2010-06

Nesting Behavior of Centris (Hemisiella) vittata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in an area of the cerrado in the northeast of the State of Maranhão, Brazil

The nesting behavior of Centris (Hemisiella) vittata Lepeletier was studied in the Urbano Santos Cerrado in the northeast of Maranhão State, Brazil. To date, this species has only been studied in trap-nests. The nesting behavior of this species in a natural condition is recorded for the first time. Nesting occurred in preexisting holes in dead trunks of aroeira, Astronium myracrodruon (Anacardiaceae), at the end of the rainy season. The cells were constructed with a mixture of sand and oil. After finishing the nests, females used only oil to line the entrance wall. Two females collected sand ...

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