Overview of Caste Differentiation in the Polistinae, Emphasizing the Neotropical Swarm-Founding Polistinae (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Dominance and Subordination Interactions Among Nestmates in Pre and Post-Emergence Phases of the Basal Eusocial Wasp Mischocyttarus (Monogynoecus) montei (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Resources Taken to the Nest by Protopolybia exigua (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) in Different Phases of the Colony Cycle, in a Region of the Medio Sao Francisco River, Bahia, Brazil

The present study aimed to identify what resources were taken to the nest by workers of Protopolybia exigua (de Saussure), to verify if there is a relationship between physical factors of weather and phases of colony development and the collection of different resources and also to observe if the wasps carry macerated prey in the crop. The species collected nectar (62.8%), wood pulp for nest building (6.1%), water(2.9%), prey (0.8%) and resin (0.2%). Moreover, workers of P exigua do carry macerated prey in the crop. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.85, p = 0.0004) between the presence of larvae in the nest and the carrying of solid contents in the crop, which provides strong evidence that this species macerates its prey while still in the field, before taking it to the nest. There was positive influence of the temperature on the collection of nectar (r = 0.89, p = 0.0001) and water (r = 0.46, p = 0.0066) and negative influence of relative air humidity on the collection of the same resources (r = - 0.88, p = 0.0001 and r = - 0.37, p = 0.0160, respectively). Luminosity influenced the gathering of water (r = 0.43, p = 0.0089) and Pulp for nest building (r = 0.31, p = 0.0274) and the wind speed did nor influence the collection of any resources. Nectar is the main item taken to the nest during all phases of the colony.

Queen Replacement in Mischocyttarus (Monocyttarus) cassununga (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Mischocyttarini): a Particular Case

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Caste Asymmetries in the Neotropical Swarm-Founding Wasp Polybia (Trychothorax) ignobilis (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Colony defense behavior of the primitively eusocial wasp, Mischocyttarus cerberus is related to age

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The effect of acidic residues and amphipathicity on the lytic activities of mastoparan peptides studied by fluorescence and CD spectroscopy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Social Wasp Diversity (Vespidae, Polistinae) in a Forest Fragment in the Northeast of São Paulo State Sampled with Different Methodologies

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morphology of Richards' Gland in the Wasp Metapolybia docilis

Richards gland in the epiponine wasp Metapolybia docilis occurs at the anterior side of the 5(th) abdominal sternite, and is formed by approx. 360 secretory cells. The cells discharge their secretory products through accompanying duct cells into a reservoir that is formed by the invaginated intersegmental membrane between the 4(th) and 5(th) sternites. The ultrastructural characteristics of the secretory cells are indicative for the production of a non-proteinaceous secretion, which is in line with the trail substance that is used by these wasps during their swarm-founding.

MORPHOLOGICAL CASTE DIFFERENCES IN POLYBIA AEQUATORIALIS (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE: POLISTINAE: EPIPONINI), A SOCIAL WASP of THE HIGHLANDS of COSTA RICA

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Castes in the Neotropical Social Wasp Leipomeles dorsata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): a Window for Workers Achieving a New Status in the Colony

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Caste Differences in Polybia emaciata, a Mud-Nesting Eusocial Wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), that Bear on Pre-Imaginal Determination but not Size Differences

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A phytophagous braconid, Allorhogas conostegia sp nov (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in the fruits of Conostegia xalapensis (Bonpl.) D. Don (Melastomataceae)

Before 1989 all braconid wasps were thought to be parasitoids, but in that year the first phytophagous species was reported. Subsequently, a few other examples of phytophagy have been discovered, most of which are species of Allorhogas in the subfamily Doryctinae. Until now, all demonstrated examples of phytophagy in this genus have been as gall inducers in the fruits of Fabaceae. Here we describe a new species from Costa Rica, Allorhogas conostegia Marsh and Shaw, and provide evidence that it forms galls in the fruits of Conostegia xalapensis (Melastomataceae). We also provide information on the phenology of the plant and of the galls and the effects of the galls on the host plant, and we discuss the potential species richness of Allorhogas in the Neotropics.

Castes and asynchronous colony cycle in Polybia bistriata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological studies on castes of Protopolybia chartergoides (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini) observed in colonies during male production stage

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)