© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal
8:
66-72, 2015
DOI 10.1515/hppj-2015-0010
1
School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
(A.U.Th.), Greece
2
Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharma-
cy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 St. Delta Str.,
GR-145 61, Kifissia, Attica, Greece
3
Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zool-
ogy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stefanou
Delta Str., GR-145 61, Kifissia, Attica, Greece
*Corresponding author:
the box tree moth was recorded for the
first time in Thermi, Thessaloniki, northern
Greece, in October 2013 (Theodosis Mamais,
personal communication). On 18 May 2014,
two adults
C. perspectalis
were found and
collected by the first author (IS) in the city
of Thessaloniki (40.608°, 22.971°) [vouch-
er numbers: NHMC.85.01.16129.01 and
NHMC.85.01.16129.02, Natural History Mu-
seum of Crete] and a photograph of a spec-
imen from Thessaloniki taken on May 20,
2014 was published
-
tera.eu/ContributorPics.php?ID=1688 (pho-
tograph by Theodosis Mamais). On 17 July
2014, the second author (CK) found anoth-
er specimen at Ano Lechonia village, Peli-
on mountain (Figure 1) (39.328°, 23.058°).
Four more observations made by different
citizens followed: on 22 July 2014 an adult
specimen was photographed by Dimitris T.
Kaloutsikos in Drama city (41.153°, 24.117°);
on 22 August 2014 Savvas Vassiliadis photo-
graphed another specimen in Katerini city
(40.303°, 22.501°); on 27 August 2014 Ersi Au-
gustidou observed and photographed the
species in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki (40.586°,
22.941°); in September 2014 Lia Naki pho-
tographed an adult specimen in Kifissia, At-
tica (38.066°, 23.818°). Locations of the first
records of
C. perspectalis
are indicated in the
SHORT COMMUNICATION
First record of
Cydalima perspectalis
(Walker, 1859)
(Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Greece
I. Strachinis
1
, C. Kazilas
1
, F. Karamaouna
2*
, N.E. Papanikolaou
3
, G.K. Partsinevelos
3
and
P.G. Milonas
3
Summary
The study concerns the first records for the presence of the box tree moth
Cydalima per-
spectalis
in Greece and subsequent infestations on ornamental box trees in urban environment. Adults
of the pest were first spotted in six locations around the country from October 2013 until April 2015,
when infestation was also detected (mid April). The pest was found infesting plants of
Buxus sempervi-
rens
in several private and public gardens and parks in the urban environment of Kifissia, Attica.
Possi-
ble introduction scenarios, as well as preventive and control measures are discussed.
Additional keywords:
alien species, box tree moth,
Buxus
, invasive
The box tree moth
Cydalima perspectal-
is
(Walker, 1859) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
(synonyms:
Diaphania perspectalis, Glyphodes
perspectalis)
is an invasive species on box
tree
Buxus
spp., in Europe, which has been
spreading and establishing across the conti-
nent during the last decade. The pest was in-
cluded in the alert list of the European Plant
Protection Organisation (EPPO) in 2007 but
was removed in 2011 because no particu-
lar action was requested by the EPPO mem-
ber countries (EPPO, 2011). However, the box
tree moth could be a serious threat for nat-
ural habitats of wild
Buxus
in Europe (Bella,
2013) and a major pest of ornamental
Buxus
in urban landscape, at historical and decora-
tive gardens and parks where they are high-
ly used as design plants (EPPO, 2012; Seljak,
2012) as well as in nursery production (Leu-
thardt and Baur, 2013).
Herein we provide the first records of
C. perspectalis
in Greece. The presence of
