Leptodictya tabida, a sugarcane lace bug detected in the Netherlands
During monitoring activities, the Dutch NPPO detected the presence of Leptodictya tabida (Hemiptera: Tingidae, sugarcane lace bug) for the first time in the Netherlands, and in Europe. The pest was found in January 2009, at one location (De Kwakel) on Bambusa vulgaris. These bamboo plants were 2-3 m high and had been imported from Costa Rica in 2008. Both adults and larvae caused feeding damage on the leaves.
The main host plant of L. tabida is Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) but the pest has also been recorded on other Poaceae, such as Bambusa spp., Echinochloa crus-galli, Euchlaena mexicana (teosinte), Panicum maximum, Sorghum halepense, and Zea mays (maize). Adults and nymphs feed preferentially on the underside of sugarcane leaves, causing leaf discoloration and reduction of photosynthetic activity which may lead to a reduction of sugar content. L. tabida was first described in Mexico in 1839, and its currently known distribution is as follows:
North America: Mexico, USA (Florida, Hawaii, Texas). In Florida, the pest is considered as a recent introduction (detected for the first time in 1990).
Central America and Caribbean: Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama.
South America: Venezuela.
Considering the fact that only an isolated population has been detected and that L. tabida thrives under tropical and subtropical climates, its establishment in Dutch field conditions was thought to be unlikely. Although L. tabida could establish under protected conditions, the number of its host plants grown in glasshouses is known to be very limited in the Netherlands. Therefore, no specific phytosanitary measures were taken by the Dutch NPPO.
The pest status of Leptodictya tabida in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Transient, non-actionable.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands, 2009-01.
Pest Record. First finding of Leptodictya tabida (Sugarcane lace bug) on Bambusa vulgaris in the Netherlands. http://www.minlnv.nl/portal/page?_pageid=142,2268041;_dad=portal;_schema=PORTAL;p_file_id=34562
CABI Crop Protection Compendium (2009). http://www.cabicompendium.org/cpc/home.asp
Hall DG (1991) Sugarcane lace bug Leptodictya tabida, an insect pest new to Florida. Florida Entomologist 74(1), 148-149.
Nguyen R, Hall DG (2008) Sugarcane lace bug, Leptodictya tabida. Featured Creatures. University of Florida and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/field/sugarcane_lace_bug.htm
Sétamou M, Showler AT, Reagan TE, Jones WA, Bernal JS (2005) Leptodictya tabida (Hemiptera: Tingidae): A potential threat to sugarcane production in Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Journal of Economic Entomology 98(3), 1018-1023.