BIOINSECTICIDE ACTION OF THE VENOM OF AFRICANIZED BEES Apis mellifera LINNAEUS 1758 (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE): I -THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE AGE OF Diatraea saccharalis FABRICIUS 1794 (LEPELETIER: PYRALIDAE) EGGS TO THE VENOM ACTION

J. C. BONFANTI-ALMEIDA(1), N. GOBBI(2,3,4,5,6), M. S. PALMA(2,3,4,5)

1 Department of Biology, FIRP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, 2 Department of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 3 Department of Biology, Institute de Biosciences of Rio Claro, State of São Paulo, 4 Center for the Study of Social Insects - CEIS - UNESP, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 5 Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals - CEVAP - UNESP, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 6 Environmental Study Center - CEA - UNESP, State of  São Paulo, Brazil.

ABSTRACT. The present paper aimed at testing the action of non-lyophilized venom of Africanized bees Apis mellifera through topical applications on  Diatraea saccharalis egg masses. The CL50, DL50 and the most susceptible age of eggs to the venom topic application were also determined. Three-day-old eggs were the most susceptible to the venom action with CL50 equal to 8.6 mg/ml and DL50 equal to 0.173 mg/mass. The venom loses its action after being stored for 15 days.

KEY WORDS: Venom, africanized honeybee, Apis mellifera, eggs, sugar-cane borer, Diatraea saccharalis.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

N. GOBBI, Departamento de Ecologia do Instituto de Biociências, Caixa Postal 199  CEP 13506-900 - Rio Claro - São Paulo - Brasil.