The jewel beetle Lamprodila (Palmar) festiva Linné, 1767, a new invasive urban pest of Cupressaceae in Cluj area (Romania) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Abstract

The jewel beetle Lamprodila festiva (Linné, 1767), in natural habitats of S Europe originally associated with Juniperus spp. (Juniper; Cupressaceae), has been recorded as a recent invasive pest in several European areas, affecting different genera of these coniferous trees and spreading rapidly during the last few years in many countries of Europe. The research was carried out in 2017-2018 in Cluj-Napoca area (Romania), in field and laboratory conditions. The aim of our studies was to identify and study some populations of this new invasive pest occurring in urban areas of NW Romania.