PlantNet Work training Day Recognition of key pests and diseases November 2005
Main groups of invertebrate plant pests 100s of non-native species have been recorded breeding under glass in the UK Homoptera whitefly, scale insects, aphids, phylloxera Lepidoptera caterpillars Thysanoptera thrips Diptera leaf miners Coleoptera weevils Tetranychiidae spider mites
Detection Most are small (eggs) Present in low numbers, dispersed Cryptic (camouflaged or translucent) Sessile (scale insects) Hidden: stem borers, root feeders Monitor with sticky or light traps Separate key non-native pests from established fauna
Identification Usually only possible in the laboratory Microscopic examination Usually need adult stage What to submit to CSL All pests found in quarantine Anything that looks new Anything behaving differently
Key pests: EU listed quarantine species Bemisia tabaci tobacco whitefly Rhizoecus hibisci root mealybug Viteus vitifoliae grape phylloxera Thrips palmi melon thrips Helicoverpa spp. bollworms Spodoptera spp. cutworms Liriomyza spp. leafminers
Key pests: un-listed non-native species Aleurotrachelus atratus oil palm whitefly Trialeurodes abutiloneus bandedwinged whitefly Coccoidea scale insects, mealybugs Duponchelia fovealis pyralid moth Diaprepes abbreviatus root weevil
Bemisia tabaci EU quarantine pest Species complex Major plant pest Vector of 111 plant viruses Polyphagous Cosmopolitan Commonly transported in trade Difficult to eradicate
Bemisia tabaci tobacco whitefly Puparia: dorsal wax filaments and marginal papillae absent Adults: clear yellow bodies
Trialeurodes vaporariorum glasshouse whitefly Puparia: dorsal wax filaments and marginal papillae present Adults: abdomen pigmented
Trialeurodes abutiloneus banded-winged whitefly Puparia with marginal papillae and often with dark markings Adults with banded wings Polyphagous N. America
Aleurotrachelus atratus oil palm whitefly Puparia black with flocculent wax covering Palmae, oil palm, coconut Neotropics, Canary Is.
Viteus vitifoliae grape phylloxera EU quarantine pest Complex lifecycle with distinct leaf and root galls Vitis Established in most grape producing regions
EU Quarantine scale insects Margarodes spp. Rhizoecus hibisci Parasaissetia nigra Aonidiella citrina Lopholeucaspis japonica Unaspis citri
Rhizoecus hibisci root mealybug EU quarantine pest Polyphagous, root feeder Asia; introduced to Hawaii, Puerto Rico Common on penjing imported from China Several species are established in UK Only identifiable by microscopic examination
Rhizoecus hibisci root mealybug
Parasaissetia nigra nigra scale EU quarantine pest Pantropical Polyphagous Appearance highly variable
Lopholeucaspis japonica Japanese long scale EU quarantine pest Asia; E. USA Polyphagous, pest of Acer, Pyracantha Feeds on bark and leaves Hides in cracks in bark Found on Chinese penjing
Non-native diaspids new to the UK Pinnaspis buxi Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli Parlatoria camelliae Kuwanaspis howardi
Aulacaspis yasumatsui Cycad Aulacaspis S.E. Asia USA, Cayman Islands, Hawaii, Hong Kong Major pest of cycads Feeds on whole plant, including roots Sexually dimorphic
Helicoverpa armigera Old World bollworm EU quarantine pest Highly polyphagous Appearance variable Black spots Wide wavy lateral line Need adult to confirm identity
Spodoptera littoralis Med. cutworm EU quarantine pest Polyphagous Appearance variable Black spots on thorax and 8 th ab. seg. Lunar markings on ab. segs. Need adult to confirm identity
Opogona sacchari Banana moth EU quarantine pest Polyphagous, feeds on living and dead plant material Stem borer or external feeder Distinct quadrate dorsal plates
Duponchelia fovealis pyralid moth Non-native pest Polyphagous, including vegetable crops and ornamentals Stem borer or external feeder Oval dorsal plates (smaller than Opogona)
Thripidae - thrips Echinothrips americanus Frankliniella occidentalis Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis Parthenothrips dracaenae Scirtothrips dorsalis Thrips palmi
Thrips palmi melon thrips EU quarantine pest Polyphagous, prefers Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae Pantropical Small yellow thrips Monitor with sticky traps Only identifiable by microscopic examination
Liriomyza spp. (Agromyzidae) Four leaf miners species listed: Liriomyza bryoniae Liriomyza huidobrensis Liriomyza sativae Liriomyza trifolii Major pests of glasshouses and protected cultivation Attack numerous ornamental and vegetable crops Many native species
Liriomyza - detection Leaf mines Feeding punctures Sticky traps
Liriomyza leaf mines Chromatomyia sp. L. bryoniae L. huidobrensis L. trifolii
Liriomyza adult identification Colour Head Mesonotum Pleura Legs L. bryoniae L. huidobrensis Aedeagus L. sativae L. trifolii
Diaprepes abbreviatus root weevil Polyphagous Larvae are root feeders USA, Caribbean Adults notch leaves Adult appearance variable
Detection and identification If in doubt, always submit a sample to CSL for identification Share intelligence using PlantNet Check the internet for Pest Alerts (USDA, University of Florida) Target high risk commodities e.g. Citrus, Hibiscus and penjing Target high risk pathways, e.g. plant material from the Netherlands and from outside the EU