EntomoBrasilis

Recent observations on the distribution of the endangered butterfly Eresia erysice erysice (Geyer, 1832) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

2024-03-06T17:10:03-03:00

The Brazilian endemic butterfly Eresia erysice erysice (Geyer, 1832) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) has been included in the Official List of Brazilian Endangered Fauna as critically endangered (CR). Until now, this rare butterfly has only been known to inhabit Atlantic Forest fragments in the “Hileia Baiana”. This paper presents updated information on occurrences of E. e. erysice. A male and a female specimens were collected in a disturbed forest fragment near the experimental fields of the Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau (CEPEC), Ilhéus, Bahia. These new findings indicate that the distribution boundary of this subspecies extends about 80 km more to the north and suggest that it is not as exclusive to forest habitats as previously thought.

New species of Bolbapium Boucomont, 1910 (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) from Brazil

2024-01-05T00:39:36-03:00

Bolbapium Boucomont, 1910 is a Neotropical genus of Geotrupidae with 22 known species. In this paper, we describe Bolbapium vazdemelloi sp. nov. in Southwestern Bahia, Brazil. This new species is distinguished from congeneric species by its unique combination of morphological characters: cephalic tubercle adjacent to each eye; pronotum with little expanded bidentate tubercle; parameres symmetric, with acute and divergent apex. The new species was incorporated into a previously published identification key for Bolbapium.

When the predator becomes the prey: record of Mischocyttarus rotundicollis (Cameron, 1912) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) feeding on a spider in southeastern Brazil

2024-03-27T18:20:13-03:00

Social wasps are commonly considered generalists in their feeding habits, but there are genera with little information regarding their diet, such as Mischocyttarus de Saussure, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), the most species-rich wasp genus in the world. The objective of this study is to report Mischocyttarus rotundicollis (Cameron, 1912) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) feeding on a spider in the southeastern region of Brazil, aiming to expand information about its feeding behavior. The record occurred occasionally on September 23, 2023, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the ecotone region between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. The feeding of a species from the Araneidae family occurred in its web, and the individual of M. rotundicollis used the tarsi of its legs to cling to the silk threads of the web, which could suggest a specialization for the exploitation of this food resource. Our record provides further information on the feeding behavior and diet of M. rotundicollis and presents the first information on spider feeding by this species. Further studies are suggested to evaluate this possible hypothesis of specialization of the genus for foraging in spider webs.

Chrysotus capellarii sp. nov., the first species of longipalpus group from Colombia (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

2023-10-31T12:18:13-03:00

Chrysotus capellarii Soares & Carvalho-Filho sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on a single specimen collected in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, representing the first record of the longipalpus species group from the country (a photographic record is known from Costa Rica). The new species is easily recognized by the long palpus (about 2x longer than eye height) with a wide and oval apical lamella.

Evaluation of two methods for monitoring the blackmargined pecan aphid and its predators

2023-12-01T22:53:16-03:00

The present study aimed to evaluate, qualitatively and quantitatively, yellow sticky traps and entomological net in the monitoring of Monellia caryella (Fitch, 1855) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and its predators in a pecan plantation in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This plantation was implemented on 1.2 ha in February 2012 with the Barton and Shawnee varieties at a spacing of 7 m x 7 m. Twenty pecan plants were randomly selected to sample the blackmargined pecan aphid and its predators. From November 2014 to May 2015, 13 collections were carried out with yellow sticky traps and an entomological net. A total of 898 arthropod specimens were collected, 50.9% of which were from yellow sticky traps and 49.1% from the entomological net trap. Regarding the yellow sticky traps, only M. caryella was identified at the species level, with the predators identified at the taxonomic levels of order (Araneae) and family (Coccinellidae; Coleoptera). In terms of the entomological net, all the insects of interest at the species level were identified. There was a significant difference only between the averages in the number of Araneae specimens, with the highest density found in the yellow sticky traps. Both methods provided the correct identification of M. caryella and efficiently recorded its population peak. It is concluded that yellow sticky traps are effective for monitoring M. caryella, while the entomological net is suitable for monitoring and correctly identifying species of natural enemies of the insect pest in pecan plantations.

Butterflies of two atlantic forest conservation units from Paraíba state, northeast of Brazil

