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Insects are traditionally thought to respond to noxious stimuli in an inflexible manner, without the ability to modulate their behavior according to context. We investigated whether bumblebees’ attraction to high sucrose solution concentrations reduces their avoidance of noxious heat. Bees were given the choice between either unheated or noxiously heated (55 °C) feeders with different sucrose concentrations and marked by different colors. Bees avoided noxious feeders when the unheated feeders contained high sucrose concentrations, but progressively increased feeding from noxious feeders when the sucrose concentration at unheated feeders decreased. This shows a motivational trade-off of nociceptive responses. Bees used learned color cues for their decisions, and thus the trade-off was based on processing in the brain, rather than just peripheral processing. Therefore, bees can use contextual information to modulate nociceptive behavior. This ability is consistent with a capacity for pain experiences in insects.

There is heavy debate about the mechanisms of spatial navigation by insects. Researchers tend to focus mainly on vision-based models, neglecting non-visual modalities. The capacity to navigate by layout symmetry has been reported in vertebrates. Nevertheless, there has been no direct evidence for such an ability in insects, especially regarding center finding. To provide novel insight into the ongoing debate, we developed a non-visual paradigm for testing navigation by layout geometry. We tested the house crickets to find a cool spot positioned centrally in heated arenas of different shapes. We found that the symmetry of the arena significantly facilitates how crickets learn to find the center of the arena, both in terms of time spent on the cool spot and the latency of locating it. Because there were no visual cues, this observation challenges visiocentric models. As alternatives, we discuss the possibility of non-visual space representation, or non-spatial search strategy.

The main scope of the presented paper is an assessment of the potential repellent effect of selected essential oils (EOs) against Alphitobius diaperinus, which can cause economic losses in storages and poultry industry. Due to development of pesticide resistance in A. diaperinus populations, as well as an attempt to limit extensive usage of potentially harmful pesticides in food-related industries, there is a strong need for development of alternative methods of management of A. diaperinus infestations. Because of cost-effectiveness, availability and low vertebrate toxicity EOs are promising agents in pest management. In presented paper four of-the-shelf EOs: mint, vanilla, lemon and citronella (and their mixtures) were tested as a potential repellents. Moreover, novel preference assay providing an extended analysis of preference and the locomotor response was used. The most effective EOs were, respectively: citronella and lemon. EOs mixtures were generally more repellent than single EOs, with lemon and vanilla 1:1 mixture acting as the strongest repellent. Few of tested EOs caused significant alterations in locomotor activity, although direct relation wasn’t observed. In conclusion, EOs can be potentially used as a repellent agents in A. diaperinus management. Additionally, data on locomotor activity may lead to better design of pull-push strategies in pest management.

tekst w j. pol. i ang., Celem eksperymentu było zbadanie potencjalnego oddziaływania polimerów formowanych termicznie w toku procesu drukowania 3D na wzrost, rozwój i przeżywalność świerszcza domowego. Granulat wydrukowany z filamentu akrylonitrylo-butadieno-styrenowego (ABS) w ilości odpowiadającej 0,1, 1 i 10% posłużył do przygotowania odpowiednio zanieczyszczonej wody podawanej następnie owadom (10-dniowe larwy) w trakcie ich rozwoju aż do osiągniecia przez nie stadium imago.

The paper presents the information on Reptalus quinquecostatus (Dufour, 1833) – a species of cixiid found in Poland for the first time. It is widespread in South Palearctic. R. quinquecostatus is strongly polyphagous species of cixiid, which may be a vector of pathogens, such as stolbur phytoplasma. The paper presents additional data on its biology and diagnostic features.

"Manica rubida (Latreille, 1802) jest jedynym przedstawicielem rodzaju Manica (Jurine,1807) w Europie. Gatunek oligotopowy występujący w górach (500-2000 m n.p.m.) Centralnej i Południowej Europy, Azji Mniejszej, Krymu i Kaukazu.Camponotus fallax (Nylander, 1856) to gatunek szeroko rozprzestrzeniony w Europie, Afryce Północnej, Kaukazie, Azji Mniejszej, Północno-zachodnim Kazachstanie. Wykazywany nawet w Zachodniej części Syberii. W Polsce spotykany rzadko, na całym obszarze Polski północnej i centralnej (pomijając pobrzeże Bałtyku)".

In the area of Poland there occur two species of the genus: Claviger longicornis P.W.J. Müller, 1818 and Claviger testaceus Preyssler, 1790. Both species are rare in Poland. Beetles of the genus Claviger are specialized myrmecophiles and are dependent on their host ants throughout the whole life cycle. During the field research, which were conducted in the Low Beskid Mts. (South - Eastern Poland), new sites of both species were found. C. longicornis was recorded in a colony of Lasius sabularum (Bondroit, 1918) and this is the first record of this ant as host. In addition, population of this species in ant colony was extremely large and correlated in time with the presence of sexual generation of ants. Transfer of beetles into artificial nest of L. niger and an attempt of rearing in laboratory conditions was unsuccessfu and finished after 36 days. C. testaceus was recorded in a colony of Lasius flavus (Fabricius, 1781), which is the most common host of this species.

"Oxythyrea funesta (Poda, 1761) jest gatunkiem subpontyjskim rozsiedlonym na obszarze od Kaukazu i Azji Mniejszej do zachodniej Europy i północnej Afryki (Kadej M. et al. 2013. Przyroda Sudetów 16: 95–114) i określanym jako termofil. Na terenie kraju uznawany był za relikt stepowy okresu postglacjalnego (Burakowski B. et al. 1983. Katalog Fauny Polski 23(9): 1–194)".

The results on studies of the fauna of Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha conducted in 2013 and 2014, in the south-western part of the Eastern Beskidy Mts. are presented. A list of 64 species is given (38 are new to this zoogeographical region). Most of the species reported (69%) belong to the family Cicadellidae. Insects are analyzed in terms of their chorology, trophic relationships, humidity preferences and frequency of occurrence.