ORNIS HUNGARICA 14: 1 (2004) 1

Insects inhabiting Saker (Falco cherrug) nests in Hungary

O. Merkl, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of Zoology, Budapest, Baross u 13, H-1083 Hungary. J. Bagyura, BirdLife Hungary MME, Budapest, Költõ u. 21, H-1121 Hungary. L. Rózsa, Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Ludovika t. 2., H-1083 Hungary, e-mail: [email protected]

Merkl, O., Bagyura, J. and Rózsa, L. raptors' nests in Hungary (Papp 1998) fur- 2004. inhabiting Saker (Falco ther highlights the need of exploring this cherrug) nests in Hungary. – Ornis. segment of the Central European fauna. Hung. 14: XX-XX. Falconiform raptors are characterized This study describes the species compo- by semialtricial nestlings living in rela- sition of insects reared from larval tively large nests throughout long periods assemblages collected from Saker nests. of development. Typically, large quanti- Eight coleopteran and one dipteran ties of food remain, such as body parts of species had been reared, none of which prey , bone, skin, hair, feather and appear to be specific to raptors's nests pellets accumulate under the chicks and as a habitat. They are either character- the emergent smell tends to attract a vari- istic to carcasses, or known to occur in ety of insects. Most insects deposit eggs manure, or commensals living in a vari- onto the food remains and disappear from ety of mammalian and avian nests. the nests, thus only larvae represent the Some of these species may participate in majority of species. Larvae are difficult to the transmission of pathogens. identify and therefore most authors rear Keywords: falcon, nidicolous, nest- them into adults for identification. The dwelling, importance of this nest-dwelling insect fauna is poorly understood. Nest faunae comprising raptor specialist parasites and 1. Introduction commensals may well represent a valu- able component of biodiversity (Rózsa 1992). On the other hand, however, if this Nests of altricial and semialtricial birds fauna contains parasitic species or species tend to harbour species-rich insect faunae acting as vectors of pathogens, its pres- (Nordberg 1936, Hicks 1971). Apparently, ence may also exert a negative effect on nests of cavity nesting birds and nests of nestling development. large bodied birds represent particularly Here, we aim to describe results of our suitable habitats for the development of efforts to rear and identify insects collect- (see e.g. Krištofik et al.1994, ed from Saker (Falco cherrug) nests in 1996, 2002, Masan & Krištofik 1995, Hungary. To our best knowledge, this is Szabó et al. 2002). A recent description of the first study to explore the insect fauna a species new to science collected from occurring in Saker nests. 2 ORNIS HUNGARICA 14: 1 (2004)

2. Materials and methods 3. Results and discussion

Samples were taken from 25 nests (15 Adults of 8 coleopteran and 1 dipteran natural and 10 artificial sites) during the species were reared. were identi- summer of 2000 by János Bagyura. Each fied by Otto Merkl, while the were sample comprised of about 200-400 cm3 identified by L. Papp, Hungarian Natural rotting material taken directly from below History Museum (HNHM), Department of the Saker chicks. Samples often included Zoology. All specimens are found in the avian and mammalian body parts such as collections of HNHM, Budapest. A list of legs of Pigeons (Columba livia), heads of species is presented in Table 1, completed small passerines (e.g. Blue Tit, Parus with some information about their previ- caeruleus), skin fragments of Suslik ously known habitats and feeding habits, (Spermophilus citellus). Lajos Rózsa car- date and localities of our collections and ried out rearing of adult insects. Samples the number of individuals. Due to raptor were kept in plastic boxes on a balcony conservation interests, we use only county under natural climate conditions, but not names to refer to localities. exposed to direct sunshine. A large num- Overall, none of the species found in ber of small holes on the top and bottom our study are specific to raptors' nests as a of boxes let in fresh air while prohibited peculiar habitat, but either characteristic to insects larger than 0.5 mm to get into the different types of carcasses, or known to boxes from the outside. Boxes were occur in manure, or nidicolous species liv- opened on every 2nd day to provide mois- ing in the nests of a variety of mammalian ture by means of a water aerosol and to and avian hosts. The hematophagous collect emergent adult insects. Most of Carnus hemapterus was widespread and these were found after 2-6 weeks of rear- abundant on Saker chicks, however, this ing, and rearing was given up when 2 species was not reared from the samples. weeks passed after the collection of the These larvae develop in avian nests, over- last adult specimen. Admittedly, rearing winter there as pupae, and the emergence was far from being efficient, thus only a of the parasitic adults is synchronised with minority of larvae could be reared into the hatch of nestlings (Liker et al. 2001), adults and identified to species. Firstly, thus we could not rear it within our short the natural supply of food remains was cut study period. off in our boxes, thus insect larvae could Apparently, Saker nests and have starved. Secondly, some samples farms share some insect species. At least dried during the hot summer period, while one of these, the lesser others were too wet and became invaded ( diaperinus) is a well-known by fungi. However, similar conditions vector organism (see e.g. McAllister et al. may often occur in the falcons' nests as 1996, Watson et al. 2000) potentially well. capable to transmit pathogens to Saker nest either from poultry farms, or from other raptors' nests. It may be worth men- tioning here, that Saker nestling morbidity ORNIS HUNGARICA 14: 1 (2004) 3

Tab 1. A list of insects reared from saker nests. Taxa Characteristics Date (all in 2000), Number of locality (county) individuals Coleoptera: Dermestidae bicolor This species inhabits nests of a variety of animals and feeds on feather, hair 19. 05., Jász- 1 (Fabricius, 1781) and dried meat. Nagykun-Szolnok 11. 05., Borsod- 1 Abaúj-Zemplén A 11. 05., Borsod- 3 Abaúj-Zemplén B 14. 05., Heves A 1 14. 05., Heves B 2 Tenebrionidae Alphitobius diaperinus A cosmopolitan occurring in stored food such as bran and flour. Also 11. 05., Borsod- 3 (Panzer, 1797) occurs in avian nests (Šustek & Krištofik, 2002, 2003) and common in Abaúj-Zemplén A poultry farms where it feeds on droppings and preys on fly larvae. 11. 05., Borsod- 2 Abaúj-Zemplén B 3. scaber Common on dry carcasses, also known to occur in nests of predators. Larvae 11. 05., Borsod- 3 (Linnaeus, 1767) feed on keratin. Abaúj-Zemplén B Trox perrisii (Fairmaire, Living exclusively in nests, this species feeds on feathers and remains of 11. 05., Borsod- 2 1868) carcasses. Relatively rare in Hungary, with about 20 known occurrences. Abaúj-Zemplén B pumilio A cosmopolitan species that occurs in avian and mammalian nests, stables, 19. 05., Heves 5 (Erichson, 1834) pens etc., had also been collected at rubbish-heaps. Preys on fly larvae. 11. 05., Borsod- 3 Abaúj-Zemplén A Gnathoncus nanus Known to occur in avian and mammalian nests, rare in stables and pens. 19. 05., Heves 1 (Scriba, 1790) Feeds on fly larvae. 11. 05., Borsod- 1 Abaúj-Zemplén B tenuistrius Common on carcasses, preys on fly larvae. 19. 05., Heves 1 sparsutus (Solsky, 1876) Saprinus subnitescens Common on carcasses, preys on fly larvae. 21. 05., Heves 1 (Bickhardt, 1909) 12. 06., Heves 1 11. 05., Borsod- 1 Abaúj-Zemplén B Diptera: Meoneura prima New to Hungary, previously known from North America, North Africa, 17. 05., Pest 4 (Becker, 1903) Europe, Jordan and Afghanistan, where it was collected from the manure of domestic animals, and also from umbelliferous flowers (Papp 1978, 2001) due to Mycoplasma buteonis infection had Acknowledgements. We are indebted to László already been documented in Hungary Papp who kindly identified our dipteran speci- mens. The Hungarian Nature Conservation (Erdélyi et al.1999). Recently, this Authorities (János Bagyura), and the was also abundantly found in nests of cav- Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (Otto ity nesting birds in Slovakia (Šustek & Merkl: Grant No. T 034207, Lajos Rózsa: Krištofik 2002, 2003), thus its occurrence Grant No. T 035150) supported this project. in the nest fauna of the Saker is not sur- prising. Unfortunately, we cannot compare Összefoglalás our result to the nest-dwelling insect fauna of other falcon species due to the lack of Rovarfajok elõfordulása magyarországi information on other species. kerecsensólyom (Falco cherrug) fész- Briefly, insects inhabiting Saker nests kekben are either nidicolous species or species typical to carcasses or manure. Some of Dolgozatunk célja leírni a kerecsenfész- them may have a role in transmitting kekbõl gyûjtött rovarlárvákból kinevel- pathogens from poultry farms or from hetõ kifejlett rovarok fajlistáját. Nyolc