Syrphidae is one of the most diverse families of flies, with 415 species reported from Poland (Żóralski, 2015; Żóralski and Kowalczyk, 2015). The diversity of this group is distinguished not only by the number of species, but also by the variety of trophic groups or ecological niches occupied, especially by larval forms. Predatory forms, actively feeding most often on aphids, phytophages that dig or mine plants, aquatic and terrestrial saprophages feeding on microorganisms or decaying wood and less common mycophages feeding on mushrooms are all included. Syrphidae are very active insects, whose adult forms obtain the energy needed to remain active from nectar and honeydew, while pollen enables the females to produce their eggs (Wnuk, 1978; Wojciechowicz-Żytko and Jankowska, 2017; Wojciechowicz-Żytko, 2019). These features make them, apart from bees, some of the most important pollinating insects. The numerous occurrences of Syrphidae in almost every terrestrial environment make them a good object for research and assessment of biodiversity. Areas strongly influenced by human pressure due to activities, including industrial areas, are places where the occurrence of hoverflies has been poorly known so far, compared to, for example, protected areas. Contaminated areas are characterised by the disappearance of natural systems due to, for example, changes in the landscape, movements of earth masses, impoverishment of the surface water network, environmental pollution, changes in land use, etc. This leads to the creation of new types of habitats that may become a site of the occurrence of a large number of species of plants, animals and other living organisms, and even a refugium of rare taxa, which in more natural habitats are not as successful (Godzik, 2015).
In the Olkusz Ore-bearing Region (OOR), exploitation and processing of zinc-lead ores have been carried out for many centuries. This activity has caused far-reaching changes to the landscape, soil, water and land use. New, often heavily polluted, habitats have arisen and are still being created there.
One of the examples of this type of habitat are calamine grasslands, which consist of species that tolerate or are associated with high levels of heavy metals in the soil (Kapusta et al., 2010; Kowolik et al., 2010) and other transformed, unused areas. The emergence of this type of habitat has resulted in the enrichment of the species composition of the flora in the vicinity of Olkusz. Evaluation of the vegetation has shown that the area is inhabited by plant taxa that are rare in Poland and Europe, and the vegetation in this area should be considered as diverse (Nowak et al., 2011). In the research area, there are plant species under protection and rare in the country, for example,
The aim of the research was to study the diversity of hoverflies (Syrphidae: Diptera) living in contaminated areas under the influence of heavy metal emissions (Cd, Zn and Pb).
Additionally, the study determined the extent to which the species composition of the hoverflies caught in the OOR was similar to the species composition of the hoverflies recorded in the Ojcowski National Park (ONP) – a region not contaminated with heavy metals.
Habitats located in the area of the current and historical exploitation of zinc-lead (Zn-Pb) ores in the vicinity of Zakłady Górniczo-Hutnicze ‘Bolesław’ (southern Poland) were selected as the research area. This region is part of the so-called Olkusz OOR located within the macroregion of the Silesian Upland (Kondracki, 2011). It is characterised by the presence of high concentrations of trace elements in the soil, due to their presence in the bedrock, and contamination of the area with anthropogenic sources (mining and processing of Zn-Pb ores). Both natural and anthropogenic sources of metals make the Zn, Cd and Pb content in the soils of the region at the level of 150–10,500 mg · kg−1, 0.8–100 mg · kg−1 and 140–2,600 mg · kg−1, respectively, which many times exceed the standards allowed for Polish soils (Stone et al., 2002). The average annual temperature in this area is 8 °C (Szczypek, 1997). Annual rainfall (for the Olkusz region) is around 700–800 mm, with a peak in the period from June to September (Dziechciarz, 2002).
The OOR area is characterised by a very poor hydrological network. The main drainage watercourses are Biała Przemsza and Sztoła (Godzik, 2015), and the mining activities cause additional limitation of surface waters. Metalliferous soils are accompanied by specific plant complexes, forming the so-called calamine grasslands (Kapusta et al., 2010). They include plant species adapted to growth and development in an environment enriched with heavy metals (including Cd, Zn and Pb), for example,
The research was conducted in the following localities: Bukowno, Hutki, Klucze, Pazurek, Rasztyn, Ryczów, Rodaki and Ujków Stary (US) (Figure 1).
