Nesting interactions of the social wasp Dolichovespula saxonica [F.] (Hymenoptera: Vespinae) in wooden nest boxes for birds in the forest reserve „Las Piwnicki” in the Chełmno Land (Northern Poland)

The aim of this research was to investigate the process of colonization in wooden nest boxes for birds by the wasp Dolichovespula saxonica [F.] in the forest reserve “Las Piwnicki” during 1986-1987. About 69% of 150 nest boxes were colonized (36% by D. saxonica) in 1986 and 35% (10% by D. saxonica) in 1987. Parasite Shecophaga vesparum Court was observed inside small cell nests (SC) and large cell nests (LC) in the ratio of 5(SC) : 3(LC). During the two seasons, the decrease in the number of parasited nests followed with the ratio of 10(1986) : 1(1987). Competition of the „wasp - wasp” type (VV) compared to other competition types, such as „wasp - bird” (VA) and different types with wasps (DT), was the most frequent one among the interactions and followed with the ratio 1(VV) : 7(VA) : 5(DT). The number and proportions of construction types of nests during the studied growing seasons seem to prove the regular and irregular development of the Dolichovespula saxonica colony

PHENOLOGY OF SOCIAL WASPS (HYMENOPTERA: VESPINAE) IN THE KUJAWY REGION (NORTHERN POLAND) UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC CHANGES 1981–2000

Duration of flight periods were determined for most numerous species of social wasps for two decades 1981–1990 and 1991–2000. The tendency to shorten the duration of wasps’ flight periods by 12–18% was observed during 1990s. An attempt was undertaken to associate this phenomenon with observed climatic changes that shape nutritional resources of Vespinae.

Structural dynamic of social wasp communities (Hymenoptera: Vespinae) in forest areas destroyed by acid rains in the Karkonosze Mountains

The structure of the social wasp communities was studied in the forest areas of the Karkonosze Mts. transformed by acid rains in 1989 and 1994. A significant increase of species diversity (H') was observed in the season of the even year, which resulted from the increased competing interactions between queen mothers. Whereas the distribution of the species' number decreased together with the altitude proportionally to natural distribution of the species' number recorded in the Tatra Mts. On the other hand, the only significantly increased value in the dynamics of Vespinae density in vegetation zones of the Karkonosze Mts. was recorded for the lower subalpine forest. While observing the progressing successive restoration of forests, one can assume that the recorded structural changes in communities of social wasps represent their transitional state

Dynamics of bee communities (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes) in heath and grassland patches during secondary succession of the Peucedano-Pinetum series in the Toruń Basin

Structural dynamics of bee communities was described in the heath area subject to succession of coniferous forest Peucedano-Pinetum. As pine trees successively overgrew the area, two-threefold decrease in the number of species was observed. Flowering of heather increased the food attractiveness of the heath for species of social bees. Stabilization of the structure of bee communities in the heath was observed as a consequence of placing a portable apiary

Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) as indicators of xerisation processes in the lower Vistula Valley. Acta zoologica cracoviensia

Abstract. In the lower Vistula Valley, between the towns of W³oc³awek and Che³mno, 244 species were found, which makes ca. 56% of the total number of species found in Poland and 87% of that found in the Kujawy-Pomerania region. Locally, 86 to 144 bee species were reported. An important factor affecting the species diversity of bee communities in the environments of the lower Vistula Valley was the habitat differentiation of their nutrient vegetation, which was affected by the xerisation gradient (increasing from the river towards the valley edge). In nearly all the plots with south-exposed slopes, the numbers of species associated with the marginal zone (1), the slope zone (2) and the valley floor zone (3) were in the proportion 1 : 2 : 1. Studying the occurrence of the particular species in those valley zones, it was found that all of them nested or were associated with nesting sites in the slope zone, and from there they spread to the valley floor environments (51% of slope species) and to the nearby environments on a plateau (43%). On the opposite slopes exposed to the north, and therefore cooler, the bees nested in the vast sandy fields of the valley floor

Ancient copper mines as geotourist and archeological objects in the southern Ural Mts.

The main aim of this paper is to present to the Readers the southern part of the Ural Mts. including geography, geology and abundatn mineral deposits. Moreover, the authors describe poorly known, ancient copper mining and processing centers in the vicinity of Kargaly, where intensive archaeological excavations are recently carried on. In old, watered copper mines the animal bones mineralized with copper compounds were encountered. Samples were examinated in the laboratories of the AGH-Univesity of Science and Technology in Kraków. It was found that bones have been mineralized with copper solutions for thousands of years. Bones belong to fragile materials. A long-lasting mineralization resulted in a noticeable changes in physico-mechanical parametres The Southern Ural Mts., including the area of Kargaly can be an interesting region for geotourists and for any other persons who would like to gain knowledge on geology, mining engineering and/or archeology

Geoturist attractions of the Eastern Desert in Egypt

The main aim of this paper is presentation of interesting sites and geological formations of the Eastern Desert in Egypt. The authors mention also samples of petrified wood, which were collected from an area of the Eastern Desert, about 30 km away from Cairo. Samples of wood were subjected to a series of mineralogical studies under the microscope. It appeared that fragments of wood were mineralized with secondary silica as well as iron and manganese compounds. The area of the Eastern Desert, like the whole Sahara Desert, is interesting for geologists and tourists

Rising temperatures advance the main flight period of Bombus bumblebees in agricultural landscapes of the Central European Plain

Funder: Poznan University of Life SciencesAbstractThis study examined shifts over a 35-year period in the phenology of the four most important bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum and B. hortorum) in Central Europe. The species showed similar temporal trends, significantly advancing components of their main flight period in association with rising temperatures such that, for example, mid-dates of the main flight period advanced by 10–23 days over the study period. Drivers of this change differed between the four species. Trends in, and drivers of, the timing of first queens, first workers and first males were less consistent. Aspects of the phenology of the least common species, B. hortorum, were up to a month earlier than the other species and climatic effects less clear cut. There were some suggestions of differences between species trends. These results stress the importance of considering changes and drivers of change for the Bombus family on a species-specific basis with the need to pay more attention to the life history traits of the study organisms.</jats:p

Rising temperatures advance the main flight period of Bombus bumblebees in agricultural landscapes of the Central European Plain

Funder: Poznan University of Life SciencesAbstractThis study examined shifts over a 35-year period in the phenology of the four most important bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum and B. hortorum) in Central Europe. The species showed similar temporal trends, significantly advancing components of their main flight period in association with rising temperatures such that, for example, mid-dates of the main flight period advanced by 10–23 days over the study period. Drivers of this change differed between the four species. Trends in, and drivers of, the timing of first queens, first workers and first males were less consistent. Aspects of the phenology of the least common species, B. hortorum, were up to a month earlier than the other species and climatic effects less clear cut. There were some suggestions of differences between species trends. These results stress the importance of considering changes and drivers of change for the Bombus family on a species-specific basis with the need to pay more attention to the life history traits of the study organisms.</jats:p