Dead specimens of Psacothea hilaris found in Lombardia, Italy
In Lombardia region (Italy), 2 dead specimens of Psacothea hilaris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – yellow-spotted longhorn beetle) were found. The insects (1 male and 1 female) were found in September 2005, in Almenno San Salvatore (province of Bergamo) near a wood warehouse on a private property. P. hilaris is of Japanese origin, and is probably present in other countries in Asia (there are unconfirmed reports in China and Korea). It attacks living plants of the genus Morus, Ficus and Citrus. This is apparently the first time this pest has been found in Italy and in Europe. It can be noted that P. hilaris has been intercepted several times in Canada in wood warehouses, on wood and wooden spools imported from Asia (see also EPPO RS 98/202).
Many pictures of P. hilaris can be viewed on Internet:
http://kamikiri.hp.infoseek.co.jp/kibosi.html
http://www.bjbug.com/special/friends/heisenlin/htmE/co0010.htm
http://www.beetleskorea.com/cerambycidae/lamiinae/pages/uldo.htm
http://www2.gol.com/users/nanacorp/ZUKAN/kibosi.htm
Sources
Regione Lombardia, Giunta Regionale, Direzione Generale Agricoltura, 2005-10.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Exotic Wood-boring Beetles in British Columbia: Interceptions and Establishments by LM Humble, EA Allen, & JD Bell. http://www.pfc.forestry.ca/biodiversity/exotics/index_e.html