Anoplophora glabripennis found in Corse (FR)
The NPPO of France recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first record of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A1 List) in the department of Haute-Corse (Corse region). On 2013-07-04, the insect was coincidentally discovered in the municipality of Furiani by two home owners who noticed numerous beetles and signs of the pest (broken branches, exit holes) on a Salix and an Acer tree in their neighbouring gardens. On the same day, phytosanitary inspections carried out by FREDON detected approximately 60 adult beetles (which were killed). In total, nearly 30 broadleaved trees were present in the two gardens, and some of them (1;Aesculus hippocastanum, 2 Tilia sp., 1 Acer sp.) presented holes resembling oviposition sites. Further observations detected oviposition sites on a Platanus sp. tree planted along a road, 580 m away from the infested gardens. On 2013-07-07, the identity of the pest was officially confirmed by the French reference laboratory (LSV-ANSES, Montpellier). The origin of the introduction of A. glabripennis into Corse is unknown but numerous firms using wood packaging material are located in the vicinity of the outbreak site. Eradication measures have immediately been implemented and include: destruction of all infested trees (cutting and grinding of the upper parts into pieces ; 2.5 cm with removal of the stump if larval galleries are observed in it), delimiting surveys and mapping, intensive surveillance within a radius of 1 km around infested trees, studies to determine the origin of the introduction, and communication campaigns with the general public (e.g. press releases, leaflets).
The pest status of Anoplophora glabripennis in France is officially declared as: Present, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of France (2013-07).
FREDON-Corse (2013-07-07) Découverte par la FREDON Corse d’un foyer de capricornes asiatiques Anoplophora glabripennis au sud de Bastia. http://www.fredon-corse.com/actions/capricorne_asiatique.htm