Observations in nature: insects. Stavropol Territory

What are your opinions about the causes of this phenomenon?

It may be affected by some virus.

Clone of the theme: Caucasus, Pre-and Transcaucasia
http://molbiol.ru/forums/index.php?showtopic=526322&st=1050
Unless you really want to lead your own topic.

This post was edited by Djon-25.04.2018 16: 30

  This topic (now the only one in the Stavropol Territory on the forum) includes:
- expedition reports (not only current ones, but also earlier ones).
- discussion of biological diversity;
- discussion of ecology, biology, taxonomy of individual species, facts of meeting in nature.

It will cover not only insects, but also other groups of animals, plants, and fungi.

Ask questions, answer questions, and I welcome a constructive dialogue.
I would be grateful for your help in determining this.
I would be grateful for suggestions for joint writing of articles and other areas of cooperation.

In the topic "Caucasus, Caucasus, Ciscaucasia" I decided not to be present, because there are too many messages. I think it is logical to conduct the topic separately along its edge.
Thank you in advance to all the guests for their visits, discussions, and cooperation options.

Go here http://ukrbin.com/

Report # 1

16.08.2017, approx. 17h30 min-19h30
Forest, near the city of Stavropol.
On the remains of mackerel soaked in brine (slightly salted) and bread soaked in water, the following insects flew (see photo) - the food object was put up specifically-to see who would "arrive".
During the observations, 4 wasps, several green and 2 brown flies fed on the food object. If someone is interested, I will write the details and give you a photo.
Another forest dweller was also photographed)
But such hollows in trees with lakes inside are an invertebrate habitat that deserves a comprehensive separate study.

1. https://yadi.sk/i/DrxLf2Iw3UmaDU
2. https://yadi.sk/i/90oxm2k83UmaDY
3. https://yadi.sk/i/56GiyoDe3UmaDa
4. https://yadi.sk/i/pGATy-oW3UmaDc (according to the definition kindly provided by AVA: Vespa vulgaris, working specimen)
5. https://yadi.sk/i/IZdpFApb3UmaFG
6. https://yadi.sk/i/zNKjtbgn3UmaDn
7. https://yadi.sk/i/IQX-FLMM3UmaFN

This post was edited by Opatrum - 25.04.2018 18: 44

Report # 2.

29.08.2017, observation time from 12 h 25 min.
surroundings of Stavropol: Grushovy village, sandy-dirt country road from Height No. 1 to Height No. 2.
It rained during the night, and a little in the morning, too, but during the observations it was only cloudy, the soil was moderately moist; the ground beetle was found climbing from the roadway to the roadside and then into the grassy cover. Interesting: wasp mating was captured on video; a butterfly with frayed wings, probably an old individual, was captured; a cricket was captured at the exit of a burrow.

1. https://yadi.sk/i/o0JenlXr3Umc4e
2. https://yadi.sk/i/9THoc44_3Umc6o (according to the definition kindly provided by A. J. Elez: Carabus (Megodontus) exaratus Quens., 1806)
3. https://yadi.sk/i/4QHNb8ot3Umc8g
4. https://yadi.sk/i/tAlNFXlv3UmcAN
5. https://yadi.sk/i/lNJVDC9A3UmcCv
6. https://yadi.sk/i/qjpsN5kv3UmcFs
7. https://yadi.sk/d/mrd1KmmX3UmcJS

This post was edited by Opatrum - 25.04.2018 18: 59

Report # 3.

01.09.17,
Stavropol city center, entrance of an apartment building.
The copy was lying on the windowsill, lifeless and dried up.
According to the definition kindly provided by Djon,
this specimen is a Cydalima perspectalis

1. https://yadi.sk/i/AWrvuu6-3Umd3b
2. https://yadi.sk/i/JWL3gWJv3Umd4t

This post was edited by Opatrum - 25.04.2018 18: 40

Report 4. "Chestnuts blooming in the cold"


17.10.17, Fri, Stavropol, 15 h 30 min.

On the territory of GBUZ GKB No. 3 from 12.10.17 (8 h 00 min), 3 horse chestnut trees bloomed. All this despite the extremely cold and windy weather. In addition, some herbs, such as chicory, are blooming on the territory of 3 GB.
Attached files.
Image " 0 " shows the map. Flowering chestnuts are located on the eastern side of building No. 1. The array of chestnut trees is arranged linearly, the tree trunks are no more than 3 meters apart. Of the entire" line " of chestnut trees, only trees No. 11, 12, 14 bloom. On chestnut No. 11 there is only 1 inflorescence, on No. 12 - less than 10, on No. 14-less than 20. On all three chestnuts, young leaves are marked (in the same proportion as inflorescences).
Question: What caused these 3 trees (out of 20 planted in a line) to bloom? While the "neighbors", which are in absolutely the same conditions, do not bloom, they stand with withered, almost discarded foliage.
Answer: Some features of the genetics of these trees are primarily important.
It is possible that a heating system runs underground near this tree line , but this does not explain in any way why these three trees have bloomed, and all the others are "asleep".
Something to think about.
It would be possible to explore these trees."

