Hesperomyces virescens (Fungi, Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) attacking Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in its native range

First record of Hesperomyces virescens (Laboulbeniales, Ascomycota) on Harmonia axyridis (Coccinellidae, Coleoptera) in Poland

“…This may indicate that conditions for fungus development are suboptimal or that the fungus was only recently acquired by the host. However, it should be noted that infection rate of H. virescens is known to change greatly between localities and years or even seasons [3,4,8,9,16]. Further studies on H. virescens on Harmonia axyridis and other lady beetle species in Central and Eastern Europe may improve our understanding of this parasite-host combination.…”

“…Although H. virescens was reported on different coccinellid hosts from many countries it was never observed on Harmonia axyridis in its native range. Haelewaters et al [9] presented historical record of the fungus on Harmonia axyridis collected in the 1930s in Sichuan Province, China and there is no more recent record of this combination from that region. Hesperomyces virescens infection is considered a rare example of acquiring novel parasite by invasive species as it is assumed that invasive Harmonia axyridis strain was originally free of infection [9,10].…”

“…Haelewaters et al [9] presented historical record of the fungus on Harmonia axyridis collected in the 1930s in Sichuan Province, China and there is no more recent record of this combination from that region. Hesperomyces virescens infection is considered a rare example of acquiring novel parasite by invasive species as it is assumed that invasive Harmonia axyridis strain was originally free of infection [9,10]. Despite extensive studies of Laboulbeniales, the first report of Hesperomyces from Poland was only in 2013: H. coccinelloides on Stethorus pusillus [11].…”