Spiders (Araneae) captured by Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse (Hymenoptera : Sphecidae) in southeastern Brazil

Fifty one nests and 200 cells of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse were o btained from trap-nests (cut bamboo stems) in Santa Carlota Farm (in two ha bitats: Itaoca Section-IS and Santana Section-SS), Cajuru and on the Sao Pa ulo University Campus, Ribeirao Preto (RP), both in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The prey (spiders) of 18 cells from IS, 38 from SS and 70 from RP were identified. Nesting most frequently occurred during the hot and wet se asons (September to April). T. lactitarse preyed upon representatives of te n spider families. Araneidae (96.6%) (orb-weaver spiders) were the most fre quent. Eustala sp.1 was the most frequency collected species in the three h abitats (31.6% in IS, 20.1% in SS and 48.7% in RP), followed by Acacesia ha mata (19.5%) and Alpaida leucogramma (10%) in IS, by Parawixia audax (16%) and A. hamata (15.4%) in SS and by P. audax (17.9%) and Eustala sp.2 (12%) in RP. The sizes of the reproductive niches were significantly different. T here was a positive correlation between reproductive niche width and evenne ss.