Urszula Walczak

Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań | UAM · Institute of Environmental Biology

Citation: Molleman, F.; Mezzomo, P.; Mandal, M.; Mallick, S.; Moos, M.; Vodrážka, P.; Prinzing, A.; Walczak, U. Simulated Herbivory Induces Volatile Emissions of Oak Saplings, but Parasitoid Communities Vary Mainly Among Forest Sites. Diversity 2024, 16, 781. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Abstract: We know little about how parasitoids of herbivorous ins...

We know little about how parasitoids of herbivorous insects use herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to locate potential hosts on saplings in forests and how this depends on tree composition. Therefore, we performed an experiment in a forest in Poland where we placed pairs of oak saplings (Quercus robur or Q. petraea) in neighborhood...

We know little about how parasitoids of herbivorous insects use herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to locate potential hosts on saplings in forests and how this depends on tree composition. Therefore, we performed an experiment in a forest in Poland where we placed pairs of oak saplings (Quercus robur or Q. petraea) in neighborhood...

Differences between neighbouring tree species in phenology could isolate populations of host plant generalists that depend on matching the phenology of their host. We studied the relationship between the budburst phenology of two co‐occurring tree species with early (hornbeams) and late (oaks) budburst and the egg hatching date of associated winter...

To what extent particular plant defences against herbivorous insects are constitutive or inducible will depend on the costs and benefits in their neighbourhood. Some defensive chemicals in leaves are thought to be costly and hard to produce rapidly, while others, including volatile organic compounds that attract natural enemies, might be cheaper an...

Trunk injection with imidacloprid is used to reduce the infestation rate of trees by pests. However, further research is needed to determine the insecticide persistence in trees. Here, we present a case study in which we evaluated horse chestnut trees for imidacloprid residues and the invasive leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillari...

Poster summarizing the findings of Molleman & Walczak 2024.

This poster presents results from the study published in Insects. Molleman et al 2022: What Drives Caterpillar Guilds on a Tree: Enemy Pressure, Leaf or Tree Growth, Genetic Traits, or Phylogenetic Neighborhood? Insects, 13, 367. 10, 3390 / insects13040367

Tetraneura (Tetraneurella) nigriabdominalis (Sasaki, 1899) is a holocyclic and heteroecious species widely distributed throughout the world. Its primary hosts are various elm species, on which it forms galls. The results of this study complement those of previous research on the development of T. nigriabdominalis on primary hosts. Our research was...

Summary of Article in 'Insects'

Communities of herbivorous insects on individual host trees may be driven by processes rang-ing from ongoing development via recent microevolution to ancient phylogeny, but the relative importance of these processes and whether they operate via trophic interactions or herbivore movement remains unknown. We determined the leaf phenology, trunk diame...

The community of insect herbivores on individual host trees may depend on the history of the hosts—from ongoing ontogeny via recent microevolution to ancient phylogeny—but the relative importance of these scales remains unknown. We sampled spring caterpillars, leaf mines, and leaf galls from sessile oaks (Quercus petraea) in a forest in western Pol...

The leaf-miner moth Cameraria ohridella, a pest in Central Europe, causes severe damage to trees. Host-associated differentiation (HAD) for this species has been suggested previously based on the occurrence of a specific mitochondrial haplotype. We assessed genetic diversity and population structure for sympatrically occurring individuals collected...

Recently in Poland, cases of host expansion have frequently been observed in the typically monophagous bird-cherry ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymella), which has moved from its native host plant, bird cherry (Prunus padus), to a new, widely distributed plant that is invasive in Europe, black cherry (P. serotina). We attempted to verify the reasons...

Defoliation caused annually by Cameraria ohridella has a considerable impact on the general condition of horse chestnut trees. We investigated the consequences of tree endotherapy against this insect. Wood samples, leaves and insect specimens were collected ten years after the treatment (injection) with pesticides. Insect invasion was manifested in...

Alien phytophagous insects are often introduced along with their host plants, creating opportunities for troublesome invasions. Yet, not all of them are able to successfully colonize novel host plants. In this study, we investigated host selection by the alien leaf miner Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zeller, 1850) on both its original host and nov...

Popular in the urban environment is the horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum which is suffering mainly due to the feeding of the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). The harmfulness of this pest is well recognized. Not much attention was put in discovering the interaction of this insect with the fungal pathogen Guignardia aesuli, the...

1. Yponomeuta evonymellus is a monophagous moth that feeds on Prunus padus which is native to Europe. In recent years, larval feeding and egg clusters have also been observed on non‐native Prunus serotina plants; however, survival of larvae on this new host is very low. 2. The objective of the present study was to determine how the feeding of larva...

