Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)
Zoology
Petru Vasile ISTRATE Inspecting the flowers near forests has permitted the extraction of cerambycidae trees adults, buprestidae, scrabaeidae with the help of entomological nets. Many insects hide under the bark of trees during the day, while others spend the winter as adults; this is why the extraction of dry bark and the rotten wood under it with a knife has resulted in the discovery of larvae and adults in the pupal rooms. Insects that live in the crowns of trees, especially cetoniidae, are more difficult to notice and to directly collect. For this purpose, a 1-2 1 bottle was turned into a trap, filled with bait that consisted of fermented fruits and wine. These were hanged in the trees at a certain height, so as to not be taken down with ease. The coleopterans are attracted by these baits because they feed off fermented juices that drip down the trees bark. As a result of constant checking of the traps, the adults were collected. The gps coordinates were noted for all the species that were important and the coordinates of the areas with the richest biodiversity. The material that was entirely collected by the author was identified on the field and the insects that were too difficult to identify were killed and conserved in ethyl alcohol 70%, so as to be identified later in the laboratory, using newest scientific literature. Some individuals have been prepared and kept in the author’s personal collection. Where this was possible, the insects were photographed in their natural habitat, obtaining larger images as well. These images were used for a book concerning the coleopteras living in that particular area. Results and discussions There have been identified sites with a high level of biodiversity, as follows: • The pubescent oaks Quercus pubescens forests on the left side of the Iacobeni Valley Locality of reference - Cris, MS. Coordinates of the site in a central point: 46°07.721 and 024° 40.993 for the site on the Zäpodii hill and 46°07. 290, and 024° 41. 397 for the site on the Gotca Mare hill. The site is characterized by the presence of certain well preserved pubescent oak forests (Fig. 4), with grasslands stretching at the base of the hill. The slope is very steep towards south. Trees are rare, with numerous shrub species and a rich herbaceous vegetation including a remarkable number of orchids. Among the rare coleopteran species identified in this area, we can note: Cerambyx scopoli, Prionus coriarius., Rosalia alpina, and Xylotrechus rusticus (found on the fallen trees of the Iacobeni Valley). Also, two nocturnal rodents populations have been identified - Glis glis and Muscardinus avellanarius, which make their nests in old tree hollows. The access towards this location is granted on the left side of Cris, DJ 143 towards Iacobeni. • The Bircheni Forest, the Colibari Pasture with secular Quercus robur oaks and the woods on the Frumos - Ghergheleu Peak. Locality of reference - Fisier, BV. The coordinates of the site in a central point: N 46.05.367, E 025.07.855. The forest is remarkable through its homogenous woody composition, consisting of mature, tall oaks. It is located near the Colibari Pasture. There can be found numerous secular oaks, Quercus robur, which has a trunk larger than the ones at the Breite Plateau near Sighisoara. There are numerous specimens where the drying phenomenon is highly visible, as they have rotten trunks, as well as wild, secular pear-tree. The pastures widens up to north-west, toward the 120
