Field observation of Dorcus parallelipipedus feeding on the remains of Lucanus cervus cervus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)

A male of Dorcus parallelipipedus (Linnaeus, 1758) feeding on the remains of a Lucanus cervus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) female, which was probably preyed by a Hooded Crow (Corvus corone cornix Linnaeus, 1758) was observed and filmed in a relict oak-hornbeam forest of the Po Plain (N Italy, Lombardy region, Mantua province). This unusual behaviour is discussed and similar activities (cannibalism and entomophagy) of lucanids are highlighted

nuovi dati sulla distribuzione in italia di alcuni ortotteri orthoptera ensifera caelifera

Orthoptera,Vengono riportati nuovi dati sulla distribuzione in Italia di 10 specie di Ortotteri (5 Tettigoniidae, 2 Gryllidae e 3 acrididae), non segnalate in precedenza per alcune regioni o poco note

Monitoring of insects with public participation (MIPP; EU LIFE project 11 NAT/IT/000252): overview on a citizen science initiative and a monitoring programme (Insecta: Coleoptera; Lepidoptera; Orthoptera)

The LIFE project “MIPP” - Monitoring of Insects with Public Participation (11 NAT/IT/000252) is focused on selected insect species (five Coleoptera, three Lepidoptera, one Orthoptera), all included in the annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive (HD) 92/43/EEC. One important aim is a citizen science initiative where every person may become a citizen scientist and collect faunistic data on the above species throughout Italy. Another objective of the project MIPP is the development of standard methods for monitoring the conserva- tion status of the five target beetle species. One innovative method employed is a sniffer-dog (“Osmodog”), trained to find the rare and endangered hermit beetle, Osmoderma eremita, which lives in veteran, hollow trees. The dog detects the strong smell of mature peach produced by adult males and an odor produced by the larvae. Another objective of the project MIPP is the dissemination of topics such as HD, Natura 2000, importance of dead-wood, Life projects, insect monitoring and conservation

On the Exploration of the Influence of Seabed Reflected Waves on Naval Structures

The interaction between naval structures and underwater shock waves generated by explosions is critical in marine engineering. Numerical analysis is pivotal in investigating the effects of reflected waves from the free surface and the seabed on submerged or floating structures. This topic still needs to be explored in the marine engineering literature despite its significance. Understanding the complex dynamics of shock wave reflections is paramount for ensuring marine installations’ structural integrity and safety, including submarines, offshore platforms, and surface vessels. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting a preliminary numerical study focused on analyzing the influence of reflected waves caused by the seabed on a simple ship-like structure, where the free-surface effects are negligible. A Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian approach based on the suite MSC Dytran was used to investigate the interaction between shock waves and the seabed, considering a structure represented by an underwater cylinder and several seabed compositions. A deeper understanding of this phenomenon is crucial for enhancing the resilience and safety of marine installations, thereby mitigating potential risks and ensuring sustainable maritime operations. The simulations presented in this work represent the starting point for the creation of datasets to be used in Machine Learning applications

Occurrences of protected species of insects in Italy

This dataset contains occurrence records of protected species of insects observed in Italy. The data were collected through a citizen science initiative involving volunteers who contributed their observations with the aim of documenting and monitoring the distribution of the target species throughout the country, for the requirements of Articles 11 and 17 of the Habitats Directive. This initiative was developed, launched and initially funded through the LIFE11 NAT/IT/000252 project, titled “Monitoring of insects with public participation” (MIPP) which ran from 2012 to 2017. After the conclusion of the MIPP project, the citizen science initiative continued under national agreements, was rebranded as "InNat" and was concluded in 2024. The target species were 30 species of protected insects. The observations were made by volunteers and each record includes the date and location of the observation, the species identified and a photograph of the insect (with a few exceptions where records lack photos). The dataset contains 5975 records. The data gathered provided a significative improvement in the knowedge of the species distribution, information on the ecology of the target species at national level and insights for conservation actions (Campanaro et al. 2017, Zapponi et al. 2017, Redolfi De Zan et al. 2023

Attraction of different types of wood for adults of Morimus asper (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

Morimus asper reproduces mainly in freshly dead wood and, as a consequence, populations are affected by modern forestry practices. The taxon M. funereus, now incorporated into the species M. asper, is protected by the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) and its monitoring has received attention in recent years. Larvae of M. asper are polyphagous, but some studies indicate that adults prefer the wood of some tree species. Freshly cut log piles, which attract adults, have been proposed as a monitoring tool. For monitoring programmes, it is essential to select the most appropriate wood and therefore the attraction of different types of wood for adults of M. asper was investigated in two sites in northern Italian, using freshly cut log piles. The first experiment was carried out in the Nature Reserve Bosco della Fontana (a lowland forest, Mantua province), testing two autochthonous species (Carpinus betulus and Fraxinus ornus) and two allochthonous species (Juglans nigra and Quercus rubra). The second study was conducted in the Parco Naturale Regionale delle Prealpi Giulie (a mountain area, Udine province), employing Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior and Picea abies (all autochthonous species). The population of this area belongs to the taxon formerly named M. funereus. In both sites, adults clearly preferred the wood of some particular species: J. nigra at Bosco della Fontana and F. sylvatica in the mountain area. This is the first study which compared the attraction of several tree species and it showed that this selection is important for the monitoring of M. asper

ABH-based metamaterial to reduce vibro-acoustic effects of underwater explosion: a preliminary study

Military vessels, submarines, and offshore structures can be subjected to injuries such as underwater explosions (UNDEX). UNDEX leads to structural vibrations, vibro-induced noise, and structural deformations and damage, mainly due to non-contact UNDEX. Thus, passive vibration and noise control techniques are paramount to safeguard machinery, instrumentations and crew. In this paper, the application of an ABH-based metamaterial is proposed to reduce induced vibrations and structure-borne noise. The effectiveness of the innovative solutions is studied through acoustic simulations performed in Actran VI, considering a simplified double bottom structure subjected to non-contact UNDEX as a case study. UNDEX shock wave load is applied to the target structure, evaluating elastic-plastic deformations and velocities of the structure in the time domain. Then, a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) evaluates structural vibrations in the frequency domain. Finally, the radiated noise is predicted at different distances by the structures using a Direct Frequency Response (DFR) analysis. The ABH-based metamaterial’s efficiency in reducing structural vibrations and radiated noise is evaluated by comparing results obtained by the double bottom structure with and without the proposed solution, highlighting its potential in passive control

Optimal geometry of ABH-based honeycomb panels for vibro-acoustic control on board cruise ships

The control of both structure-borne noise and airborne noise is of paramount importance on board cruise ships. The international regulations limit the noise levels in the ship’s surroundings and internal spaces. Moreover, the classification societies release different comfort classes based on the noise levels ensured in the cabins, and of course, the owners would like to reach the highest class. For such reasons, researching innovative solutions to improve vibro-acoustic control onboard ships is of primary interest to the maritime industry. Honeycomb panels are usually used as soundproofing ceilings on board ships; therefore, this paper aims to increase their performance by embedding Acoustic Black Holes (ABH) in their geometry. The ABHs are a technology capable of capturing and reducing the vibrations of the structure on which they are applied. Different research reported in the literature demonstrates their efficiency and proposes some applications, for example, in the automotive sector. As the ABH effect depends not only on the ABH size but also on its shape, the most efficient ABH profile inside a honeycomb panel has been determined. The obtained results highlight the validity of the adopted procedure and give guidelines for the design of ABH-based panels to improve soundproofing on board cruise ships

Attraction of different types of wood for adults of Morimus asper (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

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