The Agricultural University of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს აგრარული უნივერსიტეტი, romanized: sakartvelos agraruli universit'et'i, AUG) is a non-profit, private, higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the large city of Tbilisi, Georgia. It is located in Davit Aghmashenebeli Alley #240. It was established in 1929, and is officially recognized by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. It is a small university with an enrollment range of only 4,000 to 4,999 students.AUG offers courses and programs that lead to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorate degrees in several areas of study. The H.E. institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations, with an admission rate of 50–60%, making it an averagely selective institution.
During a faunistic and taxonomic survey of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) in Vashlovani National Park, eastern Georgia (Sakartvelo), material collected mainly using Malaise traps was examined. As a result, 127 species belonging to 18 ichneumonid subfamilies were identified, including 30 species recorded for the first time from Georgia and 25 species newly recorded from the Caucasus region. In addition, two new species: Phaenolobus longiterebra Riedel sp. n. and Tycherus parastipator Riedel sp. n. are described based on diagnostic morphological characters. This contribution increases knowledge of the ichneumonid fauna of Vashlovani National Park, Georgia, and the Caucasus, and highlights the importance of the semi-arid and of eastern for
Permanent electric dipole moments (EDMs) provide a sensitive probe of physics beyond the standard model and are directly linked to additional sources of CP violation that could explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe. EDM measurements of charged particles in storage rings rely on detecting a small tilt of the invariant spin axis with respect to the ring plane. In this Letter, we present the experimental determination of the invariant spin axis of an ensemble of deuterons in the Cooler Synchrotron (COSY), a conventional magnetic storage ring, using a combination of a radio-frequency Wien filter, a superconducting Siberian snake, and an electron-cooler solenoid. The measurements reveal tilts of a few milliradians, which are dominated by systematic effects. From the observed tilts, we derive the first experimental limit on the deuteron EDM, |d^{d}|<2.5×10^{-17} e cm(95% C.L.). This result demonstrates the feasibility of using storage rings to search for EDMs of charged stable hadrons and provides a foundation for future dedicated facilities.
The ectoparasitic mite Tropilaelaps mercedesae (Delfinado & Baker 1961: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) poses a major emerging threat to Apis mellifera (Linnaeus 1758: Hymenoptera: Apidae), with its recent detection in Eastern Europe raising concerns over dispersal biology and potential for transcontinental spread. Understanding intra- and inter-colony transmission is crucial for predicting epidemiological impact. While forager-mediated dispersal has been demonstrated under tropical conditions, little is known about transmission in temperate climates. We investigated T. mercedesae dispersal via swarming under temperate conditions in Georgia. In a natural swarming event, 8 female T. mercedesae mites transferred from the source colony. Four died within a week, but the remaining four mites entered and became sealed within the first sealed brood produced by the colony. Two of these mites reproduced, confirming swarm-mediated phoretic mite persistence. To examine the survival of phoretic mites in broodless, queenright colonies, as well as during the building of new colonies, we created two artificial colonies by gathering returning foragers which originated from T. mercedesae infested colonies. Dispersal via foragers was confirmed as the artificial colonies contained 23 and 17 mites, respectively. However, none successfully reproduced, despite colonies producing brood within the same timescale as the natural swarm, and all mites died within 4 to 6 d. Furthermore, we provide the first evidence of T. mercedesae transmission via swarming under temperate conditions, with natural swarms facilitating survival and reproduction. These results highlight swarming as a viable mechanism for mites' dispersal, potentially enabling rapid expansion of T. mercedesae in newly invaded environments.
A total of 407 drosophilid specimens from the Lagodekhi and Vashlovani Protected Areas are examined, for the first time, and 17 species are reported here, including two new records for Georgia [Hirtodrosophila confusa (Staeger) and Lordiphosa fenestrarum (Fallén)] and two new records from Transcaucasia [Scaptomyza flava (Fallén) and Stegana (Steganina) nigrithorax Strobl]. A list of 35 drosophilid species now known from Transcaucasia is given.
The recent spread of Tropilaelaps mercedesae into previously mite free regions has created an urgent need for effective control measures. This study evaluated the "within brood cell efficacy" of two formic acid based treatments, Formic Pro® and Muraviinka®, against T. mercedesae and Varroa destructor in western Georgia, a humid subtropical region where colonies were managed under Western beekeeping practices and exposed to late summer and autumn conditions relevant to many temperate apicultural systems. Field trials were conducted in August and October 2025 using Apis mellifera colonies in single modified Dadant hives. Mite mortality, brood infestation, brood age specific survival, and colony strength were assessed. Both treatments induced rapid and near-complete mortality of T. mercedesae in both seasons and reduced brood infestation to near-zero levels. Time to complete mortality differed by season and product: in August, Formic Pro® achieved complete mortality within 2.5 days, whereas Muraviinka® required 2.5-5 days. In October, near-complete T. mercedesae mortality occurred within 2.5 days for both treatments. Mortality of V. destructor increased significantly but remained incomplete and was strongly season dependent, with significant effects observed only in October. Brood age-specific analyses showed higher V. destructor survival in younger brood stages, particularly following Muraviinka® treatment, while T. mercedesae survival was not affected by brood age. Short-term formic acid exposure generally had no negative effects on colony strength, although adverse effects were observed in some heavily Varroa infested colonies. These findings confirm that formic acid is highly effective against T. mercedesae under conditions representative of temperate apiculture but provides variable control of V. destructor. Integrated pest management in newly invaded regions should therefore emphasise treatment timing and environmental conditions and should not assume equivalent efficacy against both mite species.
