Contribuições para a biologia e ecologia de Pseudohypocera kerteszi (Diptera: Phoridae)

Abstract

Meliponiculture as a sustainable and highly developed activity still needs to be extensively explored in terms of scientific knowledge. There is a lot to understand and improve, especially when it comes to diseases and parasites. The klepto-parasite Pseudoypocera kerteszi is the most important Meliponini bee pest. These flies often kill entire colonies. Very little is known regarding the biology and ecology of P. kerteszi. In the first article we investigated various aspects of P. kerteszi's biology such as: time of development of males and females, parthenogenesis, role of medium acidity in opposition, role of humidity in pupal emergence and development of larvae in a non-pollen source. For this, different methodologies were applied. In the second article, we tested the hypothesis that different Meliponini nests do not differ significantly from volatile compounds emitted from their structures, as the phorid usually attacks all stingless bee species. For this, we identify the volatile compounds emitted by different parts of the nests through mass spectrometry. In addition, we performed different biotests in cage with P. kerteszi. As a result, we observed that in general females of P. kerteszi live longer than males. Larvae developed successfully when fed on an unnatural medium. The acidity of the environment is a very important factor in the oviposition of flies. Females do not reproduce parthenogenetically. Non-emerged old pupae do not emerge when exposed to higher humidity. The nests of the different species of Meliponini bees used in this study are species-specific in relation to the emanated compounds, thus refuting our hypothesis. Some of the main compounds emitted by the nests were: acetic acid, ethyl acetate, beta-cymene and styrene. Pollen bait traps were the most attractive to flies, except when offered against glacial acetic acid. Acetic acid seems to play a key role in attracting P. kerteszi from short distances. These two articles provide important information regarding the klepto-parasite in question, which may be very relevant in the development and improvement of control methods in meliponiculture.