Emerald Ash Borer Approaches the Borders of the European Union and Kazakhstan and Is Confirmed to Infest European Ash

Abstract

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, native to East Asia, is an invasive pest of ash in North America and European Russia. This quarantine species is a threat to ash trees all over Europe. Survey in ten provinces of European Russia in 2019–2020 showed that EAB had spread faster and farther than was previously thought. The new infested sites were first detected in St. Petersburg (110–120 km from the EU border: Estonia, Finland) and Astrakhan Province (50 km from the Kazakhstan border). The current range of EAB in Europe includes Luhansk Province of Ukraine and 18 provinces of Russia: Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Moscow, Orel, Ryazan, Smolensk, St. Petersburg, Tambov, Tula, Tver, Vladimir, Volgograd, Voronezh, and Yaroslavl. Within these, only seven quarantine phytosanitary zones in five provinces are declared by the National Plant Protection Organization of Russia. EAB was not found in the regions along the Middle Volga: Mari El, Chuvash and Tatarstan republics, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Saratov provinces. The infested sites in St. Petersburg and in the Lower Volga basin are range enclaves separated from the core invasion range by 470 and 370 km, correspondingly. It is possible that new enclaves can appear in the cities of Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan far from the current known range. All previously known infestations in European Russia were in green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), which was introduced from North America, and individual trees of European ash (F. excelsior). A first confirmed case of mass decline of several thousand of EAB-infested European ash trees in Moscow province is provided. Therefore, there is no more doubt that under certain conditions EAB can seriously damage native ash trees in European forests.

Invasive Populations of the Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Saint Petersburg, Russia: A Hitchhiker?

“…However, no further consistent territorial expansion of the beetle was detected that could be explained by beetles flying over 520 km from Tver to Saint Petersburg [7]. To establish those enclave populations of EAB, long-distance, humanassisted transportation of the beetle by cars and trains was suggested to be necessary [5,7].…”

“…EAB was first recorded in Moscow in 2003 and rapidly produced a massive outbreak in the city, killing most of the ash trees in parks and roadside plantings. Furthermore, the pest started to spread from Moscow in all directions, and by 2020 was recorded in 18 provinces of European Russia, towards the west approaching the border of Belarus, and in the southwest invading eastern Ukraine [4,5]. In September 2020, EAB was detected in Saint Petersburg [5][6][7].…”

“…Furthermore, the pest started to spread from Moscow in all directions, and by 2020 was recorded in 18 provinces of European Russia, towards the west approaching the border of Belarus, and in the southwest invading eastern Ukraine [4,5]. In September 2020, EAB was detected in Saint Petersburg [5][6][7]. This was a notable event for the city, famous for its architecture and historical parks.…”

“…In both European Russia and North America, the formation of EAB invasive enclave populations spatially/geographically separated from the continuous distribution range of EAB is not uncommon [5]. Indeed, one example of such a population is the currently observed invasion of EAB in Saint Petersburg.…”

Alien Pests Can Spread Quickly: Wooly Ash Aphid Prociphilus fraxinifolii (Hemiptera: Eriosomatidae) Has Occupied Europe in 18 Years

“…In 2019-2021, we surveyed ash trees in different regions of European Russia and Belarus, because we were involved in the project on the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888 [16]. During these surveys, we noticed P. fraxinifolii in many localities and found out that its current range is much wider than was supposed before.…”