The joint introduction of Platyarthrus schoblii (Isopoda: Oniscidea) and Lasius neglectus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) into Hungary

The invasive garden ant Lasius neglectus VAN LOON, BOOMSMA and ANDRÁSFALVY, 1990 was found and described from Budapest, Hungary. Since then, 16 colonies of the species were located in the area. More localities could probably be detected by systematic screening throughout the country. The majority of the colonies can be found in Budapest and only a few sites are known outside the capital city (in the Botanical Garden of Debrecen and in Érd and Tahi; the latter two are situated close to Budapest). It is known that several arthropod groups have representatives of a myrmecophilous character that are liv- ing in ant nests on a voluntary or obligatory basis (e.g., beetles, springtails, mites, crickets, and woodlice). No such phenomenon was published in relation to invertebrates accompanying L. neglectus before. In 2001, we detected the first commensalist isopod in a colony in Budatétény. We identified the crustacean arthropod as Platyarthrus schoblii BUDDE-LUND, 1885 which is a new species in Hungary. It was known only in the Mediterranean region before. After a systematic search by hand sorting, we were able to prove the presence of this isopod species in 60 % of the studied L. neglectus populations. The other well-established representative of the myrmecophilous genus Platyarthrus in Hungary is P. hoffmannseggii BRANDT, 1833, which was not found to co-occur with L. neglectus. Similarly, P. schoblii has not yet been found with other ant species. Nevertheless we presume cross-adoption in each case as it happened, e.g., in Spain between the native P. schoblii and the introduced and invasive ant Linepithema humile (MAYR, 1868). The repeated co-occurrence of P. schoblii and L. neglectus could underline the hypothesis concerning the anthropogenic distribution of both species by potted ornamental plants. Die invasive Gartenameise Lasius neglectus VAN LOON, BOOMSMA & ANDRÁSFALVY, 1990 wurde aus Budapest, Ungarn, beschrieben. Seither wurden hier 16 Kolonien der Art gefunden. Mehr Fundorte könnten wahrscheinlich durch systematisches Suchen in ganz Ungarn gefunden werden. Ausserhalb von Budapest sind nur wenige Vorkommen bekannt (im Botanischen Garten in Debrecen sowie in Érd und Tahi; die beiden letzteren liegen nahe Budapest). Von einer Reihe Tiergruppen sind myrmekophile Vertreter bekannt, als fakultative oder obligate Mitbewohner der Ameisen (z.B. Käfer, Springschwänze, Milben, Grillen und Asseln). Von L. neglectus kannte man aber bisher keine Mitbewohner. Im Jahr 2001 entdeckten wir erstmals Asseln als Kommensalen in einer Kolonie in Budatétény. Wir identifizierten sie als Platyarthrus schoblii BUDDE-LUND, 1885, eine aus Ungarn bisher unbekannte Art, die vorher nur aus dem mediterranen Raum bekannt gewesen war. Eine systematische Suche ergab, dass die Assel in 60% der untersuchten L. neglectus Populationen vorkommt. Die andere, aus Ungarn bekannte Art der myrmekophilen Gattung, Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii BRANDT, 1833, wurde nicht bei L. neglectus gefunden. Gleichzeitig wurde P. schoblii hier bisher nicht bei anderen Ameisenarten gefunden. Trotzdem vermuten wir, dass kreuzweise Adoption beider Assel-Arten stattfinden wird, wie sie z.B. in Spanien zwischen dem dort heimischen P. schoblii und der eingeschleppten und invasiven Ameise Linepithema humile (MAYR, 1868) vorkommt. Das wiederholt beobachtete gemeinsame Vorkommen von P. schoblii und L. neglectus könnte die Hypothese untermauern, dass die anthropogene Verbreitung der beiden Arten durch Zierpflanzen in Blumentöpfen erfolgt

Adatok Gyűrűfű hangyafaunájához (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) [Data on the ant fauna of Gyűrűfű (SW-Hungary) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)]

