Abstract

Agrilus planipennis is an aggressive beetle native to Asia, which has recently invaded North America and central Russia. In European Russia, the first specimens of A. planipennis were collected in Moscow in 2003 and the Moscow Province is therefore thought to be a likely entry point to Europe. The pest spread along roads and railways and, by 2013, it was recorded in 11 provinces of Russia. The goal of this study was to clarify the current northern range limit of A. planipennis. To do this, ash (Fraxinus excelsior and F. pennsylvanica) trees were surveyed along the federal highway M10 (Russia) between Moscow and Saint Petersburg in July 2016. The condition of ash trees and presence of A. planipennis was recorded at 15 locations. We found dead ash trees with galleries of A. planipennis at six locations (56 degrees 27.799' N; 36 degrees 35.383' E to 56 degrees 47.665' N; 36 degrees 03.584' E). At the more north-western sites ash trees became infrequent and signs of A. planipennis were not observed on any ash tree. Beyond the National Park Valdayskiy (58 degrees 00.095' N; 33 degrees 08.550' E) no ash trees were observed for about 100 km. Further north in Leningrad Province, there were fragments of ash forests and many ash trees planted in parks in Saint Petersburg and its suburbs, but no signs of A. planipennis were seen. Results of this survey suggested that, for summer 2016, the north-west limit of A. planipennis was close to Tver City (about 56 degrees 47' N; 36 degrees 03' E). Further range expansion of A. planipennis may have been limited by low host density north-west of Tver City, rather than by climatic factors. However, if A. planipennis can overcome low host abundance and reach Saint Petersburg or other settlements with planted ash in Russia or abroad, it will likely cause serious damage, similar to that already observed in Moscow Province or North America.

Keywords

Agrilus planipennis; ash; Buprestidae; Coleoptera; Emerald ash borer; forest health; forest pest insects; Fraxinus; invasive pest

Published in

Baltic Forestry
2017, Volume: 23, number: 1, pages: 309-315
Publisher: INST FORESTRY LRCAF

SLU Authors

• Vasaitis, Rimvydas

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science
Ecology


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94112