Recent records of the cypress jewel beetle: Lamprodila (Palmar) festiva (Linnaeus, 1767) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Serbia

Abstract

Lamprodila (Palmar) festiva (Linnaeus, 1767), cypress jewel beetle is a species widespread in the Mediterranean, but has been rapidly expanding North and East over the last decade. It is harmful to plants of the genus Juniperus, Chamaecyparis, Cupressus, Platycladus and Thuja. It attacks both, the healthy and stressed plants and destroys them within 2-3 years. There is lack of information about this buprestid in Serbia, except that heavy damage from it was registered in 2014, without specifying localities of the damage. This work provides exact geographical records where species was noticed in Serbia (near Belgrade and Sremski Karlovci) during past two years. Considering the great damage it can cause, much more attention should be paid in the future to monitoring the occurrence and abundance of this species, particularly in the nurseries and new planted hedges.