Hosts

Founded in 1910, the Hungarian Entomological Society is one of the largest and oldest scientific societies in Hungary, with continuous activity since its founding (including the early ’50s, when most Hungarian scientific bodies were dissolved by the communist government). The Society plays an important role in disseminating information about insects and facilitating communication between entomologists. With nearly 400 members, it comprises the vast majority of professional and amateur entomologists in Hungary, but it is open to all who is interested in insects or simply love nature. Members of the Society vary in entomological interest from taxonomy to ecology, nature protection, physiology or agricultural entomology, cultural entomology, etc. (www.magyarrovartanitarsasag.hu)

Many eminent and internationally acclaimed entomologist of the past have been members of the Society. Zoltán Kaszab, former director-general of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, took a prominent part in founding SIEEC and was the president of the organising committee of the 1973 and 1983 symposia held in Budapest.

The headquarters of the Society is located at the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. The Society holds a monthly meeting at the Department of Entomology, Corvinus University of Budapest. Every month about 60 entomologists gather to hear lectures by guest speakers or members, to meet and exchange information. In November, the Society organises the “Hungarian Entomological Days”, a three-day annual meeting of the members, ending with an international insect fair. The collecting trips, excursions and the Entomologists’ Picnic in May also present an excellent opportunity for informal interactions.

Jointly with the Hungarian Natural History Museum, the Society co-publishes Folia entomologica hungarica, an internationally recognised scientific journal. Members receive a quarterly member newsletter. The three grades of Frivaldszky Medal are the Society’s highest award and are given every two years to members to recognise important contributions to entomology.

The museum has its roots in the Hungarian National Museum, which was founded in 1802. Departments later developed into independent museums, and now HNHM has 5 scientific collections (Mineralogy, Palaeontology, Botany, Zoology and Anthropology), a Library and a newly developed Exhibition and Education Department (www.nhmus.hu). The Department of Zoology is the largest zoology research institution in Hungary, with 7 million insect specimens, beyond Hungary primarily from the Balkan and the Middle-East, Mongolia, Korea, Viet Nam, New-Guinea, Central and East-Africa, South-America. The insect material was identified and studied by a wide international panel of eminent taxonomists from the late 19th Century on. Monographs, catalogues, check-lists and 5 periodicals are published by the museum, 2 of which (Acta Zoologica Hungarica and Folia Entomologica Hungarica) are purely zoological and our Annales contains many papers on entomology. We have an active research staff of more than 20 zoologists, curators and researchers. The research group on Animal Ecology works in co-supporting of HNHM and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and the department is an “Assistant Department” (on taxonomy) of the Veterinary Faculty of Szent István University. Beyond basic taxonomy, ecological, nature protection, biomonitoring, and other studies are made first of all in Hungary.

The museum staff is participating in or organising regularly national and international conferences, including SIEEC symposia (3 occasions) and ECE IV in 1991, 1^st International Congress on Dipterology, recently the 1^st European Congress of Conservation Biology, etc.

The museum is undergoing a real metamorphosis: from 1994 we are moving step by step to a new facility, a former military academy, where a complete reconstruction (for up-to-date collections and preservation conditions, working rooms now including SEM and DNA laboratory, new exhibitions, new offices) is made before hosting the appropriate departments.

In 2010 the entomology collections still will be in the same facility (Baross u. 13.), and will stay at the disposal of ECE participants.

Co-operating institution:

The Plant Protection Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS)

Founded in 1880, its research activities cover all aspects of plant protection. Ecological and entomological studies are conducted in the Department of Zoology, and the Department of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Analysis (www.julia-nki.hu).

The main objective of the Department of Zoology is developing the biological bases of environmentally sound plant protection methods against pests. Studies are made on the structure of the agro-ecosystems, and natural habitats in national parks and nature conservation areas of Hungary. Taxonomical, faunistic and ecological studies include monitoring of seasonal activity patterns, as well as of long-term population dynamics of pests and their natural, beneficial enemies, studying the effect of climate change on the immigration of new pests, revealing trophic interactions, food chains and the impact of beneficial parasitoids and predators on controlling pests. The evolutionary and various behavioural aspects of insect-plant interactions are studied. By studying chemical ecology of insects and identifying their pheromones, we reveal reproductive isolation mechanisms between taxonomically related species. Practical relevance of these studies is developing species-specific, highly sensitive traps, which are used for monitoring of pests, beneficial biological control agents, and for studying biodiversity.

The Department of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Analysis focuses on effects of pesticides and agricultural technologies on the environment, development and application of bioanalytical and biomonitoring systems for environmental surveys, ecological evaluation of genetically modified plants, and on environmental evaluation of pesticide active ingredients registered in Hungary. Research on environmentally friendly plant protection processes consists of investigating the effects of pesticides on aphid parasitoids, and on selective substances of natural origin, and of comparative studies of environmentally friendly protection strategies against mosquito larvae. Insect physiological studies include the mode of action of lepidopteran pheromonotropic neuropeptides, physiology of sex pheromone production, elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying pheromone biosynthesis.

Hungarian Entomological Society	Hungarian Natural History Museum	Hungarian Academy of Sciences and its Plant Protection Institute