Performance of the invasive horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was studied on two host plants: the white-fl owering horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum L. and the Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Willd. C. ohridella developed successfully on both host plants; however, mine density and s...

The paper presents the first records of Tetraneura (Tetraneurella) nigriabdominalis (Sasaki, 1899) (Eriosomatinae, Eriosomatini) from Poland, an alien species that has been expanding its range northward, which is presumably connected with climate warming. Secondary hosts of this aphid are different plant species from the family Poaceae, including Z...

The bird cherry ermine moth, Yponomeuta evonymellus L., is considered an obligatory monophagous insect pest that feeds only on native European Prunus padus L. In recent years, however, increased larval feeding on alien P. serotina Ehrh. has been observed. In both species, general defoliation is extensive for shade grown trees, whereas it is high in...

Eidophasia tauricella Staudinger, 1880 is redescribed with a photo of the type specimen. The female genitalia are described for the first time.

Moths of the family Argyresthiidae are widely distributed globally, as they include a few cosmopolitan species (Dugdale et al. 1999). So far the family has not been the subject of any monograph, and the systematic position of many species is unclear (Agassiz 1996). This applies also to Argyresthia mirabiella (Toll, 1947). Its type specimen with the...

A new combination, Rhigognostis erysiphaea (Meyrick, 1938) is proposed. The species is re-described with a photo of the type specimen. The male and female genitalia are described and illustrated for the first time.

In three successive papers, Zerny (1939, 1940a, b) catalogued the specimens collected during his expedition to Iran. His description of the external appearance of Ypsolopha nervosella was very short (Zerny 1940b). He mentioned that Y. nervosella was similar to Y. instabilella (Mann, 1866) collected in the same location. Such a terse description of...

Ypsolopha kotzschi (Toll, 1947) was described from a single male collected by H. Kotzsch and his wife in the Kuh-i-Mirabi Mountains (mountain range between Mashhad and Neyshabur), NE Iran in 1938. The specimen was transported on cotton wool. This preparation resulted in its poor condition (antennae almost completely destroyed). No additional specim...

Ypsolopha lonicerella Stöckl, 1922 is shown to be a junior synonym of Y. leuconotella Snellen, 1884. Ypsolopha lonicerella Stöckl, 1922 was described from a single female from "Worochta, R?bowacz", currently West Ukraine. The original description was based only on external morphology, lacking illustrations, and published in Polish in a paper dealin...

The following paper deals with Plutellidae and Ypsolophidae species of the Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut collection.

The paper provides the first information on the occurrence of Scythris buszkoi BARAN, 2004 in Poland. The locality is situated in the south-eastern part of the country. So far this species was known only from a type locality in the south-western part of Ukraine. New regional records are also given for eleven other scythridid moths: S. braschiella (...

Coleophora chrysanthemi HOFMANN has been recorded for the first time from Poland. The data on its biology and diagnostic features enabling its identification are presented.

Results of the research on the leaf-mining moths (Lepidoptera) carried out in the Biedrusko military area in 1997–2008 are presented. The investigation showed great species richness of the moths. 258 species have been recorded in the military area, which makes about 47% of this fauna reported from Poland. 24 species are new to Greater Poland Voivod...

We examined the host range of an invasive small moth, Phyllonorycter leucographella in two plant collections in Poland. A total of 248 species, varieties and cultivars of the subfamily Maloideae were sampled. We found that only 75 of them were attacked by Ph. leucographella. As many as 68 novel host plants are reported for the first time. However,...

Possible differences in the size and dynamics of the appearance of particular generations of Cameraria ohridella were studied at two city sites of different size and character. The differences in the degree of infestation of Aesculus hippocastanum by the horse chestnut leafminer in the two towns are interpreted as a result of the differences in the...

The influence of distance between host trees and leaf litter removal on population density of Cameraria ohridella have been for the first time examined in an isolated population of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) trees. The observation was performed in the small town (area 13,58 km2) in Wielkopolska region (West Poland) on the total numb...

Abstract. Results of studies on butterflies carried out in the Biedrusko military area in 1997-2002 are presented. The investigation showed great species richness of butterflies. 7 1 species were recorded. The most interesting and endangered species are described in detail. Some comments about land management and protection recommendations are give...

This paper is a result of faunistic-ecological investigations on butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea, Hesperioidea) carried out in 1994-1996 in the south part of the Wielkopolska region. A total of 55 species have been recorded and divided into four ecological groups. The most interesting species are described in detail. One of them, Polyommatu...