Further records of social parasitic ants in Europe and review of the Bulgarian species.

Background: Social parasitic ants exploit the colonies of other ant species, either permanently or temporarily. The permanent parasites are amongst the rarest species of ants, although their hosts may be very common. Due to their rarity and often restricted distribution range, most of them are listed as vulnerable.

can promote development in honeybee gut: an underrated threat for bees?

The genus harbors opportunistic pathogenic species, among which is pathogenic for honeybees although little studied. Recently, virulent strains of colonizing the mite's mouth were found vectored into the honeybee body, leading to septicemia and death. also occurs as an opportunistic pathogen in the honeybee's gut with a low absolute abundance.

Comparison of 3D-Printed Single Crown Outcomes Among Different Computer-Aided Design Software Programs.

Purpose: Low-cost resin 3D printers have been used to produce affordable interim single crowns in public and private dental practices. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of different computer-aided design (CAD) software programs on 3D trueness, microscopic marginal and internal gaps, time to design, and interproximal contacts of low-cost 3D-printed single crowns.

Materials And Methods: This in vitro study was performed on a total of 90 standardized resin-prepared teeth adapted to a dental manikin.

The oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) as a potential vector of honey bee's pathogens and a threat for public health in North-East Italy.

Background: Oriental hornets are large predatory hymenoptera that occur in the southern part of Asia and the southeastern Mediterranean. Among many pests of bee colonies, Vespa orientalis was recorded to be one of the most destructive.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to: (1) monitor the presence of pathogens carried by V.

The Tubulifera (Hexapoda, Thysanoptera) of the Maltese Islands.

This work records the presence of 13 species of tubuliferan thrips from the Maltese Islands. Eleven of these species, namely , , , , , , , , , and are new records for the Maltese Islands. Two species: and can be described as subcosmopolitan in distribution, another three species: , and are distributed across the Holarctic and Palaearctic regions, while a further seven: , , , , , and have a European and/or Mediterranean distribution.

The Ancient Olive Trees ( L.) of the Maltese Islands: A Rich and Unexplored Patrimony to Enhance Oliviculture.

A prospecting campaign in the Maltese Islands has ensured the survival of several ancient olive trees ( L.), genetically distant from known cultivars. Most of these plants were abandoned or partially cultivated.

Environment or genetic isolation? An atypical intestinal microbiota in the Maltese honey bee spp. .

Introduction: evolved mainly in African, Asian, and European continents over thousands of years, leading to the selection of a considerable number of honey bees subspecies that have adapted to various environments such as hot semi-desert zones and cold temperate zones. With the evolution of honey bee subspecies, it is possible that environmental conditions, food sources, and microbial communities typical of the colonized areas have shaped the honey bee gut microbiota.

Methods: In this study the microbiota of two distinct lineages (mitochondrial haplotypes) of bees (lineage A) and and (both lineage C) were compared.

The Intranidal Myrmecophiles of the Maltese Islands with Notes on Nests as Repositories of Biodiversity.

The intranidal myrmecophilous arthropod fauna of the Maltese Islands is reviewed. Thirty species from nine orders are found to be obligate myrmecophiles, of which four species are recorded from the Maltese archipelago for the first time: sp. (Araneae: Phrurolithidae), (Berlese, 1904), Joharchi, Halliday, Saboori & Kamali, 2011 and (Berlese, 1892) (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae).

Beneficial Bacteria and Plant Extracts Promote Honey Bee Health and Reduce Nosema ceranae Infection.

The research aims to give new insights on the effect of administering selected bacterial strains, isolated from honey bee gut, and/or a commercial plant extract blend (HiveAlive) on Nosema ceranae. Analyses were first performed under laboratory conditions such as different infective doses of N. ceranae, the effect of single strains and their mixture and the influence of pollen administration.

Patient Reported Outcomes on Different Occlusal Schemes in Complete Denture Wearers.

Purpose: To compare patient-reported outcomes among balanced, lingualized, and monoplane occlusal schemes in relation to edentulous jaw classifications.

Materials And Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in edentulous patients receiving new complete dentures using balanced, lingualized, or monoplane occlusal schemes. Demographic variables, bone ridge quantity, number of adjustments required after denture insertion, and satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) indices (ie, the Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire [DSQ] and General Oral Health Assessment Index [GOHAI], respectively) were assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 52 weeks.

Authoritative subspecies diagnosis tool for European honey bees based on ancestry informative SNPs.

Background: With numerous endemic subspecies representing four of its five evolutionary lineages, Europe holds a large fraction of Apis mellifera genetic diversity. This diversity and the natural distribution range have been altered by anthropogenic factors. The conservation of this natural heritage relies on the availability of accurate tools for subspecies diagnosis.

Maintenance and risk factors for fractures of overdentures using immediately loaded conventional diameter or mini implants with Locator abutments: A cohort study.

Background: Fractures in mandibular implant-retained overdentures are a common complication. However, little is known on the related risk factors and outcome differences when using two conventional diameter or two mini implants.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was first, to evaluate the required maintenance and complications with the overdentures and second, to analyze risk factors for overdenture fractures.

Patient-based outcomes with conventional or mini-implants immediately loaded with locator-retained mandibular overdentures: A cohort study.

