Volumen 70 (2021): Heft 1 (June 2021)

Records of 19 species of the dipteran families Bombyliidae (1 species), Mythicomyiidae (1 species), Therevidae (2 species), Empididae (3 species), Hybotidae (1 species), Dolichopodidae (8 species) and Syrphidae (3 species) from glacial sand deposits in the Czech Silesia (NE Czech Republic) are presented and their association with sandy habitats discussed. All of them are recorded from the Czech Silesia for the first time, 13 are new additions to the fauna of Moravia of which 9 are also new for the whole of the Czech Republic. Dialineura anilis (Linnaeus, 1761) (Therevidae) and Schistostoma truncatum (Loew, 1864) (Dolichopodidae) are classified as psammobiont, 6 species as psammophilous, viz. Exhyalanthrax afer (Fabricius, 1794) (Bombyliidae), Cliorismia rustica (Panzer, 1804) (Therevidae), Cryptophlebs kerteszi Lichtwardt, 1898, Melanostolus melancholicus (Loew, 1869) (both Dolichopodidae) and Paragus constrictus Šimić, 1986 and Pelecocera tricincta Meigen, 1822 (Syrphidae), and 3 species as probably psammophilous, viz. Medetera annulitarsus von Roser, 1840, M. grunini Negrobov, 1966 and Sciapus basilicus Meuffels & Grootaert, 1990 (all Dolichopodidae). Medetera grunini is recorded for the first time from Europe and represents a new westernmost limit of its distribution range in the Palaearctic. New southernmost records of Rhamphomyia murina Collin, 1926 (Empididae) and Drapetis monsmargila Grootaert, Beuk & Shamshev, 2020 (Hybotidae) are also given.

The study presents results of colour preference of insects (Insecta), mainly from the order Hymenoptera (families Apidae, Formicidae). The research was carried out in the vicinity of the Beniakovce village (near the Košice city) over the years 2010–2012. Trapping by coloured water traps was conducted at ten sites with 50 Moerick′s water traps coloured with five different colours (white, yellow, blue, purple, and red). On the study area there were 12 357 individuals captured, belonging to 17 higher taxa (class, order, suborder) or genus morpho group of families Apidae and Formicidae. The highest abundance was found in Diptera followed by Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. Obtained results were in accordance with literature data, which showed that yellow colour was the most preferred by insects. Our results confirmed high degree of diversity of insect’s fauna in the study area.

Our study suggested that a modified Moerick′s water traps may be a valuable tool in studies on insect diversity, distribution, seasonal abundance, and foraging behaviour as well.

The present essay compares two books dealing with the evolution of human mental abilities. Agustín Fuentes’ The Creative Spark focuses on creativity. Fuentes argues that creativity is the central element that makes human uniqueness, and highlights continuity between modern examples of creativity and early forms of human creative behaviour. Mark Maslin’s The Cradle of Humanity discusses the role of East Africa’s climate in increasing the intelligence of humans. To understand this role, Maslin combines geological and climatic data with the latest discoveries in human evolution and palaeontology. The essay compares the books’ content as well as their tone, and concludes on whether they might inspire future research on human evolution.

In this study conducted in Granada province in southern Spain, we analysed the flying activity and sex-ratio variability of the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii (the spotted wing drosophila) in the context of environmental factors and compared it with co-occurring Drosophilidae in a village garden. The studied D. suzukii population showed overwintering capabilities and successful maintenance in village garden with non-crop plants. Its flight period showed two peaks: female-biased, in November, and male-biased, in May. The sex ratio varied throughout the year and was mostly female-biased. We observed the effect of temperature on Drosophilidae and rainfall and temperature on the D. suzukii. Catches of the studied species were minimal at the minimal temperatures below 0 °C, and absent or near absent when the maximal temperature exceeded 30 °C. Moreover, we did not observe D. suzukii in samples when the minimum temperature below 0 °C was combined with heavy rainfall. The spotted wing drosophila seems to be more sensitive to precipitation than native Drosophilidae, as its proportion in the samples decreased with increasing rainfall. This pest also shows more pronounced short peaks in which it makes an important proportion of the biocoenosis of in comparison with other Drosophilidae.

The cavities in trees (called dendrotelmata) in an urban environment stand at the periphery of researchers’ attention. This paper presents new data on the occurrence of three Diptera species considered as endangered, namely Systenus leucurus Loew, 1859, S. tener Loew, 1859 (both Dolichopodidae), and Lepiseodina rothschildi (Eaton, 1912) (Psychodidae) from just such a specific urban ecosystem in Prešov. The latter two species were also recorded for the first time in Slovakia. The distribution and conservation status of the reported species are reviewed and briefly discussed.

Historical data on birds are a cultural and scientific legacy of past generations of dedicated observers. This data cannot be deleted without obvious rebuttable evidence. An example of the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) is described.

Microterys turanicus Sugonjaev, 1965 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is added to the fauna of the Czech Republic and the whole of Europe on the basis of a record from the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts, Morávka (North Moravia, NE Czech Republic). The distribution and biology are reviewed and notes on the identification of the species are given along with illustrations of its habitus and some diagnostic characters.

The article presents results of the recent bryological survey in the Radhošť National Nature Reserve. Totally, 133 bryophyte taxa were found, of which 40 species of liverworts and 93 taxa of mosses. Among the most important records can be mentioned liverworts Chiloscyphus pallescens, Liochlaena lanceolata, Nowellia curvifolia, Riccardia latifrons, Riccardia palmata or Scapania mucronata and mosses Brachydontium trichodes, Campylostelium saxicola, Fissidens pusillus, Lewinskya striata, and Oxystegus tenuirostris.