First penetration of pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) in North Bulgaria

By

Georgiev, Georgi
Georgieva, Margarita
Mirchev, Plamen
Belilov, Sevdalin
Zaemdzhikova, Gergana
Matova, Maria

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-2-27

Original Publication

Silva Balcanica

Volume

24

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

17--22

Subjects

expansión , long-distance dispersion , North Bulgaria , Thaumetopoea pityocampa

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Forest Research Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (FRI-BAS) [2001]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/silvabalcanica.24.e101297

 

Abstract

The pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) was reported for the first time in North Bul-garia in 2022. Winter nests of the pest were observed in a number of pine plantations in more than 10 sites of four Forest State Enterprises (Troyan, Sevlievo, Gabrovo, Plachkovtsi). The penetration of the pest into the new localities is due to a long-distance dispersion by vehicles. In January 2023, the nests in new localities contained fifth-instar larvae of T. pityocampa. Only about 3% of them were empty as larvae had descended in the soil for pupation. Based on the high population density and presence of old nests in some localities, it was assumed that the pest penetrated into Northern Bulgaria most likely 3-4 years ago.