Plant quarantine alarm: as much as 20 new alien insect pest species includingDrosophila suzukiiappeared in the Caucasus in the last seven years
AbstractIn 2011-2017 an unusually high number of invasive pests new to European Russia were detected for the first time in Sochi on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. We present the first reports of two pests new for the Caucasus and European Russia found in 2017:Drosophila suzukii(a pest of fruit, included to EPPO A2 list) andOtiorhynchus armadillo(a pest of agricultural and ornamental plants). Other recently established insects: a polyphagous pestHalyomorpha halys(first record in 2014); pests of palm trees included to EPPO A2 list:Paysandisia archon(2014) andRhynchophorus ferrugineus(2012); a pest of Solanaceae:Epitrix hirtipennis(2013); a pest of ornamental flowers:Luperomorpha xanthodera(2016); a pest of soybeans:Medythia nigrobilineata(2016); a pest of wine production:Harmonia axyridis(2012); a pest of strawberry:Stelidota geminata(2013); pests ofEucalyptus: Ophelimus maskelli(2011),Glycaspis bremblecomblei(2014),Leptocybe invasa(2014); a pest of Cupressaceae:Lamprodila festiva(2013); a pest ofGleditsia: Dasineura gleditchiae(2011), a pest ofBuxus: Cydalima perspectalis(2012); a pest ofAlbizia: Acizzia jamatonica(2014); a pest ofCercis: Cacopsylla pulchella(2014). Probably most of insects were introduced with imported planting material during the landscaping of the city of Sochi in preparation for the Olympic Games (held in 2014). Quarantine measures should be taken to prevent dispersal of these pests to other regions of the Caucasus and countries of the Black Sea region. Attention should be paid to a new pest for EuropeMedythia nigrobilineata.