Update on the situation of Corythucha arcuata in the EPPO region
The oak lace bug, Corythucha arcuata (Heteroptera: Tingidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) continues to spread within the EPPO region. In an article published in 2020, Csóka et al. mention its presence in Albania (first record in 2016) and in Southern Ukraine (first record in 2017). According to Zubrik et al. (2019), the pest was first recorded in June 2018 in southern Slovakia, on leaves of Quercus cerris growing in a mixed stand. In August 2018, other specimens (nymphs and adults) were observed on Quercus robur leaves, near Čičarovce, in eastern Slovakia.
To assess the potential host status of species, oak species and other potential hosts were checked in 20 sentinel gardens in 7 countries (Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia) between 2013 and 2018, as well as in oak stands of the countries where the presence of C. arcuata has been known for at least 2 years.
Out of 48 oak species surveyed in sentinel gardens, 27 proved to be suitable hosts. The following 13 species are new host records: Quercus aliena, Q. dentata, Q. faginea, Q. gambelii, Q. iberica, Q. imeretina, Q. libani, Q. lyrata, Q. mongolica, Q. pontica, Q. pyrenaica, Q. trojana, Q. variabilis.
Outbreak populations in forests were most commonly found on Q. robur, Q. frainetto, Q. petraea and Q. cerris.
Sources
Csóka G, Hirka A, Mutun S, Glavendekić M, Mikó Á, Szőcs L, Paulin M, Eötvös CB, Gáspár C, Csepelényi M, Szénási Á, Franjević M, Gninenko Y, Dautbašić M, Muzejinović O, Zúbrik M, Netoiu C, Buzatu A, Bălăcenoiu F, Jurc M, Jurc D, Bernardinelli I, Streito JC, Avtzis D, Hrašovec B (2020), Spread and potential host range of the invasive oak lace bug [Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832) – Heteroptera: Tingidae] in Eurasia. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 22, 61-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/afe.12362
Zúbrik M, Gubka A, Rell S, Kunca A, Vakula J, Galko J, Nikolov C, Leontovyč R (2019) First record of Corythucha arcuata in Slovakia – Short Communication. Plant Protection Science, 55, 129–133.