<b>Nesting of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in a riparianforestofriodas Mortes in southeasternBrazil

Abstract

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 in the 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.

Social wasp richness and species distributions among ecosystem types in Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…The same study also has a very diverse and structurally heterogeneous environment, which may explain the considerable number of species collected. This is because more structurally complex sites can support the coexistence of a greater number of species, mainly due to higher availability of microhabitats, greater protection against predators, and greater availability and diversity of food resources and substrate for nesting (Santos et al, 2007;Souza et al, 2014).…”

Diversity of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in an Agricultural Environment in Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…Several studies have been developed on the diversity of species of social wasps in Brazil, however, most of them focused only natural environments (Silveira, 2002;Silva-Pereira & Santos, 2006;Souza & Prezoto, 2006;Elpino-Campos et al, 2007;Santos et al 2007;Silveira et al, 2008;Gomes & Noll, 2009;Silva & Silveira, 2009;Santos et al, 2009;Souza et al, 2010;Bonfim & Antonialli Junior, 2012;Simões et al, 2012;Souza et al, 2012;Grandinete & Noll, 2013;Locher et al 2014;Souza et al, 2014aSouza et al, , 2014b. Therefore, the fauna of wasps in anthropized environments is still poorly known (Jacques et al, 2012).…”

Nesting habits of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in forest fragments associated with anthropic areas in southeastern Brazil

“…These sites provide protection from weather, and reduce the threat of predation and competition for nesting substrates (Marques & Carvalho, 1993;Lima et al, 2000). In contrast, species that nest only in natural environments prefer specific features and environmental conditions (Dejean et al, 1998;Souza et al, 2010;Souza et al, 2014).…”

“…leaves, plant stems, abandoned termite mounds, rocks, and human-made structures (Lima et al, 2000;Alvarenga et al, 2010;López et al, 2012;Souza et al, 2014).…”

“…The claim that the social wasps prefer urban environments may be misleading, as association with urban areas could be due to invasion and subsequent reduction of natural areas. Studies on the nesting behavior of these insects in the associated environments may provide important information on the ecological characteristics of organisms and their interactions with the environment (Dejean et al, 1998;Souza et al, 2010;Souza et al, 2014).…”