First report of Arboridia kakogawana in Bulgaria
The Japanese grape leafhopper, Arboridia kakogawana (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae, EPPO Alert List) was first reported in the EPPO region in Southern Russia in 1999, and later in Ukraine and Romania (EPPO RS 2020/007). The pest was detected on Vitis sp. during field surveys conducted in September-November 2019 at 16 localities in Bulgaria at altitudes from 15 to 350 m a.s.l. in the following geographical zones: Black Sea coast, Danube Plain, Prebalkana Mountains, Zadbalkanski Kotlovini Plain. The species was detected on plants in private gardens and plantations in urban and suburban areas only. The survey showed that A. kakogawana is still in the expansion phase of its invasion process in Bulgaria and has a limited distribution, mainly in Northern Bulgaria and on the Black Sea coast. Plants were generally infested at low levels, but heavy infestations were observed in towns along the Danube River. The current distribution pattern of A. kakogawana suggests that its dispersal in Bulgaria is most probably human-mediated and the main pathways are the transport of infested nursery material or as a hitchhiker on/in vehicles as towns and villages where the species was detected are located next to major roads.
The situation of Arboridia kakogawana in Bulgaria can be described as: Present, restricted distribution.
Sources
Tomov R (2020) First record of the Japanese grape leafhopper Arboridia kakogawana (Matsumura, 1932) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae, Erythroneurini) in Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 72(4), 691-695. http://www.acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/00SIO_1_17.