Description of immature stages of cleptoparasitic bees Epeoloides coecutiens and Leiopodus trochantericus (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Osirini, Protepeolini) with remarks to their unusual biology

This study presents descriptions of first instars and mature larvae of cleptoparasitic bees Epeoloides coecutiens (host Macropis fulvipes) and Leiopodus trochantericus (host Diadasina sp.). Larvae of the genus Epeoloides are described for the first time. The larva of Epeoloides is similar to other osirine species, but also possesses several characters previously known as autapomorphies of the genus Leiopodus. The unusually short stadium of the first instar and kiling behaviour of the second instar in E. coecutiens are recorded. The first instar of L. trochantericus is quiescent for a long time and kills the late second or third instar of the host

Výsledky průzkumu měkkýšů (Mollusca: Gastropoda, Bivalvia) v okolí města Blatná v jihozápadních Čechách

Results of the faunistic survey on molluscs in the vicinity of the town of Blatná (south-western Bohemia, Czech Republic) are presented. This research was carried out in 2004–2007 at 28 sites complemented by other older unpublished records. Altogether 87 species (76 gastropods, 11 bivalves) have been recorded that the freshwater molluscs represented the most abundant ecological group in this region (about 40% of all species recorded). However, the rare species (e.g. Aplexa hypnorum, Physa fontinalis, Pisidium obtusale) have been found usually in small water bodies while the majority of common freshwater molluscs was recorded predominantly in large and mid-sized ponds. The snail Gyraulus acronicus is the rarest freshwater species found only at one locality. Important proportion of investigated malacofauna consisted of wetland and floodplain species with rare elements such as Vertigo antivertigo, V. substriata, Euconulus praticola or even V. angustior, the former being protected in the whole Europe. Occurrence of this endangered species in the studied region represents one of the most important clusters of its populations in Bohemia. Only several forest species have been recorded, the species Acanthinula aculeata and Vertigo pusilla are of particular importance. Unique are finds of the steppe species Chondrula tridens on old slacking walls in the town of Blatná

Rearing Thyridanthrax fenestratus (Diptera, Bombyliidae) on Pemphredon fabricii (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) prepupae

Thyridanthrax fenestratus (Fallén, 1814) is a bombyliid with poorly understood biology. It was recently shown to locally but frequently parasitize Pemphredon fabricii (M. Müller, 1911) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), a crabronid wasp that abundantly nests in old Lipara-induced galls on the common reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., 1840. The parasitism modes in Bombyliidae and Thyridanthrax spp. are not uniform. Here, we report that Th. fenestratus switches facultatively between killing the host almost immediately (idiobiont strategy) and killing the host at a later developmental stage (koinobiont strategy). We document the koinobiont parasitoid strategy for a series of Th. fenestratus larvae parasitizing P. fabricii. We found that a significant portion of Th. fenestratus larvae spend winter as young larvae and start feeding on fully developed and defecated prepupae of P. fabricii only after the end of cold-induced winter diapause. The time needed for the development of Th. fenestratus larvae exceeds several times the time needed for pupation of P. fabricii prepupae; the parasitized prepupae, therefore, remain paralyzed until the parasitic larva completes feeding. Fungicides, which alter the pupation of the host larva, seem to have negligible effects on Th. fenestratus larvae. The ability to switch between the two parasitism strategies has already been reported for several Anthrax spp., though the ability to block the host in the defecated prepupa stage and prevent its pupation following cold-induced diapause is herein reported for the first time

DNA Barcoding of Central European Gasteruptiidae and the rarely-collected families Evaniidae, Stephanidae, Trigonalidae, and Aulacidae (Hymenoptera, Apocrita)

The study presents DNA barcoding results of five families of Hymenoptera in Germany. DNA barcodes are provided for 24 of the 25 species of Gasteruption occurring in Central Europe, including 18 of the 19 species recorded from Germany. The genetic diversity was higher than expected, with five species exhibiting two or more Barcode Index Number (BINs), whereas BIN sharing occurred in four species. Gasteruption foveiceps Semenov, 1892, stat. nov. is removed from synonymy with G. nigrescens Schletterer, 1885 and treated as a distinct species

STATUS OF THE POTENTIALLY INVASIVE ASIAN SPECIES SCELIPHRON DEFORME IN EUROPE, AND AN UPDATE ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF S. CURVATUM (HYMENOPTERA: SPHECIDAE)

