La abeja euglosina Eulaema nigrita juega un importante papel para la polinización de las plantas nativas y de importancia económica, como es el caso de la fruta de la pasión o maracuyá Passiflora alata. E. nigrita únicamente recoge el néctar las flores de P. alata, sin embargo, tiene que visitar otras plantas para recoger polen, néctar y otros recursos para su supervivencia. Hay dos métodos para identificar las especies de plantas utilizadas por las abejas en su dieta: por observación directa de las abejas en las flores, y a través de la identificación de los granos de polen presentes en las celdas de cría, heces o en el cuerpo de las abejas. Con el fin de identificar las otras plantas que E. nigrita visita, se analizaron muestras de granos de polen extraído del cuerpo de la abeja durante el período de floración de P. alata. Entre nuestros resultados, la flora visitada por E. nigrita está compuesta por 40 especies de 32 géneros y 19 familias, algunas de ellas utilizadas como fuente de polen o solamente de néctar. A pesar de ser una especie polifilética, E. nigrita exhibe preferencia por algunas especies de plantas con anteras poricidas. El néctar de P. alata tiene la más alta concentración de azúcar y fue la principal fuente de este recurso para las abejas en el área de estudio. Sin embargo, el análisis polínico indicó que otras especies de plantas nectaríferas son necesarias para mantener las poblaciones de E. nigrita. Estudios como éste son importantes pues indican cuales son las fuentescomplementarias de néctar y polen que deben ser utilizadas para la conservación de las poblaciones de E. nigrita en los cultivos de las zonas vecinas. En ausencia de polinizadores, los productores se ven obligados a pagar por la polinización manual, lo que aumenta los costos de producción, por lo tanto el mantenimiento de polinizadores en las zonas cultivadas es más factible para asegurar la producción de la fruta de la pasión

The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees’ body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee’s body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit production

São descritos estádios imaturos de três espécies do gênero neotropical caçador de baratas Podium Fabricius, 1804. Todos os estádios e o casulo de P. denticulatum Smith, 1856; a larva de último estádio e o casulo de P. aureosericeum Kohl, 1902 e a larva de último estádio de P. fumigatum (Perty, 1833) são tratados. A larva de último estádio de P. denticulatum é distinta da de outras espécies pela falta de rugosidade cefálica e por tecer casulos afilados na extremidade posterior. P. aureosericeum e P. fumigatum são únicos em possuir pequenas lamelas entre dentes mandibulares.

Immature instars of three species of the neotropical cockroach-hunting genus Podium Fabricius, 1804 are described. All larval instars and the cocoon of P. denticulatum Smith, 1856; the last instar and the cocoon of P. aureosericeum Kohl, 1902 and the last instar larva of P. fumigatum (Perty, 1833) were treated. The last larval instar of P. denticulatum is distinct from those of other species by lacking cephalic rugosity and spinning cocoons tapered in the posterior extremity. P. aureosericeum and P. fumigatum are unique in bearing small lamellae between mandibular teeth.

Survivorship curves and longevity of workers were studied in two queenright and two queenless colonies of Bombus (Fervidobombus) atratus. Survivorship curves for workers of all colonies were, in general, convex, indicating an increasing mortality rate with increasing age. The mean longevity for the workers from queenright colonies, 24.3 days and 17.6 days, was not significantly different from that in queenless colonies, 21.2 days and 20.2 days. In all colonies workers started foraging activities when aged 0-5 days, and the potential forager rates rose progressively with increasing age. Mortality rates within each age interval were significantly correlated with the foraging worker rates in all colonies. Only in two of the colonies (one queenright and one queenless) longevity was significantly correlated with worker size. The duration of brood development period seems to be one of the most important factors influencing adult worker longevity in this bumble bee species.

Three nests of Euglossa (Glossura) annectans Dressier, 1982 were obtained from trap nests at Serra do Japi, Jundiai, São Paulo State, Brazil. The bees nested in bamboo cane (one nest) and in wooden-boxes (two nests). Solitary (two cases) and pleometrotic (one case) foundations were observed. Two nests were re-used once by two females working in each of them. Re-using females that shared the nests were of the same generation and each built, provisioned and oviposited in her own cells, characterizing a communal association. The brood development period was related to climatic conditions. Natural enemies included Anthrax oedipus oedipus Fabricius, 1805 (Bombyliidae), Coelioxys sp. (Megachilidae) and Melittobia sp. (Eulophidae).