PARASITIZED APHIDS (HEMIPTERA, APHIDIDAE) AS A FEED RESOURCE FOR SOCIAL WASPS (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE)

Abstract

Fungus and micro-hymenoptera are natural enemies of the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hemiptera, Aphididae). Nevertheless, there are also reports of predation of aphids by social wasps, though there are few studies reporting the interaction between these insects. In this context, here we report the occurrence of B. brassicae parasitized by fungi and mummified as a feeding resource for social wasps during the winter in the Neotropics.The records occurred from July to August 2019, in a cabbage crop on the campus of the Instituto Federal de Educação, ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais, Inconfidentes, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Six feeding events of Protonectarina sylveirae (Saussure, 1854) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) eating the aphids infected by the fungus were recorded, and eight events of Polybia ignobilis (Haliday, 1836) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) eating the same aphids. Of these records, seven contained aphids infected by fungus and one with the aphid parasitized by Aphidius colemani Viereck, 1912 (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Therefore, this document aims to increase information on aphids as a feeding resource for social wasps and that this behavior may be recurrent during the food shortage season.