Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes (2003) 55, 174-177

Martin Hommes, Julia Westhoff and Albert Melber (2003)
Andromeda-Netzwanze, Stephanitis takeyai DRAKE et MAA (Heteroptera: Tingidae) erstmals für Deutschland nachgewiesen
[First verification of the Andromeda lacebug, Stephanitis takeyai DRAKE et MAA (Heteroptera: Tingidae) for Germany]
Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes 55 (8), 174-177
Abstract: In 2002 the occurrence of the andromeda lacebug (Stephanitis takeyai DRAKE ET MAA) was recorded for the first time in Germany in a sample taken from the shrub Pieris japonica (THUNB. Ex MURR.) D. Don Ex G. Don in a public park in Bremen. The lacebugs became apparent after the leaves of a few big shrubs of Pieris japonica suddenly started to turn yellow which prompted a close examination of the plants.
Further investigation conducted on-site in June 2003 confirmed the infestation. Beyond this site S. takeyai was detected on P. japonica in a private garden in Bremen and on two container plants ordered by the Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture of the Federal Biological Research Centres for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA), in spring 2003. In one case the Netherlands were confirmed as the country of origin for one of the infested plants. These findings are a cause for concern as the andromeda lacebug might have been spreading in Germany more widely as assumed so far. At the moment there will be a great risk that the species will be spread with infested container plants.
Distribution, biology, range of host plants, symptoms of damage and control methods of the newly introduced lacebug as well as its distinctive features in comparison to the rhododendron lacebugs, Stephanitis rhododendri HORVATH and S. oberti KOLENATi, are presented.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: German)
Database assignments for author(s): Martin Hommes

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Stephanitis takeyai		Netherlands
	Stephanitis takeyai	Pieris (crop)	Germany