Syrphidae were collected in the years 2015–2021. In the first year of research, quantitative samples of syrphids were collected. In the following years, the material was collected qualitatively. The insects were caught in the period from early spring to late summer using an entomological net in the morning hours. Most of the insects were caught during active flight, while feeding on nectar or pollen, or in food traps – a sugar solution spread over the leaf surface. Captured insects were killed, pinned and identified to species by using the entomological keys: Stubbs and Falk (2002), Bartsch (2009a, 2009b), Van Veen (2004), Speight (2020).
Other collections available to the authors were also analysed for specimens from the area under study (collections of the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and the collection of Bogusław Soszyński [BS]. Only two specimens of species were not confirmed in the current research and were from these two collections
To determine the trophic structure of the caught adults and to facilitate its comparison with the results of research conducted by Klasa and Soszyński (2011) in the ONP, the following division was adopted, taking into account the diet of the larvae: predators and parasites, aquatic saprophages (SW), terrestrial saprophages, nest saprophages, phytophages, mycophages, coprophages. The significance difference among trophic groups was checked using G-test (Sokal and Rohlf, 1981).
During the years 2015–2021 a total of 1,180 syrphids belonging to 165 species were caught, which constitutes 39.76% of the Syrphidae species of Poland (Table 1).
Hoverfly species recorded from the study area.
No. | Species | EZ | GT | DET. | Site | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | H | B | Kl | Ry | Ro | Ra | P | Ʃ | OPN | |||||
1 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
2 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
3 | E-K | S | RJ | + | 1 | |||||||||
4 | W-Pal | S | ŁM | + | 4 | |||||||||
5 | E | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
6 | Pal | S | AM, ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
7 | Hol | S | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
8 | Hol | S | AM | + | 3 | |||||||||
9 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
10 | W-Pal | F | ŁM | + | + | 23 | ||||||||
11 | Hol | F | ŁM | + | + | 5 | + | |||||||
12 | E | F | ŁM | + | 4 | + | ||||||||
13 | W-Pal | F | ŁM | + | + | 3 | + | |||||||
14 | E | F | ŁM | + | + | 7 | + | |||||||
15 | Pal | F | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 7 | + | ||||||
16 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
17 | E | F | ŁM | + | 5 | + | ||||||||
18 | W-Pal | F | AM, ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
19 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | + | 3 | + | |||||||
20 | E | F | AM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
21 | Pal | F | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 8 | + | ||||||
22 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
23 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
24 | Pal | M | ŁM | + | 17 | |||||||||
25 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
26 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 6 | + | ||||||||
27 | Hol | F | AM, ŁM | + | + | 6 | + | |||||||
28 | Pal | F | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
29 | Pal | M | AM, ŁM | + | + | 3 | + | |||||||
30 | Pal | M | ŁM | + | + | 3 | ||||||||
31 | E | F | ŁM | 1 | + | |||||||||
32 | W-Pal | F | ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
33 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
34 | Pal | F | ŁM | + | 7 | + | ||||||||
35 | W-Pal | F | AM, ŁM | + | + | 7 | + | |||||||
36 | Pal | Z | AM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
37 | W-Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 14 | + | |||||||
38 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 13 | + | ||||||
39 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 17 | + | ||||||
40 | W-Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
41 | E | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
42 | W-Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
43 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
44 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 9 | + | ||||||||
45 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 7 | + | |||||||
46 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 9 | ||||||||
47 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
48 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 13 | + | |||||||
49 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 4 | + | |||||||
50 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 8 | + | ||||||
51 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | |||||||||
52 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
53 | W-Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 5 | + | ||||||
54 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 3 | ||||||||
55 | W-Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
56 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 5 | + | |||||||
57 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 1 | |||||||||
58 | W-Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 4 | + | |||||||
59 | Pal+Orient | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 20 | + | |||||||
60 | C | SW | AM, ŁM | + | 58 | + | ||||||||
61 | Pal+Orient | SW | AM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
62 | Hol | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 71 | + | |||||||
63 | Hol | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 15 | + | |||||||
64 | E-K | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 19 | + | |||||||
65 | Pal | SW | AM | + | 2 | |||||||||
66 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
67 | Pal | SW | AM | + | 6 | |||||||||
68 | C | SW | AM | + | + | 113 | + | |||||||
69 | E-K | F | ŁM | + | 15 | |||||||||
70 | E-K | Z | AM | + | 1 | |||||||||
