Abstract
The aim of this study was to record the parasitoid species found in social wasps nests sampled in different localities in Brazil and investigate the existence of preferential host-parasite associations in different tribes of Neotropical paper wasps. We sampled nests of Mischocyttarus cassununga , Mischocyttarus consimilis , Mischocyttarus imitator , Polistes canadensis , Polistes cinerascens , Polistes versicolor , Angiopolybia pallens , Leipomeles spilogastra , Polybia jurinei and two indeterminate species of Mischocyttarus . M . cassununga , M . imitator and Mischocyttarus ( Phi ) sp.1 were parasitized by Toechorychus guarapuavus (Ichneumonidae) and M. consimilis, M . imitator and Mischocyttarus sp. 2 was parasitized by Toechorychus fluminensis (Ichneumonidae). P . versicolor and P. cinerascens were parasitized by Elasmus polistes (Eulophidae) and P. canadensis by Simenota depressa (Trigonalidae); A . pallens and L . spilogastra, were infested by Brachymeria sp.1 and Brachymeria sp.2 (Chalcididae), respectively. M . cassununga and Polybia jurinei were parasitized by Megaselia scalaris (Phoridae). We suggested that there may be specific and preferential association between parasitoids and social paper wasps.
Highlights
Polistinae wasps primarily use plant materials to build their nests and can be divided into two groups according to nesting behavior and architecture: independent- and swarmfounding species (Carpenter, 1991; Wenzel, 1998)
The abovementioned nests were infected by hymenopterans or by dipterans parasitoids, as follows: (1) Mischocyttarini: M. cassununga was parasitized by Toechorychus guarapuavus Tedesco, 2013 (Ichneumonidae) and Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) (Diptera: Phoridae), M. consimilis was parasitized by Toechorychus fluminensis Tedesco, 2013 (Ichneumonidae) and M. imitator was parasitized by T. guarapuavus (Fig 1C) and T. fluminensis
(2) Polistini: Nests of P. cinerascens and P. versicolor were parasitized by Elasmus polistis Burks, 1971 (Fig 3C) (Eulophidae) and nests of P. canadensis were parasitized by Seminota depressa DeGeer, 1773 (Fig 2D, 2E) (Trigonalidae)
Summary
Polistinae wasps primarily use plant materials to build their nests and can be divided into two groups according to nesting behavior and architecture: independent- and swarmfounding species (Carpenter, 1991; Wenzel, 1998). Swarming-founding species (Epiponini and most Ropalidiini) in turn builds large nests with thousands of cells protected by an envelope (Jeanne, 1980; Carpenter & Marques, 2001). Paper wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) nests are frequently invaded by natural parasitoids of eggs, larvae and pupae. The nest of a social wasp is an environment rich in resources for many predators and parasitoids, which might be attracted and can cause high costs to the colony (Soares et al, 2006). Larvae and pupae are the target of many of these natural enemies including ants, birds, and parasitoid hymenopterans (Makino, 1985; Yamane, 1996; Clouse, 2001). There are few records concerning natural enemies of paper wasps and how harmful such natural enemies might be for a wasp colony
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