ABSTRACT Atta bisphaerica is a species of grass-cutting ants commonly found in the Cerrado biome. The Brazilian Cerrado (savanna) biome covers 2 million km representing 23% of the area of the country. It is an ancient biome with rich biodiversity, estimated at 160,000 species of plants, fungi and animals. However, little is known about their nest architecture development. This study investigated the architecture of fourteen A. bisphaerica nests from Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Molds were made of the nests by filling them with cement to allow better visualization of internal structures such as chambers and tunnels. After excavation, the depth and dimensions (length, width, and height) of the chambers were measured. As expected, there was a lateral development in the nests and increase in the number of chambers over time. Results showed that in nests with an estimated age of 14 months, the average depth was 1.6 ± 0.4 m; for those with 18 months it was 2.2 ± 0.7 m and at 28 months it was 2.5 ± 0.7 m. The number of chambers varied from 4 to 7 in 28-month nests, 2 to 4 in 18-month nests, and from 2 to 3 in 14-month nests. With respect to the dimensions of the internal tunnels, there were variations in their average width, increasing with time. The fungus chambers were located beneath the largest mound of loose soil. This study contributes to a better understanding of the so far unknown nest architecture development of A. bisphaerica grass-cutting ants.

RESUMO Várias espécies de moscas frugívoras (Diptera: Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae) assumem o status de pragas primárias em fruteiras cultivadas no Brasil, determinando prejuízos diretos à produção. O objetivo do trabalho foi conhecer aspectos da diversidade de moscas frugívoras e seus parasitoides no polo de fruticultura de Livramento de Nossa Senhora-BA. Foram realizadas amostragens de frutos em 19 espécies vegetais durante novembro/2011 e junho/2014. Foram calculados os índices de infestação em pupário.kg-1 de fruto e pupário.fruto-1. Os resultados indicaram a ocorrência de Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) e Neosilba pendula (Bezzi). As espécies vegetais Anacardium occidentale, Averrhoa carambola, Carica papaya, Eugenia uniflora, Malpighia emarginata, Mangifera indica var. “Haden”, “Rosa” e “Tommy Atkins”, Opuntia ficus indica, Pereskia bahiensis, Psidium guajava, Spondias lutea, Spondias purpurea e Spondias tuberosa são hospedeiros de moscas frugívoras na região. Registram-se, as relações bitróficas inéditas entre P. bahiensis e C. capitata e Anastrepha sp.; e entre Opuntia fícus indica e C. capitata e Anastrepha obliqua. Registra-se a relação tritrófica inédita para o Estado da Bahia A. carambola e C. capitata e parasitoide da Família Pteromalidae. Foram contatadas, também, as associações tritróficas entre M. indica var. “Tommy Atkins” e S. purpurea e A. obliqua e Doryctobracon areolatus; e entre S. purpurea e A. obliqua e Utetes anastrephae.

ABSTRACT Several fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) assume the status of primary pests in fruit trees grown in Brazil, causing direct production losses. The aims of the study were to know aspects of diversity of fruit flies and their parasitoids in the fruit growing region of Livramento de Nossa Senhora, Bahia. Fruit samples were collected from 19 plant species during November/2011 and June/2014. Infestation rates were calculated in pupae.kg-1 of fruit and pupae.fruit-1. The results indicate the occurrence of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Neosilba pendula (Bezzi). Plant species Anacardium occidentale, Averrhoa carambola, Carica papaya, Eugenia uniflora, Malpighia emarginata, Mangifera indica var. “Haden”, “Rosa” and “Tommy Atkins”, Opuntia ficus indica, Pereskia bahiensis, Psidium guajava, Spondias lutea, Spondias purpurea and Spondias tuberosa are hosts of fruit flies in the region. Unprecedented bitrophic relationships between P. bahiensis and C. capitata and Anastrepha sp. and between Opuntia ficus indica and C. capitata and A. obliqua were recorded. Unprecedented tritrophic relationship for the state of Bahia Averrhoa carambola and C. capitata and parasitoid of the Pteromalidae Family were also recorded. Tritrophic associations between M. indica var. “Tommy Atkins” and S. purpurea and A. obliqua and Doryctobracon areolatus; and between S. purpurea and A. obliqua and Utetes anastrephae were observed.

Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby é registrada no Maranhão em citros e mangueira. As amostras foram coletadas em 2003 e 2004, em vários municípios, e foram depositadas na coleção de insetos do Laboratório de Entomologia do Núcleo de Biotecnologia Agronômica da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão.

Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby in citrus and mango crops in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, is recorded. Samples of 2003 and 2004 from several counties were identified and deposited in the Insect Collection of the Laboratório de Entomologia of the Núcleo de Biotecnologia Agronômica, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão.