Population of the invasive harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Pelješac Peninsula, southern Croatia

Samples of the invasive alien ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, were collected between 27 July and 8 August 2013 at four localities on the Pelješac Peninsula in southern Croatia. Altogether, 209 individuals were collected, of which 114 (54.5%) were males and 95 (45.5%) females. Three color forms were present in the samples: the non-melanic form succinea and the melanic forms spectabilis and conspicua. The form succinea clearly predominated (90.5% of collected individuals) followed by spectabilis (8.1%) and conspicua (1.4%). The ectoparasitic fungus Hesperomyces virescens, not previously reported from Croatia, was found on the elytron of one H. axyridis individual. The localities in Pelješac Peninsula mentioned in this paper are the southernmost of all Croatian localities so far reported to be colonized by H. axyridis.

Melanism in Biston betularius from north-west Europe (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Random samples of B. betularius males show a clinal variation in the degree of melanism: from high melanic frequencies in Denmark and south-west Sweden to almost no melanism in south Finland. Old samples from Denmark dating back to the end of the 19th century have strikingly lower melanic frequencies than recent samples showing an increase in melanism during the 20th century in NW Europe. Levels of air pollution and melanic frequency coincide fairly well indicating that the spread of melanism is a response to increased air pollution as also is demonstrated elsewhere. In Britain, in central Europe, and in USA a black morph has evolved whereas in NW Europe the grey morph (insularius) is the predominating melanic form indicating that evolution of melanism in B. betularius has followed its own course in NW Europe.