Finding of Psacothea hilaris in Germany
Psacothea hilaris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) is a wood borer affecting mainly Ficus carica (fig) and Morus spp. (mulberries) which originates from Asia and is now established in Lombardia (Italy). In Germany, it was first reported in 2013 in Northern Bayern at a freight station in Neustadt, near Coburg (EPPO RS 2013/245). P. hilaris was found again recently in Rheinland-Pfalz in wood pallets from China.
An express PRA was conducted and concluded that the pest does not present a phytosanitary risk for Germany as its host plants are not widely grown in Germany, but may be a concern for Southern EU member states where figs are commercially produced.
The pest situation of Psacothea hilaris in Germany can be described as: Absent, intercepted only.
Sources
JKI (2024) Express-PRA zu Psacothea hilaris – Auftreten und Beantandung – (in German). https://pflanzengesundheit.julius-kuehn.de/risikoanalysen.htmlor https://pra.eppo.int/pra/693c1a5b-9c1a-4e2f-ade6-52f5e0774070