Acta Entomologica Serbica

TWO APHID SPECIES AND GENERA OF THE TRIBE MACROSIPHINI (HEMIPTERA: APHIDIDAE) NEW TO THE FAUNA OF SERBIA

2025-10-01T14:41:51+02:00

First records of two Macrosiphini aphid genera new to the fauna of Serbia are presented with details on their morphology, biology, and distribution, accompanied by original photographs and illustrations. Ammiaphis sii (Koch, 1855) was recorded for the first time on Falcaria vulgaris near Grocka and in the central Banat district, and Brachycorynella asparagi (Mordvilko, 1929) on Asparagus verticillatus in Zrenjanin and on A. officinalis in Slankamen. There is now a total of 397 species of aphids in Serbia.

AUTOGENY EXPRESSION IN CULEX PIPIENS COMPLEX POPULATIONS IN SERBIA

2025-12-12T12:57:52+01:00

From a public health perspective, Culex pipiens (the house mosquito) is the most important mosquito species in Serbia. Its confirmed vector competence has enabled the sustained transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) to humans and animals in Serbia for over a decade. Despite this, the species’ biology and ecology remain underexplored: this study aims to help fill that knowledge gap.

This research examined autogeny in female mosquitoes and assessed whether the presence of males affects its expression. Larvae of the Cx. pipiens complex were collected from three ditches and two urban street catch basins and reared to adult stage. Experimental subjects included adults emerging from field collections and individuals originating from an autogenous laboratory colony. Female mosquitoes were maintained in cages either with or without males and fed solely on sugar solution (no blood meals), and left undisturbed for five to seven days to permit egg development. No oviposition site was provided. Subsequently, females were dissected and their ovarian development evaluated.

Results revealed that, under laboratory conditions, male presence did not affect autogeny expression. After 10-12 days, females contained no eggs in their abdomens, suggesting egg resorption due to the absence of an oviposition opportunity. In field-collected breeding sites, autogeny was rare: only two catch basins and one ditch yielded autogenous females. The highest rate observed was 45% (in a catch basin), while other positive sites recorded rates of 12.5% (catch basin) and 2.15% (ditch).

Given the documented coexistence of the pipiens and molestus biotypes within the same breeding sites, hybridization is likely to occur. Hybrids, feeding on both avian and mammalian hosts, are recognized for their role as bridge vectors in transmitting WNV to humans and other mammals, and thus hold considerable public health importance.

ONE MORE ALLOCHTHONOUS PRAYING MANTIS IN SERBIAN FAUNA: AMELES SPALLANZANIA (ROSSI, 1792) (MANTODEA: AMELIDAE)

2025-12-25T13:26:49+01:00

The allochthonous mantis Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792), from the family Amelidae, has been recorded for the first time in Serbia, in the urban settlement of Klisa, in the city of Novi Sad. Although the manner of the species’ introduction cannot be determined with certainty, we assume it was imported with ornamental plant nursery stock, considering the immediate proximity of a plant nursery. This is the second species of the genus Ameles Burmeister, 1838 recorded in Serbia, the first non-native representative of its genus (and the second non-native mantis species after the already widespread Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869), and the fifth mantis species recorded in the fauna of Serbia in total.

FIG WASPS BLASTOPHAGA PSENES (L.) (CHALCIDOIDEA: AGAONIDAE) AND PHILOTRYPESIS CARICAE (L.) (CHALCIDOIDEA: PTEROMALIDAE): ADDITIONS TO THE FAUNA OF SERBIA

2026-02-02T16:26:10+01:00

In Serbia, the presence of two species of fig wasps, Blastophaga psenes (L.) (Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae), and Philotrypesis caricae (L.) (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Otitesellini) was recorded for the first time. Both are trophically associated with wild figs (caprifig), Ficus carica L. In Europe, B. psenes has been documented in countries with a Mediterranean climate and, in recent years, has also been recorded in southern Hungary and southern Germany. This finding represents the third record from a European with a continental climate. It was recorded in the Belgrade area in 2025 at the following locations: Kumodraž, Beli Potok, and Jajinci. B. psenes is a fig pollinator and, under local climatic conditions, produces three generations per year. Philotrypesis caricae is not a fig pollinator but a kleptoparasitoid of B. psenes. In Europe, it has previously been reported only from the Mediterranean climate zone, including the Pyrenees, the Apennine Peninsula, Malta, and Crimea. Our finding represents the first record from a European with a continental climate and the first from the Balkan Peninsula. The species also has three generations per year and a life cycle similar to that of B. psenes.

CORYTHUCHA ARCUATA (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: TINGIDAE): A NEW ALIEN SPECIES IN MONTENEGRO

2026-01-21T15:27:12+01:00

The oak lace bug Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832), a species native to North America, is recorded for the first time in Montenegro. Specimens were observed in Podgorica in July 2025 on Quercus robur, where eggs and nymphs were found on the underside of leaves. This finding represents the last remaining country in the Balkan region where the species had not previously been documented.

ON THE FIRST NON-TYPE LOCALITY RECORD OF THE RECENTLY DESCRIBED SUBSPECIES DUVALIUS (BIHAROTRECHUS) DURMITORENSIS BULBOSUS JANÁK, 2025 (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE: TRECHINAE)

2026-02-06T14:49:29+01:00

The newly described endogean ground beetle subspecies, Duvalius (Biharotrechus) durmitorensis bulbosus Janák, 2025, was found for the first time outside its type locality, Bendovac Peak, Mt. Bjelasica, eastern Montenegro. Recently, specimens of this taxon were collected in the nearby Bracanovića Pećina Cave in the village of Lubnice, near the town of Berane, on the slopes of Mt. Bjelasica. Morphological analysis confirmed that adult specimens from both localities belong to the same subspecies and that there are no significant differences between them.