Nesting biology of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) in trap-nests in Southern Brazil

Abstract

This study was carried in the Parque Municipal das Araucárias in the municipality of Guarapuava, state of Paraná, Southern Brazil. Three hundred and sixty five nests of T. lactitarse were obtained using trap-nests of 0.7, 1.0, and 1.3 cm in diameter. All of them had similar architecture, regardless of the diameter of the trap-nest. Completed nests consisted of a linear series of brood cells whose average number per nest was of 3.3, 4.0 and 3.6 for the nests with 0.7 cm, 1.0 cm and 1.3 cm in diameter, respectively. They were constructed more often during the summer. T. lactitarse had two types of life cycles: direct development (without diapause), and delayed development (with diapause during winter). Natural enemies included Chrysididae, Sarcophagidae, Dolichopodidae and Ichneumonidae. Out of 1,353 identified spider prey, 1,313 belonged to the Araneidae family.

Trap-nesting bees and wasps (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) in a Semidecidual Seasonal Forest fragment, southern Brazil

“…Trap nesting studies have provided important information about species occurrence and nesting biology in Brazil (Camillo et al, 1995;Assis & Camilo, 1997;Morato & Campos, 2000;Gazola, 2003;Zanette et al, 2004;Buschini et al, 2006;Buschini & Woiski, 2008). However, the diversity estimation in trap nests assemblages varies with sampling design, collecting period, trap nesting type, biomes and habi- (Aguiar et al, 1995).…”

Alpha–beta diversity in trap‐nesting wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in Southern Brazil

“…The difference in what has been observed by other authors (Pérez‐Maluf 1993; Morato and Campos 2000), is that in our study, this species founded more nests in forested areas than in open areas. The interesting fact is that the species begins founding nests in forested areas during spring and summer and moves on to grasslands and swamps during the autumn (Buschini et al . 2006).…”

“…The difference in what has been observed by other authors (Pérez-Maluf 1993; Morato and Campos 2000), is that in our study, this species founded more nests in forested areas than in open areas. The interesting fact is that the species begins founding nests in forested areas during spring and summer and moves on to grasslands and swamps during the autumn (Buschini et al 2006). We believe that this change in behaviour is more related to the luminosity inside the forest than to food availability, © 2008 The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences  because in these habitats, the species of spiders are not that different (Buschini, unpublished data).…”

Biology of the solitary waspTrypoxylon (Trypargilum) agamemnonRichards 1934 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) in trap‐nests

“…The general sequence of the nidification activities is the same for Trypoxylon orizabense Richard (Coville 1979), Trypoxylon nitidum schulthessi Richards, Trypoxylon sausurei Saussure (Coville 1981), Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure (Coville 1981; Camillo et al. 1993; Buschini et al. 2006), Trypoxylon tenoctitlan Richards (Coville and Coville 1980), Trypoxylon xanthandrum Richards, Trypoxylon superbum Smith (Coville and Griswold 1983, 1984), Trypoxylon vagulum Richards (Coville et al.…”