Social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Deciduous Seasonal Forest in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

In the latest decade, the information about biodiversity and distribution of social wasps in the state of Minas Gerais has been increasing; however a few regions and ecosystems own no studies, like the Deciduous Seasonal Forest. With the purpose of fulfilling this lacuna of knowledge, work was conducted over the period of June of 2014 to April of 2015, in the “Refugio da Vida Silvestre do Rio Pandeiros”, northern Minas Gerais. 35 species of social wasps distributed in 14 genera standing out the species Parachartergus smithii (de Saussure, 1854), Brachygastra moebiana (de Saussure, 1867) and Mischocyttarus montei Zikan 1949, recorded for the first time in the state, demonstrating the importance of that phytophysiognomy for the preservation of biodiversity and the need for new studies in that ecosystem.