Polybia occidentalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) nesting on a Lafoensia glyptocarpa (Lythraceae) plant in the Cerrado biome

Abstract

Polybia occidentalis (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is an important predator of soft-bodied arthropods, and its association with plant species can provide information about the preference of this wasp for plant substrate and the mechanisms for this choice. The objective was to report the first occurrence of P. occidentalis nesting on a Lafoensia glyptocarpa (Koehne) (Lythraceae) plant in the Cerrado biome of Brazil. Individuals of the Vespidae were collected and identified using a dichotomous key and by comparison with individuals deposited in the Biological Collection of Social Vespas (CBVS) of the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciências e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais (IFSULDEMINAS), Campus Inconfidentes, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The foliage density and perennially of the plant L. glyotocarpa can reduce temperature and increase humidity within its canopy, and the shade of the branches can contribute to camouflage, which can favor the choice of this plant as a nesting site for P. occidentalis. Due to the climatic conditions of the region, the plant species can be important to conserve this Vespidae species.