Leptophyes discoidalis. © Ivkovic Slobodan.

First Rufford Small Project was presented through research and conservation of three very interesting Orthoptera species. During this project we also found five new species for Serbian fauna. This results show that there are parts of Serbia where Orthoptera fauna is poorly investigated. Besides southern part of Serbia, there are lack of literature data about Orthoptera in Vojvodina.

Markovac. © Ivkovic Slobodan

This project will focus in Orthoptera fauna of Vršac Mountains. Vršac Mountains represent an autonomous and separate geomorphological unit in southeastern Banat (Serbia) and the highest mountain massif in Vojvodina. We choose to research Orthoptera fauna of Vršac Mts. because genesis and position of this mountains caused the richness of flora and vegetation that developed in the area where the influences of the Pannonian, Dakian and Moesian floral-geographical provinces intersect. Owing to the diversity and relatively well-conserved indigenous ecosystems, the fauna in this area supposed to be rich. Project period will be performed in 12 months and it will be conducted in three phases.

First phase will include field works, while in second phase we will focus on identification of material that we collected in the field and establishing which species of Orthoptera occurs on the Vršac Mts. Third phase will include promotion of our research through lectures in schools and raising environmental awareness among the local population about these insects and their importance for habitats where they occurs.