First record of Xyleborus bispinatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) and evidence of stable populations in the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

We present the first record of the tropical ambrosia beetle Xyleborus bispinatus in the Iberian Peninsula, collected in traps located in Murcia, Alicante and Valencia provinces (Spain). Insects have been captured in baited traps of long-time trapping networks (ESFP, MUFFET, RAT and SAMFIX) installed in Eastern Spain. Several individuals (410) of X. bispinatus have been collected in seven locations, first in 2009 in Murcia Region, and from 2018 to 2021 in Valencia Region. No attacks by X. bispinatus have been detected on plants thus far, and therefore the host plant in Spain remains unknown. Stable X. bispinatus populations have been detected in a wide area of central Valencian province. We may consider this as an alarming scenario that should be kept under surveillance by maintaining the current trapping network and intensifying the search for the host plants.

Simultaneous detections of Olenecamptus bilobus (Fabricius, 1801) (Cerambycidae, Dorcaschematini) in Europe

“… bilobus on the island of Lemnos (Greece) is mostly attributable to naval traffic; it is, in fact, widely recognised that naval transport is the main pattern for the induction of non-native wood-boring beetles ( Meurisse et al 2019 ); however, given the short distance between the discovery area and the local airport (~ 5.5 km), it is not possible a priori to exclude transport by air. Similarly, the specimens collected in Les Salades (Elche, Spanish mainland), were collected not at great distances from Alicante's airport and port (~ 7.5 and ~ 13 km, respectively), an area where other non-native beetles were found in previous monitioring activities ( Gallego et al 2022 , Mas et al 2023 ). In both cases, however, the fact that the specimens were recorded in areas hosting plant nurseries would seem to suggest the import of non-native plants for ornamental purposes as the most plausible vector of introduction; this condition has already been noted for other non-native Cerambycidae to Europe ( Cocquempot 2006 , Cocquempot and Lindelöw 2010 ).…”