&lt;b&gt;Nesting of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in a riparianforestofriodas Mortes in southeasternBrazil

Marcos Magalhaes De Souza,Abner Elpino-Campos,Júlio Neil Cassa Louzada,Epifânio Porfiro Pires

doi:10.4025/actascibiolsci.v36i2.21460

Abstract

The survival of social wasp species depends on the success in founding new nests. These species can use plant species with different specific characteristics for nesting, with nest architecture varying according to the habits of those plant species. The nesting of social wasps in natural environments was studied in the period from October 2005 to September 2007 inthe rio das Mortes riparian forest, municipal district of Barroso, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with the objective of evaluating the different types of plant substrate used by social wasps for nesting, and to investigate whether there is a relationship between nest construction type and the habits of plant species. A total of 171 colonies of social wasps belonging to 29 species were recorded, which used 78 plant species as nesting substrate (76 Angiosperms and two Pteridophytes) of arbustive, herbaceous, arboreal, epiphyte and liana habits. Species with phragmocyttarus and gymnodomous nests were observed nesting, with higher incidence, in arboreal plants and their deciduousness did not affect the nesting. The preservation of natural areas is suggested in order to guarantee a higher availability of nesting places for the social wasp species, ensuring their higher efficiency in the environmental services and biological control of agricultural pests.

Highlights

The survival of social wasp species depends on their success in founding new colonies (DEJEAN et al, 1998; HUNT, 2007; JEANNE, 1975)
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the types of plant substrate used by social wasps for nesting, and to investigate whether there is a relationship between nest construction type and the habits of plant species in riparian forests of the rio das Mortes in the municipality of Barroso
A total of 171 colonies of social wasps belonging to 29 species were recorded, which used 78 plant species (76 Angiosperms and two Pteridophytes) of arboreal, arbustive, herbaceous, epiphyte or liana habits as nesting substrate (Tables 1, 2 and 3)

Summary

Introduction

The survival of social wasp species depends on their success in founding new colonies (DEJEAN et al, 1998; HUNT, 2007; JEANNE, 1975). The social wasps species build different types of nests, which vary in their architecture based on the types of substrate used (HUNT; CARPENTER, 2004; JEANNE, 1975; SMITH et al, 2001 WENZEL, 1991, 1998). These nests can be classified as: stelocyttarus, gymnodomous, astelocyttarus and phragmocyttarus (RICHARDS; RICHARDS, 1951; ALVARENGA et al, 2010)

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Results