Ecological amplitude and indication potential of mining bees (Andrena spp.): a case study from the post-agricultural area of the Kampinos National Park (Poland).

The mining bee (Andrena spp.) play a key role in ensuring plant and animal diversity. The present study examines their diversity in a post-agricultural landscape exemplified by the Kampinos National Park (KNP), a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Poland. The following hypotheses were addressed: (H1) the mining bees demonstrate a narrow ecological amplitude, (H2) there are no indicator species for particular habitats, and (H3) the studied mining bees have the same ecological preferences to those presented in the literature. A total of 40 catch per unit effort samples (CPUE) were collected across various habitats with different soil humidity. Forty-six species were recorded, representing 46% of mining bees and approximately 10% of the known Polish bee fauna. Nineteen of the recorded species (41%) were assigned to CR-NT threat categories, indicating that the national park plays a significant role in preserving mining bee species diversity and their conservation. None of the hypotheses (H1, H2, H3) were confirmed. The mining bees were found to demonstrate a wide ecological amplitude. Surprisingly, habitats located in dry and wet soils were both characterised by high abundance and species richness. Seventeen indicators were distinguished among the dominant and rarer species. Our findings suggest that Andrena nigroaenea and A. ventralis (lower humidity), as well as A. alfkenella and A. minutuloides (higher humidity), have different significant relationships with habitat soil humidity to those reported in the literature.

Communities of Digger Wasps (Hymenoptera: Spheciformes) along a Tree Cover Gradient in the Cultural Landscape of River Valleys in Poland.

This study of digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Spheciformes) was carried out in the cultural landscape of the Drweca, Lower Vistula, and Warta river valleys in northern Poland during 2011-2013. The study was undertaken on sites representing a succession gradient from dry grasslands to high levels of tree cover which we hypothesised would influence the structure of digger wasp communities. During our research additional information on flower use, insect prey, and phenology was also recorded and is reported here, revealing dependencies between woodland cover and both the prey and nesting types of digger wasps. A total of 136 species were recorded, i.e., nearly 56% of all Spheciformes species recorded from Poland. Among the species collected, 30 were on the Red List of Threatened Animals in Poland. Most endangered species were recorded in psammophilous grasslands, which are open habitats, and the least in mesic sites. These results significantly update the known distribution of the digger wasp in northern Poland. Knowledge on the biology of digger wasps in Poland is also supplemented by information on the feeding of larvae of 14 species and information on food plants visited by imago digger wasps. The results of our research confirm the correlations between the increase in forest cover and the number of digger wasp species.

Nesting biology and phylogenetic relationships of the parasitoid-hunting wasp Lindenius pygmaeus armatus (Vander Linden, 1829) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).

Nests of Lindenius pygmaeus armatus were examined in northern Poland in Kowalewo Pomorskie and Sierakowo. Adults were encountered from late May to late July. The nests were built in sandy areas and wasteland. Seven nests were observed, of which two were dug up and their structure was examined. The channel was approximately 2.5 mm in diameter and 8-10 cm in the length. The material removed during digging was placed near the nest entrance. The main burrow led to 3-5 cells. The cocoons were approximately 5-7 mm long and 2.5-3.5 mm wide. Females of L. p. armatus provided their nest cells with chalcid wasps averaging 14 prey items per cell. Parasitoids Myrmosa atra and kleptoparasites Senotainia conica were observed entering the burrows. Both females and males of L. p. armatus were detected on the flowers of Achillea millefolium, Peucedanum oreoselinum, Daucus carota, and Tanacetum vulgare. The article also includes phylogenetic relationships of Western Palearctic Lindenius species.

Two new species of Trichrysis Lichtenstein (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) from Vietnam and China, with taxonomic notes on other species from the Oriental region.

Two new species of the genus Trichrysis Lichtenstein, belonging to the cyanea species group, are described from northeastern Vietnam (Cao Bang Province) and China (Yunnan Province) as new for science: T. sinica Rosa, Nguyen & Wisniowski, sp. nov., and T. striata Nguyen, Wisniowski & Rosa, sp. nov. The redescription of T. tonkinensis (Mocsáry, 1914) and additional descriptive characters for T. chamchuensis Wisniowski & Nguyen, 2020 are provided.

Review of Holophris Mocsáry/ (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species.

The genus Holophris Mocsáry, 1890 of the tribe Elampini (Chrysidinae) is reviewed in Vietnam for the first time. A new species, H. melinh Nguyen Wisniowski, sp. nov. is described and illustrated, and two species, H. taiwana Tsuneki (1970) and H. thailandica Rosa, Wei, Notton Xu, 2016 are newly recorded. An updated key to all species of the genus known from Oriental region is presented.

Discovery of four new species of Trichrysis Lichtenstein, cyanea species group (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) from Vietnam.

Four species of the genus Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876 are described from Vietnam as new for science: T. aliciae Wisniowski, sp. nov., T. chamchuensis Wisniowski Nguyen, sp. nov., T. kylan Wisniowski Cuong, sp. nov., and T. raymundi Wisniowski, sp. nov. The species belong to the T. cyanea species group.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Vespa Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) from Vietnam, with a new record of a species and an updated key to species.

