Biologia e comportamento de algumas espécies de vespas sociais do gênero mischocyttarus saussure (hymenoptera, vespidae), nas imediações de Belém, Pará.

Abstract

Mischocyttarus Saussure is the largest of the social wasp genera, essentially Neotropical, but there are still few detailed studies on the sociology of its species. The present work was a means of obtaining new information about the behavior and basic aspects of some species of the genus Mischocyttarus that have not yet been studied or are poorly known. Adult individuals were marked and observed in the field in the urban perimeter of Belém for approximately 11 months. The development of the immature individuals was also followed, and general aspects of their activities were recorded, each of which has specific functions for the maintenance of the nest. It was also recorded that the duration of immature development varies greatly, and that colonies with 2 or more foundresses develop faster than colonies with 1 founder in the pre-emergence phase. A comparison with the results described by Jeanne (1972) on M. drewseni allows us to conclude that the activities have the same characteristics; the duration time of immature stages, however, are different at least in relation to eggs, since those of M. drewseni last on average 10 days and those of M. cerberus 7 days on average.