The fat dormouse (Glis glis) was introduced to Britain in 1902. The species is still confined to a relatively restricted area. Its legal status is confused, being both legally protected, but at the same time an alien species and significant pest. Licences may be granted  to trap Glis, but they may not then be released into the wild because they are not native species in Britain. The total British population is unlikely to be less than 10,000. Nobody seems to be regularly monitoring Glis in Britain, but some small studies have now begun aimed at understanding more about population density, movements and potential ways of controlling this animal.

Key words: Glis glis, Britain, ecology, monitoring

Data on the use of nestboxes by Muscardinus avellanarius were gathered in 1971-1996 during all seasons of the year including winter. More than 20000 nestbox checks were made, finding about 5000 dormice. The numbers of dormice and their demographic composition markedly changed as the annual season progressed. The number of dormice in reached the maximum in September: the dormice occupying 30-40% of all nestboxes. There was a positive relationship between the occupancy of nestboxes and density of undergrowth. Dormice preferred nestboxes established at the height of 4m. Preference was also given to wooden nestboxes. The dormice compete with birds, the yellow-necked mouse, fat dormouse and social insects.

Key words: Muscardinus avellanarius, nestboxes, Lithuania

Data on the breeding of M. avellanarius were gathered from two sites in Lithuania in 1981-1993 by regular checking of  nestboxes and marking the dormice captured. During the study 374 breeding females were captured and 319 litters found. In Lithuania the breeding season occupies nearly the whole summer period, and adult females may have two litters per season. Mean litter size was 3.9 +- 0.I juveniles (n = 319) and it depends upon the age of females. The largest litters were detected in May, the smallest in July.

Key words: Muscardinus avellanarius, breeding, Lithuania

The use of nestboxes by British dormice is described. Young weighing less than 15g in October are taken into captivity and used to provide captive-bred stock for rentroductions to suitable areas where the dormice have become extinct in recent times. Husbandry of captive animals and methods for release into the wild are described.

Key words: Muscardinus avellanarius, captive breeding, re-introduction, England

Population-ecology and reproduction in three subpopulations of the fat dormouse (Myoxus glis Linné, 1766) were studied in central Germany in the years 1992 and 1993. Animals were captured in wooden livetraps twice a month, during trapping-periods lasting three days, and marked individually by tattooing. Surprisingly, after a year with good reproductive success (1992), a total lack of reproduction was observed in all three areas in 1993. Reproductive failure coincided with an lack of food resources in fall 1993. Presumably, bad weather conditions or predictive environmental signals, such as missing flower buds in the dry spring of 1993, prevented gonadal development in males.

Key words: body-weight, food, Myoxus glis / Glis glis, population ecology, seasonality

Prehibernation behaviour and hibernation pattern was investigated in three species of Gliridae, Muscardinus avellanarius, Eliomys quercinus and Myoxus glis in order to test the allometric relationship between torpor bout length and body weight. Food preferrence, wieght increase and beginning of torpor bouts were studied. The mean of the longest torpor bouts was calculated for the two undisturbed species, Muscardinus and Eliomys, and it was significantly inversely correlated with body weight.

Key words: hibernation, torpor, arousal, Gliridae, Muscardinus, Eliomys, Myoxus

Garden dormice (Eliomys quercinus L.) were investigated in 1993 and from 1995 to 1997 by trapping and radio tracking in a nature reserve (Petite Camargue Alsacienne, Alsace) in France. The number of captured animals was 463, 118 were trapped for the first time, 345 animals were recaptured. Normal seasonal activity of the population was from April to October in 1993. Newborn animals entered the population in 1993, 1995 and 1996 only in July. Radio tracking results showed a correlation of activity and sun rhythm, a behaviour which is already described for edible dormouse and hazel dormouse.

Key words: Eliomys quercinus, capture-mark-recapture, population ecology, radio tracking, home range, activity rhythm

In our field study on the ecology of Eliomys quercinus we marked the animals with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. Animals were captured in a larch woodland at 1600 m of altitude, inside the Val Troncea Natural Park (Piedmont region, Turin district). Garden dormice were trapped using 144 Sherman live traps, from May to September, during 1995-96. A total of 44 animals was marked. The high number of first recaptures occurred one or two nights after the implanting of the PIT tags and allows us to think that the animals did not modify their behaviour for the marking experience.

Key words: Eliomys quercinus, passive integrated transponders, marking technique

Fat dormouse (Myoxus glis) was examined as a potential host of hantaviruses and rickettsiae. 98 animals were collected from three different regions in Slovenia (Godovic, Metlika, Sneznik). Serological methods were used for detection of specific viral and/or rickesttsial antibodies in animal sera samples. With the PCR method and restriction enzyme digestion, viral and rickettsial genomes were examined. Myoxus glis was confirmed as a host of Hantaan virus. The prevalence of hantaviral infection among the population of Myoxus glis was  13.3 %. It was established that animal age plays a role in the probability of infection with hantaviruses, but not the sex. Rickettsial infection was not confirmed in Myoxus glis with any of the methods used.

Key words: host, Myoxus glis, zoonoses, natural cycle, hantaviruses, rickettsiae, Slovenia

Different places of hibernation of Glirulus japonicus were monitored. The home range of a male was larger than that of a female, and they overlapped. The adult female remains in her home range for several years and has litters, while the young female moves from the mother's home range. The Japanese dormouse eats bark, pollen and insects. It sometimes saved food as food-cache in autumn.

Key words: ecology, Glirulus japonicus, Japan

Common dormice in small isolated woods were studied in 1996 in Saxony (Germany). These woodlands were isolated for 150 years and there were no connecting structures between them. 215 nestboxes were put up and 75 live traps were used for capturing dormice. Animals were marked by ear-tattooing. There were 141 captures of common dormice, and 41 adults and 30 juveniles were marked. It seems that dormice do live isolated, but without genetic exchange they would not be able to survive. Hedgerows can be helpful as connecting structures during the possible migrations.

Key words: common dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius, isolated woods, Germany

New species members and upsated check list of Croatia Sesiid fauna is given in the paper. Data was gathered by a thorough review of published literature on this insect group and especially by taxonomical analysis of collections at the Croatian Natural History Museum in Zagreb and Entomological Department at the Municipal Museum of Varazdin. In this paper we have made a check list of clearwing moths registered in Croatian fauna, their zoogeographical characteristics and distribution for species not so well known for Croatia.

Key words: Sesiidae, Croatia, fauna, distribution

Rumex thyrsiflorus has been recorded for the first time in the territory of Croatia. Several localities have been found around Varazdin (N Croatia). Its occurrence in this region can be explained by spreading of its area of distribution from Central Europe towards the south. Superficially it is quite similar to R. acetosa from which it can be easily recognized by its long tap-root, narrower and longer leaf-blades and denser inflorescence.

Key words: Rumex thyrsiflorus, flora, Croatia

Library / Knjiznica   Croatian Natural History Museum / Hrvatski prirodoslovni muzej