Page 12 - Volume 1, Issue 2, July 2008

Anagnou-Veroniki et al. 64
1992 in Northern Greece and is now con-
sidered as one of the most economically
important pests of asparagus (Kyparissou-
das & Chlapoutakis, 1992). The larvae in-
fest the shoots and the roots of the plant
and can completely destroy themwhen at
high densities.
The small moth Teleiodes decorella (Ha-
worth) (Gelechidae) was recorded in 1994
on pistachio trees. It commonly coex-
ists with Archips rosanus on young leaves
while it can also damage the developing
shoots (Tsourgianni et al., 1994).
The species Paysandisia archon Bur-
meister (Castniidae) native to South Amer-
ica, was recovered from infested palm
trees in Greece in 2005. This species, along
with the red palm weevil, is a major threat
to the palm nursery industry and to parks
and recreation areas in coastal regions
(Vassarmidaki et al., 2006).
The species Hellula undalis (Fabricius)
(Pyralidae), an important pest of crucifer-
ous crops in tropical and subtropical re-
gions, was for the first time reported in
Greece in 2007 (Simoglou et al., 2007). The
larvae of this species were found in Au-
gust to cause severe damage to cabbages,
cauliflowers and brocoli grown in several
locations in the north of the country.
1.6. Hymenoptera
Eurytoma schreinerii Schreiner (Eu-
rytomidae) has been recorded on apricot
fruits in the area of Nafplion (Koveos et al.,
2000; 2002). Affected fruits were smaller
and had a smaller endocarp. The presence
of the white legless larva in the endocarp
is of diagnostic value. The species is known
as a pest of plums in South Russia.
The species Ophelimus eucalypti (Ga-
han), O. maskeli (Ashmead) and Leptocy-
be invasa Fisher & LaSalle (Eulophidae)
were recently recorded as pests of Euca-
lyptus trees in the Mediterranean basin in-
cluding Greece. In the report O. eucalypti is
probably a misidentification of O. maskeli
(Κavallieratos et al., 2004a; P. Milonas per-
sonal observations; Potasov et al. 2007).
Three hymenopterous species, name-
ly Cladius difformis (Panzer) (Tenthred-
inidae), Allantus cinctus (Linnaeus) (Ten-
thredinidae) and Arge ochropus (Gmelin)
(Argidae) have been found since 1995 to
feed on rose plants growing in parks and
gardens in the town of Rodolivos in the
prefecture of Serres (Simoglou, 2004). The
young stages of these insects first feed on
the underside of the leaves and later de-
stroy the leaf blades reducing the orna-
mental value of the rose plants.
1.7. Orthoptera
The wingless locust Poecilimon cre-
tensis Werner (Phaneropteridae) was ob-
served in 1991 to cause a serious problem
on trees of the olive variety “Koroneiki” in
Crete (Polyrakis, 1991). The problem had
Table 1 (continued)
Insect species Order/Family Host Reference
Teleiodes decorella Lepidoptera:
Gelechidae
pistachio Tsourgianni, 1994
Tenothrips frici Thysanoptera:
Thripidae
Lycopersicon esculentum Deligeorgidis, 2002
Thrips parvispinus Thysanoptera:
Thripidae
gardenia Mound & Collins, 2000
Trioza alacris Hemiptera:
Triozidae
Appolo bay plants
(Laurus nobilis)
Tsagarakis &
Papadoulis, 2004
Tychius quinquepunctatus Coleoptera:
Curculionidae
Vicia sativa
(garden vetch)
Koveos et al., 2003