal Maximum, Critical Thermal Minimum
Back to Display Presentations, Section Cd. Behavior and Ecology
Back to Posters
Back to The 2003 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition