The influence of simulated climate change on body weight and depletion of fat body reserves was studied during diapause in the European solitary bee Osmia rufa L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Insects (females) were reared and collected from outdoor nests from September to March. One cohort of females was weighed and dissected immediately for analyses, whereas another cohort was subjected to simulated warmer temperature (15°C for 7 d) before analyses. A gradual decline in body mass and fat body content was recorded with declining temperatures from September to January in female bees from natural conditions. Temperature increased gradually from January to March with a further decline in body mass and fat body content. The fat body development index dropped from five in September-October (≈ 89% individuals) to four for the period from November to February (≈ 84% individuals) and further to three in March (95% individuals) before emergence. Simulated warmer winter temperature also resulted in a similar decline in body weight and fat body content; however, body weight and fat body content declined faster. The fat body development index dropped to three in December in the majority of individuals and continued at this level until March just before emergence. Taken together, our data indicate an earlier depletion of fat body reserves under simulated climate change conditions that may impact ovarian development and reproductive fitness in O. rufa.

One hundred and three samples of faeces of reared grey wolves from four locations (Stobnica Park and Zoological Gardens in Bydgoszcz, Wrocław and Cracow) and twenty-six samples of faeces from two free-roaming packs of grey wolf (Canis lupusL.) in Piła (Forest Divisions: Borne Sulinowo, Czarnobór, Jastrowo) and Zielona Góra (Forest Divisions: Torzym, Krosno Odrzańskie) were collected between 2005 and 2007. Helminth eggs were detected in 78.6% of faecal samples of reared grey wolves and in 88.4% of those of free-roaming wolves. The trematodeAlaria alata(80.1%) and nematodesEucoleus aerophilus(23.1%) andSpirocerca lupi(11.5%) were only detected from wild packs of wolves and the nematodesAncylostoma caninum(35.9%),Trichuris vulpis(15.5%) andToxocara canis(3.9%) were only detected from reared wolves. Differences were observed in the prevalence and composition of helminth fauna between reared and wild grey wolves and our results are compared with those from studies within Poland and elsewhere in Europe.

The catabolic activity of midgut and the turnover of metabolic reserves in fat body and hemolymph was studied during 7 months of overwintering period (September–March) in the European solitary red mason bee Osmia bicornis L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Assays of lipids, protein, and carbohydrates in midgut, fat body, and hemolymph as well as carbohydrates in crop, were conducted during overwintering period, including the 3 months of diapause (November–January). In general, in midgut, lipids were used mainly during pre-wintering period (September–October); whereas in fat body and hemolymph, the stores of lipids as well as carbohydrates were mobilized. In midgut and crop, carbohydrate mobilization occurred during both beginning and end of the overwintering period. The activities of midgut enzymes (proteases and amylases) changed substantially during the overwintering period. While the midgut protease activity was relatively low at the beginning of the overwintering period (September), its activity increased significantly in the final stages of overwintering, during post-diapause quiescence (February–March). On the other hand, amylase activity showed high activity during pre-wintering and post-diapause quiescence, but its activity was low during the deep diapause period (December–January). During winter months, the fat body and hemolymph lipids and free hemolymph carbohydrate concentration slowly decreased. On the other hand, glycogen concentration dramatically dropped down after November and was at a very low level till February and then increased with the rise of ambient temperature. This reflects the dynamic physiological strategies adopted by the red mason bee to successfully overwinter.