O processo de urbanização vem sendo tratado como uma das maiores ameaças à biodiversidade e, dentre os organismos encontrados em áreas urbanas, as formigas representam um grupo importante, porém ainda pouco estudado comparado a outros insetos. Conhecer a riqueza e a composição da mirmecofauna que habita áreas urbanas e os fatores que estão exercendo pressão sobre essas comunidades são imperativos para a elaboração de planos de manejo e conservação. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a diversidade de formigas de dez cidades localizadas na região austral do Bioma Mata Atlântica. As assembleias foram avaliadas e comparadas por meio da análise de rarefação e estimativas de riqueza. Foram registradas 8.790 ocorrências de formigas, tendo sido identificadas 140 espécies, representantes de 37 gêneros, 19 tribos e nove subfamílias o que corresponde a 38,2% da mirmecofauna conhecida para o estado de Santa Catarina. As assembleias de formigas não diferiram marcadamente quanto à riqueza, entretanto, nove cidades apresentaram espécies exclusivas mostrando variação na composição das espécies. A existência e a conservação de ambientes como fragmentos florestais e áreas verdes no perímetro urbano podem explicar a riqueza e abundância dessas assembleias de formigas.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of the dengue epidemic in Pinhalzinho, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and to investigate the effects of climate variables on Aedes aegypti mosquito infestation. Methods: This was an ecological study using data on dengue cases, hospitalizations and deaths in 2015 and 2016; in addition to climate variables and Aedes aegypti breeding grounds from 2015 to 2018. Results: In the 2015-2016 epidemic, the dengue incidence rate was 12,695.2/100,000 inhabitants. Higher incidence was registered in the female sex (13,926.4/100,000 inhabitants) and in the 50 years and over age group (17,162.0/100,000 inhabitants). Average temperature and relative humidity showed a positive relationship with increase in Aedes aegypti breeding grounds. Conclusion: Dengue incidence during the epidemic was the highest ever recorded in the country. Climate conditions must be considered when planning vector control and dengue prevention actions.

Interest in biological pest control using ants in agroforestry and agricultural systems has increased in recent decades due to the diversity and abundance of these insects in different ecosystems. Biological pest control has emerged as an alternative to reduce the impact of production on agroecosystems, and ants play a crucial role in this context. Therefore, this study aimed, based on an extensive and rigorous literature review, to describe the potential of ants as biological control agents, as well as the pests that have been targeted by this control. The search was carried out between July and November 2023, using databases such as Lilacs, Scielo, and Google Scholar. The selected descriptors were “Predatory ants”, “Natural enemy ants”, and “Chemical defense ants”, used in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. These terms were used in isolation and with the Boolean operator “AND”. A total of 47 articles published between 1976 and 2023 were reviewed. The results showed that 34 genera and 70 species of ants have potential for use in biological control. Among the most notable genera are Camponotus, Crematogaster, Oecophylla, Pheidole, Solenopsis, and Wasmannia. Their role as biological control agents can be complementary, contributing to the maintenance and balance of agroecosystems through pest predation, which can reach 100% efficiency. The predatory potential of ants has been verified, with an emphasis on biological control against invertebrate pests of cultivated plants. Among the pests potentially controlled by ants are mites, coleopterans, fruit flies, bedbugs, lepidopterans, thrips, mollusks, and other ants. The scientific literature already contains robust evidence proving the potential of ants as biological control agents, especially for invertebrate pests.

The knowledge of ant assemblages that occurs in Conservation Units in the Atlantic Forest domain is a priority, considering the number of endemic species and the impacts that this biome has been suffering. The aim of this study was to evaluate ant assemblages in the Turvo State Park, which is the largest conservation unit in the State of Rio Grande do Sul and presents an important role on biodiversity protection. Two samplings were conducted in 2019, one in the summer (January) and the other in the spring (November and December), at five sites 2 km apart, with pitfall traps (soil and canopy), sardine baits, glucose, beating net, sweeping net and manual collection. We sampled 121 species in the summer and 120 in the spring, totaling 163 ant species. A total of 78 species (47.8%) occurred in both sampling seasons. The richest genera in the study were Camponotus (S = 30), Pheidole (S = 23) and Linepithema (S = 11). Seventeen species were recorded for the first time for Rio Grande do Sul state. The results indicate that this is one of the most species-rich assemblages of ants ever surveyed in a conservation unit in southern Brazil. The study highlights the importance of Conservation Units as protected environments against habitat loss for ant biodiversity. The results of this study contribute to myrmecofauna knowledge and serve as a basis for environmental impact studies, management plans and conservation of Atlantic Forest remnants.

RESUMO O objetivo foi investigar a dor lombar, flexibilidade muscular e relação com o Nível de Atividade Física (NAF) de trabalhadores rurais. Pesquisa transversal com 184 trabalhadores rurais, 44,24 (±10,83) anos. Avaliou-se o NAF pelo Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física (Ipaq); dor e disfunção lombar pela Escala Visual Analógica da dor (EVA) e Índice de Incapacidade Oswestry (IIO); avaliação da Flexibilidade Toracolombar (FBW) e de isquiotibiais (Ângulo Poplíteo - AP - e Teste de Elevação da Perna Retificada - TEPR). Os dados foram analisados pelos testes Kruskal Wallis, seguido pelo U de Mann-Whitney e correlação de Spearman. Houve correlação negativa entre a EVA com a FBW, AP e TEPR. A variação da dor pela EVA foi alta, e indivíduos sedentários possuem menor flexibilidade de isquiotibiais.

The Aedes aegypti is the main vector of the transmission of diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, Chikungunya, and Zika. The agents used for the control of mosquito involve the use of synthetic compounds, which may cause toxicity and contamination environmental. Aiming to test the effectiveness of natural products, the aim of this study was to evaluate the larvicidal and repellent activity of extracts of Ateleia glazioveana Baill. (timbó) and essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (manjericão), against A. aegypti. The activities of hydroalcoholic (HEA) and dichloromethane (DEA) extracts from A. glazioveana against A. aegypti larvae were assessed after exposure for 24, 48, and 72 h, using water and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis as negative and positive controls, respectively. For repellent evaluation, we investigated the sting attempts of A. aegypti in response to the application of HEA- and DEA-based body creams (5%), as well as an alcoholic spray based on the essential oil from O. basilicum. The repellency of these preparations was compared with negative (vehicle) and positive (DEET) controls. Although HEA showed no apparent larvicidal activity, DEA at concentrations of 150 to 500 mg/ml showed high larvicidal potential after 24 h, compared to the negative control group (p < 0.001). Moreover, the DEA-based cream and the alcoholic spray of O. basilicum based essential oil showed higher repellency compared with the vehicle (84.5% and 70.5%, respectively). Accordingly, it is possible to infer that extracts and preparations of A. glazioveana and O. basilicum exhibit larvicidal and repellent activity against A. aegypti.