Trap nest preference of solitary bees in fragments of the Baturité massif, Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Abstract The study investigated native solitary bee species that nest in pre-existing cavities in the Baturité Massif, State of Ceará, Brazil, their preference for nest substrates and aspects of these bee communities. Samples were taken in four distinct areas of the Baturité Massif using three types of trap-nests: dried bamboo internodes, cardboard tubes and rational boxes. Out of the 185 nests offered, 34 were colonized and 24 of them produced 131 bees, belonging to two families (Apidae and Megachilidae) and five genera (Centris, Mesocheira, Euglossa, Megachile and Coelioxys) from six species, including parasitic ones. Nesting preference was observed to certain types of substrates (χ²=17.89, p