Associations between birds and social wasps in the Pantanal wetlands

Abstract

Nesting associations between birds and wasps may increase reproductive success of birds because the stings of these insects serve to protect the offspring against predators. The literature also reports the predation of wasps by birds and that these animals usually feed on the wasps during flight. Our aim was to report nesting associations between birds and social wasps and provide comments on wasp nest predation by birds in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands. The study was conducted in the sub-region known as “Pantanal de Pocone”, state of Mato Grosso. We recorded seven associations involving four bird species: Paroaria capitata, Myiozetetes similis, M. cayannensis and Columbina talpacoti, and four wasp species: Polybia sericea, P. ruficeps xanthops, Chartergus globiventris and Parachartergus fraternus. One bird nest (14.28%), belonging to M. cayannensis, obtained reproductive success and was associated to P. sericea wasps. On the other hand, 42.85% of the nests were abandoned and 42.85% were preyed upon. A direct event of wasp nest predation was recorded, in which a group of White Woodpeckers attacked a nest of P. ruficeps xanthops. Other ten wasp nests were found with marks of predation made by birds. These were nests of Synoeca surinama (n = 2), P. chrysothorax (n = 2), P. ruficeps xanthops (n = 3), P. sericea (n = 2) and P. jurinei (n = 1), suggesting that social wasps may constitute an additional element in the diet of insectivorous birds. This study provides the basis for understanding the interactions between these two groups of animals.