We investigated an ornamental trait known to reflect male fighting ability and tested whether it shows heightened condition dependence compared with nonornamental traits in the American rubyspot (Hetaerina americana). Adult males bear red wing spots, the size of which is sexually selected: large-spotted and fatter males are more successful in territorial competition and obtain more matings than are nonterritorial males. First, to see whether spot area may signal fighting ability at a particular age (to discriminate animals that are unlikely to compete), we investigated the age at which males engaged more in fighting and compared their fat reserves and muscle mass at 3 ages (young, middle aged, and old) and territorial status. Middle-aged males showed the highest fat and muscle values, engaged more in fighting, and were predominantly territorial. Second, we looked for traits not shaped by sexual selection: we compared red chroma and brightness of spot and thorax, spot area, muscle mass, and fat reserves in winner and loser males after a territorial contest. The only difference was that winners had larger spot areas and higher fat reserves. Finally, an immune challenge-based experiment was performed during the development of spot area and its color properties (chroma and brightness). Compared with a control (unchallenged) group, the results revealed that area decreased, brightness increased, and there was no change in red chroma, muscle mass, and fat reserves in challenged animals. Thus, spot area is a stress-sensitive, energy-reflecting trait that is likely to be used for communication during territorial competition in these damselflies.

Trade‐offs between life‐history traits – such as fecundity and survival – have been demonstrated in several studies. In eusocial insects, the number of organisms and their body sizes can affect the fitness of the colony. Large‐than‐average body sizes as well as more individuals can improve a colony's thermoregulation, foraging efficiency, and fecundity. However, in bumblebees, large colonies and large body sizes depend largely on high temperatures and a large amount of food resources. Bumblebee taxa can be found in temperate and tropical regions of the world and differ markedly in their colony sizes and body sizes. Variation in colony size and body size may be explained by the costs and benefits associated with the evolutionary history of each species in a particular environment. In this study, we explored the effect of temperature and precipitation (the latter was used as an indirect indicator of food availability) on the colony and body size of twenty‐one bumblebee taxa. A comparative analysis controlling for phylogenetic effects as well as for the body size of queens, workers, and males in bumblebee taxa from temperate and tropical regions indicated that both temperature and precipitation affect colony and body size. We found a negative association between colony size and the rainiest trimester, and a positive association between the colony size and the warmest month of the year. In addition, male bumblebees tend to evolve larger body sizes in places where the rain occurs mostly in the summer and the overall temperature is warmer. Moreover, we found a negative relationship between colony size and body sizes of queens, workers, and males, suggesting potential trade‐offs in the evolution of bumblebee colony and body size.