Journal of Hymenoptera research.

v. 15, no. 2, 2006

Journal of Hymenoptera research.

v. 16, no. 2, 2007

Aspects of the biology and behavior of Nesolynx sp. (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae)

This research was carried out to study some aspects of the biology and behavior of Nesolynx sp. (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), a pupal parasite of Psorocampa denticulata (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) a defoliating caterpillar of Eucalyptus spp. in Brazil. The adults emerge from the host pupa through a circular hole on Its dorsal region. Mating occurs righ after the emergence and the longevity of adults was two days for the males and four days for the females. Regarding to the host species Diatraea saccharalis showed a number of adults significantly greater than Galleria mellonella and the increasing temperature from 21±1 °C to 26±1°C caused a significative increasing in the number of emerged adults in both host species. The emergence of adults increased proportionally to the period of exposition to the host up to 3.50 days; after that, a considerable decrease in the emergence was observed. The parasitoid showed parthenogenetic reproduction therefore the average number of emerged males was significantly greater than the number of females. The sex ratio was similar for the insects emerged from virgin or mated females (0,96) and the life cycle lenght was around 18.34 days for both conditions.

Journal of Hymenoptera research.

v. 13, no. 2, 2004

Journal of Hymenoptera research.

v. 15, no. 1, 2006

Polinização de Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (Passiflorales, Passifloraceae), por abelhas (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae) em Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro

The yellow passion Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg. is allogamous, self incompatible, and it depends of insects pollinators to disseminate the pollen grains. The field work was conducted at Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from October 17 to November 9 and December 12 to 21, 1995. It was analyzed 1565 flower buds, from which 423 showed well developed ovaries, five days after opening, this represents 27% of fruit set by natural pollination. It was observed 76,86 % of completely curved flowers, 21,22 % of partially curved flowers, and 1,92 % flowers without curvature. Five species of bees where observed on the flowers, from which two were the effective pollinator of yellow passion flower: Xylocopa (Megaxylocopa) frontalis (Olivier, 1789) and X. (Neoxylocopa) ordinaria Smith, 1874.

Dos especies nuevas de Rhabdepyris (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) de Colombia

Rhabdepyris (Chlorepyris) humboldti sp. nov. and R. (C.) tarapachensis sp. nov. from Colombia are described and illustrated. These species are specially peculiar by having pectinate antennae, which is the first report of this character for the genus.

Taxonomia de Apenesia (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) na Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas, Espírito Santo, Brasil

The new species Apenesia stricta,A. concavata,A. unipilosa,A. distincta and A. fusilis, from Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas, Espírito Santo, Brazil, are described and illustrated. Additional specimens of A. transversa Evans, 1963 are examined, species variation analyzed and new distribution data added.

Ultramorphology of the metapleural gland in three species of Atta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Differences among the metapleural glands of four female castes of Atta bisphaerica Forel, 1908, A. capiguara Gonçalves, 1944 and A. sexdens rubropilosa Forel, 1908 were examined by scanning electron microscope. There were no differences in gland size between the same castes of these species, although the opening gland in A. sexdens rubropilosa had been twice as large as A. bisphaerica. The relative size and functional significance of the metapleural gland among different castes is discussed and similarities between these and the other Formicidae till now studied is presented.

Ultra-estrutura de glândulas abdominais tegumentares em Oxaea flavescens (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae, Oxaeinae)

The sternal glands of the abdomen of Oxaea flavescens (Klug, 1807) consist of class III glandular cells around a reservoir constituted by branched folds of the intersegmental membrane of segments III, IV and V. The gland cells are rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum and produce a secretion with mucous aspect. The treatment with oxidated osmium and ruthenium red showed numerous Golgi regions in the cell and carbohydrates absorption from the haemolymph, respectively. The high degree of development of the glands suggests an important function to the species, although still unknown.

Ecologia de Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae) nas dunas litorâneas de Abaeté, Salvador, Bahia

The study was carried out in a 8.2 ha area in an environmental protection area of tropical sea coastal sand dune with "restinga" vegetation in Salvador, Bahia, northeastern Brazil. A total of 1760 bees of Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke, 1910 were netted during the whole year on flowers of 43 plant species belonging to 26 botanic families. The majority of the individuals (79%) concentrated their foraging activity in five plant species. Individuals foraged all day long being the greatest activity between 8 h and 14 h. Similar proportions of young and old bees were sampled over the year. The density of substrates used for nesting was 4.56/ha. In total, 94% of the nests were found in branches of Agaristha revoluta (Spr.) DC. (Ericaceae). The great occurrence (68.7%) of old perforations indicates that the nests were used twice or more times by bees.

Taxonomy of Epyris (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Paraná, Brazil

Epyris rotundus sp. nov. and Epyris cochlear sp. nov., from southern Brazil, are described and illustrated. Epyris longus Corrêa & Azevedo, 2002, E. argentinicus Evans, 1969, E. angustatus Evans, 1969, E. perpolitus Evans, 1969, E. parallelus Evans, 1969, E. distinctus Corrêa & Azevedo, 2002, E. variatus Corrêa & Azevedo, 2002, E. jugatus Evans, 1969, E. intermedius Evans, 1969 and E. depressigaster Evans, 1966 are recorded for the first time to Paraná, Brazil.

Taxonomy of Apenesia (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Estação Biológica de Santa Lúcia, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Apenesia aurita sp. nov., from southeastern Brazil, is described and illustrated. Apenesia angusticeps Evans, 1963, A. tenebrosa Evans, 1963, A. pallidicornis Evans, 1963, A. quadrimera Leal & Azevedo, 2001 and A. crenulata Kieffer, 1910 are recorded for the first time to the State of Espírito Santo.

Capacidade reprodutiva de fêmeas de Apanteles galleriae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) em lagartas de Galleria mellonella e Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) criadas com dietas diferentes

The reproductive capacity of females of Apanteles galleriae (Wilkinson, 1932) was evaluated in fifth instar caterpillars of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus, 1758) and Achroia grisella (Fabricius, 1754) fed on standard diet and diets enriched with protein. The reproductive capacity of parasitoid females on fifth instar caterpillars of G. mellonella and A. grisella with variable weight was also evaluated. The host weight interfered in the sex ratio of the obtained parasitoids. In heavier caterpillars, the investment in female descendants was greater than in males, and in lighter caterpillars the inverse occurred.

Exigências térmicas para o desenvolvimento de Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) em pupas de cinco espécies de lepidópteros

The thermal requirements of Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle, 1993 were determined by rearing this pupal parasitoid in the following lepidopteran hosts: Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Crambidae), Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner, 1818), Heliothis virescens (Fabricius, 1777), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Noctuidae) and Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll, 1782) (Geometridae). The experiment was set in laboratory conditions (temperatures between 18ºC and 30ºC, RH=70 ± 10% and 14-hour photoperiod). The life cycle (egg-adult) ranged from 40.4 ± 0.63 days (18ºC, H. virescens) to 18.1 ± 0.13 days (28ºC, D. saccharalis). The thermal constant of the egg-adult period ranged from 353.1 (D. saccharalis) to 407.7 degree-days (S. frugiperda). The lowest thermal threshold ranged from 5.0ºC (A. gemmatalis) to 7.5ºC (D. saccharalis). At 30ºC, all prepupae died. These results suggest that P. elaeisis can be reared in laboratory on all the hosts tested.