Occurrence of invasive insects on woody plants in the main green areas from Bucharest city

Abstract

In the current context of globalization, biological invasion of alien species has an important impact on environment, economics or human health. Particularly, the spread of these species in urban green areas, is problematic due to several reasons. The aim of this research was to report the presence of invasive insects on woody plants in the main parks across Bucharest (namely Alexandru Ioan Cuza Park, Bucharest Botanical Garden, Cișmigiu Gardens, King Michael I Park, USAMV Campus, Youth Park). Field observations were done during the summer of 2019 (July) and the protocols recently developed by the experts from “Marin Drăcea” National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry were used. It was identified twelve invasive insects species: Aproceros leucopoda (Hymenoptera: Argidae), Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Corythucha arcuata (Hemiptera: Tingidae), Corythucha ciliata (Hemiptera: Tingidae), Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Dasineura gledithchiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Eopineus strobus (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), Macrosaccus robiniella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Nematus tibialis (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae),  Obolodiplosis robiniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Parectopa robiniella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae),  Prociphilus fraxinifoli (Hemiptera: Aphididae).