First report of Pochazia shantungensis in Hungary
Pochazia shantungensis (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae – EPPO Alert List) is reported for the first time in Hungary. The pest was first observed in September 2024 by a gardener in a nursery (outdoors) in Pécs-Hird (Baranya county, Southern Transdanubia) on young potted plants for planting of Prunus laurocerasus. In a targeted survey by local researchers in October 2024, a male and female specimen were found in the same location on P. laurocerasus. The identity of the pest was confirmed by morphological tests. The authors conclude that P. shantungensis was likely to have been introduced with P. laurocerasus plants imported from Italy the year before and kept in unheated tunnels during the winter. However it is unclear whether P. shantungensis has established as no eggs were observed during the survey.
The authors further report observations of P. shantungensis from citizen science initiatives in new locations in countries where it has been previously reported (including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Türkiye) and reports of P. shantungensis for the first time in Austria, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The status of the pest in these countries would need to be further confirmed.
The situation of Pochazia shantungensis in Hungary can be described as: Present, few occurrences.
Sources
Schlitt, B P, Koczor S, Orosz A (2024) First record of a polyphagous Ricaniid pest, Pochazia shantungensis (Chou & Lu, 1977) from the Carpathian Basin (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Ricaniidae). Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica doi.org/10.1556/038.2024.00225