This paper provided a list of all new Brazilian Hexapoda species described in 2020. Furthermore, based on the information extracted by this list, we tackled additional questions regarding the taxa, the specialists involved in the species descriptions as well as the journals in which those papers have been published. We recorded a total of 680 new Brazilian species of Hexapoda described in 2020, classified in 245 genera, 112 families and 18 orders. These 680 species were published in a total of 2019 articles comprising 423 different authors residing in 27 countries. Only 30% of these authors are women, which demonstrates an inequality regarding sexes. In relation to the number of authors by species, the majority of the new species had two authors and the maximum of authors by species was five. We also found inequalities in the production of described species regarding the regions of Brazil, with Southeast and South leading. The top 10 institutions regarding productions of new species have four in the Southeast, two at South and with one at North Region being the outlier of this pattern. Out of the total 219 published articles, Zootaxa dominated with 322 described species in 95 articles. The average impact factor was of 1.4 with only seven articles being published in Impact Factors above 3, indicating a hardship on publishing taxonomic articles in high-impact journals. The highlight of this paper is that it is unprecedent, as no annual record of Hexapoda species described was ever made in previous years to Brazil.

Various host compounds have been investigated to produce an alternative attractant for monitoring and controlling pest insects. Several studies evidenced that volatile molecules released by coffee and mangoes attracted both male and female Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), a significant pest in fruit crops. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of the commercial glycolic extract of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and a commercial mango essence (Mangifera indica L.) to attract C. capitata. We identified the main volatile compounds (VOCs) emitted from such products. The experiments were conducted in field cages and showed that the glycolic extract of coffee attracts both sexes of C. capitata, while the mango essence attracts only males. After seven days, the pH of the coffee extract and mango essence did not change. These results indicate that attractants based on commercial fruit extracts and essences can be an option for integrated pest management of the Mediterranean fruit fly in orchards.

Ruptitermes arboreus (Emerson) is a litter-feeder soldierless termite that builds arboreal cartonated nests. In this paper, we describe and illustrate arboreal nests of R. arboreus, while also describing a fully clayish nest built upon the trunk of a fallen tree. Additionally, we provided physical and populational parameters for two nests. We also illustrate all castes except alates and record two termitophilous species occurring inside the nests.

Insects of the order Hemiptera (Heteroptera) are considered the largest group of insects with incomplete metamorphosis. Representatives of the Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha infraorders are found in the Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado Biome). This manuscript provides information about the occurrence and distribution of families and genera that occur in the states of the Cerrado Biome, deposited in the UnB Aquatic Invertebrate Collection (CIAq-UnB). The collection started in 1995 and have aquatic specimens of Cerrado Biome. An identification key is also presented for the families and genera that occur in this region.

Any factor that may limit the leaf area of the crop in soybean may compromise its development and, consequently, its productivity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of artificial defoliation performed in the vegetative and reproductive stages of two soybean cultivars, FT Campo Mourão and Brasmax Potência. The treatments consisted in: 1) Without defoliation throughout the culture cycle; 2) 16.7% defoliation in the vegetative stage; 3) 33.3% on vegetative stage; 4) 16.7% on reproductive stage; 5) 33.3% on reproductive stage; 6) 16.7% throughout the soybean cycle; 7) 33.3% defoliation throughout the soybean cycle. Regardless of the level of defoliation performed on soybeans, it was found that the cultivar Brasmax Potência presented the higher values of plant height, number of pods/plant and green weight of the aerial part, when compared to cultivar FT Campo Mourão. However, the number of pods/plant, green weight of the areal part, grain yield and weight of the seeds were not influenced by the defoliation intensities applied to the soybean. Based on the results, the threshold level of 30% of defoliation in the vegetative stage or 15% in the reproductive stage of soybean is still considered valid for the control of defoliating caterpillars in soybean crop.

Hymenopteran parasitoids are insects that play a fundamental role in ecosystems as they reduce the population density of insects that are considered pests in monocultures. However, little is known about the fauna in association to the eucalyptus trees in comparison to adjacent native vegetations. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the fauna of parasitoid wasps that occur in a commercial plantation of Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake, as well as in native forest and capoeira environments in the plateau of Conquista, Bahia, a semiarid region of Bahia. The study was conducted for two consecutive years with monthly monitoring using five Malaise traps. The collected insects were sorted and identified at the family level. The faunal indices referring to the families of each area were studied by evaluating the frequency, species richness, shannon diversity and equitability. In total, 5,899 individuals were collected, which were distributed in 24 families and eight superfamilies. The most abundant families were Braconidae, Ichneumonidae and Bethylidae. Capoeira and eucalyptus trees showed greater similarity and equitability when compared to the rest of the forest. Given the diversity of Hymenopteran parasitoid families found in the area, it was concluded that the maintenance of native vegetation environments is important, even at the initial stage of succession.

The Brazilian legal Amazon occupies approximately 61% of its territory, covering a large part of Brazil's biodiversity. This large territorial dimension generates huge gaps in the animal diversity understanding, for example, the poor knowledge regarding the Odonata order. Worldwide, Odonata has almost 6,500 described species, with approximately 1,800 being recorded for the Neotropical region. Data on the Odonata order in the legal Amazon is still scarce, mainly due to its particularities, and little is known about the diversity of dragonflies in some of Brazilian states. Thus, the objective of this study is to present a list of species occurring in the states that make up the Brazilian legal Amazon. The list was made from the analysis of approximately 165 scientific papers, in addition to occurrence records contained in the SiBBr and GBIF databases. 641 species were found, which is equivalent to approximately 69% of the odonatofauna in Brazil. The states with the greatest diversity were Amazonas (n=364), Pará (n=310) and Mato Grosso (n=285). The study also indicated a low level of knowledge of the Odonata order in the states of Tocantins and Maranhão, in addition to the area of ​​the Guianas shields, especially in the states of Amapá and Roraima. Carrying out new inventories and building catalogs is essential for understanding the biodiversity in this region, especially in areas with greater need.

Ecosystem fragmentation negatively affects biological diversity and compromises different environmental services. This situation occurs in two important biomes in Brazil, the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. There is little information on the effects of fragmentation on animal taxa, including social wasps. It was hypothesized that fragments that are small in size and subject to anthropogenic pressures have reduced social wasp richness and colony numbers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of forest fragmentation on Polistinae richness and colony number at Atlantic Forest and Cerrado sites in southern central Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. The study was conducted in three fragments, Mata do Baú, Cachoeira da Lajinha, and Cachoeira do Padeiro, from October 2020 to March 2021, using active collection to record social wasp species and colony numbers. A total of 42 species and 80 colonies were recorded in the three fragments. Forest fragment size alone did not influence social wasp communities, but communities were significantly affected by a combination of factors, including fragment size, adjacent vegetation, and anthropogenic pressures. Species richness was higher in Mata do Baú and Cachoeira da Lajinha, which did not differ from each other, than in Cachoeira do Padeiro; however, all fragments had exclusive communities. Therefore, an increase in anthropogenic pressure in any of the three fragments may lead to losses in social wasp species.