2023-12-07T15:55:42-03:00

Conservation Units are areas legally established by the government with the goal of conserving territory and its natural resources. Given the limited knowledge about the invertebrate biodiversity in the Northern Atlantic Forest, including its legally protected areas, the present study aimed to inventory butterfly species in two Conservation Units of the Northern Atlantic Forest in Paraíba, Brazil: Engenho Gargaú Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN Gargaú) and Mata do Xém-xém State Park (PE Xém-xém), both located in the metropolitan region of João Pessoa. We conducted the collections every two months, over three consecutive days, in six expeditions from February 2013 to April 2014 in RPPN Gargaú and in four expeditions from August 2014 to April 2015 in PE Xém-xem. Additionally, a two-day collecting expedition was carried out in August 2021 in RPPN Gargaú. We employed two sampling methods: Van Someren-Rydon traps and entomological nets. A total of 212 species (2,841 specimens) were recorded, 158 (1,867 specimens) in RPPN Gargaú and 129 (974 specimens) in PE Xém-xém. Overall, Hesperiidae was the richest family (81 spp.), followed by Nymphalidae (70), Riodinidae (22), Lycaenidae (22), Pieridae (12), and Papilionidae (4). Out of the total species, 48 are new records for Paraíba, and seven for northeast Brazil. Notably, the record of Morpho menelaus eberti Weber, 1963 in RPPN Gargaú, a subspecies classified as Critically Endangered (CR), stands out. The results emphasize the need to protect the forest remnants in the region, as well as to develop management and monitoring actions for butterflies and other invertebrates.

Amazonian stingless bees: lethal concentration and mortality after exposure to insecticide in Melipona interrupta Latreire, 1811 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

2023-12-11T15:07:06-03:00

Neonicotinoid insecticides can cause a reduction in feeding rate, locomotion, and behavioral changes such as a reduction in flight speed and distance traveled by adult bees. Chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations can result in behavioral disorders and memory loss. This study investigated the effects of insecticides on Amazonian stingless bees, evaluated whether Melipona interrupta Latreire, 1811, is sensitive and does not reject food contaminated with Thiamethoxam, and compared the effects on native stingless bees from the northern region to Apis mellifera. Mortality was evaluated in these bees when exposed to Tiamethoxam (absolute standard AS and Actara 250 WG - commercial product) and Dimethoate AS as a positive control, thus verifying the lethal concentration 50 (LC50) for the species M. interrupta, popularly known as jupará. The mortality of forager workers exposed to active ingredient formulations indicated an LC50 of 24.77 ng/μL for Dimethoate, validating the tests, and 1.28 ng/μL for Tiamethoxam AS and 1.22 ng/μL for Actara 250 WG, values much lower than those found for A. mellifera bees, which were 4.28 ng i.a./µL of Tiamethoxam. Therefore, we concluded that formulations with the active ingredients Dimethoate and Tiamethoxam are highly toxic to Amazonian bees of the species M. interrupta.

Effects of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. on the growth of Vigna unguiculata (Linnaeus) Walpers under laboratory and field conditions, and the resistance of the plant to insect attack

2023-12-04T08:27:10-03:00

Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. is an established biocontrol agent in laboratory, but studies have shown negative effects of temperature and Ultraviolet radiation on its potential in vitro. Nevertheless, there is a lack of studies about its endophytic colonization in vivo, especially in field conditions in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. In this sense, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of B. bassiana applied to cowpea seed on the growth of the plants under laboratory and field conditions, and on their resistance to insect attack. Cowpea seeds were treated with suspension of 5 x 10⁸ conidia/mL of B. bassiana. The plants were cultivated in two independent conditions (laboratory and field). The resistance to attack of the pest in field conditions was assessed by monitoring weekly the plants three times a week during 12 weeks, from the initial vegetative to the reproductive stage. According to the results, in laboratory conditions, there were significant differences among the inoculated and control plants for the variables of height of the plants (31.17 cm for treatment and 23.00 cm for control plants) and dry mass of the root (2.38 g for treatment and 0.97 g for control plants). In field conditions, the observed pest insects were miner fly [Liriomyza sp.] (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Cerotoma arcuata Olivier, 1791 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch, 1854) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the polyphagous hemipteran [Crinocerus sanctus (Fabricius, 1775)] (Hemiptera: Coreidae). The treated plants were less affected than control plants by these pests, especially at the beginning of the vegetative phase.

Description of the second species of Polletomyia Curler, 2020 (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Brazilian Amazon

2023-10-07T20:39:23-03:00

Polletomyia Curler, 2020 is a Neotropical genus of Psychodidae that was established based on Polletomyia subulata Curler, 2020 from French Guiana. In this paper, we describe a second species of the genus from the Brazilian Amazon. The specimens were collected by the late Larry Quate, a psychodid expert, and are deposited at the Museu de Zoologia of Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana. We provide illustrations and descriptions of both males and females of the new species.

Taxonomy of South American species of Ceratina (Calloceratina) Cockerell, 1924 with comments on new species-groups proposed for this subgenus (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae)

2023-09-29T10:07:31-03:00

Two new species of the small carpenter bee genus Ceratina (Calloceratina) Cockerell, 1924 are described and illustrated. Ceratina (Calloceratina) mourei new species, and Ceratina (Calloceratina) silveirai new species, form the silveirai species-group, a very distinct set within the subgenus C. (Calloceratina). The taxonomy of South American species was approached, being redescribed and illustrated the species Ceratina (Calloceratina) chloris (Fabricius, 1804) and Ceratina (Calloceratina) triangulifera Cockerell, 1914, proposing the chloris species-group for them. The diagnosis for the subgenus Calloceratina is presented and an identification key for the South American species is also proposed.