O conhecimento etnoentomológico do cavalo-do-cão (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) no povoado de Pedra Branca, estado da Bahia, Brasil

Medeiros Costa Neto, Eraldo

This paper deals with the ethnoentomology of insects generically known as spider wasps (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) as perceived by the dwellers of the county of Pedra Branca, which is located in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Fieldwork was carried out from February to May 2001 by performing open-ended interviews with 16 men and 13 women, which ages ranged from 30 to 108 years old. Interviews were done based on a balanced emic-etic approach. Results show that individuals use to gather pompilids and sphecids under the label spider wasp. Interviewees have provided some aspects related to the ethnotaxonomy, behavior, reproduction, and food ecology of pompilids. The most commented and best known of the spider wasps habit refers to the performance of these insects upon hunting spiders. It is concluded that the traditional entomological knowledge of Pedra Brancas inhabitants concerning these insects is rationally coherent with the academic entomological knowledge.