other raptors to Saker chicks. bogár- és egy légyfajt sikerült kinevel- 4 ORNIS HUNGARICA 14: 1 (2004) nünk, azonban ezek egyike sem a McAllister, J. C., Steelman, C. D., Skeeles, J. K., Newberry, L. A. & E. E. Gbur. 1996. Reservoir ragadozómadár-fészkek specialistája. Egy competence of Alphitobius diaperinus részük dögökrõl ismert, mások jellemzõen (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) for trágyában fordulnak elõ, megint mások a (Eubacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae). – J. Med. Entomol. 33: 983-987. legkülönbözõbb madarak és emlõsök Nordberg, S. 1936. Biologisch-ökologische fészkeiben is élnek. Néhány faj a madár- Untersuchungen über die Vogelnidicolen. – Acta kórokozók továbbításában jelentõs lehet. Zool. Fenn. 21: 1-169. Papp, L. 1978. Carnidae. Pp. 32-50. In: Delyné Draskovits, Á. & L. Papp. 1978. Odiniidae - Chloropidae. – Fauna Hungariae XV: 9. (in References Hungarian). Papp, L. 1998. Nidomyiini, a new tribe, genus and Erdélyi, K., Tenk, M. & M. Dán. 1999. species of Borboropsidae (Diptera), with the Mycoplasmosis associated perosis type skeletal redefinition of the family. – Acta Zool. Acad. deformity in a saker falcon nestling in Hungary. Sci. H. 44: 297-310. – J. Wildlife Dis. 35: 586-590. Papp, L. 2001. Cyclorrhaphan flies new for the fauna Hicks, E. A. 1971. Check-list and Bibliography on of Hungary (Diptera). – Folia Entomol. Hung. the Occurrence of Insects in Bird's nest. 62: 283-292. Supplement II. – Iowa St. J. Sci. 46: 123-338. Rózsa, L. 1992. Endangered parasite species. – Int. J. Krištofik, J., Masan, P. & Z. Šustek. 1996. Parasit. 22: 265-266. Ectoparasites of bee-eater (Merops apiaster) and Šustek, Z. & J. Krištofik. 2002. Beetles (Coleoptera) arthropods in its nests. – Biologia 51: 557-570. in deserted nests of Phoenicurus ochruros, Parus Krištofik, J., Šustek, Z. & P. Gajdos. 1994. caeruleus, Parus major, Sitta europaea and Arthropods in nests of the sand martin (Riparia Sturnus vulgaris. – Entomofauna carpathica 14: riparia Linnaeus, 1758) in South Slovakia. – 64-69. Biologia 49: 683-690. Šustek, Z. & J. Krištofik. 2003. Beetles (Coleoptera) Krištofik, J., Šustek, Z. & P. Masan. 2002. in deserted nests of house and tree sparrows Arthropods (Pseudoscorpionida, Acari, (Passer domesticus L. 1758 and Passer mon- Coleoptera, Siphonaptera) in the nests of red- tanus L., 1758). – Biologia 58: 953-965. backed shrike (Lanius collurio) and lesser grey Szabó, K., Szalmás, A., Liker, A. & Z. Barta. 2002. shrike (Lanius minor). – Biologia 57: 603-613. Effects of haematophagous mites on nestling Liker, A., Márkus, M., Vozár, Á., Zemankovics, E. & house sparrows (Passer domesticus). – Acta L. Rózsa. 2001. Distribution of Carnus Parasitol. 47: 318-322. hemapterus in a starling colony. – Can. J. Zool. Watson, D. W., Guy, J. S. & S. H. Stringham. 2000. 79: 574-580. Limited transmission of turkey coronavirus in Masan, P. & J. Krištofik. 1995. Mesostigmatid mites young turkeys by adult Alphitobius diaperinus (Acarina, Mesostigmata) in the nests of pendu- (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). – J. Med. Entomol. line tit (Remiz pendulinus). – Biologia 50: 481- 37: 480-483. 485.