EntomoBrasilis

New species of Boreofairchildia Wagner & Stuckenberg, 2016 (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Brazil

Freddy Bravo — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Boreofairchildia Wagner & Stuckenberg, 2016 (Diptera: Psychodidae) currently includes fourteen acknowledged species. This genus is mainly found in the Neotropical region, although one species has been described from the Nearctic area. Two species are known Brazil, both from the state of Espirito Santo. In this paper, a new species from the Atlantic Forest of Espirito Santo is described, increasing the total number of Brazilian species to three and the overall species count in the genus to fifteen.

First record of Cephalotes pusillus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in a Sceliphron sp. (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) nest

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Solitary wasp nests (Sphecidae) are often occupied by other arthropods when abandoned. However, occupation by ants such as Cephalotes Latreille, 1802 is still uncertain. Species of Cephalotes are arboreal and occupy pre-existing cavities, commonly tree hollows. In this respect, the objective of this study is to report the first record of the ant Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in a Sphecidae nest in areas cultivated with coffee, Coffea arabica L. The nest was collected on july 5, 2024, in a coffee plantation area in the municipality of Inconfidentes, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This area is associated with a fragment of Atlantic Forest. In the nest of Sceliphron sp. (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), 64 pupae, 94 adults and four queens of the ant were counted. The successful occupation by the ant may have occurred due to different factors, such as the size and resistance of the nest, the size of the entrance and the multiple cells that are formed inside the nest, which allowed the use of this nest as an incubation site for the ant's larvae. This is the first record of C. pusillus nesting in a Sphecidae nest, but this species is a generalist in terms of the cavities it uses, requiring further observations to confirm the frequency of this behavior.

Discovery of the male Cryptolestes obesus Thomas, 2002 (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) highlights key taxonomic traits and strong sexual dimorphism

Leandro Zeballos, Matheus Bento — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Cryptolestes obesus Thomas, 2002 (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) was described based on a single female specimen collected in Rondônia state, Brazil. As previously hypothesized, the robust body shape and the presence of complete secondary sublateral lines on the pronotum are diagnostic for C. obesus and fundamental traits for male association. Here we associate and describe the conspecific male, with a new record of this species for Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The habitus, antennal scape, and genitalia of the male are illustrated.

First occurrence of Blattodea and their association with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in abandoned social wasp nests (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae)

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Abandoned nests of social wasps are used by various arthropods, however, there are no records of cockroaches. Therefore, the objective of this study is to report the occurrence of cockroaches in abandoned social wasp nests. The first record occurred in a Cerrado area, Brazil, where a nymph (Ectobiidae) of a cockroach (Cahita Hebard, 1922) was found in an abandoned social wasp nest. The second record involved three cockroach nymphs (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), found alongside an ant Camponotus sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in an abandoned nest located in a transition area between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. Although the exact reason for their presence cannot be defined, it is possible that the cockroaches were foraging for food or shelter from the rain. This is the first record of cockroaches occupying abandoned social wasp nests and the first record of another insect species occupying an abandoned social wasp nest alongside ants. Given the presence of Blattaria in more than one nest and in different locations and biomes, it can be suggested that this occupation is not merely incidental. However, further studies are necessary to determine the frequency of cockroach use of abandoned nests and to better understand the importance of these nests as microhabitats for these insects.

Exotic fruit as a new resource: first report of social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) foraging on noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) in northeast Brazil

Marcos Aragão, Emanuelle Luiz da Silva Brito — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0300

Social wasps (Vespidae: Polistinae) are highly adaptable insects that exploit a wide range of locally and seasonally available resources. This study reports the first observation of social wasps foraging on noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia L.) in Northeast Brazil, specifically in the Caatinga biome. Noni, a pantropical fruit known for its environmental tolerance and nutritional content, including high water and protein levels. Seven species of social wasps were recorded foraging on noni in the rural area of Patos, Paraíba state, Brazil. These species included Polybia ignobilis, Polybia occidentalis, Polybia paulista, Polybia sericea, Brachygastra lechiguana, Protonectarina sylveirae, and Polistes canadensis. Observations revealed that the wasps foraged primarily on the carpel disc of the fruit, engaging in scraping behavior to extract juices and soft tissues. No activity was observed on ripe fruits, likely due to their strong odor. The findings highlight the ecological importance of noni fruits as a resource for social wasps, particularly in arid regions as Caatinga biome where such fruits provide essential nutrients.

New records of Ulidiidae (Diptera: Tephritoidea) from state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Devair dos Santos Freitas, Renan da Silva Olivier, Ramon Luciano Mello — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0300

This study was conducted in an urban fragment of Cerrado (savannah formation) in the municipality of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil. McPhail traps, with sugarcane extract, were used along one year with the goals to sampling ulidiids flies. As results were presented new occurrences for four genera and seven species of uliidids for MS. Besides sampled four species belongs from three genera previous known from MS. The fauna of uliidids from MS increasing in 140% and 100% the number of the species and genera, respectively. Actually, the fauna of ulidiids from MS is represented by 12 species into eight genera.