Eleven ant species were recorded at Gyűrűfű (Hungary) in a preliminary study, which is about the 10% of the Hungarian myrmecofauna: Camponotus vagus, Dolichoderus quadripunctatus, Formica gagates, F. pratensis, Lasius fuliginosus, L. niger, L. platythorax, Myrmecina graminicola, Myrmica rubra, M. ruginodis and Temnothorax slavonicus

Long term expansion of a supercolony of the invasive garden ant, Lasius neglectus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

This paper provides a map showing the area of the Debrecen supercolony of the invasive garden ant (Lasius neglectus VAN LOON, BOOMSMA & ANDRÁSFALVY, 1990) in 1998, 2000, and 2002. Vegetation types are marked on the map. The presence of different ant species' nest entrances was also mapped in 10 cm long sections along a transect through the L. neglectus supercolony in 1998 and 2002. The expansion of L. neglectus was not equal in the different directions and in the different years. It seems that L. neglectus spreads fastest on paths, and does not spread rapidly in shady and cool areas occupied by coniferous bushes. Records showing isolated localities of L. neglectus colonies confirm that this spe-cies is budding. The data suggest that the relative L. niger (LINNAEUS, 1758) is more impacted by the invasion of L. neglectus than Tetramorium cf. caespitum (LINNAEUS, 1758). Moreover, Liometopum microcephalum (PANZER, 1798) and Lasius fuliginosus (LATREILLE, 1798) were able to completely defend their territory against L. neglectus. From 1998 to 2002, the number of 10 cm long sections containing L. neglectus nest entrances doubled, and the number of sec-tions unoccupied by any ant species decreased by half

Neotypus melanocephalus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): the first record of a parasitoid wasp attacking Maculinea teleius (Lycaenidae)

Volume: 28Start Page: 65End Page: 6

Myrmica rubra (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): the first data on host-ant specificity of Maculinea nausithous (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Hungary

In total, 58 overwintered Maculinea nausithous (BERGSTRÄSSER, 1779) larvae were found in nests of Myrmica rubra (LINNAEUS, 1758) from three sites in West Hungary. These results confirm that M. rubra is, in general, the host ant of M. nausithous. Twenty-eight larvae of M. nausithous and eight larvae of M. teleius (BERGSTRÄSSER, 1779) were found in a single M. rubra nest, which is a huge density for predacious butterfly species

Does Laboulbenia formicarum (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniales) fungus infect the invasive garden ant, Lasius neglectus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Hungary?

Laboulbenia formicarum Thaxt. (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniales) fungus is native to N-America and has just been recorded from Europe from the invasive ant Lasius neglectus van Loon, Boomsma et Andrásfalvy, 1990 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The ant is well-known from Hungary but the fungus is not known from there. We checked the infection of L. formicarumat the Hungarian L. neglectus localities and had negative results

Host ant use of Maculinea teleius in the Carpathian-Basin (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Host ant use of Maculinea teleius was investigated in 17 Hungarian and three Transylvanian (Romania) sites by opening Myrmica ant nests. A total of 856 nests of nine Myrmica species (M. gallienii, M. rubra, M. ruginodis, M. sabuleti, M. salina, M. scabrinodis, M. schencki, M. specioides and M. vandeli) were found and nests of six species (M. gallienii, M. rubra, M. salina, M. scabrinodis, M. specioides and M. vandeli) contained 114 M. teleius specimens in total. M. rubra and M. scabrinodis were the most frequently used host ants. M. rubra appeared to be more suitable in the western while M. scabrinodis proved to be more important in the eastern sites. M. gallienii and M. salina were only locally important hosts on a few sites. M. specioides and M. vandeli were parasitized only once. Five Myrmica nests also contained larvae of other Maculinea species. These results show a less restricted host ant use of M. teleius in the central part of the Carpathian Basin than records from France. Our results correspond with the host ant use data recorded from Poland