Occurrence of Stephanitis takeyai in Germany
The NPPO of Germany recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the occurrence of Stephanitis takeyai (Heteroptera : Tingidae – EPPO Alert List) in Germany. After a first finding had been made in a park in Bremen (see EPPO RS 2003/122) in 2002, subsequent studies done by local plant protection services in 2003 gave the following results: S. takeyai was detected in Baden-Württemberg, Niedersachsen, and Nordrhein-Westfalen. Pieris japonica was the only plant species affected. The infestations became manifest by sudden yellow discoloration of the leaves, especially of big bushes. Symptoms may have been aggravated by the extreme dry and hot weather conditions in summer 2003. In these cases, measures have been taken to eradicate the organism by either chemical treatment or destruction of the plants. It may be assumed that the pest was introduced by imports of P. japonica in the late nineties.
The declared status of S. takeyai in Germany is: Transient: actionable, under surveillance / eradication.
Sources
NPPO of Germany, 2004-01.