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) deposited in the Gregório Bondar Entomological Collection of the Cocoa Research Center, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0300

The Gregório Bondar Entomological Collection (CEGB) of the Cocoa Research Center (CEPEC) has its origins in the 1930s with Dr. Gregório Bondar's insect collection that he constituted in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Bondar, a Russian-Brazilian entomologist, significantly contributed to Brazilian entomology and agriculture, and his extensive collection was in great part donated to the American Museum of Natural History. A smaller portion remained in Brazil and was eventually transferred to CEPEC in the 1960s. The collection, originally known as "Entomoteca Gregório Bondar", has grown to over 30,000 specimens by the 1980s. It holds valuable historical data that supports biodiversity monitoring and ecological research. The CEGB's Lepidoptera section features specimens collected from 1936 to 2024, mostly from the Atlantic Forest biome. This article aims to contribute to the knowledge of the distribution of butterflies in the Atlantic Forest, primarily from southern Bahia, by providing data on the specimens deposited in the CEGB at CEPEC in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. A total of 531 specimens in 249 species of butterflies distributed within six families were recorded: 282 Nymphalidae (109 spp.), 107 Hesperiidae (63 spp.), 60 Riodinidae (31 spp.), 46 Lycaenidae (30 spp.), 33 Pieridae (14 spp.), and three Papilionidae (2 spp.). Specimens were collected from 11 localities in the Atlantic Forest biome. The CEGB provides data on butterfly distribution, including new records for the state of Bahia and the Atlantic Forest, highlighting its significance for research and conservation efforts.

Lepidoptera larvae (Insecta) responsible for herbivory on Vanilla spp. (Orchidaceae) in the Federal District, Brazil

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0300

Given its culinary importance and high market value, the cultivation of Vanilla (Orchidaceae) has been expanding annually in Brazil. As observed in many crops, the increase in cultivated areas leads to a greater incidence of insects associated with species of this genus. This study reports the herbivory of larvae from Cremna thasus (Stoll, 1780) (Papilionoidea: Riodinidae: Riodininae), Hypercompe cunigunda (Stoll, 1781) (Noctuoidea: Erebidae: Arctiinae), and Spodoptera cosmioides Walker, 1858 (Noctuoidea: Noctuidae: Noctuinae) on Vanilla bahiana Hoehne and V. planifolia Andrews in the Federal District, Brazil. A list of 19 Lepidoptera species from six families associated with Vanilla spp. worldwide is provided based on a literature review. Most (n=15) of them exhibit polyphagous larvae. Given reports of exotic larvae spreading with orchids worldwide and the discussed larval polyphagy, we address precautions that producers of Vanilla and other orchids should take to reduce the incidence of insect pests in crops, especially in areas with intensive cropping systems involving annual commodities such as maize and soybean.

New Records of Loxosceles amazonica Gertsch, 1967 (Arachnida: Araneae: Sicariidae) from Tocantins, Brazil with Description of Female Genitalia Variation

Kassia Madaleno, Lidianne Salvatierra — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0300

The knowledge of arachnofauna from Tocantins, Brazil, is still incipient. The present communication expands the known geographical distribution of Loxosceles amazonica Gertsch, 1967 (Arachnida: Araneae: Sicariidae) in Brazilian Cerrado. The brown spider specimens were sampled in Dianópolis municipality and Cristalândia municipality both in Tocantins State, Brazil, between 2022 and 2024. Also, we describe a new variation of the epigynum of L. amazonica. Mapping the distribution of Loxosceles Heineken & Lowe, 1832 species in Brazil is crucial for public health, aiding in prevention and timely treatment of loxoscelism caused by brown spider bites.

Biological Control of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) with fungi from Brazilian Amazon

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0300

Stored grains are attacked by insect pests, causing various types of damage and potentially generating economic losses for producers. Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), popularly known as the red flour beetle, is one of these secondary pests. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of entomopathogenic fungi from the Brazilian Amazon for the control of T. castaneum. To evaluate the control of T. castaneum, different conidial suspensions (10⁵, 10⁶, 10⁷ and 10⁸ conidia/mL) of Beauveria sp. (4.438) and Paecilomyces sp. (4.658) were used, placing 1 mL of each concentration in the center of Petri dish and keeping the insects for 10 min. After that, they were transferred to another Petri dish, incubated for 7 days at room temperature, and Tween 0.01% and NaCl 0.9% solutions were used as negative controls. T. castaneum mortality was obtained only at the highest dilution, 10⁸ conidia/mL, being 22% for the fungus Beauveria sp. (4.438) and 5% for Paecilomyces sp. (4.658). Susceptibility to exposure to abiotic factors was measured with suspensions of Beauveria sp. (4.438) conidia at a concentration of 10⁶ conidia/mL exposed to ultraviolet light for 0, 30, 60 and 120 seconds, and at temperatures of 20, 26 and 32 ºC for 30, 60 and 90 min. The highest germination rate was at 20 °C for 90 minutes, with 92%. The entomopathogenic fungi from the Amazon showed low potential for controlling T. castaneum, however, they may present a higher mortality rate for other insect pests.