New isolated outbreak of Anoplophora glabripennis in the Netherlands
On 2012-07-10, the presence of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae – EPPO A2 List) was confirmed in 1 street tree (Acer platanoides) in a residential area of a small town (Winterswijk) in the Netherlands. This finding was initially reported to the NPPO by a member of the public on 2012-07-09. On this tree (8 m high, 14 cm diameter), 40 exit holes (22 recently formed, others were at least 3-years old), and 12 larvae were observed. In addition, 16 live adult beetles were captured in its immediate vicinity. The most likely source of this outbreak is wood packaging material from China. The tree was located near a private home where the paving was renewed in 2007 and 2008 with granite stones imported from China. Phytosanitary measures have been taken including the delimitation of a clearcut area of relevant host plants (100 m radius). Following the destructive sampling of all relevant host plants within a radius of 100 m surrounding the finding, no other infected plants or signs of A. glabripennis have been detected. Specific surveillance in a 500 m zone has been completed and surveillance in the 500-1000 m zone is ongoing. It is also noted that there are no tree nurseries in the delimited area of 1 km radius surrounding the finding. Restrictions on the movement of host plant material have also been imposed. Finally, a communication campaign is taking place to explain the measures taken, to raise public awareness and encourage members of the public to report any sign of the pest. This is the second outbreak of A. glabripennis in the Netherlands. The first outbreak took place in 2010 in an industrial area of the city of Almere (RS 2010/020), and was eradicated in 2011 (RS 2011/050). It is considered that these two outbreaks are not related, as they are more than 150 km apart.
The pest status of Anoplophora glabripennis in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Transient - isolated outbreak, under eradication.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands (2012-08).