A taxonomic study on the genus Vespa from Vietnam is presented. One species, Vespa fumida van der Vecht, 1959 is recorded as new for the Vietnamese fauna. The complete queen nest of Vespa mocsaryana du Buysson, 1905 is described, together with the queen. An updated key to all of the Vespa species known from Vietnam based on external morphological characters is also provided.

Local habitat conditions shaping the assemblages of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in a post-agricultural landscape of the Kampinos National Park in Poland.

The landscape of the Kampinos National Park (KPN), a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Poland, is a mosaic of habitats created by natural processes and human activities. However, ongoing abandonment of traditional management has led to the development of forest communities in formerly open areas. The aim of the study was to identify the local habitat conditions promoting the abundance and diversity of wasp species (Vespidae) in the post-agricultural landscape of KPN. A total of 52 samples of Vespidae caught per unit effort (CPUE) were collected across various habitats with different levels of soil humidity, bare ground and mosaicity. The highest numbers and greatest species richness of vespids were recorded in open habitats on semihydrogenic and dry soil, which provided nesting sites for hypergeic (nesting above the ground) and endogeic (ground nesting) wasps. Many solitary species that are hypergeic were significantly associated with old, abandoned wooden buildings. As vespids need resources to build and provision the nest, their communities were shaped not only by the nature of the habitat sampled but also by the mosaicity of the surrounding area. The highest abundance and species richness were recorded in samples from a heterogenous landscape, which provided a wider range of available resources in the vicinity of the nest. Our findings have significant implications for the management of park landscapes: afforestation of open habitats, both human-induced and resulting from natural succession, and the removal of old abandoned wooden buildings may limit landscape mosaicity and thus decrease hymenopteran diversity.

Taxonomic review and distribution of the genus Vespula Thomson, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) from Vietnam.

A taxonomic review of the genus Vespula Thomson in Vietnam is reported. Three species are recorded: V. flaviceps (Smith, 1870), V. koreensis (Radoszkowski, 1887), and V. orbata (Buysson, 1902). Of these, V. flaviceps is newly recorded from Vietnam. Distribution records of all three species and an identification key to species based on morphological characters are presented. Vespula koreensis is distributed from high (Cao Bang, Vinh Phuc, Quang Tri) to lower areas (Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Bac Giang), while the other two species are distributed in high mountainous areas of the northern and central regions of Vietnam such as in Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Son La, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces.

New records of the genus Diodontus Curtis, 1834 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) from Bulgaria, Montenegro and Poland, with a key to Central and Eastern European species.

First records of Diodontus medius Dahlbom, 1844 and D. insidiosus Spooner, 1938 from Poland, and of D. handlirschi Kohl, 1888 from Bulgaria and Montenegro are provided. An illustrated key for the identification of Central and Eastern European species of the genus Diodontus is given.

Annotated type catalogue of the Chrysididae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) deposited in the collection of Radoszkowski in the Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków.

A critical and annotated catalogue of 183 types of HymenopteraChrysididae belonging to 124 taxa housed in the Radoszkowski collection is given. Radoszkowski type material from other institutes has also been checked. Six lectotypes are designated in Kraków (ISEA-PAN): Chrysisacceptabilis Radoszkowski, 1891; Chrysispersica Radoczkowsky, 1881; Chrysisdaphnis Mocsáry, 1889; Chrysislagodechii Radoszkowski, 1889; Chrysisremota Mocsáry, 1889 and Chrysisvagans Radoszkowski, 1877. The lectotype of Brugmoiapellucida Radoszkowski, 1877 is designated in Moscow (MMU). Four new combinations are proposed: Philoctetesararaticus (Radoszkowski, 1890), comb. n.; Pseudomalushypocrita (du Buysson, 1893), comb. n.; Chrysiseldari (Radoszkowski, 1893), comb. n.; and Chrysuramlokosewitzi (Radoszkowski, 1889), comb. n.. Ten new synonyms are given: Chrysisauropunctata Mocsáry, 1889, syn. n. of Chrysisangolensis Radoszkovsky, 1881; Chrysischrysochlora Mocsáry, 1889, syn. n. and Chrysisviridans Radoszkowski, 1891, syn. n. of Chrysiskeriensis Radoszkowski, 1887; Chrysisangustifronsvar.ignicollis Trautmann, 1926, syn. n. of Chrysiseldari (Radoszkowski, 1893); Chrysismaracandensisvar.simulatrix Radoszkowski, 1891, syn. n. of Chrysismaracandensis Radoszkowski, 1877; Chrysispulchra Radoszkovsky, 1880, syn. n. of Spinoliadallatorreana (Mocsáry, 1896); Chrysisrubricollis du Buysson, 1900, syn. n. of Chrysiseldari (Radoszkowski, 1893); Chrysissubcoerulea Radoszkowski, 1891, syn. n. of Chrysischlorochrysa Mocsáry, 1889; Chrysistherates Mocsáry, 1889, syn. n. of Chrysisprincipalis Smith, 1874; and Notozuskomarowi Radoszkowski, 1893, syn. n. of Elampusobesus (Mocsáry, 1890). One species is revaluated: Chrysischalcochrysa Mocsáry, 1887. Chrysiskizilkumiana Rosa is the new name for Chrysisuljanini Radoszkowski & Mocsáry, 1889 nec Radoszkowski, 1877. Pictures of seventy-seven type specimens are given.