doi:10.12741/ebrasilis.v10i1.638 e-ISSN 1983-0572 Publication of the project Entomologistas do Brasil www.ebras.bio.br Creative Commons Licence v4.0 (BY-NC-SA) Copyright © EntomoBrasilis Copyright © Author(s) Scientific Note/Comunicação Científica Nesting associations between Chartergus globiventris Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and Tolmomyias sulphurescens Spix (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) in southeastern Brazil Marcos Magalhães Souza¹, Ângela Gomes Brunismann¹ & Epifânio Porfiro Pires²
1. Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas, Campus Inconfidentes. 2. Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras.
EntomoBrasilis 10 (1): 51-53 (2017)
Abstract. The success of social wasps is highly dependent on nest construction and colony maintenance. Species use different strategies to avoid nest predation, including forming associations with other insects and vertebrates. This study describes for the first time the association between the social wasp Chartergus globiventris Saussure and the yellow-olive flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens Spix in a deciduous seasonal forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. We located eight active C. globiventris colonies in the study site, three of which were associated with active T. sulphurescens nests. Bird-wasp associations in previous studies have been regarded as commensalism because only birds seem to benefit. However, further studies are needed to better understand the potential benefits of this relationship for both taxa.
Keywords: Bird nest; Hymenoptera; interaction; nesting; social wasp.
Associações de nidificação entreChartergus globiventris Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) e Tolmomyias sulphurescens Spix (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) no sudeste do Brasil
Resumo. O sucesso das espécies de vespas sociais está relacionado tanto a construção quanto a manutenção das colônias. Várias espécies utilizam de diversas estratégias para evitar a predação de seus ninhos, como a associação com outros insetos e vertebrados. O presente estudo descreve o primeiro registro da associação da vespa social Chartergus globiventris Saussure com a ave Tolmomyias sulphurescens Spix em fragmento de Floresta Estacional Decidual no Sudeste do Brasil. Foram registradas oito colônias de C. globiventris ativas em diferentes espécies arbóreas, das quais três estavam associadas a ninhos ativos de T. sulphurescens. A associação entre a ave e a vespa tem sido tratada como comensalismo, pois apenas a ave obtém vantagens aparente, como discutido na literatura. Contudo, é necessário realizar experimentações ou análises mais aprofundadas a fim de se obter afirmações sobre os benefícios dessa relação.
Palavras-chave: Hymenoptera; interação; nidificação; ninho de aves; vespa social.
est construction and colony maintenance are crucial Interactions between social wasps and birds are documented factors for the persistence of social wasp species in in the literature (So m a v i l l a et al. 2013; Me n e z e s et al. 2014; associated environments (Je a n n e 1975; De j e a n et al. Sa z i m a & D’An g e l o 2015). In this association, birds construct 1998; Hu n t 2007). Several factors can directly affect these nests near social wasp colonies. Social wasps become aggressive processes, including abiotic factors (e.g. sunlight, precipitation) when other animals approach their colonies, (My e r s 1935; (Co r b a r a et al. 2009), nest predation by vertebrates (Ra w 1997; Ca z a l et al. 2009; Al m e i d a & An j o s -Si l v a 2015), and as a result Sick 2001; Sa z i m a 2014) and ants (Je a n n e 1975), nesting habits, they effectively defend neighboring bird nests from predators, nest architecture (We n z e l 1991; Co r b a r a et al. 2009; So u z a et al. enhancing nestling success. This association is assumed to be an 2014), and anthropogenic changes (So u z a et al. 2010). Social wasp example of commensalism, as only birds seem to benefit (Sa z i m a species adopt different strategies to avoid nest predation, such & D’An g e l o 2015). as construction near ant nests (Ve s e y -Fi t z g e r a l d 1938; Ri ch a r ds 1945; He r r e et al. 1986; Co r b a r a et al. 2009). For example, Relationships between species of social wasps and birds are So u z a et al. (2013) and So m a v i l l a et al. (2013) described the known to differ among ecosystems in Brazil (So m a v i l l a et al. association between the social wasp Polybia rejecta (Fabricius) 2013; Me n e z e s et al. 2014; Sa z i m a & D’An g e l o 2015; Al m e i d a & and the ant Azteca chartifex Forel, in which the wasps defend An j o s -Si l v a 2015). However, data on this association in deciduous ant colonies from potential predators and in turn, ants attack forests are scarce. In this study we report an association between avian and primate predators of wasp colonies. social wasp Chartergus globiventris Saussure and Tolmomyias
Edited by: Corresponding author: Funding agencies: William Costa Rodrigues Epifânio Porfiro Pires Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de