71 | Pal+Afr | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 5 | + | ||||||||
72 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
73 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 8 | |||||||||
74 | E-K | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
75 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | + | + | 5 | + | ||||||
76 | Hol | S | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
77 | Hol | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
78 | Pal | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 9 | + | |||||||
79 | Pal | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 6 | + | |||||||
80 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 6 | + | ||||||
81 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
82 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
83 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
84 | E | Z | H-BS | + | 2 | |||||||||
85 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | + | 10 | + | |||||||
86 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 4 | + | ||||||||
87 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | 9 | + | |||||||
88 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
89 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
90 | E | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
91 | W-Pal | SW | AM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
92 | E | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 2 | ||||||||
93 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 18 | + | ||||||||
94 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
95 | C | F | ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
96 | E-K | F | ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
97 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
98 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | 10 | ||||||||
99 | Pal | S | AM | + | + | 5 | + | |||||||
100 | W-Pal | SW | ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
101 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
102 | W-Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
103 | E | Z | AM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
104 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
105 | W-Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
106 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | + | 7 | ||||||||
107 | Pal | SW | ŁM | 1 | + | |||||||||
108 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 1 | |||||||||
109 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | 4 | ||||||||
110 | Hol+Afr | Z | ŁM | + | + | + | 9 | + | ||||||
111 | W-Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | + | 3 | |||||||
112 | Pal | Z | AM | + | + | + | 16 | + | ||||||
113 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 3 | + | |||||||
114 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
115 | W-Pal | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 5 | ||||||||
116 | Pal | SW | AM, ŁM | + | + | 3 | + | |||||||
117 | W-Pal | M | AM, ŁM | + | + | 10 | ||||||||
118 | W-Pal | M | AM, ŁM | + | + | 4 | ||||||||
119 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
120 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 3 | |||||||||
121 | E-K | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
122 | W-Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
123 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
124 | E | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 10 | |||||||||
125 | W-Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 29 | + | ||||||
126 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
127 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | + | 17 | + | |||||
128 | Pal | Z | AM | + | 1 | |||||||||
129 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
130 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
131 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
132 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 8 | + | ||||||
133 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
134 | Hol | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
135 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
136 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 11 | ||||||||
137 | W-Pal | S | AM, ŁM | + | 2 | |||||||||
138 | W-Pal | K | AM, ŁM | + | 3 | + | ||||||||
139 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
140 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | 9 | + | |||||||
141 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
142 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | + | 8 | + | ||||||
143 | Pal+Afr | Z | AM | + | 1 | |||||||||
144 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | + | 25 | + | |||||
145 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | + | + | + | 6 | + | |||||
146 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
147 | W-Pal | S | ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
148 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
149 | C | K | AM, ŁM | + | + | 122 | + | |||||||
150 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 8 | + | ||||||||
151 | Hol | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | + | 30 | + | |||||
152 | Hol | Z | AM | + | 9 | + | ||||||||
153 | E-K | S | ŁM | + | 2 | + | ||||||||
154 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | + | 2 | + | |||||||
155 | Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
156 | Pal | SW | ŁM | + | 3 | |||||||||
157 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 4 | + | ||||||||
158 | Pal | SG | AM, ŁM | + | 4 | + | ||||||||
159 | Pal | SG | ŁM | 1 | ||||||||||
160 | Pal | Z | AM, ŁM | + | 5 | + | ||||||||
161 | W-Pal | Z | ŁM | + | 1 | + | ||||||||
162 | E | Z | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 17 | + | ||||||
163 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | |||||||||
164 | Hol | S | AM, ŁM | + | + | + | 17 | + | ||||||
165 | Pal | S | ŁM | + | 1 | + |
Specimen caught in Olkusz.
