First record of the black twig borer Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from Europe

Abstract

During winter months and early spring 2011, we observed symptoms of scattered twig mortality in two historical woody urban parks of Campania (Southern Italy), at Portici (Parco Gussone: 40°48’ N, 14°20’ E) and Naples (Parco di Capodimonte: 40°52’ N, 14°15’ E). The woods consist of mature holm oaks (Quercus ilex) with an understorey of evergreen Mediterranean shrubs, natural regeneration of oak and several ornamental species. The examined dry terminals of holm oak, collected in late March 2011, hosted adult females of an ambrosia beetle of the genus Xylosandrus Reitter. Here, we report the first European record of the black twig borer (BTB) Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) reproducing on new host plants in Italy. Insect and twig sampling was conducted irregularly during spring and summer 2011. Infested twigs of different host plants were isolated in plastic tubes, new emerged or callow adults counted and sexed and other biological data recorded. Hundreds of specimens of BTB, (>700 females and 43 males) emerged from sampled twigs or were directly collected from reproductive galleries at both localities.