First findings of Olenecamptus bilobus in the EPPO region
Olenecamptus bilobus (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) is a long horned beetle originating in the Australasian, Eastern Palearctic, Oriental Region and Madagascar. During the summer 2023, 2 specimens were observed in Spain (Les Salades, Province of Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana), as well as 1 specimen in Greece (island of Lemnos). The authors considered that the insect could have been introduced accidentally as a hitchhiker or via trade of plants for planting, as the findings were close to ports and airports, and to plant nurseries.
O. bilobus is considered as a pest in its area of origin. The species is polyphagous, but it seems to prefer plants of the genera Artocarpus, Ficus and Morus.
Sources
Ruzzier E, de Queros CR, Mas H, Di Giulio A (2023) Simultaneous detections of Olenecamptus bilobus (Fabricius, 1801) (Cerambycidae, Dorcaschematini) in Europe. Biodiversity Data Journal 11, e114432. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e114432