Trigona branneri (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as a Collector of Honeydew from Aethalion reticulatum (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) on Bauhinia forficata (Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae) in a Brazilian Savanna

Abstract

The presence of aggregates of A. reticulatum on Bauhinia has been reported, but the insects were mainly attended by ants of the genus Camponotus, and stingless bees were not regularly recorded in aggregations. We observed a colony of thetreehopper A. reticulatum and stingless bees, Trigona branneri, interacting on Bauhinia forficata (Fabaceae). Agonistic behavior was observed in bees when another individual of the same species or ants approached. Although this is not proof that the interaction between stingless bees and treehoppers is mutualistic, the interactions between ants and this insect are common and mutualistic. Thus, if T. branneri effectively provides protection for the aphids, a new mutualism can be the focus of future research to determine if the bee-aphid interactions have same ecological functions as the ant-aphid interactions.

Aethalion reticulatum(Hemiptera: Aethalionidae) Feeding onErythrina speciosa(Fabales: Fabaceae): First Record of Its Host Plant and Damage Characteristics

“…The leafhopper gets protection from the ants, while the ants receive rich carbohydrates, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, and free amino acids, lipids, starch, minerals, and vitamin B in a mixture named honeydew (Way 1963;Brown 1976;Völkl et al 1999;Goussain et al 2005). Adults of A. reticulatum can also be associated with stingless bees of the genus Trigona (Hymenoptera: Apidae) without necessarily resulting in dependence (Vieira et al 2007;Baronio et al 2012).…”

Oxytrigona tataira (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) as a collector of honeydew from Erechtia carinata (Funkhouser) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) on Caryocar brasiliense Cambessèdes (Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) in the Brazilian Savanna

“…The behavior of E. carinata stimulation by O. tataira resembles that observed in species of Trigona in association with A. reticulatum: the bees touch their antennas to the head of the treehoppers, and then the first two pairs of legs on the back of the abdomen, after that touching the antennas on the distal part of the abdomen and quickly sucking the honeydew droplet released after stimulation (Vieira et al, 2007;Oda et al, 2009;Barônio et al, 2012). This behavior is also similar to that reported between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans, including membracids, in which the ants actively touch the body of the insects with their antennae to stimulate the releasing of honeydew droplets (Stefani et al, 2000;Pfeiffer & Linsenmair, 2007;Guerra et al, 2011;Gjonov & Gjonova-Lapeva, 2013).…”

“…Previous studies suggest that this possibly facultative mutualistic association is beneficial for both species (Vieira et al, 2007;Oda et al, 2009;Barônio et al, 2012), promoting a protection against natural enemies of the treehoppers, and supplying part of the bees diet with the honeydew rich in carbohydrates (Way, 1963;Fagundes et al, 2013). Additionally, the association with the bees can reduce fungus attack because of the removal of the contaminant honeydew (Way, 1963;Buckley, 1987), decreasing the chances of local extinction of these hemipterans (Buckley, 1987).…”

“…Although ants are the most common hymenopteran interacting with treehoppers, bees and wasps can also be associated with them (Lin, 2006). Mutualistic interactions have been reported involving the aetalionid treehopper Aetalion reticulatum (Linnaeus) with wasps or ants (Letourneau & Choe, 1987;Ramoni-Perazzi et al, 2006), and even Trigona Jurine, a stingless bee, which take advantage of treehoppers sugary excretions, the honeydew (Castro, 1975;Vieira et al, 2007;Oda et al, 2009;Barônio et al, 2012). Godoy et al (2006) reported eight associations between membracids and bees, including the interaction between Potnia Stål and Oxytrigona tataira (Smith).…”

Eating with the enemy? Mimic complex between a stingless bee and assassin bugs

“…), behaviours, and foraging habits (Roubik, 1989;Michener, 2007;Biesmeijer & Slaa, 2004). During resource collection multiple antagonistic or mutualistic interactions between stingless bees and plants, and between stingless bees and other insects have been observed (Howard, 1985;Almeida-Neto et al, 2003;Leonhardt & Blüthgen, 2009;Oda et al, 2009Oda et al, , 2014Gastauer et al, 2011;Barônio et al, 2012;Alves et al, 2015).…”