Estratégias de nidificação e características do substrato de escavação utilizado pela vespa neotropical Tachysphex brasilianus (Crabronidae)

Abstract

The order Hymenoptera is one of the greatest in terms of morphological and behavioral diversity, having as main representatives the bees, ants and wasps. The wasp family Crabronidae is known by its predatory species heterogeneity, capable of digging different types of soil to perform oviposition in previously captured prey. In this study, we evaluate the behavioral processes of nesting of Tachysphex brasilianus, associating the soil characteristics to the presence or absence of the specie in particular areas of a Cerrado reserve. By field observations, we concluded that the wasp T. brasilianus is a seasonal sand wasp that nests during the dry season in Cerrado. The digging process of the nest occurs during the warmer periods of the day, primarily in open areas of sandy soils with greater proportions of sand. We suggest more detailed studies that consider visual and chemical stimuli to evaluate the strategies used by the specie to locate the nets, once these wasps perform short orientation flights throughout the digging time and precisely locate the nest when returning from foraging.