Use of Gochnatia barrosii Cabrera (Asteraceae) by Isodontia costipennis Spinola 1851 (Hymenoptera; Sphecidae) for nest construction in the Boqueirão Reserve, MG

Abstract

In this study, new information will be presented about the use of Gochnatia barrosii Cabrera as nesting material for Isodontia costipennis Spinola 1851 at the Unilavras Biological Reserve – Boqueirão (RBUB). Collections were carried out in three different RBUB environments: cerrado grassland, forest edge and high-altitude grasslands. Sampling was conducted using trap nests. A total of 67 trap nests established by I. costipennis were collected. Of those, 37 were in the cerrado grassland, 26 in the forest edge and four in the high-altitude grasslands. As for the abundance of G. barrosii, a total of 994 individuals were recorded in the three study areas – 451 in the cerrado grassland, 344 in the forest edge and 199 in the high-altitude grasslands. I. costipennis showed a strong tendency to use parts of G. barrosii in nest-building. However, more detailed studies should be conducted to evaluate whether this behavior is a characteristic of the species or is determined by the environment.