Alien Australian wasps associated with Eucalyptus trees in Cyprus

🌳Eucalyptus trees of more than a dozen different species have been imported to Cyprus since the 1880s. Up-to-date, these species have been planted as ornamental in urban, rural, agricultural and natural habitats throughout the island. This has led to the inevitable unintentional introduction and establishment of numerous alien insects.

🐝A survey in Cyprus has uncovered a total of six alien wasp species, belonging to the diverse superfamily of wasps Chalcidoidea. In particular, new records for this country/island concern two wasps creating galls on Eucalyptus leaves and stems, Leptocybe invasa and Ophelimus maskelli as well as their parasitoids Closterocerus chamaeleon and Stethynium ophelimi (for O. maskelli), and Megastigmus lawsoni (for L. invasa). In addition, the previously recorded wasp Psyllaephagus bliteus, was reared from lerps of its known host Glycaspis brimblecombei.

🆘These wasp species are tiny, associated only with Eucalyptus trees and are not predicted to cause harm to native biodiversity. However, in neighboring Israel clouds of wasps have been reported as a public nuisance in heavily infested urban areas, e.g. schools. What is more, their excessive numbers in agricultural areas have been also associated with the reduced market value of selected crops such as lettuce. Such impacts should be further investigated on the island.

📖Find our article here: https://tinyurl.com/yybjnz49

Demetriou J, Koutsoukos E, Radea C, Roy HE, Arianoutsou M, Martinou AF (2022) Uninvited pests of an unwelcomed tree: a survey on alien chalcidoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) associated with Eucalyptus trees in Cyprus. BioInvasions Records 11(2): 390–400. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2022.11.2.12

Posted on January 18, 2023 08:13 AM by jakovosdemetriou