Background: Little is known on the effect of varying implant diameters, especially with mini implants (ie, less than 3 mm in diameter), on oral health-related quality of life (OHrQoL).

Purpose: To compare OHrQoL and satisfaction in patients with mandibular overdentures immediately retained by either two conventional or two mini-implants.

Materials And Methods: Edentulous patients receiving immediately loaded overdentures retained by Locators on either two conventional diameter (4.

Immediately loaded mini-implants supporting mandibular overdentures: A one-year comparative prospective cohort study.

Background: Little is known about differences between mini-implants and conventional immediately loaded implants for overdentures.

Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes using two immediately loaded conventional or mini-implants for mandibular overdentures.

Materials And Methods: Edentulous patients receiving either conventional (4.

Application of ATR-FT-MIR for Tracing the Geographical Origin of Honey Produced in the Maltese Islands.

Maltese honey has been produced, marketed, and sold as an exclusive local gourmet food product for countless years. Yet, thus far, no study has evaluated the individuality of this local food product. The evaluation of the parameters and properties which characterise the provenance and floral source of honey have been the subject of various studies worldwide, owing to the price and potential beneficial properties of this food product.

New records of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) from the Maltese Islands with an updated checklist.

Thirty-three species of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are newly recorded from the Maltese Islands, of which, 19 include host data. An updated checklist for the 181 chalcidoid species recorded from Malta is also included, which belong to 17 families as follows: Agaonidae (3), Aphelinidae (21, 1 as new record), Azotidae (1), Chalcididae (8 species, 5 as new records), Encyrtidae (24, 1 as new record), Eulophidae (51, 16 are new records), Eupelmidae (9, 2 as new records), Eurytomidae (6, 1 as new record), Leucospidae (4), Megastigmidae (1), Mymaridae (2), Ormyridae (1), Perilampidae (1 new record), Pteromalidae (39, 5 as new records), Signiphoridae (2), Tetracampidae (1) and Torymidae (7, 1 as new record).

Colaphellus palaestinus Achard, a new leaf-beetle for Europe (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae).

Colaphellus palaestinus Achard, an alien invasive species is here reported for the first time for Europe. It was found for the first time in Malta in November 2017, and the year after thousands of individuals were observed in Malta with many photographs posted in social media and local news. Global distribution of this species and information on closely related species is also provided here.

Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands.

Fourteen species of Ichneumonidae are here recorded from the Maltese Islands. Of these, all were reared from Lepidoptera hosts with the exception of Netelia (Paropheltes) inedita (Kokujev) which was collected from a malaise trap. Of these, the following species (or genera) are here reported for the first time from the Maltese Islands: Chirotica meridionalis Horstmann, Gelis carbonarius (de Stefani), G.

A new species of Faronus Aubé, 1844, endemic to Malta (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae).

Faronus rica sp. nov. endemic to Malta is described and illustrated, and placed in the Faronus hispanus species group.

First Maltese record of Stephanopachys quadricollis (Marseul, 1879) (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae).

Three specimens of Stephanopachys quadricollis (Marseul, 1878) were recently found in Malta in UV light traps and represent the first record of this species for this country. Although Stephanopachys quadricollis is native to the Mediterranean basin, it is not yet clear if these Maltese records are due to a natural population or to an interception. Distributional, nomenclatural and biological data on this species are summarized, and a new synonymy is established: Stephanopachys quadricollis (Marseul, 1879) = Stephanopachys quadraticollis Kocher, 1956, syn.

Psocids from Malta (Insecta: Psocodea: 'Psocoptera'), with new synonymy for Peripsocus stagnivagus based on the discovery of its first Palaearctic male.

About 2,000 specimens of Psocoptera were collected in Malta recently. Examination of this material revealed 21 new records for the Maltese archipelago, augmenting the known psocid fauna of these islands from 6 to 27 species. One of the most abundant species is Peripsocus stagnivagus Chapman, 1930 (= P.

The bostrichidae of the maltese islands (coleoptera).

The Bostrichidae of the Maltese Islands are reviewed. Ten species are recorded with certainty from this Archipelago, of which 6 namely, Trogoxylonimpressum (Comolli, 1837), Amphicerusbimaculatus (A.G.

Saltbush-associated Asphondylia species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in the Mediterranean Basin and their chalcidoid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea).

Numerous species of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) have been recorded from saltbush (Chenopodiaceae: Atriplex) around the world but only 11 of them belong to the large cecidomyiid genus Asphondylia. Of these, two species were described in the late 19th century from complex bud galls on Atriplex halimus in the Mediterranean Basin. In the present study Asphondylia punica is redescribed, A.

The scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of the Maltese Archipelago.

Past works on scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) from the Maltese Archipelago are reviewed. Based on the literature and contemporary collections, a total of 93 species of scale insects belonging to 12 scale insect families are here reported (Aclerdidae 1 species; Asterolecaniidae 4; Coccidae 17; Diaspididae 46; Eriococcidae 5; Kermesidae 1; Margarodidae 1; Micrococcidae 1; Monophlebidae 2; Pseudoccocidae 11; Putoidae 2 and Rhizoecidae 2). Of these, 17 species represent new distribution records.