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.

The study of relationships between living beings is essential for understanding the functioning of the ecosystem for the management and conservation of biota, especially in rich and threatened biomes such as the Brazilian Cerrado. Therefore, this study aims to report the occupation of abandoned social wasp’s nests by termites in this biome. In this study, the occupation of two abandoned nests of Synoeca surinama (L.) by the termite Nasutitermes obscurus (Holmgren), recorded by chance, in April 2023 in a gallery forest with the same vegetation type of the Cerrado, located in the Grande Sertão Veredas National Park in southeastern Brazil. Both social wasp nests had their cells occupied by termites, which may have been used as a satellite nest for N. obscurus. This is the first record of a termite species occupying a social wasp’s nests; however, further studies are needed to better elucidate this relationship.

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.

Prosierola is characterized by having a pair of conspicuous anteromedial metapostnotal foveae on the metapectal-propodeal disc. Little is known about this genus because it is rarely sampled in collections. Therefore, the main goal of this contribution is to expand the knowledge of intraspecific morphological variations and geographical distribution of its species that occur in Brazil. We sorted material from the main collections and obtained 69 specimens of Prosierola nasalis (Westwood) recorded for the first time from Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Pará, Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul; one of Prosierola obliqua Evans recorded for the first time from Distrito Federal; five of Prosierola rotunda Schiffler & Azevedo recorded for the first time from Pará; and 13 of Prosierola rufescens Evans recorded for the first time from Brazil (Amazonas, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais). The mesoscuto-scutellar foveae placed on the dorsal surface of the mesoscutellum shown to be highly variable in size, distance, and shape at both the intra- and interspecific levels.

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.

The corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a specialist insect vector of the corn stunting disease complex. This leafhopper has been reported from different overwintering plants, and more information is required regarding other potential Brazilian plants that may serve as reproductive hosts for this specie. The present study aimed to evaluate possible plants for leafhopper reproduction usually found near the maize fields and the D. maidis reproductive differences among maize genotypes. Three trials were conducted to assess D. maidis survival and oviposition on different maize genotypes and other potential host plants. Survival, nymph presence, oviposition, and nymph eclosion rates were observed. No nymphs were observed in plants other than maize. The number of D. maidis adults was influenced by the different maize inbreds, and the mean number of laid eggs varied across the tested maize materials. Oviposition and nymph emergence was observed in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br., Poaceae] when D. maidis adults were offered only this plant as substrate, although significantly lower than those recorded on maize. Our results suggest that eliminating maize plants in the off-season could be used as a tool to reduce D. maidis reproduction, thereby minimizing the vector population size in the following season.

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.

This study was conducted at the Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cassilândia, Brazil from September 2017 to December 2021 in a Brazilian Cerrado. Adults of Anomala testaceipennis Blanchard were collected associated with host plants and taken to the laboratory for studies. Some phytophagous scarab beetles found host plants through detection of plant volatiles. The detection of those odorants is intermediated by antennal sensilla. The main goals of the present study are to describe the antennal sensilla of A. testaceipennis and check the host plants used as food resource. This specie was found feeding on flowers of: Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (Fabaceae), Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae), Buchenavia sp. (Combretaceae), Cordia glabrata (Boraginaceae), Inga edulis (Fabaceae), Moquilea tomentosa (Chrysobalanaceae), Paubrasilia echinata (Fabaceae), Tabernaemontana catharinensis (Apocynaceae), Tapirira guianensis (Anacardiaceae), Xylophragma pratense (Bignoniaceae). To the sensilla study, antennae were dissected and images of the sensilla were obtained using a scanning electron microscope. Antennae of A. testaceipennis have sensilla chaetica, trichodea, placodea (type I, II, and III), coeloconica (type I and II), basiconica (type I), and ampullacea (or pore). Males have a total of about 6,243 sensilla of which 5,868 (93.99%) are sensilla placodea, 370 (5.93%) are sensilla coeloconica, and 5 (0.08%) are sensilla basiconica. Females have a total of about 5,119 sensilla of which 4,820 (94.16%) are sensilla placodea, 270 (5.27%) are sensilla coeloconica, and 29 (0.57%) are sensilla basiconica.

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.