Topic
Mesembrius
About: Mesembrius is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2 publications have been published within this topic receiving 28 citations.
Papers
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Abundance of hoverflies was positively correlated with the floral abundance and flowering plant species, while temperature and relative humidity were negatively or only weakly correlated.
Abstract: Species composition and population dynamics of hoverflies (Diptera:Syrphidae) in relation to some abiotic and biotic factors were studied over a year long period in the District Multan, Pakistan. The community of hoverflies was composed of 14 species which were recorded from 59 plant species. Among Syrphinae, Ischiodon scutellaris, Episyrphus balteatus and Sphaerophoria bengalensis were the most abundant whereas among Milesiinae, Eristalinus aeneus and Eristalinus laetus were the most frequent floral visitors. The peak abundance and richness of hoverflies was observed in spring (March-April), the time when the maximum numbers (35) of plant species were in flowering. Only four species i.e. E. aeneus, E. laetus, Mesembrius bengalensis and Paragus serratus remained active all through the year in variable abundance. Among agricultural and wild plant species, Mangifera indica and Launaea procumbens were visited by the maximum number of syrphid species or in highest abundance, respectively. On the basis of similarity in floral host plant visitation frequencies, Syrphinae could easily be distinguished from Miliesiinae. Abundance of hoverflies was positively correlated with the floral abundance and flowering plant species, while temperature and relative humidity were negatively or only weakly correlated.
25 citations
TL;DR: Examining in detail food brought by reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus to their nests to better understand the importance of hoverflies in the diet of small passerines indicates that nestling diet analyses may provide not only information on avian foraging behaviour but also important faunistic data.
Abstract: Despite being considered a classical example of protective Batesian mimicry hoverflies (Syrphidae) are known to be preyed upon by various passerines. The aim of the present study was to examine in detail food brought by reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus to their nests to better understand the importance of hoverflies in the diet of small passerines. Using neck collars, 273 food samples containing 8,545 food items delivered to reed warbler and parasitic common cuckoo Cuculus canorus nestlings in warbler nests were recorded. The study was conducted during three breeding seasons in South Moravia, Czech Republic. An unusually high diversity of hoverflies was found — 27 species, including Mesembrius peregrinus (critically endangered species in the Czech Republic) and Mallota cimbiciformis (endangered species) — a new taxon to the Czech Republic. This indicates that nestling diet analyses may provide not only information on avian foraging behaviour but also important faunistic data. Thus, without the detailed identification to species level of material from foraging behaviour studies valuable scientific information may be lost. Overall dominance of Syrphidae was 3.7%, the most common species being Episyrphus balteatus (55.7%, n = 318). However, this number seriously underestimates the importance of hoverflies in the diet of reed warblers as hoverflies are one of the largest prey taken by warblers. Both larvae and pupae were rare, imagines strongly dominating (92.7%). Both specific wasp mimics (e.g., Chrysotoxum verrali) and bee mimics (e.g., Eristalis spp.) were not avoided by foraging reed warblers. The presence of a parasitic cuckoo chick did not affect host foraging behaviour with respect to overall dominance of hoverflies in the diet (warbler 3.3%, cuckoo 3.8%).
17 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |