Predation of Lepidoptera caterpillars - including agricultural pest species - is one of the main ways through which social wasps gather proteinaceous resources. The presence of social wasps was sampled through active search and bait traps through a sugarcane culture cycle, totaling 12 months. Our aim was to record the presence of these insects during the sugarcane development cycle in order to obtain data to support alternative pest control strategies. A total of 1091 individuals in seven genera and 20 species of social wasps were collected, including the swarm-founding Agelaia vicina and Polybia sericea (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Social wasp richness and abundance were not correlated with climatic variables (temperature, humidity and precipitation). However, richness was negatively correlated to the sugarcane plants’ height (r= -0.4360, p= 0.05). The presence of social wasps during the plant’s cycle shows their potential as predators in sugarcane culture pest management.

Resumo. Apesar de essenciais, trabalhos que objetivem conhecer a riqueza de vespas em meios naturais e agrícolas são incipientes, refletindo em escassez de tempo, recursos e logística adequada para a sua elaboração. Assim, nosso estudo buscou conhecer as espécies de vespas sociais em área com fragmento florestal, plantio de eucaliptos e pomar, além de testar a hipótese de que inventários rápidos, utilizando-se a busca ativa e armadilhas atrativas são estratégias viáveis para amostrar espécies com maior abundância. Foram coletadas 365 vespas sociais, distribuídas em quatro gêneros e 10 espécies, de modo que o pomar registrou maior riqueza específica (s=8), diversidade (H'=0,5131) e abundância (n=218). Tanto Agelaia vicina (Saussure), quanto Polybia ignobilis (Haliday) e Polistes versicolor (Oliver) foram relatadas nas três áreas. O gênero Agelaia contabilizou mais de 70% dos indivíduos coletados, resultados equivalentes aos de trabalhos conduzidos em fitofisionomias similares, validando a hipótese apresentada. Os inventários constituem-se, ferramentas eficazes na amostragem de espécies de vespas sociais abundantes, refletindo na diminuição de custos e logística em trabalhos de levantamento, contribuindo com ampliação do número de estudos sobre conservação e monitoramento ambiental, além dos relacionados a programas de manejo integrado de pragas. Palavras-chave:Eucalipto; Fragmento Florestal; Polistinae; Pomar. A Fast Inventory of Social Wasps in Three Environments with Different VegetationAbstract. Although essential, researches that seek to discover the richness of wasps in natural and agricultural environments are incipient, reflecting in shortage of time, resources and adequate logistics for its formulation. Therefore, our study sought to know the species of social wasps in areas with forest fragments, eucalyptus plantations and orchard, in addition to test the hypothesis that fast inventories involving active search and attractive traps are viable strategies for sampling species with greater abundance. We collected 365 social wasps, distributed amongst four genera and 10 species, and the orchard reported the greatest specific richness (s=8), diversity (H'=0.5131) and abundance (n=218). Agelaia vicina (Saussure), Polybia ignobilis (Haliday) and Polistes versicolor (Oliver) were found in the three areas. The genus Agelaia accounted over 70% of the collected individuals, results equivalent to those carried out in similar works regarding phytophysiognomy, thus validating the presented hypothesis. The inventories are effective tools on sampling abundant social wasps species, reflecting on the decrease of costs and logistics in diversity studies, contributing with an increase of the number of conservation and environmental monitoring research, in addition to the ones related to integrated pest management programs.

Resumo. Apesar de essenciais, trabalhos que objetivem conhecer a riqueza de vespas em meios naturais e agrícolas são incipientes, refletindo em escassez de tempo, recursos e logística adequada para a sua elaboração. Assim, nosso estudo buscou conhecer as espécies de vespas sociais em área com fragmento florestal, plantio de eucaliptos e pomar, além de testar a hipótese de que inventários rápidos, utilizando-se a busca ativa e armadilhas atrativas são estratégias viáveis para amostrar espécies com maior abundância. Foram coletadas 365 vespas sociais, distribuídas em quatro gêneros e 10 espécies, de modo que o pomar registrou maior riqueza específica (s=8), diversidade (H'=0,5131) e abundância (n=218). Tanto Agelaia vicina (Saussure), quanto Polybia ignobilis (Haliday) e Polistes versicolor (Oliver) foram relatadas nas três áreas. O gênero Agelaia contabilizou mais de 70% dos indivíduos coletados, resultados equivalentes aos de trabalhos conduzidos em fitofisionomias similares, validando a hipótese apresentada. Os inventários constituem-se, ferramentas eficazes na amostragem de espécies de vespas sociais abundantes, refletindo na diminuição de custos e logística em trabalhos de levantamento, contribuindo com ampliação do número de estudos sobre conservação e monitoramento ambiental, além dos relacionados a programas de manejo integrado de pragas. Palavras-chave:Eucalipto; Fragmento Florestal; Polistinae; Pomar. A Fast Inventory of Social Wasps in Three Environments with Different VegetationAbstract. Although essential, researches that seek to discover the richness of wasps in natural and agricultural environments are incipient, reflecting in shortage of time, resources and adequate logistics for its formulation. Therefore, our study sought to know the species of social wasps in areas with forest fragments, eucalyptus plantations and orchard, in addition to test the hypothesis that fast inventories involving active search and attractive traps are viable strategies for sampling species with greater abundance. We collected 365 social wasps, distributed amongst four genera and 10 species, and the orchard reported the greatest specific richness (s=8), diversity (H'=0.5131) and abundance (n=218). Agelaia vicina (Saussure), Polybia ignobilis (Haliday) and Polistes versicolor (Oliver) were found in the three areas. The genus Agelaia accounted over 70% of the collected individuals, results equivalent to those carried out in similar works regarding phytophysiognomy, thus validating the presented hypothesis. The inventories are effective tools on sampling abundant social wasps species, reflecting on the decrease of costs and logistics in diversity studies, contributing with an increase of the number of conservation and environmental monitoring research, in addition to the ones related to integrated pest management programs.