Ants have been extensively used as bioindicators, however ants from different nest stratum and habitat affinity groups could distinctly respond to a same ecological process and environmental impact. In this study, we evaluated if nest stratum and habitat affinity matter in the response of ant assemblages to forest-pasture shifting. We tested the response of number of species in entire ant assemblages (soil surface and subterranean) and in each ant fauna stratum (only soil surface and only subterranean). In both cases, we also tested the response of number of ant species of each habitat affinity groups (forest specialist, open-habitat specialist and generalist). Ants were sampled in three plots for each habitat type in Southwestern Brazilian Amazon. We sampled 124 ant species. Only for soil surface ant assemblages, the number of species was different between the two habitats types, among habitat affinity ant groups and their number of species also changed with habitat shifting. Therefore, we corroborate the inclusion of samplings in different nest stratum and recommend the classification of ants according to their habitat affinity in monitoring programs that use ants as bioindicator. However, efforts must be done to improve the information availability on habitat affinity of ant species.

Psychoda Latreille is one of the largest genera of Psychodidae, with around 450 species, from which more than 130 are known from only one of the sexes. This is a result of the high diversity, sympatry of close related species and scarcity of diagnostic characters to accurately associate males and females in this genus. Here we describe a new species, Psychoda dactyla sp. n., from Brazil, Amazonas, São Gabriel da Cachoeira with morphological description of male and female specimens associated by DNA-barcoding.

The Neotropical genus of stingless bees Melipona Illiger, 1806 is exclusive to Tropical America and has its greatest diversity in South America, with about 74 described species. In Bahia, there is an occurrence record for 12 species of Melipona, distributed in four subgenera. Among the Melipona (Melikerria) that occur in Bahia, we highlight Melipona (Melikerria) quinquefasciata Lepeletier, 1836. Although widely distributed in Brazil, its underground nesting habit associated with its preference for high altitude areas, make the species extremely vulnerable. This work sought to describe nests and map the occurrence of this species for the State of Bahia, since its record is limited to areas of Chapada Diamantina. Knowledge about the biogeography of the species is extremely important, strengthening its sustainable creation that respects the area of ​​occurrence of the species, as well as seeking alternatives and public policies for sustainable conservation, since its area of ​​occurrence is extremely vulnerable to the expansion of the agricultural frontier in the State.

The occurrence of the genera Aspidoglossa Putzeys, 1846, Paraclivina Kult, 1947, Oxydrepanus Putzeys, 1867, Pyramoides Bousquet, 2002, Semiardistomis Kult, 1950, Semiclivina Kult, 1947, Stratiotes Putzeys, 1846, and Whiteheadiana Perrault, 1994 is recorded for the first time for Brazilian caves. The specimens are deposited at the zoological collection of the Laboratório de Estudos Subterrâneos at Universidade Federal de São Carlos (LES) and are stored dipped in ethanol. A map and photographs of specimens of the genera are provided, as well as the specific records of their geographical distribution in caves.

Lonomia Walker, 1855 is a genus of Lepidoptera belonging to the Saturniidae whose caterpillars have a defense system based on scoli connected to venom glands, which can cause medical accidents of envenomation, thereby making this genus medically important. In this work, Lonomia camox Lemaire, 1971, is recorded for the first time in Brazil, more specifically in the state of Amazonas. Photographs of male and female genitalia and an updated map with new occurrence records are presented.

The foraging activity of floral visitors is influenced by habitat conditions and abiotic factors. The aim of this research was to define the faunal composition of the visitor community in Solanum lycocarpum A.St.-Hil. (Solanaceae) and to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors on the flight activity of the predominant visitors. The capture of bees was conducted for 15 minutes from the beginning of each hour between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm in a cluster with 15 S. lycocarpum individuals during 10 days. Centridini was the predominant tribe of bees, with 83.5% of the total foraging recorded. About 66.5% of foraging was concentrated in the time interval between 8:00 am and 12:59 pm, characterized as a optimal foraging period. At 6:00 am and from 5:00 pm onwards, bees were discouraged from foraging. Only Epicharis flava Friese and Centris scopipes Friese were classified as predominant species. Centris scopipes was the only predominant species whose abiotic conditions interfered in the foraging activities. Since bee foraging records were developed in the summer, environmental conditions did not limit the foraging of most bees during the entire foraging period of the day.

The present research aimed to study the functional groups of ants in organic and conventional cropping areas and assess their influence on the abundance of other insects in agroecosystems. Sampling was carried out in eight rural properties with organic, and eight with conventional crops in Paraíba do Sul, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fifteen pitfall soil traps were installed to collect ants in each property, in April and May 2016. The ants collected were dry-mounted and identified. The insect abundances of the orders Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Orthoptera were also obtained. Ants were classified into seven functional groups. The functional group with the largest number of species was “omnivores that inhabit the soil and the leaf litter,” followed by “omnivores that inhabit the soil, the leaf litter, and the plants.” The group “omnivores that inhabit the soil and the leaf litter” showed the highest abundance of ants in both types of crops. The mean richness of functional groups was significantly higher in organic than in conventional crops. We only observed the effect of the abundance of ants of the group “omnivores that inhabit the soil, the leaf litter, and the plants” on the abundance of coleopterans in conventional crops. Hence, areas with organic crops are more favorable for maintaining an ant fauna with higher functional diversity than areas using the conventional cropping system.

Hesperinus Walker, 1848, a member of Bibionidae (Diptera), is a Holarctic and Oriental genus. The genus has been reported from the Neotropical Region twice: i) Hesperinus conjungens Schiner, 1868, transferred to Plecia Wiedemann, 1828 by Hardy in 1967, and ii) additional specimens identified as Hesperinus sp. by Messias Carrera in 1944. In this study, we revisited the Carrera’s specimens, identifying them as Plecia sp. Additionally, we discussed the taxonomy of Plecia conjungens and compiled a list of articles that consider the species as Hesperinus.

Polletomyia Curler, 2020 is a Neotropical genus of Psychodidae that was established based on Polletomyia subulata Curler, 2020 from French Guiana. In this paper, we describe a second species of the genus from the Brazilian Amazon. The specimens were collected by the late Larry Quate, a psychodid expert, and are deposited at the Museu de Zoologia of Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana. We provide illustrations and descriptions of both males and females of the new species.

Chrysotus capellarii Soares & Carvalho-Filho sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on a single specimen collected in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, representing the first record of the longipalpus species group from the country (a photographic record is known from Costa Rica). The new species is easily recognized by the long palpus (about 2x longer than eye height) with a wide and oval apical lamella.