Ʃ, number of specimens collected; AM, Anna Mielczarek; Afr, Afrotropical; BS, Bogusław Soszyński; B, Bukowno; C, cosmopolitan; DET., detected; E, European; E-K, Euro-Caucasian; EZ, zoogeographical element; F, phytophagous; GT, tropic group; H, Hutki; H, historical statement; Hol, Holarctic; ŁM, Łukasz Mielczarek; K, coprophage; Kl, Klucze; M, mycophagus; ONP, Ojcowski National Park; Orient, Oriental; P, Pazurek; Pal, Palearctic; Ra, Rabsztyn; RJ, R. Januszek; Ro, Rodaki; Ry, Ryczów; S, terrestrial saprophage; SW, aquatic saprophage; SG, nest-dwelling saprophage; US, Ujków Stary; W-Pal, West-Palearctic; Z, zoophagus.
These species represented all the trophic groups described in the family, dominated by the prescence of zoophagous species (48.48% of all the species). The remaining trophic groups accounted for: 16.37% – species belonging to SW, 15.76% – phytophagous species, 13.94% – terrestrial saprophages, 3.03% – mycophagic species and 1.21% each of coprophagic species and saprophages living in nests.
The percentages for thropic groups in ONP were as follows: zoophagous species (46.59% of all the species). The remaining trophic groups accounted for: 13.07% – species belonging to SWs, 18.75% – phytophagous species, 18.18% – terrestrial saprophages, 0.57% – mycophagic species, 1.70% – coprophagic species and 1.14% – saprophages living in nests.
There were no significant differences between the trophic groups in OOR and ONP on using G-test: G 0.122, P: 0.2731, G 0.7409, P: 0.6106; G 0.5334, P: 0.5348; G 1.1372 P: 0.7138; G 3.2201, P: 0.9273; G 0.143, P: 0.2947; G 0.0036, P 0.0478, respectively.
Although the zoophagous species dominated in the list of species, the most numerous specimens were saprophages quantitatively (e.g.
Dominant among the collected flies were the Palearctic species (50%), while the Holarctic (16.46%) and Western Palearctic (15.85%) species also had a large share. The smallest share belongs to the species with a partial Oriental and Afrotropical range, and cosmopolitan species (0.61–2.44%).
Particularly noteworthy are the Syrphidae species that are rarely observed in Poland or occurring only locally in large numbers.
Material: 01.05.2020, Bukowno (Diabla Góra), 1M (male), on hawthorn flowers.
Occupies habitats located in forests with pine or spruce. Larvae develop in hollows in pine trees (Vujić et al., 2020).
Material: ‘IX’ 1968 (Pustynia Błędowska), 1M, leg. R. Januszek, det. Bańkowska R. (coll, MiIZ PAN). Record is based on a museum collection. According to label data, the specimen was probably collected in the Błędów Desert in 1968. The label was handwritten and there is confusion if ‘IX’ refers to September which is very unlikely for
Material: 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary (road by the park), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek A.
This is a rare species that prefers deciduous forests with old trees. Larvae are still unknown, but most probably they develop in hollows of deciduous trees. Flight period is from late April to August (Speight, 2011). Threat category – NT on the Red List of Endangered Animals in Poland.
Material: 18.05.2015, Klucze (Czubatka), 3M, leg. A. Mielczarek.
Although this species prefers pine and spruce stands, which in Poland occupy huge areas, adults are rarely caught. It can be abundant locally under appropriate conditions. Imagines can be found on pine wood yards and on flowers of
Material: 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 01.05.2020, Pustynia Błędowska (Chechło), 4F (females), leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 06.06.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 06.06.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 9M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 2M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 4F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
This species occupies thermophilic deciduous forests and dry grasslands; found in March–June and August–September. They are undescribed larvae, but most likely associated with
Material: 02.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 3F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 28.05.2020, Olkusz (Krucza Góra), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It occurs locally in moist deciduous forests and at edges of meadows, clearings and undeveloped pastures and other open areas. Phytophagous larvae; imagines feed on pollen, nectar, honeydew. Flight period is from May to June. Larvae not described, but most likely associated with the roots of
Material: 05.08.2017, Ryczów (limestone inselbergs), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 06.2020, Klucze (limestone inselbergs), 3M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 08.2020, Klucze (limestone inselbergs), 3F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
A species found in calcareous grasslands, gardens with
Data published in Żóralski and Mielczarek (2021).