1. https://yadi.sk/i/n4VzlRIh3UmUix
2. https://yadi.sk/i/kOn9XnGP3UmUkN
3. https://yadi.sk/i/11R9fT0C3UmUmY
4. https://yadi.sk/i/Q8RLkJ3b3UmUni
5. https://yadi.sk/i/IXGIajF73UmUqK
6. https://yadi.sk/i/sTSaOU8M3UmUrc
7. https://yadi.sk/i/bHa6cHAd3UmUsd

Report 5. "Walking through the winter forest".

17.02.18., Stavropol, Tamanskaya forest dacha.
The temperature is about zero degrees Celsius, cloudy with clearings, sensitive cold wind. To my surprise, I shot a lot of interesting objects. The forest "feels like spring".

Link to the photo folder:
https://yadi.sk/d/4M8vgEZS3Uuz6E

This post was edited by Opatrum - 29.04.2018 11: 35

Report 6. " Surroundings of the village of Tuguluk "(Stavropol Territory)

I give you a link to the folder where I uploaded the selected photos. The full trip report (word file)is also located in the same folder
https://yadi.sk/d/sJVWosyj3UuwVU

If you have any questions or suggestions about joint publication of materials, or about other types of cooperation, please write to our email address.
Below is a brief excerpt from the report.
I would be grateful for your comments, suggestions, and help in determining the species.

28.04.18.
Surroundings of the village of Tuguluk (Stavropol Territory) - steppe areas behind the village (from the side of vegetable gardens). Starting point of scientific inspection-Latitude: 45.3372°, Longitude: 42.2565°; 307.23 m n. o. m.; intermediate-Latitude: 45.3378°, Longitude: 42.2556°; final-Latitude: 45.3375°, Longitude: 42.2471°
Weather: sunny, almost cloudless sky, moderate wind, increased intensity in the evening.
Hike time: approximately from 2 p.m. to 4: 30 p.m. (I got into the "steppe" situation only after a 40-minute walk from the bus station along the highway passing through the village).
Named places: "Tuguluksky Kurgan"; "Glades of stone roots".

Natural science notes:
- noted 4 lizards (which, unfortunately, could not be caught); the size is about 10-12 cm, the predominant gray color; one, large, bright green lizard was noted in the village itself, near a residential building in the garden;
- marked two large xylocopes (couldn't be photographed).
- in the area of the" mound " (there is a photo), I noticed a large bird of prey that took off (I didn't notice where it came from), with a wingspan of about 1 m;
- I met several interesting large abandoned burrows (there is a photo) - which serve as natural traps for some insects (it was in one of them that I found a weevil, photographed a black calf, a spider).
- there are sand pits and sandy "bald spots" (partly of artificial origin) - on which you can meet certain insects;
- noted a fairly large number of" flying " ground beetles-tsitsindel;
- marked 1 butterfly of the "peacock's eye" type.
- it is interesting that there is a variety of sand in the sand outcrops-from the usual light yellow color to white, to dark yellow.

Separately, it is necessary to designate, as I called them, "Glades of stone roots" - on the sandy slopes in the area of the "mound", and on the "mound" itself, there were many "petrified roots" (?) lying on the sand of various, including bizarre, forms; at least these formations are very large. they look like "petrified roots"; in addition, there are photos that show the" beginning to petrify " roots of living plants.

In the vicinity of the "Tuguluksky kurgan" there is a rather extensive soil outcrop of considerable height, with clearly visible soil layers (see the photo).

This post was edited by Opatrum - 29.04.2018 11: 38

Report No. 7. " Surroundings of Kugulta village "(Stavropol Territory, Grachevsky district; 10.05.18)

Quite an interesting trip.
The link contains a folder that contains the full report and selected photos.
Pay attention to the "comments" to each photo (briefly indicate where it was photographed, and other comments) (file-properties-details).
https://yadi.sk/d/PqgqWr633VjCDu

If you have any questions or suggestions about joint publication of materials or other types of cooperation, please write to us.
I would be grateful for your comments, suggestions, and help in determining the species.
I am ready to make a trip to the point you need in the Stavropol Territory to collect the necessary materials and observations.
Email address: opatrum@mail.ru.

I would like to thank all the visitors and guests.
With respect.



This post was edited by Opatrum - 05/11/2018 17: 49