Establishment of Paysandisia archon in Switzerland
In Switzerland the palm borer moth Paysandisia archon (Lepidoptera: Castniidae – EPPO A2 List) had been found in nurseries and eradicated (EPPO RS 2010/145, RS 2020/119).
In 2023, the establishment of P. archon had been documented for the first time in southern Switzerland where it is infesting cultivated and naturalized non-native palms (including the invasive palm Trachycarpus fortunei). The pest, or damage attributed to it, has been recorded in the canton of Ticino (municipalities of Brissago, Porto Ronco, Ronco sopra Ascona, San Antonino, Gudo, and Lugano). The authors considered that the pest was likely to have been introduced with infested imported palms for planting and recommended measures to slow its spread.
The situation of Paysandisia archon in Switzerland can be described as: Present, not widely distributed and not under official control.
Sources
Fehr V, Minetti A, Conedera M, Pezzatti GB (2024) First evidence of establishment of the palm borer moth Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1879) in southern Switzerland. BioInvasions Records 13(4), 901-908.