Aspectos bioecológicos de formigas urbanas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em um hospital da Zona da Mata Mineira

Abstract

The ants are social bugs with own characteristics that offer them to live and scatter to all terrestrial environments. Some species can cause damage and harm to humans, and still act as pathogenic vectors in hospitals. This study aimed identify the species of ants at a hospital in Zona da Mata Mineira, to determine the average number of ants visiting the bait by hour (NMFVIH), the similarity between the sectors, the variation of diversity in dry and rainy season, besides, identify the physical structures used as a resource for nest building. The ants were collect with non-toxic attractive bait distributed at each ten meters of distance in the following sectors: Neonatal ICU (NI), Pediatric ICU (PI), Women's Infirmary (WI), and the Surrounding area of the Hospital (HS). 42 species of ants were registered and the following diversity of species NI (n=4), PI (n=7), WI (n=13) and HS (n=30). Six species were classified as constant with emphasis for the Camponotussp.9, with 100% of occurrence; twenty-one ancillaries and fifteen accidentals; Camponotus sp.4, Myrmicini sp.1 and Linepithema sp.1 were found in all sectors. The subfamilyMyrmicinae had the highest rate of occurrence (76,098%) andEctatominae with the lowest (<0,01%). The internal sectors tended to similarity, except the NI in the dry season and the average number of ants visiting the bait per hour differed significantly between internal and external areas. The period of higher occurrence of ants used to be between 12:00 PM and 5:59 PM.28 nests were quantified in Area Interior (AI=23) and Area Around (AA=5), the gap category was the most used physical structure (n=16) and tubing (n=1) the lower. The species Camponotus sp.9 and Hylomyrmasp.1 nested both in HI and the HS. The registered species that more distanced itself from the nest to forage was Attini sp.2 and the one that less distanced it was Linepithema sp.1. The results showed that knowing the physical distribution of the hospital, the infesting ants and the location of the nests can be important for control strategies.