Integrative method to detect invasive mealybug (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae) species on highways in Hungary: evidence for northward spread of Comstock mealybug

By

Szita, Éva
Gerő, Kornél
Simon, Janka
Kaydan, Mehmet Bora

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-9-10

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

13

Pages

1--17

Subjects

invasive alien species , molecular tools , pheromone trap , Pseudococcus comstocki , scale insect

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e163732

 

Abstract

Climate change, coupled with the intensification of road transport and global trade, has contributed to a significant increase in the number of newly introduced scale insect species into new regions. Invasive alien pests represent a significant threat to agriculture and forestry, resulting in considerable economic losses globally. In this study, three potentially invasive mealybug species (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae): Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana), Planococcus citri (Risso) and Planococcus ficus (Signoret) were monitored using a pheromone trap network along highways in Hungary during 2020–2021. Prior to this survey, none of these species had been detected under open-field conditions in Hungary. Specimens captured were identified through analysis of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene fragments. The presence of Ps. comstocki was confirmed for the first time in outdoor environments at six localities in Hungary using both pheromone trapping and molecular techniques. It is currently the northernmost documented outdoor occurrence of Ps. comstocki in Europe. In contrast, Pl. citri and Pl. ficus were not detected in open-air conditions during the survey.