EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 09 - 2011 Num. article: 2011/203

New data on quarantine pests and pests of the EPPO Alert List


By searching through the literature, the EPPO Secretariat has extracted the following new data concerning quarantine pests and pests included on the EPPO Alert List. Information sent by NPPOs has also been included here. The situation of the pest concerned is indicated in bold, using the terms of ISPM no. 8.

  • New records

The presence of Cydalima (=Diaphania) perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time in Italy. The pest was detected in a garden on Buxus sempervirens plants, in the province of Como (Lombardia region). Insecticide treatments were applied on the infested plants to limit the spread of the pest (NPPO of Italy, 2011-09).

In October 2010, the presence of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) was observed for the first time in Portugal. Adult specimens were collected on pine trees (Pinus pinaster) in a forest of the Tróia peninsula (near the Setúbal maritime port, south of Lisboa) (Sousa and Naves, 2011). Present, first found in 2010 near Setúbal.

The onion aphid, Neotoxoptera formosana (Hemiptera: Aphididae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was reported for the first time in Tenerife (Islas Canarias, Spain) in May 2010. Its presence was observed on onion crops (Allium cepa cv. ‘Guayonje’) in San Juan de Perales, municipality of Tacoronte (Pérez Hidalgo et al., 2011). Present, first found in 2010 in Tenerife (Islas Canarias).

Neotoxoptera formosana (Hemiptera: Aphididae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time in Guadeloupe, France. Specimens were collected in May 2011 in chive crops (Allium schoenoprasum) in Saint-Claude, in the area of Matouba. In some crops, significant losses (up to 70%) have been observed despite repeated insecticide treatments (Etienne and Champoiseau, 2011). Present, first found in 2011.


  • Detailed records

In Finland, Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae – EPPO A2 List) is occasionally found on glasshouses crops where it is introduced with imported plant material, but is always subject to eradication measures to prevent its establishment. In 2011, B. tabaci was found in Mandevilla pot plants at 3 places of production, in Dichondra plants at 1 place of production, and in Euphorbia pulcherrima pot plants at 2 places of production. Eradication measures were immediately taken (NPPO of Finland, 2011-03, 2011-08).

In 2011, the presence of Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae – EPPO A2 List) was reported for the first time in Basilicata region, Italy. The pest was found in a large area planted with chestnut trees (known as the ‘area del Vulture’) which includes the municipalities of Atella, Melfi, Rionero in Vulture, and Barile (province of Potenza) (NPPO of Italy, 2011-07).

In Italy, Glycaspis brimblecombei (Homoptera: Psyllidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was detected for the first time in March 2010 on eucalyptus foliage (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in several provinces of Campania (EPPO RS 2010/186). It was then found in Sardinia (EPPO RS 2011/041), and it is now reported from the following regions of Central and Southern Italy: Basilicata, Calabria (province of Reggio Calabria), Lazio, and Sicilia (province of Siracusa) (NPPO of Italy, 2011-07/08/09).

In Italy, the andromeda lace bug, Stephanitis takeyai (Hemiptera: Tingidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was first reported in 2000 in Lombardia region (EPPO RS 2011/200). In 2011, its presence was recorded for the first time in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. S. takeyai was found in a private garden on ornamentals plants of Pieris and Rhododendron in the urban area of Udine. Investigations are being carried out to determine the spread of the pest and possible phytosanitary measures (NPPO of Italy, 2011-09).

  • Eradication
In Finland, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae – EPPO A2 List) is occasionally found on glasshouses but is always subject to eradication measures to prevent its establishment. In March 2011, the presence of L. huidobrensis was observed on bedding plants of Mecardonia and Verbena in 4 places of production. Eradication measures were applied (destruction of infested plants and appropriate insecticide treatments) and the pest was no longer found (NPPO of Finland, 2011-06).
The pest status of Liriomyza huidobrensis is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.

Sources

Etienne J, Champoiseau P (2011) Signalement de deux pucerons nouveaux pour la Guadeloupe. Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France 116(3), 327-328. (in French)
NPPO of Finland (2011-03, 2011-06, 2011-08).
NPPO of Italy (2011-07, 2011-08, 2011-09).
Pérez Hidalgo NS, Perera González, Carnero Hernández A (2011) [The presence of the onion aphid, Neotoxoptera formosana (Takahashi) [Hemiptera: Aphididae] on onion crops in Canary Islands (Spain)]. Boletίn de Sanidad Vegetal 37(1), 31-36 (in Spanish).
Sousa E, Naves P (2011) The Western conifer seed bug Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Heteroptera: Coreidae) in Portugal. Boletίn de Sanidad Vegetal 37(1), 65-67.