A North American planthopper species, Acanalonia conica (Homoptera: Acanaloniidae) has recently been found in Italy. It was first observed in the Veneto region (province of Padova) in 2004, and then in Lombardia (province of Pavia) in July and August 2006. A. conica is a polyphagous species. In Veneto, it was observed on a wide range of host plants (Amorpha fruticosa, Corylus avellana, Cornus sanguinea, Prunus sp., Urtica dioica, Parietaria officinalis, Humulus lupulus, Solanum nigrum, Chenopodium sp., Xanthium italicum). In Lombardia, few specimens of A. conica were caught on the foliage of Ulmus and Morus trees growing near a vineyard, and in a small family orchard. Adults of A. conica are green, 13 mm long, and appear during summer (June-July to September). There is one generation per year. Eggs are laid in the bark or in the leaves. As the nymph feeds, it produces a white waxy secretion which covers its body and the twig or leaf around it. Adults and nymphs also excrete honeydew on which sooty mould can develop. In the USA, A. conica is a common and widespread species which is not considered a severe pest. In Italy, its introduction raised some concern because of its similarities with Metcalfa pruinosa (Homoptera: Flatidae). Its currently known geographical distribution is as follows:
North America: USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia).
EPPO region: Italy (few specimens found in Veneto and Lombardia).
Nicoli Aldini R, Mazoni E, Ciampitti M (2006) [First finding of the nearctic hopper Acanalonia conica (Say) (Fulgoromorpha Acanaloniidae) in Lombardy (Northern Italy).] Bolletino di Zoologia Agraria e di Bachicoltura Serie II 38(3), 261-264 (in Italian).