We reviewed the distribution of the two Asian species of the genus Sceliphron Klug, introduced into Europe in the late 1970s to early 1980s: S. (Hensenia) curvatum (Smith) and S. (Hensenia) deforme (Smith). Both species are routinely considered as invasive in Europe, but the status and effects of their (eventual) invasiveness are yet to be documented and evaluated. We had a focus on two areas, the Balkan Peninsula and European Russia, based principally on the study of specimens collected over the last 15 years, but we also reviewed the extensive published evidence (including some very important internet-based records), and for S. curvatum we provided a concise overview of the entire European range. We confirmed that the latter recorded species, S. deforme, has been introduced into Europe at least twice, first in the central part of European Russia, and then in the SW Balkans, and we established that these introductions originated from different source populations, belonging to a geographically widely separated Asian subspecies. Based on the most recent evidence, we confirmed successful establishment of S. deforme in both areas, and documented its ongoing spreading: from central European Russia southwards/southeastwards, and most probably from the Balkans eastwards. We rectified several erroneous country records for S. deforme (France, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, “central Europe”), which have been extensively perpetuated in several important publications about the invasive species in Europe in the last three years (n.b. – for Greece, we have positively documented its presence only now). For S. curvatum, we added a new country record (Georgia/Abkhazia), and provided a few important earlier records from the Balkans (Serbia, Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria), which shift the timing of the previously published “first appearance” dates in the area (for two years for N Serbia and C Greece), or otherwise modify the knowledge of its history of spread. Since the most recent evidence suggests the rapid eastward advancing of both introduced species towards their respective westernmost/northernmost native range limits in western to central Asia, we considered it important to briefly review the state of knowledge about their possible coexistence in that area. We also provided detailed maps of their allochtonous ranges in Europe (currently exceeding the longitudinal span of 4,000 km) and westernmost part of their native ranges in Asia. Finally, we very briefly commented on some ecological aspects of their existence within the allochtonous range (parasitism, sex ratio, phenology)

Evaluating competition for forage plants between honey bees and wild bees in Denmark

A recurrent concern in nature conservation is the potential competition for forage plants between wild bees and managed honey bees. Specifically, that the highly sophisticated system of recruitment and large perennial colonies of honey bees quickly exhaust forage resources leading to the local extirpation of wild bees. However, different species of bees show different preferences for forage plants. We here summarize known forage plants for honey bees and wild bee species at national scale in Denmark. Our focus is on floral resources shared by honey bees and wild bees, with an emphasis on both threatened wild bee species and foraging specialist species. Across all 292 known bee species from Denmark, a total of 410 plant genera were recorded as forage plants. These included 294 plant genera visited by honey bees and 292 plant genera visited by different species of wild bees. Honey bees and wild bees share 176 plant genera in Denmark. Comparing the pairwise niche overlap for individual bee species, no significant relationship was found between their overlap and forage specialization or conservation status. Network analysis of the bee-plant interactions placed honey bees aside from most other bee species, specifically the module containing the honey bee had fewer links to any other modules, while the remaining modules were more highly inter-connected. Despite the lack of predictive relationship from the pairwise niche overlap, data for individual species could be summarized. Consequently, we have identified a set of operational parameters that, based on a high foraging overlap (>70%) and unfavorable conservation status (Vulnerable+Endangered+Critically Endangered), can guide both conservation actions and land management decisions in proximity to known or suspected populations of these species

European cuckoo bees of the tribe Dioxyini (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae): distribution, annotated checklist and identification key

Altogether, ten species of cuckoo bees of the tribe Dioxyini have been recorded from Europe, with two species distributed widely in the continent while others are restricted in distribution to only one or several countries in southern Europe. These ten representatives are classified into five genera: Aglaoapis, Dioxys, Ensliniana, Metadioxys and Paradioxys. Dioxys atlanticus is reclassified from a subspecies to a valid species, and new occurrence records of this species are reported. New synonymy is established for Dioxys cinctus = D. montana syn. nov. The distribution, morphology, ecology and hosts of all species were reviewed from both published and unpublished sources. New red-list categories for each species were created according to the new records of occurrence. An identification key including all ten species and photographs of their whole bodies and main identification characteristics was prepared, and distribution maps for all species were created

Aggressive mimikry among nest cleptoparasites and social parasites (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních vědDepartment of Philosophy and History of SciencePřírodovědecká fakultaFaculty of Scienc

Aggressive mimikry among nest cleptoparasites and social parasites (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

Katedra filosofie a dějin přírodních vědDepartment of Philosophy and History of SciencePřírodovědecká fakultaFaculty of Scienc

Nest structure, pollen utilization and parasites associated with two west-Mediterranean bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae) nesting in empty snail shells

Around thirty species of European solitary bee species in the family Megachilidae nest in empty gastropod shells. We surveyed this group of bees in semi-natural sites adjacent to almond orchards near Lleida (north-eastern Spain) and collected 35 Hoplitis fertoni and 58 Osmia ferruginea nests in shells of six snail species. We describe the nest structure and report the identity of pollens collected by the two bee species. Both species adjust the number of brood cells to the size of the shell and occasionally build intercalary (empty) cells. H. fertoni uses clay and O. ferruginea chewed plant leaves for building cell partitions and nest plugs. Most nests of both species were built in Sphincterochila candidissima shells. Analysis of the pollen of selected nests confirmed that H. fertoni is oligolectic on Boraginaceae (in our study all pollen was from Lithodora fruticosa) and O. ferruginea is a polylectic species (collecting mostly pollen from Cistaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae in our study area). Nests of H. fertoni were parasitized by five species, the golden wasp Chrysura hybrida, the cuckoo bee Dioxys moesta, the velvet ants Stenomutilla collaris and Stenomutilla hotentotta, and the bee-fly Anthrax aethiops; nests of O. ferruginea were parasitized by the sapygid wasp Sapyga quinquepunctata and A. aethiops. Except for C. hybrida these are newly recorded host-parasite associations. Our results confirm previous information and bring new findings on the ecology of both species