Community Structure and Composition of Social Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Different Vegetation Types in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Social wasps participate in food webs, act as biological control agents in small crops and the natural environment, and act as potential pollinators. The objective of this study was to carry out an inventory of social wasps in five phytophysiognomies with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The collections were performed by active search and attractive traps to survey social wasps. We collected wasp for one year with collection campaigns every other month totaling six campaigns for site. We collected a total of 913 individuals representing 31 species and eight genera. The species with the highest abundances were Agelaia pallipes and Agelaia vicina. The highest richness of social wasps was found in the riparian forest and regenerating Cerrado. We conclude that social wasp richness and diversity varies according to habitat vegetation characteristics and that these effects are likely mediated by resulting differences in the provision of resources and nesting locations among the different environments. The areas in this study have suffered considerable vegetation loss due to common farming practices, however, the existing fragments are still capable of hosting a rich social wasp fauna.