Halyna Holinei’s research while affiliated with Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University and other places

Mammoth Wasp Megascolia maculata (Drury, 1773) (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae) widely distributed in the south of the Western Palearctic and is the largest Hymenoptera insect in Europe. The species range covers southern and partially Central Europe, North Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Western and Central Asia (Western Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Israel, Kuwait, Iran, Afghanistan). Three subspecies are distinguished within the species range: Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata bischoffi (Micha, 1927) – island of Cyprus, Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata flavifrons (Fabricius, 1775) – western Mediterranean including Italy, Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata maculata (Drury, 1773) – Eastern Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe and Asia. However, DNA barcoding showed no difference between these three subspecies (Schmid-Egger, Schmidt, 2021). In Ukraine it is represented by a nominative subspecies Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata maculata (Drury, 1773), most of the findings are concentrated in the central and southeastern provinces (oblasts). The species is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine with protection status: not evaluated (NE). The purpose of the study was to analyze its spread in Ukraine and neighboring countries, in particular, define the northern boundary of the species range. The material for the work was collections (State Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, entomological collection of the Department of Botany and Zoology of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University), own observations, literature data, information from web resources on biodiversity: GBIF - 3800 findings GBIF, 2023; Megascolia…, 2023), iNaturalist – 3208 observations (iNaturalist, 2023), Data Centre «Biodiversity of Ukraine» – 265 records, Ukrainian Biodiversity Information Network – 127 findings. Data on a new discovered of Mammoth Wasp Megascolia maculata (Drury, 1773) in the Ternopil oblast (24.06.2022, Laskivtsi village, Ternopilskyi district, 49.170338N, 25.568823E) are presented. The distribution of the species in Ukraine and neighboring countries is analyzed, a map of the distribution of the species in the region is presented and indicated the expansion of the species range in the northwest direction. Probably, for the next few years we can expect it’s discovered in the Lviv and Volyn oblasts, as well as in Poland.

There are original data of the current state of Nymphalidae family in the regions of Western Ukraine in this article. The entomological materials were collected during the own expedition and the teacher training of the students of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. The insects were collected during 2021. The species composition of the diurnal butterflies was conducted. The taxonomic affiliation of the insects was carried out, using modern books of determinants of insects, the atlases and online sources. The list of species of Nymphalidae family is formed according to Nieukerken et al. (2011). The collection of the entomological material was carried out according to the norms of the environmental legislation. These insects are in the collections of The Botany and Zoology Department. The insects were collected in Zakarpattia, Lviv, Volyn, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi and Khmelnytskyi regions. The species composition of the collected insects was analysed. 13 species of Nymphalidae family were identified in the studied regions. We studied 80 individuals of Nymphalidae family. The investigated insects belong to 11 genera: Coenonympha Hübner, Maniola Schrank, Aphantopus Wallengren, Melanargia Meigen, Vanessa Fabricius, Inachis Hübner, Agalis Dalman, Polygonia Hübner, Araschnia Hübner, Issoria Hübner and Argynnis Fabricius. We identified that some species of Nymphalidae family are common in Ukraine. The largest number of individuals of this family was calculated. The most popular were Maniola jurtina L., Vanessa atalanta L. and Inachis io L. There were several individuals of Araschnia levana L., Issoria lathonia L. and Argynnis aglaja L. in the entomological collection. We will conduct the systematic entomological studies of the fauna of Ukraine in order to do a detailed analysis of Nymphalidae family and to do the ecological and faunal inventory of the insects. These data can be used for the further analysis of the changes of species diversity of Nymphalidae family.