The species occurs in mountainous areas in moist, shady deciduous forests with
Material: 31.05.2015, Klucze (Pustynia Błędowska), 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.
Found in moist deciduous forests with a host plant of the
Material: 05.08.2017, Ryczów, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It occurs in deciduous mesophilic forests and within mountain grasslands. Flight period runs from May to August. Imagines visit flowers from the Apiaceae, Asteraceae families. Biology of the larvae remains unknown (Vujić et al., 2020).
Material: 02.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 11F, 5M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It is found in deciduous and coniferous forests. Flight period is in August, when imagines can be found on flowers of Apiaceae, Asteraceae,
Material: 30.03.2019, Kuźnica Błędowska, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
The larvae were described on the basis of the material collected on spruce, in resinous leakages caused by
Material: 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Bolesław (staw na “Pasterniku”), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Bolesław (staw na “Pasterniku”), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
Adult forms can be found in grasslands or in open deciduous forests from April to June. Imagines visit flowers from Apiaceae,
Material: 31.05.2015, Pustynia Błędowska, 1M, leg. Mielczarek A.; 26.07.2015, Klucze (Czubatka), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It is a forest species. Flight is from May to October. Imagines visit plants from Apiaceae,
Observation: 05.2015, Olkusz, 1F, obs. Mielczarek Ł. on
Data presented in Żóralski and Mielczarek (2021).
The species occurs in dry deciduous forests, cliffs, strongly sunlight. It is associated with the sites of
Material: 21.07.2018, Rabsztyn (castle hill), 2M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.07.2017, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
This species prefers deciduous forests. Imagines found from April to October when they visit flowers from Apiaceae, Asteraceae,
Material: 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 06.06.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It cccurrs in wetlands/forests and rivers and streams in deciduous woodland, including carr; also in unimproved, montane grassland. Aduls visit white umbellifers:
Material: 23.06.2014, Ujków Stary, 1ex., leg. Mielczarek A.; 06.06.2021, Ujków Stary (ecological site), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 06.06.2021, Bukowno (Diabla Góra), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It Preferred deciduous forest. Found on meadows, roadsides, forest edges. Flower visited:
Material: 02.05.2014, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.
Species occur in the conifer and deciduous forest. They visit flowers of
Material: 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 10M, 4F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It occupies open, thermophilic forests and dry, open, calcareous grasslands rich in vegetation. Flight period is from May to July and it is a rare species. Larvae, probably phytophagous, develop in bulbs or rhizomes of host plants. Imagines visit flowers (Vujić et al., 2020).
Material: 26.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek A.
Found in deciduous riverside forests with the participation of poplars, willows and birches. Flight period runs in April/May and July/August. Imagines visit flowers from the Asteraceae,
Material: 18.05.2015, Klucze (Czubatka), 2F, leg. Mielczarek A.
It is found in coniferous forests with
Material: 02.05.1994, Pustynia Błędowska, 1F, leg. Soszyński B. det. Soszyński B. det. Mielczarek Ł.
This is new for Poland, but known in Great Britain (Scottish highlands), Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, and Italy (Speight, 2011). Despite probably being associated with Scots Pine forest, it is a rarely collected species. Stubbs and Falk (2002) stated that species occur in native woods of Scots Pine but also in a fen far away from stands with pines. In Sweden occur in alpine heaths close to
Material: 10.04.2021, Pazurek, 2M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.04.2021, Pazurek, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 11.04.2021, Kuźnica Błędowska, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 01.03.2020, Pazurek, 3M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 01.03.2020, Pazurek, 2F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It is a common species, inhabiting forest clearings, forest edges, parks and thickets. It occurs in March and April. Larvae are aphidophagous; adults feed on pollen and nectar. The species behaves like an invasive and recently recorded as new for Europe (Bygebjerg, 2011; Mielczarek, 2011) and rapidly extending its range in other countries (van de Meutter et al., 2015). Recorded from Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Slovakia; France (Langlois and Speight, 2020), Asiatic Russia (Sakhalin) and Japan.
