Anna M. Stankiewicz

Host specificity revisited: New data on Myrmica host ants of the lycaenid butterfly Maculinea rebeli

Larvae of Maculinea rebeli, one of the most endangered European butterflies, are obligatory social parasites of Myrmica ants. At present, this relationship is thought to be highly specific, with Myrmica schencki being regarded as the primary host. Here we present data on six populations from Poland and Austria, including the first record of Myrmica specioides as a host, together with published data from other central European countries, which severely questions the inference that M. schencki is the exclusive host of M. rebeli. Our results indicate that Myrmica sabuleti is the most frequently used host ant in central Europe, whereas M. scabrinodis, M. sulcinodis, M. specioides and M. schencki are used as secondary hosts. Possible explanations for this highly variable host use include (1) regional differences in semiochemicals, behaviour or social structure of the potential Myrmica host species and (2) the existence of different ecological subspecies or cryptic species of M. rebeli. Finally, we emphasize the importance of identifying local host ant species prior to further conservation strategies in order to avoid failure of management programs or even damage to populations on the edge of extinction.

First records of Myrmica vandeli Bondroit and M. tulinae Elmes, Radchenko et Aktaç (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for Poland, with a key for the scabrinodis- and sabuleti-complexes

The first records from Poland of Myrmica vandeliand the recently described M. tulinae, both belonging to the scabrinodis-group,are reported. These species are poorly recorded and may be less rare than hitherto supposed. The current knowledge of their distributions and ecologies are summarised. The characteristic morphological features of the two species are illustrated and a key for separating them from their closest relatives in Poland is given.

First record of Myrmica salina Ruzsky (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for Poland

A rare and little known ant species, Myrmica salina Ruzsky is for the first time reported from Poland. General data on its distribution and ecology are given. Characteristic morphological features of the species are pointed out and compared with those of closely related species.

Formica uralensis Ruzsky (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Poland

Formica uralensis Ruzs. is a boreo-montane ant species, common to the area east of the Ural Mts, but very scarce and relict in Europe, where is occurs almost exclusively in peat bogs. In Poland, the species was known only from one site, Bagno Rakowskie, a peat bog near Frampol, the Roztocze Uplands, where it was found half a century ago. The current presence of the species there is confirmed and two new localities are reported in the Lublin Uplands: in a peat bog in the Moszne Lake nature reserve within the Polesie National Park and in a marshy meadow near the Buzornica peat bog at Kosyn within the Żolwiowe Blota nature reserve.

Neotypus pusillus Gregor, 1940 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) endoparasite of Maculinea nausithous (Bergstrasser, 1779) (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae): new data on distribution in Poland with remarks on its biology

A b stra c t: N eotypus pusillus in Europe is a parasite of the obligatory myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly M aculinea nausithous. It was recorded for the last time in Poland at the beginning of the 20th century on a few sites in Lower Silesia and on one site near Poznan. During the present studies we found Neotypus pusillus in two other regions: in Polesie (eastern Poland) and in Upper Silesia. On both sites adult females were observed ovipositing on flowerheads of Sanguisorba officinalis L. with M. nausithous caterpillars inside. Additionally we reared two males from parasitized pupae. N. pusillus is probably more widespread in Poland but restricted to big populations of M. nausithous. Some remarks about the biology and ecology of the parasitoid are included in the paper.