Update on the situation of Orientus ishidae in the EPPO region
Orientus ishidae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) has been introduced to a range of EPPO countries since 1998, with previous reports of findings in Italy (1998), Switzerland (2000), Germany (2002), Slovenia (2002), the Czechia (2004), Austria (2007), France (2009), Hungary (2010) and the United Kingdom (2011) (EPPO RS 2015/098). The presence of this leafhopper is of concern as it is a known vector of several phytoplasmas of concern (and a potential vector of others). O. ishidae was recently reported to be a vector of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’ (EPPO A1 List) in Switzerland (RS 2024/117) and it is a potential vector of Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma (EPPO A2 List).
The EPPO Secretariat has updated the distribution of O. ishidae following several findings since the previous article (RS 2015/098) and the report in Serbia (RS 2021/084). An updated map is available at https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/ORIEIS/distribution.
- Netherlands (2009)
During a survey on the presence of Auchenorrhyncha fauna in the Netherlands, one specimen of O. ishidae was found in August 2009 in Amsterdam, North Holland. During subsequent surveys in 2010 – 2014, several specimens were found across the Netherlands, suggesting the species is widespread in the country.
- Poland (2014)
Between July 2014 and August 2016, during surveys to confirm the presence of O. ishidae in Poland, several specimens were found in the Masovian, Greater Poland, Lower Silesian and Lesser Poland voivodeships. Specimens were found in residential settings and nature reserves.
- Romania (2016)
During insect trapping activities from July to September 2016 in cherry and apple orchards and on common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Chinese date trees (Ziziphus jujuba) around Bucharest, București–Ilfov region, 63 adult O. ishidae were found.
- Belgium (2017)
As part of a survey for leafhopper pests in Belgium, several specimens of O. ishidae were reported in parks and nature reserves in the provinces of Antwerp, Brussels-Capital, East Flanders, Liège and Limburg from August 2017 to September 2018.
- Moldova (2017)
Following detections of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (EPPO A2 List) on grapevine, Vitis vinifera, in Moldova in summer 2017 an insect vector survey was undertaken. Specimens of O. ishidae, alongside other known phytoplasma vectors (Scaphoideus titanus and Hyalesthes obsoletus) were identified throughout the summer of 2017 in central, southern and south-eastern Moldova.
- Portugal (2022)
In July 2022, a nymph of O. ishidae was reported for the first time in Porto, Region Norte, suggesting the species is established in the region.
- Bulgaria (2024)
In July 2024, two male and five female O. ishidae leafhoppers were found for the first time during field surveys in Bulgaria in the city of Varna (Varna Province) on Celtis australis.
Sources
Bondarciuc V, Filippin L, Haustov E, Forte V, Angelini E (2018) Survey on grapevine yellows and their vectors in the Republic of Moldova. Proceedings of the 19th Congress of ICVG (Santiago, CL, 2018-04-09/12), 148-149.
Chireceanu C, Teodoru A, Gutue M, Dumitru M, Anastasiu P (2017) Two new invasive hemipteran species first recorded in Romania: Orientus ishidae (Matsumura 1902) (Cicadellidae) and Acanalonia conica (Say 1830) (Acanaloniidae). Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 5, 824-830.
den Bieman CD, Klink RV (2015) A considerable increase of the Dutch cicadellid fauna with fifteen species (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae). Entomologische Berichten 75, 211-226
Grosso-Silva JM (2022) Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), new to Portugal. Arquivos Entomoloxicos 25, 199-200
Klejdysz T, Zwolińska A, Walczak M, Kobiałka M (2017) The first record of a potential pest Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902)(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Poland. Journal of Plant Protection Research 57, 107-112 https://doi.org/10.1515/jppr-2017-0014
Koen LO (2019) Fifty leafhoppers new to Belgium (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Belgian journal of Entomology 88,1-28
Gjonov I, Tsvetanov T, Angelova R (2025) New record of Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902)(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Bulgaria with notes on the distribution of Acanalonia conica (Say, 1830)(Hemiptera: Acanaloniidae). Historia naturalis bulgarica 47: 27-32 https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.47.021