Article History: [email protected] Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) No ORCID record Received: 16.vi.2016 Accepted: 14.xii.2016
www.periodico.ebras.bio.br 52 Nesting associationsbetween et. ap oois n br nss were nests bird and colonies active with Wasp associated nests. were three sulphurescens which of species, tree active eight located We identifications. species confirm to photographed were birds and collected were 2008; (IEF vegetation Caatinga state. and Cerrado both contains refuge The Gerais Minas northern Januária, of municipality the in S) 14°40” W, 43°95’ and S 15°88’ W, (45°95’ Pandeiros” Rio do Silvestre Vida da Estadual “Refúgio the in place took study The Brazil. Spix sulphurescens e hn t te nttt Fdrl e dcço Cêca e for Andena Ricardo Ciência Sergio realization; project in assistance Educação, for Inconfidentes, de Campus – (IFMG) Federal Gerais Minas Instituto de Tecnologia the to thank We hn id et ad ap oois ee ul u t a meter a to up built (W were colonies wasp and nests bird nesting when associated each be to for considered were species estimated two The was association. nests between distance the and photographed, were Colonies tracks. existing following by ocnrtd n h wt esn Otbr hog February) through (October (S season wet the in mm, concentrated 1,000 about annual is rainfall Theaverage annual and °C, 25 wet seasons. is temperature and dry well-defined with (D the using out carried were hours of observation (one to two hours per event). Observations each of the four seasons, totaling 20 days with 30 discontinuous in days sampling continuous five were There winter). and (fall in both the rainy season (spring and summer) and the dry season Sampling events were carried out from June 2014 to April 2015, between a iue . A) 1. Figure o t n a A l e n u -C d s e l r e N o r a l etal.2007). e n u C. globiventris P & 2010). Colonies were located through active search active through located were Colonies 2010). s hregs globiventris Chartergus
et al. et o l l o ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2009) and the regional climate is semi-arid, is climate regional the and 2009) c in a deciduous forest area in southeastern in area forest deciduous a in k
colonyand 95. ap pcmn fo ec nest each from specimens Wasp 1985). Chartergus globiventris . globiventris C. ad libitum ad Tolmomyias sulphurescens asue ooy B Association B) colony. Saussure method with binoculars with method oois n several in colonies … Spix. T. lateritia described as commensalism (B commensalism as described are birds and wasps social between associations of studies Most region inMatoGrosso( soito with association uh s roel aml, id o pe, n sae (M snakes and prey, of birds mammals, arboreal as such bypredators from attacks protection gaining by benefit, birds approximately 40 to 60 cm apart, sufficiently close to be close (W association sufficiently nesting apart, a cm as characterized 60 to 40 approximately terms ofpotentialbenefitsforeachspecies. in relationship the of nature the elucidate to needed are studies the social wasp In conclusion, we report for the first time the association between other mutualisticassociationsbetweensocialwaspsandbirds. for potential the indicate species, wasp one and bird one only to developing in bird feces. These findings, despite being restricted flies adult and larval capture to nest near the visits very then nests, colonies bird constructs wasp this that found (Latham) 2015). However, 1935; et al. (F species wasp aggressive to belonging colonies of vicinity the in (M Brazil al. et southeastern in reported been species recently wasp have social other with associations sulphurescens T. (Figure 1). colonies wasp below positioned always were nests Bird 1985). fr rnig PhD a granting for (CAPES) Superior scholarship. Nível de Pessoal de Aperfeiçoamento de Coordenação the de and (IEF); Gerais deFlorestas Minas Estadual Instituto The identification; species z t i p 2013; 2014). In some regions, some In 2014). i r t a C l a z a esace i ascain with association in Gerstaecker c k
S 2004). et al. a m i z a C. globiventris B 2009; & D’A a n g o l o yoeee similis Myiozetetes . globiventris C. A S o l e g n
a m o i e m l et al. v d and bird T. sulphurescens . Further a l l i
(2007) in a study of 2015). The suggestion is that only a nests are built are nests sulphurescens T. r e i e &A
et al. & n a as be fud in found been also has j o T Si) n h Pantanal the in (Spix) s i n a b g n u 2013; -S e-ISSN 1983-0572 l i v n u a hltru socius Philetarius S 2015). d a m i z a 2006; e l r e Souza etal. Belonogaster & D’A P & S a m o B o l l o e z e n e o l e g n (2017) v r e y a l l i c k s s
Janeiro - Abril 2017 - www.periodico.ebras.bio.br EntomoBrasilis 10 (1): 51-53
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Suggestion citation:
Souza, M.M., Â.G. Brunismann, E.P. Pires, 2017. Nesting associations between Chartergus globiventris Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and Tolmomyias sulphurescens Spix (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) in southeastern Brazil. EntomoBrasilis, 10 (1): 51-53. Available on: doi:10.12741/ebrasilis.v10i1.638 53
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