Black gold rush - Evaluating the efficiency of the Fractionator in separating Hymenoptera families in a meadow ecosystem over a two week period.

In the face of insect decline, monitoring projects are launched widely to assess trends of insect populations. Collecting over long time periods results in large numbers of samples with thousands of individuals that are often just stored in freezers waiting to be further processed. As the time-consuming process of sorting and identifying specimens prevents taxonomists from working on mass samples, important information on species composition remains unknown and taxonomically neglected species remain undiagnosed. Size fractioning of bulk samples can improve sample handling and, thus, can help to overcome the taxonomic impediment. In this paper, we evaluate the efficiency of the fractionator in separating Hymenoptera families from a Malaise trap sample of a meadow ecosystem over a two week interval to make them available for further morphological identification. The fractionator system by Buffington and Gates (2008) was used to separate the sample in two size classes - a large (macro) and a small (micro) fraction - and Hymenoptera specimens were then counted and identified on family level. In total, 2,449 Hymenoptera specimens were found in the macro fraction and 3,016 in the micro fraction (5,465 specimens in total). For 24 out of 34 Hymenoptera families (71%), separation was significant. This study illustrates the efficiency of the fractionator and its potential to improve workflows dealing with specimen-rich Malaise trap samples.

Mission possible: an optimised protocol for the unbarcodable Ceraphronoidea (Hymenoptera).

DNA barcodes provide a reliable and efficient solution to resolving cryptic species complexes and accelerate species discoveries. The superfamily Ceraphronoidea (Hymenoptera) is a group of parasitoid wasps for which a barcoding approach could be of great help, if it were not for the very poor results. The inability to obtain barcodes for the majority of treated ceraphronoids halts progress on the taxonomy of this hyperdiverse parasitoid group. We here present a working protocol for the barcoding of ceraphronoid wasps which yields a first-time over 90% success rate.

Artificial Nesting Hills Promote Wild Bees in Agricultural Landscapes.

The availability of nesting resources influences the persistence and survival of bee communities. Although a positive effect of artificial nesting structures has frequently been shown for aboveground cavity-nesting wild bees, studies on below ground-nesting bees are rare. Artificial nesting hills designed to provide nesting habitats for ground-nesting bees were therefore established within the BienABest project in 20 regions across Germany. Wild bee communities were monitored for two consecutive years, accompanied by recordings of landscape and abiotic nest site variables. Bee activity and species richness increased from the first to the second year after establishment; this was particularly pronounced in landscapes with a low cover of semi-natural habitat. The nesting hills were successively colonized, indicating that they should exist for many years, thereby promoting a species-rich bee community. We recommend the construction of nesting hills on sun-exposed sites with a high thermal gain of the substrate because the bees prefer south-facing sites with high soil temperatures. Although the soil composition of the nesting hills plays a minor role, we suggest using local soil to match the needs of the local bee community. We conclude that artificial nesting structures for ground-nesting bees act as a valuable nesting resource for various bee species, particularly in highly degraded landscapes. We offer a construction and maintenance guide for the successful establishment of nesting hills for bee conservation.

Monoterpenes isolated from Minthostachys verticillata (Griseb.) Epling essential oil modulates immediate-type hypersensitivity responses in vitro and in vivo.

In a previous work, we have demonstrated that Minthostachys verticillata essential oil has immunomodulatory effects in vitro on cells from allergic patients. Here we characterized main components of M. verticillata essential oil and also tested if these compounds modulate In vitro and in vivo the immediate-type allergic reaction. Gas chromatography was used to identify main components of the essential oil. Pulegone (63.4 %), menthone (15.9 %), and limonene (2.1 %) were found as main classes. IL-13 levels were evaluated from lymphocytes cultures stimulated with allergen alone or combined with monoterpenes. All compounds stimulated cell proliferation but, interestingly, promoted a reduction of IL-13 values, limonene and the mixture of the three compounds being the most active. ß-Hexosaminidase release was determined from basophils to which essential oil or monoterpenes were added. We observed that, whichever combination of monoterpenes was used, ß-hexosaminidase release was diminished in all cases. Obtained values were even lower than those of antiallergic drug desloratadine. Essential oil and limonene inhibited mast cell activation and degranulation in the skin when testing passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, limonene being the most active. In conclusion, limonene was the compound that showed the most potent immunomodulatory activity. This fact suggests that it constitutes a promising natural alternative for a novel treatment of allergic diseases.

Tiny wasps, huge diversity - A review of German Pteromalidae with new generic and species records (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea).

BACKGROUND: Despite their ecological and economic importance, hymenopteran parasitoids are severely understudied. Even in countries with a long taxonomic history such as Germany, dating back to the 18th century and including prolific figures like Christian Gottfired Nees von Esenbeck and Otto Schmiedeknecht, those species-rich groups are seldom the subject of comprehensive research efforts, leaving their true diversity unknown. This is often due to their small size of a few millimetres on average, leading to difficulties in their identification and examination. The chalcidoid family Pteromalidae is no exception to this neglect. So far, 735 species have been reported from Germany. Estimating the diversity of this group is not possible, but it has to be assumed that many more species are still to be discovered in Germany. NEW INFORMATION: With this study, we improve the knowledge on pteromalid diversity and present new records of 17 genera and 41 species, previously unknown to occur in Germany. We also match and describe previously unknown sexes of two species, based on DNA barcode data. The results of this study were generated as part of the German Barcode of Life Project. The newly-recorded species are illustrated and notes on the biology and distribution are given. The ecological significance of Pteromalidae and potential value as indicators for nature conservation efforts are briefly discussed.

Taxonomic description and phylogenetic placement of two new species of Spalangiopelta (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Ceinae) from Eocene Baltic amber.

Spalangiopelta is a small genus of chalcid wasps that has received little attention despite the widespread distribution of its extant species. The fossil record of the genus is restricted to a single species from Miocene Dominican amber. We describe two new fossil species, Spalangiopelta darlingi sp. n. and Spalangiopelta semialba sp. n. from Baltic amber. The species can be placed within the extant genus Spalangiopelta based on the distinctly raised hind margin of the mesopleuron. 3D models reconstructed from µCT data were utilized to assist in the descriptions. Furthermore, we provide a key for the females of all currently known Spalangiopelta species. The phylogenetic placement of the fossils within the genus is analyzed using parsimony analysis based on morphological characters. Phylogenetic and functional relevance of two wing characters, admarginal setae and the hyaline break, are discussed. The newly described Baltic amber fossils significantly extend the minimum age of Spalangiopelta to the Upper Eocene.