Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Nesting in Eucalyptus Plantations in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Authors

  • A. R. De Souza
  • D. De F. A. Venâncio
  • F. Prezoto
  • J. C. Zanuncio

Abstract

Social wasp colonies can be transferred to agroecosystems in order to control pest populations. Some failures of such transfers are common because wasps may abandon the nest immediately after the colony’s transfer. Knowing the nesting habits of wasps in agroecosystems could improve the success of colony transfer during wasp management. Thus, we recorded social wasp nests in a eucalyptus plantation in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In monthly samplings in a eucalyptus plantation throughout the year, colonies of social wasps were recorded, including Apoica pallens (Fabricius, 1804), Mischocyttarus drewseni (Saussure, 1857), Polistes simillimus (Zikán, 1951), Polybia ignobilis (Haliday, 1836), Polybia occidentalis (Olivier, 1791), Polybia platycephala (Richards, 1951), Polybia sericea (Olivier, 1791) and Protopolybia exigua (Saussure 1854) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Each wasp species was found in nests attached to a eucalyptus tree, 0-3 m high above the ground, or on the grass or directly on the ground. This information could be used to improve wasp management to agroecosystems.

Resumo: Vespas sociais podem ser transferidas para controlar populações de pragas. Durante a transferência, falhas são comuns, pois algumas vezes vespas abandonam as colônias imediatamente após a transferência. Conhecer os hábitos de nidificação em agroecosistemas pode melhorar o sucesso na transferência de colônias durante o manejo de vespas. Amostragens mensais em uma plantação de eucalyptus permitiram o registro de colônias de vespas sociais, entre elas: Apoica pallens (Fabricius, 1804), Mischocyttarus drewseni (Saussure 1857), Polistes simillimus (Zikán, 1951), Polybia ignobilis (Haliday, 1836), Polybia occidentalis (Olivier, 1791), Polybia platycephala (Richards, 1951), Polybia sericea (Olivier, 1791) e Protopolybia exigua (Saussure, 1854) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Cada espécie de vespa foi encontrada entre 0-3 m de altura em relação ao solo, os ninhos fixados em arvores de eucalipto, na grama ou diretamente no solo. Essas informações podem ser utilizadas para melhorar o manejo de vespas sociais para agroecossistemas.

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Published

2012-12-01

Issue

Vol. 95, No. 4 (December 2012)

Section

Research Papers

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