The cold hardiness of individuals from overwintering populations of a freeze susceptible bug Pyrrhocoris apterus from central and southern Europe differed significantly. Supercooling point (SCP) correlated well with both lethal temperature (LT50) and lethal time (Lt50), and is agood index of cold hardiness of adults during and after diapause. In January, diapause terminated, but cold hardiness was similar to that recorded in November; cold hardiness decreased slightly in March and markedly in May. Short exposure (less than a week) to higher temperatures before termination of diapause did not reduce the cold hardiness. Cold hardiness did not closely follow air temperatures.The Bulgarian bugs retained lower cold hardiness regardless of acclimation to harsh field conditions in the Czech Republic. The interpopulation difference is therefore a heritable character representing an adjustment to local climates.
The article deals with the situation of Bulgarian ethnology at the
beginning of the 21st century. It addresses three main forms of
institutionalised ethnology: the relevant department of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, university departments and ethnographic museums. The first institution of this type was the National Ethnographic Museumin Sofia (1906). In 1947, an independent ethnographic institute was founded as apart of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the present-day Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum. The text describe in detail this academic institution, summarises its main research activities and mentions examples of past projects. In addition, it references the ongoing “ethnology versus anthropology” debate. The academic discipline of ethnology in Bulgaria has lately suffered financial difficulties and is largely dependent on international and national grants.
The paper discusses handicraft production in Bulgaria from the 19th century until now. It uses a model case of the area of Eastern Rhodopes which is located in south-eastern Bulgaria. In the field of handicraft production, Bulgarian ethnology traditionally distinguishes domestic production and specialized craft. More recent literature also characterizes domestic production. However, in the Balkan folk culture, these forms of handicraft production were not strictly separated. The paper focuses on the most important manufacturing sectors which are typical for the region: breeding of silkworms, processing of wool and goat hair, wood, natural netting, coal and pottery. Traditional production has been declining in the territory of today’s Bulgaria with the penetration of European factory products since the 19th century, but in a greater extent since the beginning and mainly mid-20th century with the development of
factory production - that means it was relatively later than in our country (particularly with regard to textile production). Until 1960s and 1970s, crafts and homemade manufacturing in the researched region basically disappeared. However, homemade production maintained its importance to this day - even if in a modified form.
The text describes the history of the first Czech village in Bulgaria – Sesek. It is the first attempt to present systematically all known information about this village scattered in publications, unpublished materials and archives. One of the main purposes of the study is to prove that “Sesek” was de iure as well as de facto standard village inhabited by (primarily though not exclusively) Czech families – migrants from the Czech village Svatá Helena in Rumanian Banat, not just a “place” these went through on their way to later founded Vojvodovo (usually presumed to be the only Bulgarian Czech village).