Nectários extra-florais de Sapium obovatum (Euphorbiaceae) como recurso alimentar de vespas sociais

Glauco C. S. Oliveira; Luis G. T. Rubim; Marcos M. Souza

doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec05015

Authors

Glauco C. S. Oliveira Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9811-8485
Luis G. T. Rubim Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, do Sul de Minas Gerais, Campus Inconfidentes, MG, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8849-1953
Marcos M. Souza Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, do Sul de Minas Gerais, Campus Inconfidentes, MG, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0415-1714

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37486/2675-1305.ec05015

Keywords:

Vespidae, Polybia, Foraging

Abstract

Social wasps can feed on a wide variety of animal and plant resources, however, there is little information available in the literature on the use of extra-floral nectaries (EFNs) as a food resource. In this regard, the present study aims to record the occurrence of visitation by social wasps in NEFs of Sapium obovatum Klotzsch ex Müll.Arg. in southeastern Brazil. The record took place on January 1 and 11, 2023, in a swampy area of a pasture in the urban area of the municipality of Ritápolis, Minas Gerais. Three species of social wasps were recorded: Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure, 1854, Polybia scutellaris (White, 1841) and Protopolybia sedula (Saussure, 1854) visiting the NEFs of Sapium obovatum. Our results point to a generalist nature of foraging by social wasps, however further studies are suggested to understand this interaction.

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