Material: 01.05.2020, Bukowno (Diabla Góra), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It occurs in wetlands, fens, marshes, poorly-drained pastures, along woodland streams or field drains, beside lakes, ponds and rivers. Adults visit white umbellifers,
Material: 01.05.2020, Bukowno (Diabla Góra), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
Environment: open ground/forest/freshwater; close to water-bodies in river-flood plain grassland and alluvial forest. Adults visit flowers of umbellifers,
Material: 25.05.2018, Klucze (Czubatka), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 6M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Ujków Stary (Armeria), 3F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It is a rare species. It develops in open ground; sparsely-vegetated, dry, rocky ground appropriate for ant nests; unimproved pasture and grassy clearings in forest. It occurs in May to July. Larvae develop in colonies of
Material: 18.05.2015, Klucze (Czubatka), 2F, leg. Mielczarek A.
The species found in clearings in deciduous and mixed forests (Bartsch, 2009a). It is an undescribed larvae, collected by Ł. Mielczarek from spruce galls.
Material: 13.07.2014, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.; 13.07.2014, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek A.
The larvae of the species are predators found in the
Material: 03.05.2021, Bukowno (sand mine), 2F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 01.05.2020, Bukowno (Sztoła), 4M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
It is a Spring species, often found on the edge of forests with
Material: 13.09.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.; 05.2019, Bukowno (Diabla Góra), 9F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
They prefer coniferous forests, especially Pinus. Adults flight in open woodland, clearings etc. They visited flowers of
Material: 13.09.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.; 07.2018, Bukowno (Spacerowa), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 10.06.2021, Bolesław (Armeria), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.05.2021, Bolesław (Staw na “Pasterniku”), 1M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
Species found in conifer forests, tracksides, clearings etc. They visited flowers:
Material: 13.07.2014, Ujków Stary, 1M leg. Mielczarek A.; 13.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1M, leg. Mielczarek A.; 26.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.; 02.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 2M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 02.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 26.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 2M, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 26.07.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
Rare thermophilic species, and can therefore be found on xerothermic grasslands (Stennis and Stennis, 1997).
Material: 19.05.2015, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.
Occurs in deciduous forests; scrub-invaded clearings in woodland and forests, scrub-edged tracks in woodland. Adults visit flowers:
Material: 07.05.2019, Klucze (Czubatka), 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 01.05.2014, Klucze (Czubatka), 1M, leg. Mielczarek A. (data published in Żóralski, 2018).
Species is connected with coniferous forests of
Material: 16.08.2015, Ujków Stary, 2F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 02.05.2014, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek A.
Species connected with deciduous forest and scrubs with rich grand flora. Flies visiting flowers in small glades:
Material: 14.06.2021, Bukowno, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
The species occurs in moist, deciduous forests with birch and coniferous trees. Adults visit pignut flowers and possibly other umbellifers. It occurs in June and July (Stubbs and Falk, 2002). Larva is undescribed (Bartsch, 2009a).
Material: 26.07.2015, Klucze, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.; 23.07.2017, Ujków Stary, 1F, leg. Mielczarek Ł.
Species is similar to
Syrphid adults belonging to the Diptera order are valuable pollinators (Dunn et al., 2020). As many as 415 species of hoverflies have already been recorded that are living in Poland (Żóralski and Kowalczyk, 2015). They occupy various types of habitats including meadows, forest clearings and gardens (Oosterbroek, 2006; Soszyński, 2007). In Polish literature, there are no reports on hoverflies in industrial and post-industrial areas characterised by a high degree of environmental contamination with heavy metals (Zn, Cd and Pb).
