Abstract
The 35 species of social wasps surveyed in an 8 ha plot in the Cabeça de Veado valley near Brasilia (1979 and 1997) averaged 17.9 species per survey. From 1/3 to 1/2 of the species disappeared between consecutive surveys and only two were present in every survey. On average, 43% of the 40 species known to inhabit the valley were recorded on each survey. This high rate of turn-over demonstrates that the wasps comprised a “founder-controlled” assemblage. On two more surveys, nine species were recorded in 2010 and ten in 2015; numbers which reflect recent reports on the global trend of losses of social wasps.
Highlights
The study began as a simple survey of the species of social wasps encountered at a convenient place
Neotropical species often occur at relatively high densities (Raw, 1998a, 1998b; Silveira, 2002; Elpino-Campos et al, 2007; Souza et al, 2014a; Souza et al, 2014b)
A Raw – Assemblage of neotropical paper wasps were never seen in the study area
Summary
The study began as a simple survey of the species of social wasps encountered at a convenient place. The area was searched visually for wasps and their nests during ten surveys. All the species recorded had been encountered during 16 and 18 hours so, thereafter, the area was searched for 20 hours each survey.
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