Nesting biology of M egachile ( C hrysosarus ) guaranitica and high mortality caused by its cleptoparasite C oelioxys bertonii ( H ymenoptera: M egachilidae) in B razil

Twenty‐six nests of M egachile guaranitica   S chrottky were obtained during a study of trap‐nesting bees and wasps in a forest remnant surrounded by crop areas in the central‐western region of S ão P aulo S tate, B razil. Fieldwork was performed monthly from J une 2011 to M ay 2013. Females of M .  guaranitica nested during the hotter/wetter season, from D ecember to M arch. Brood cells consisted of three layers: an outer one made with oblong pieces of leaves, a thick middle wall of mud and an inner layer of oblong pieces of leaves. Pollen analysis of the contents of 10 nests revealed the dominance (97.6%) of pollen from the subfamily M imosoidae ( F abaceae). The immature stages underwent prepupal diapause and took approximately 277 days to emerge. Seventeen of the 26 nests (65%) were attacked by the cleptoparasite C oelioxys bertonii Schrottky, and more individuals of this species (69%) emerged than females and males of the host species (31%). C oelioxys bertonii also underwent prepupal diapause, with development lasting approximately 240 days. The parasitoid wasp M elittobia australica Girault ( E ulophidae) is recorded as a parasitoid of M . guaranitica .