Population densities and biomass of Neotropical social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) related to colony size, hunting range and wasp size

Abstract

ABSTRACT. At a locality near Brasilia the sizes of hunting areas and of colonies of 13 species of social wasps varied greatly. Size of the hunting area varied 152 fold and was strongly related to the number of adult wasps per colony which varied 400 fold. The total number of adults of the 13 species was estimated at 182.9/ ha (range 7.1 fold among the species) and their total biomass was 1.6 kg! ha (range 3.6 fold). Hunting range was not significantly related to body size. Variation in wing area (11.3 fold) was similar to that ofthe fi'esh weight ofthe adult female (1 0.7 fold). Eleven species showed habitat preferences where they hunted. Models relating prey size to the distance prey are carried are discussed.

Effects of urbanization on Neotropical wasp and bee assemblages in a Brazilian metropolis

“…The reduction in prey availability caused by the loss of vegetation may be one of the factors responsible for these results (Skibinska, 1986;Gayubo and Torres, 1990;Raw, 1998a). The high values of species richness found in the sites with the highest percentage of vegetation cover, in the less urbanized area, reinforce this hypothesis.…”

“…walls, roofs, ceilings, etc.) (Nogueira-Neto, 1970;Fowler, 1983;Martins and Pimenta, 1993;Knoll et al, 1994;West-Eberhard et al, 1995;Saure, 1996;Raw, 1998a). Despite their ecological importance and their potential as indicators of environmental conditions (Brown, 1991), few authors have analyzed the effects of urbanization on wasp and bee assemblages.…”

Surveying neotropical social wasps: an evaluation of methods in the "Ferreira Penna" research station (ECFPn), in Caxiuanã, PA, Brazil (Hym., Vespidae, Polistinae)

“…Quadrats have been used to estimate densities of colonies in western-central Brazil, in "cerrado" or grassland vegetation (Diniz et al, 1998;Raw, 1998). However, in areas of very dense and high vegetation as the Amazonian forests, the task of exploring the environment while looking for wasps nests is expected to be far more difficult, and perhaps it would also be hard to reach a sufficiently large number of samples.…”

Natural Biological Control of Diaphania spp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) by Social Wasps

“…P. scutellaris occurs mainly in areas close to forests (Machado & Parra 1984). Moreover, P. ignobilis has a large foraging area which has a radius greater than 500m (Raw 1998) while the foraging area of P. scutellaris has a radius of 150m (Machado & Parra 1984). The colonies of P. ignobilis have more workers than P. scutellaris (Raw 1998, Santos et al 2007.…”