Anoplophora glabripennis found in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland
In Switzerland, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A1 List) was first recorded in Brünisried (canton of Fribourg) in September 2011 (see EPPO RS 2011/189). Other findings (live beetles and in some cases only dead specimens) were then reported from the cantons of Fribourg, Thurgau, and Zürich (RS 2011/239, 2012/148, 2013/049, 2014/065 and 2014/141). In all cases, phytosanitary measures were taken to eradicate the pest. In 2015-09-08, a gardener apprentice captured a live beetle of A. glabripennis in a private garden located in Berikon, canton of Aargau. On the next day, the identity of the pest (A. glabripennis female) was confirmed on the basis of morphological characteristics. Official inspections were immediately carried out with the assistance of 2 sniffer dogs, first within a radius of 100 m around the finding site, but could not detect the presence of the pest. When the radius of the inspected area was enlarged to 250 m, one Acer pseudoplatanus tree was found to be infested. This tree showed several exit holes and after felling, 9 beetles were collected and immediately killed. When the tree was truncated section by section, 12 larvae of different sizes were collected for further characterization. After dissection, the infested tree was incinerated. It is noted that no nurseries or garden centres are located within a radius of 2 km of the infested site. Official phytosanitary measures were taken in accordance with the EU Commission Implementing Decision 2015/893. Surveys are continuing, in particular to determine the size of the buffer zone. Until now, there is no evidence to ascertain how and when the pest was introduced. However, as construction work took place during the last few years in this area, it is suspected that this introduction could be linked to the import of Chinese granite stones (packed in infested wood material).
The pest status of Anoplophora glabripennis in Switzerland is officially declared as: Transient: actionable, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of Switzerland (2015-10).
EU Commission Implementing Decision 2015/893 of 9 June 2015 as regards measures to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the Union of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky). http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX