First record of Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910 (Hemiptera, Coreidae) in the Canary Islands, a novel pine pest detected through citizen science in an oceanic archipelago

Abstract

The 'western seed bug', known as Leptoglossus occidentalis, is considered a global invasive species that has experienced a recent rapid expansion worldwide, becoming an important pest species for coniferous forests. With the 'Canary Islands early-warning network for the detection and intervention of invasive exotic species' (RedEXOS), this species was detected for the first time in the Canarian rchipelago in an urban area in the eastern part of the sland of Gran Canaria. This early detection is crucial for understanding the potential damage in one of the islands with the highest surface area of natural endemic pine forest.