Diet and foraging habitats of non-breeding white storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria

The diet of non-breeding White Storks was studied by pellet analysis and included mainly insects (99.9%, n=28947) with a predominance of grasshoppers (Orthoptera, 76.1%), and beetles (Coleoptera, 26.1%). The bush crickets Decticus albifrons/verrucivorus were the most numerous prey (29.9% by items), occurring in almost all pellets (98% occurrence in pellets, n=147) and predominating in half of them (49.7%). The grasshopper associations in the pellets specify foraging mainly in mesophytic grasslands that usually replace abandoned fields and overgrown pastures with a low level of grazing. The xerophytic grass-shrubby habitats, not rare on stony terrains, were of less importance, providing around 20% by prey. The typical aquatic inhabitants and the use of carrion around villages were exceptions in the study diet. The number of innutritious materials in the pellets rose when the White Storks hunted on nippy and agile grasshoppers and decreased when the main pray was slower beetles taken from the ground. The roosting of non-breeding White Storks disappeared when their preferred feeding habitats were ploughed up in the following years

Two plant bug genera Euryopicoris Reuter, 1875 and Solenoxyphus Reuter, 1875 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) new for the Bulgarian fauna

Two plant bug species, Euryopicoris nitidus (Meyer-Dür, 1843) and Solenoxyphus lepidus (Puton, 1874), are reported for the first time for Bulgaria. Their habitats, host plants, and reasons for the late discovery in the country are briefly discussed. The genera Euryopicoris Reuter, 1875 and Solenoxyphus Reuter, 1875 have not been previously reported in Bulgaria as well

A long-awaited guest in the Bulgarian fauna, Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera), is already here

The first report of the migratory species Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the territory of Bulgaria, from Varna, is presented. Comments on the distribution of the species, its biology, as well as illustrative material are also included

A silent predator ad portas - Dolichoplana striata Moseley, 1877 (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae) recorded for the first time in Bulgaria

The first record of alien terrestrial planaria Dolichoplana striata Moseley, 1877 (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae) in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula is reported. It was found in a greenhouse with exotic plants near Plovdiv City (Southern Bulgaria). The distribution of the invasive planarians has to be regularly monitored as they are responsible for a negative impact on the soil biodiversity

First record of a fossil spittlebug (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Aphrophoridae) in Miocene deposits in Bulgaria

The first fossil record of a spittlebug affiliated to Aphrophora Germar, 1821 (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Aphrophoridae) is reported from Bulgaria (Western Rhodopes, Satovcha Graben). The fossil from Middle Miocene deposits represents the first recorded evidence of fossil Auchenorrhyncha in Bulgaria. A forewing illustration of the new finding and review of known fossils of Aphrophora are provided

First record of Psorergatoides Fain, 1959 (Acari, Cheyletoidea, Psorergatidae) for the Balkan Peninsula with description of the cutaneous lesions on the wing membrane of its hosts Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797) and Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857) (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae)

Healthy wing membranes are essential for bats. They are critical for maintaining the water balance and, during hibernation, they protect the bat’s body from dehydration. Assessing the state of the membrane visually is an easy and effective way to monitor a bat’s health and discover abnormal structures and infections in wild bat populations. During pre- and post-hibernation surveys of bats’ wings, we identified the presence of skin mites, Psorergatoides kerivoulae (Fain, 1959). The parasite causes cutaneous lesions on the wing membranes of the greater moused-eared bat, Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797) and the lesser moused-eared bat, Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857). The lesser mouse-eared bat is a new host for this parasite. Our study is the first to describe the histopathology of the infection on the wings of the greater and lesser mouse-eared bats. To our knowledge, this is the southernmost record of this parasite and the first mention of the genus Psorergatoides for the Balkans

New records of Psocoptera (Insecta) from Vietnam

This study presents novel findings on the Psocoptera (Insecta) fauna of Vietnam, contributing to the understanding of biodiversity in the region. Psocoptera specimens were collected from Tam Dao National Park during October 2023, adding 19 new species to the existing list. These discoveries include species previously unknown to Vietnam and some new to the Indochina Peninsula and continental Asia. Material examination and species identification were conducted following established methodologies, with specimens deposited at the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Bulgaria. The findings underscore the importance of continued research efforts in documenting and understanding the psocid fauna of Vietnam, particularly in tropical forest ecosystems

Cave-dwelling fauna of Costa Rica: current state of knowledge and future research perspectives

This study focused on the cave fauna of Costa Rica, which has remained relatively understudied despite the presence of more than 435 recorded natural caves and artificial subterranean sites. We collected and reviewed all available literature data on cave fauna in Costa Rica and created the first comprehensive review of the existing information. In addition, we report new records from field surveys conducted between 2015 and 2018. This study reported approximately 123 animal species, whereas the remaining records (n = 82) represented taxa that could not be identified at the species level. Data were collected from 127 locations throughout the country, with new cave fauna records from 41 sites. Notably, we reported the first occurrence of the true bug Amnestus subferrugineus (Westwood 1837) within Costa Rican caves, which represents an addition to the country’s faunal inventory. As this study highlights the knowledge gaps in the subterranean fauna, it will serve as an important stepping stone for future research and conservation efforts related to caves in Costa Rica

HUMAN PATHOGENS AMONG BATS

Bats are known to inhabit both caves and open space areas. Bulgaria is among the Еuropean countries with the highest number of bat species. The species found in the country are distributed over a wide area. They range from the Pyrenees and the British Isles to the Pacific region and the Far East. Many bat species are carriers of potential human pathogens. Bats play an important role in agriculture and act as a biological pest crop control agent. Bulgarian bat ecosystem comprises temperate climate and a wide range of abiotic factors, including humidity, darkness, sunlight, and temperature variations. The metabolism of bats and their body temperature vary significantly between the period of activity and the hibernation. Fluctuations in body temperature can potentially impact host microbiome biodiversity. Temperature variations may induce a high level of microbial mutagenesis. Additionally,the existence in large, mixed-species colonies, togeteher with a relatively long individual lifespan (4 – 16 years) and extensive travel distances, enhances the likelihood of encountering multiple pathogens in a single host organism. This, in turn, facilitates genetic variations and re-combinations among those microbial pathogens, thereby raising their potential to breach species barriers. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the available scientific information concerning the potential microbial human pathogens associated with bats, alongside with our preliminary data on the biodiversity of bats blood microbiome. Future research should focus on bats as both pathogens carriers and dynamic models for predicting emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases

THE INVASIVE BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG HALYOMORPHA HALYS (STÅL, 1855) (HETEROPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) ALREADY IN BULGARIA

This article reports new records of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Bulgaria.</jats:p