MALE TERRITORIALITY AND MATING TACTICS IN THE WOOL-CARDER BEE, ANTHIDIUM-SEPTEMSPINOSUM LEPELETIER (HYMENOPTERA, MEGACHILIDAE)

Mate-seeking behaviors in males of Anthidium septemspinosum are described. Mating occurred at the females' food plant patches, as in other congeneric species previously studied. Males were behaviorally classified either as territorial or non-territorial. Territorial males were generally larger, and superior in mating. Smaller males were forced to be non-territorial, adopting a different mating tactic of creeping into the territories to intercept females. This compensated for their physical inferiority in mating competition. The adaptive significance of this tactic is discussed.