Heavy metals have a negative effect on living organisms, including insects. Their toxicity is manifested, for example, in the increased mortality of insects (Moroń et al., 2012), changes in the sex structure and a decrease in the number of brood cells in the species
As a result of our research work, we collected 165 syrphid species out of 415 Syrphidae species found in Poland (39.76%). As a comparative site, we selected the area of the Ojców National Park, 20 km away from Olkusz, as the closest and the best studied area in terms of the Syrphidae fauna. In the ONP, 176 (excluding questionable species such as
The variety of habitat types within which the sites were selected should also be emphasised – in the ONP, the research area was more varied (it covered various types of habitats, such as: rock grasslands, hay meadows, herbaceous plants, mixed forests, oak-hornbeam forest, stream valley and Carpathian beech forest). Our research was conducted mainly in ruderal areas or ones heavily transformed by industrial activities.
As a result of our observations in the research area, we recorded 112 species with syrphid taxa that were the same as those identified in the ONP (68.29%). Like in the ONP, zoophagous species also dominated in our study, which is consistent with the tendency of the hoverfly trophic dominance. The percentages of individual trophic groups in the research area and the ONP were similar i.e.: predators accounted for 48.48% in the research area and 46.59% in the ONP, water saprophages – 16.37% and 13.07%, terrestrial saprophages – 13.94% and 18.18%, nest saprophage – 1.21 and 1.14, phytophages – 15.76 and 18.75, mycophages – 3.03% and 0.57% and coprophages – 1.21% and 1.7%, respectively. There were no significant differences among groups on using the G test. Heavy metals tend to accumulate at successive trophic levels (Zhang et al., 2021). Predatory insects seem to be more exposed to the negative effects of exposure to these substances than, for example, phytophages or saprophages. The effects of heavy metal bioaccumulation in the bodies of insects are well-known and may influence on their mortality, physiology etc. All this factors should lead to decrease the abundance of predatory species in the contaminated areas compared to the control areas. Gospodarek and Jaworska (2001) showed that on
Among the collected syrphids, common and numerous species, such as:
A very rare species
Interestingly, on our research site,
Klasa and Soszyński (2011) state that the number of hoverflies indicated by them in the ONP may indirectly result from the large diversity of the fauna of vascular plants occurring in this area (approximately 950 species). Taking into account of the existing food webs, the individual elements such a plant on which aphids – source of food for zoophagous larvae – develop, are crucial for the occurrence of this group of hoverflies. Therefore, the species diversity of the flora in the study area seems to be significant. On the other hand, white or yellow flowers characterised by a shallow calyx structure are a source of pollen necessary for laying eggs by female Syrphidae.
Our research was conducted in a theoretically hostile environment due to strong anthropopressure, but despite this fact, this environment was also rich in diverse vegetation (736 species). It should be emphasised that 47% of the plants available there were rare or very rare species, and the lowest percentage of all the taxa were common species (Nowak et al., 2015). Therefore, in the future, it would be valuable to conduct field observations determining the role of hoverflies in the pollination of rare and protected plants occurring in the area of this study.
The richness of Syrphidae species has also been studied in other protected areas. Żóralski et al. (2017), in their research, which was conducted since 1978, reported 163 Syrphidae species from the Świętokrzyski National Park. Among them were 17 species from the Red List. Also, Żóralski and Kowalczyk (2019) reported 168 species caught in the Trójmiejski Landscape Park. Trzciński and Sienkiewicz (2006), during 1-year observations, recorded the occurrence of 42 species of hoverflies in the area of the Wielkopolski National Park. The richness of the syrphid species has also been studied in the area of the Wigry National Park – 171 species (Żóralski et al., 2017), the Western Beskids – 106 species (Żóralski and Dubiel, 2020) and in the massif of Babia Góra – 101 species (Palaczyk and Klasa, 2003).
Comparing our results with the species richness in the protected areas mentioned above, it can be concluded that the area studied by us is rich and diverse in terms of Syrphidae fauna, not inferior in its richness even to areas recognised as unique in terms of nature.
On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that the studied area was not characterised by a lower species diversity in comparison with regions where contamination with heavy metals is not so significant. Moreover, the collected samples were usually characterised by a relatively large variety, although indeed some species, such as