Eradication of Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato in Italy
In Italy, the ambrosia beetle Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato (Coleoptera: Scolytinae, EPPO A2 List) was first found in April 2020 in a greenhouse in a botanical garden in the municipality of Merano (Trentino-Alto Adige region) (EPPO RS 2020/094). Following this finding, intense monitoring was conducted inside the greenhouse and in the surrounding area (with pheromone traps and logs used as traps). Training courses were organized for the staff of the botanical garden. A demarcated area was established. All the plants in the greenhouse were removed and destroyed under official control; 28 plants presented signs of the pest’s presence (boreholes and ejection of wooden debris). Solarisation was also applied in the greenhouse for a period of 6 months. The last finding of an adult specimen was on May 29th, 2020 in a trap log inside the infested greenhouse. No E. fornicatus were detected outside the greenhouse during the monitoring with bait traps and visual inspections. The growing media in the greenhouse was replaced before replanting new plants in spring 2021. After two years without any findings, the outbreak is considered to be eradicated. Nevertheless, surveys will still take place in the future.
The pest status of Euwallacea fornicatus sensu lato in Italy is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
Sources
NPPO of Italy (2022-07).