First report of Toumeyella parvicornis in Albania
The pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae – EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time from Albania. In August 2023, the guests of a resort located in Qerret (Kavaje, prefecture of Tirana) noticed unusual symptoms on stone pine (Pinus pinea) trees, with conspicuous traces of honeydew and black mould on the tree canopy and on the buildings below. In October 2023, visual inspection of affected pine trees, along with laboratory examination of collected scale specimens, revealed the presence of T. parvicornis. This morphological identification was subsequently confirmed by molecular methods. In the newly invaded area, a monitoring programme will be conducted and measures preventing further spread of T. parvicornis are considered to be necessary. Further studies are also needed on the possible presence of biological control agents which could help controlling T. parvicornis in the natural environment.
Sources
Di Sora N, Contarini M, Rossini L, Turco S., Brugneti F, Metaliaj R, Vejsiu I, Peri L, Speranza S (2024) First report of Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Albania and its potential spread in the coastal area of the Balkans. EPPO Bulletin 54(2), 160-165. https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.13014