Occurrence and analysis of borings made by solitary wasp in caves: a study in cave ichnology

Abstract

-The present study investigated entire or partially lithified nests of solitary wasps found in caves in the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Ceará and Bahia. The width and depth of the individual cells, as well as the length, width and height of each nest were measured, and the morphology analyzed. The volumes of the nests from Altinópolis (São Paulo State) were calculated, and the total number of cells was counted. Four different morphological patterns were found for the nests. Many of the nests show evidences of reoccupation by other wasps, even when preservation was already in progress, being both contemporary and older reoccupation patterns observed. Important processes of preservation observed were encrustation and lithification of the original nest material, with the pattern of alteration apparently depending on the location of the nest while exposed to percolating mineral-containing waters. Permineralization was, however, also observed in some of the cells.

Prehistoric nests of Mud Dauber Wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) discovered in Transylvania, Romania

“…From an entomological point of view, the data presented here increase the knowledge on the capacity of some other insect species to use pre-existing nests. Certain studies (Michener 1974) suggested that reoccupation of nests is important in the evolution of social systems, especially for certain taxa that are less advantaged ( Bonito et al 2011). Prehistoric nests are sometimes treated as curiosities by archaeologists (when they are recuperated).…”

Registro de mamíferos fósseis da Lapa do Bode, Ituaçu, Bahia

“…Os animais podem entrar nesses locais em busca de abrigo ou água, ou seus ossos podem ser transportados por rios submersos e/ou por inundações periódicas. Uma vez dentro da caverna, esses remanescentes são protegidos da ação do sol, vento ou chuva e da ação de predadores, resultando em preservação por vários processos de fossilização [2].…”