First report of Singhiella simplex in mainland Spain
In October 2018, Singhiella simplex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) was found for the first time in mainland Spain. It had been recorded previously in the island of Mallorca, Baleares. Nymphs (4th larval stage) were observed in the municipality of El Rincón de la Victoria, in the province of Málaga (Andalucía), on leaves of Ficus microcarpa. In 2019, the pest was also found in the province of Alicante (Comunidad Valenciana). Since 2020, significant damage has been observed in various species of ornamental Ficus trees in Murcia. Affected trees showed progressive yellowing of the foliage, massive defoliation leading to a significant reduction of plant vigour and in extreme cases to tree death.
Singhiella simplex originates from South-East Asia and feeds exclusively on Ficus species. This whitefly has spread to other regions of the world, including parts of North America, South America, and of the Mediterranean Basin. It damages Ficus plants by sucking sap, resulting in leaf yellowing, extensive leaf drop, branch dieback, stunting, wilting, and eventually plant death. S. simplex also produces honeydew on which sooty mould develops.
Sources
Anonymous (2024) Singhiella simplex. Boletin Informativo 2/2024. Region de Murcia, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, 6 pp. [Link].
Dader Alonso B, Viñuela Sandoval E, Medina Velez MP, Budia Marigil MF, Adan del Rio AA, del Estal Padillo P (2019) Presencia en España de la mosca blanca del Ficus spp., Singhiella simplex (Singh, 1931) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Abstract of a paper presented at the XI Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Entomología Aplicada (Madrid, 2019-11-04/08), p 108. https://www.upm.es/observatorio/vi/index.jsp?pageac=actividad.jsp&id_actividad=324992