Plant-wreckling beetle sets sights on UK
EMERGENCY MEASURES are being put in place to prevent an invasive plant-wrecking pest from setting up home in the UK. An outbreak of citrus and Asian longhorn beetles has been confirmed in the Boskoop region of Holland, the world’s biggest exporter of plants and trees. Plant inspectors are scrutinising and destroying infected nursery stock.The beetles have already become a serious pest in gardens in China, Japan and South Korea. The beetle larvae cause the most damage, feeding on trunks and roots, leaving tunnels that make trees and plants susceptible to wind damage. Adult beetles aren’t such a problem, but they feed on foliage and young bark which is harmful. The Horticultural Trades Association’s Tim Briercliffe described citrus and Asian longhorn beetles as “a serious invasive pest”. Tim said: “There are no known outbreaks in the UK at present and it is vital that we keep the beetles out of the UK.” The beetles can infest a wide variety of broadleaved trees. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the beetles are a pest of apples and citrus – but their host range includes beech, birch, hawthorn, hazel, horse chestnut, maple, plane, poplar, oak and willow. Shrubs can also be hosts.
DEFRA’s experts say adult beetles are large , reaching 21-37mm in length with black and white markings. Antennae are longer than their bodies (between 1.2 to 2 times their body length) and are black with white and light-blue bands. Emergency control measures are affecting 550 Dutch nurseries.
What to do if you spot the beetle…
GARDENERS who find suspected citrus or Asian longhorn beetles are being urged to contact The Food and Environment Research Agency’s (FERA) Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI) in York without delay. Call & (01904) 465625 or email [email protected]
