Alien psyllids associated with eucalypts in Cyprus

🌳 Eucalyptus trees have been planted across the island of Cyprus for the last one and a half centuries. As a result, they can be found in both in urban and agricultural land as well as protected areas. A number of alien insects associated with eucalypts have managed to reach the island alongside their tree host.

🦗 Hitchhikers include six alien Australian psyllids. In particular, Blastopsylla ccidentalis, Ctenarytaina eucalypti, Ctenarytaina peregrina, Ctenarytaina spatulata, Glycaspis brimblecombei and Platyobria biemani (Spodek et al. 2015).

🆘 Out of these species, three have been detected in Cyprus. Glycaspis brimblecombei has been found to cause negative socioeconomic impacts in Cyprus, mostly by undermining the aesthetics of nature and that of the urban landscape, causing discolouration and shedding of Eucalyptus foliage but also excreting sticky honey-dew which can stain clothing. Regarding Blastopsylla ccidentalis and Platyobria biemani, it is likely that these constitute minor pests of Eucalyptus species, with infested trees being subjected to small-scale, local infestations.

📖 For more information read the publications below:
https://tinyurl.com/wn7d3hhf
https://tinyurl.com/57jfznvf

Demetriou J, Koutsoukos E, Davranoglou L-R, Roy HE, Spodek M, Martinou AF (2022) First records of the alien Eucalyptus psyllids Blastopsylla occidentalis (Hemiptera, Aphalaridae) from Cyprus and Platyobria biemani (Hemiptera, Aphalaridae) from Cyprus and continental Greece. Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” 65(1): 25–36. https://doi.org/10.3897/travaux.64.e82873

Spodek M, Burckhardt D, Protasov A, Mendel Z (2015) First record of two invasive eucalypt psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) in Israel. Phytoparasitica 43(3): 401–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-015-0465-2

Publicado el enero 24, 2023 07:03 MAÑANA por jakovosdemetriou