Cyperus esculentus L.

English Tiger nut Status LU: unknown. 1st record: 2024, ITW 2024.
Lëtzebuergesch   Status Eur.: unknown
Français Souchet comestible RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Erdmandel Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English Deutsch Français Nederlands | Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands Knolcyperus Back to the list of neophytes

Brief description

Cyperus esculentus L. (also called chufa or tiger nut) is a species of plant in the sedge family widespread across much of the world. It is found in most of the Eastern Hemisphere, including Southern Europe, Africa and Madagascar, as well as the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The brown, round, pea-sized, highly oily tubers are edible and are traded in southern Europe and West Africa. They are known in France as amandes de terre and in Spain as chufa. The flavour of the tubers is reminiscent of hazelnuts or almonds. Cyperus esculentus is an invasive species outside its native range, and is readily transported accidentally to become invasive (Wikipedia contributors 2024).

Tigernut grass reproduces and spreads mainly by root nodules and can lead to considerable yield losses in arable and vegetable farming. The invasive weed has a very high propagation potential (Bohren & Wirth 2015). The species behaves as a weed in almost all temperate, tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Once established, it is extremely difficult to eradicate because plants have a stratified and layered root system, with tubers and roots being interconnected. The plant can quickly regenerate if a single tuber is left in place. In its competition for light, water and nutrients it can reduce crop yields and outcompetes native plant species when it grows as an environmental weed. The invasiveness of this species is also high due to its great dispersal capacity. Tubers and seeds can be easily dispersed through agricultural activities, soil movement, by water and wind, and very often as contaminants in crop seeds (CABI 2014).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Cyperus esculentus L. in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

The first documented observation of Cyperus esculentus L. in Luxembourg was made in 2024. An occurence of the species was reported by a horticultural company in Troisvierges and confirmed by Jean-Paul Wolff (ATEMO) on 27 August 2024.

C. esculentus (JP Wolff – ATEMO, 27.08.2024)

C. esculentus (JP Wolff – ATEMO, 27.08.2024)

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Currently, C. esculentus occurs on all continents and from the equator to as far north as Alaska (CABI 2014). In Germany, the tiger nut has naturalised sporadically in the Upper Rhine region and in the foothills of the Alps. In Switzerland, the plant has been added to the blacklist of invasive neophytes due to its potential to spread and the damage it causes to biodiversity, health and the economy. In the Netherlands, problematic mass occurrences of tiger nuts have developed as an arable weed since 1970. They have been specifically controlled since 1984. The species also occurs in Belgium and Austria (Wikipedia contributors, 2024).

Bibliography

  • Bohren, C. & J. Wirth, 2015. Die Verbreitung von Erdmandelgras (Cyperus esculentus L.) betrifft alle. Agrarforschung Schweiz 6 (9): 384–391, 2015. URL: https://www.agrarforschungschweiz.ch/archiv/?s=Erdmandel [accessed 2024-09-10]
  • CABI, 2014. Cyperus esculentus. In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2024-09-10]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2024. ‘Cyperus esculentus’, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 September 2024, 8:58 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyperus_esculentus> [accessed 2024-09-10]

 Page content last updated on 2024-09-15. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Popillia japonica Newman, 1841

 

English Japanese beetle Status LU: not observed yet.
Lëtzebuergesch   Status Eur.: established.
Français Scarabée japonais RA: ISEIA: n/a. Harmonia+: n/a.
Deutsch Japan-Käfer Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English - Andromeda lace bug Wikipedia - Deutsch - Andromeda-Netzwanze Nederlands | Wikispecies: Wikispecies - Popillia japonica
Nederlands Japanse kever Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Popillia japonica Newman, 1841 is a species of scarab beetle. Due to the presence of natural predators, the Japanese beetle is not considered a pest in its native Japan, but in North America and Europe, it is a noted pest to roughly 300 species of plants. Some of these plants include rose bushes, grapes, potatoes, tomatoes, bean, birch trees, maple trees, and others. The adult beetles damage plants by skeletonizing the foliage as well as, at times, feeding on a plant’s fruit. The subterranean larvae feed on the roots of grasses (Wikipedia contributors 2024).

Japanese beetles have been found on the islands of the Azores since the 1970s. In 2014, the first population in mainland Europe was discovered near Milan, Italy. In 2017, the pest was detected in nearby Ticino, Switzerland. In 2023, the first population north of the Alps was detected in Kloten near Zürich, Switzerland (Wikipedia contributors 2024). End of July 2024, the species was first observed in southern Germany around Freiburg im Breisgau and Ludwigsburg (LTZ Augustenberg).

A project for an integrated pest management of the species in Europe has been launched with the aim to address the challenge of this new risk to plant health in Europe. The main goals of IPM Popillia are identifying the Japanese beetles’ pathways of entry and spread, understanding the drivers of Japanese beetles’ population development, providing a toolbox for control of the species and developing sustainable Japanese Beetle management in Europe.

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Popillia japonica Newman, 1841 in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

Popillia japonica Newman, 1841 has not yet been detected in Luxembourg.

A booklet about the Japanese beetle was published in 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

no assessed yet

Harmonia+ protocol

no assessed yet

Worldwide distribution

GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/4425774

Bibliography

  • Ministère de l’Agriculture, de la Viticulture et du Développement rural, Administration des services techniques de l’agriculture – ASTA, 2023. Japankäfer – Popillia japonica, booklet, 12 pp.
  • LTZ Augustenberg, 2024. Pressemitteilung: Einzelne Japankäfer in Freiburg und im Landkreis Ludwigsburg gefunden. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2024-08-09]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2024. Japanese beetle, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 July 2024, 14:50 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_beetle> [Accessed 2024-08-09]

 Page content last updated on 2024-08-12.

Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855)

English Brown marmorated stink bug   Status LU: established. 1st record: 2022, ITW 2022.
Lëtzebuergesch Brong marbréiert Bamwanz   Status Eur.: established. 1st record: 1998
Français Punaise diabolique   RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Marmorierte Baumwanze   Wikipedia: English Français Deutsch Nederlands| Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands Bruin gemarmerde schildwants   Back to the list of neozoa

Brief description

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is native to China, Japan, Korea and other Asian regions. In 1998 it was collected in Pennsylvania/USA, where it is believed to have been accidentally introduced. The nymphs and adults of the brown marmorated stink bug feed on over 100 species of plants, including many agricultural crops, and by 2010 had become a season-long pest in orchards in the Eastern United States. The brown marmorated stink bug was probably first introduced to Europe during the repair work of the Chinese Garden in Zurich, Switzerland in the winter of 1998. The stink bug has been traced back to have travelled with roof tiles that were imported from Beijing, China. The first sighting in southern Germany was made in Konstanz in 2011. In Italy the first specimens were found in Modena in 2012 and afterwards in South Tyrol in 2016. The pest rapidly spread across Europe, and it is currently present in nearly every European country as well as in many parts of North and South America. The rapid spread of the species is linked to its ability to hitchhike, particularly in autumn when it seeks shelter in any man-made structure to overwinter, and easily travels with us and our means of transportation. H. halys has also a strong capacity to disperse at landscape levels throughout most periods of its lifetime. The species has over 100 reported host plants. It is widely considered to be an arboreal species and can frequently be found among woodlots. In orchards where H. halys is established in the USA, it is a season-long pest of tree fruit. In particular, peaches, nectarines, apples and Asian pears are heavily attacked. The brown marmorated stink bug is likely to invade homes in the fall. The bug survives the winter as an adult by entering houses and structures when autumn evenings become colder, often in the thousands. In one home, more than 26,000 stinkbugs were found overwintering. Once inside the house, they go into a state of hibernation (CABI 2013, Wikipedia contributors 2023).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

There are only a few observations of the species documented for Luxembourg so far, the first one from September 2022 in Frisingen.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

  • CABI, 2013. ‘Halyomorpha halys’ (2013) CABI Compendium.doi.org: 10.1079/cabicompendium.27377. [accessed 2023-11-14]
  • MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2023. Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2023-11-14]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2023. ‘Brown marmorated stink bug’, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 November 2023, 19:56 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug> [accessed 2023-11-14]

 Page content last updated on 2023-12-14. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-10-26.

Echinogammarus berilloni Catta, 1878

English   Status LU: established. 1st record: 1962, ITW 1962.
Lëtzebuergesch   Status Eur.: established. 1st record: native to the Iberian Peninsula.
Français   RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Igelflohkrebs   Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands   Back to the list of neozoa

Brief description

Native to the south-western Mediterranean basin, from northern Spain to south-western France (Basque country, Midi-Pyrénées), Echinogammarus berilloni Catta, 1878 has been observed for the first time in France in the mountains of the Basses-Pyrénées. By crossing the Pyrenees, the animal was able to reach the Loire, the Paris Basin and invaded most French rivers. French canals enabled the species to spread throughout Europe during the first half of the 20th century. From the Paris Basin, the animal spread to the tributaries of the Eseaut and the Meuse, and thus succeeded in colonising Belgium and the south of the Netherlands. The canal from the Marne to the Rhine gave it access to the north-east, the Moselle, the Saar and the Upper Rhine. This species, which grows to a size of 2 cm, lives in the middle and lower reaches of streams and rivers. It lives among vegetation and under rock and is euryhaline. It is also tolerant of high temperatures and organic pollution. E. berilloni shows a strong preference for vegetation and leaf litter as substratum when existing in single-species populations (Dhur & Massard 1995, Mayer et al. 2011, ONEMA 2015).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Echinogammarus berilloni Catta, 1878 in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

A fairly massive presence of Echinogammarus berilloni Catta, 1878 was reported in the region of the estuary of the river Sûre (Wasserbillig) and the middle and lower Moselle in 1962/1963. Upstream of the estuary of the Sûre, the species became rare. Between the early 1960s and the 1980s, various studies found that the species no longer existed in the Moselle upstream of Wasserbillig. It was assumed that the species became extinct after the Moselle was canalised, probably as a result of a dissolved oxygen caused by the reduction in the speed of the current velocity. It has to be clarified whether the more recent observation of the species in the Moselle in 2006 was an isolated event or contradicts the above-mentioned theory. In the Sûre and its tributaries, the species has persisted and recent sightings (2018, 2023) have been documented (Dhur & Massard 1995, MNHNL, 2000-).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

 

Bibliography

  • Dhur, G. et J.A. Massard, 1995. Etude historique et faunistique des Invertébrés immigrés ou introduits dans la Moselle luxembourgeoise et ses affluents. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 96: 127-156. [PDF 1896 KB]
  • Mayer, G., A. Maas & D. Waloszek, 2011. Mouthpart Morphology of Three Sympatric Native and Nonnative Gammaridean Species: Gammarus pulex, G. fossarum, and Echinogammarus berilloni (Crustacea: Amphipoda), International Journal of Zoology, Volume 2012, Article ID 493420, 23 pp.
  • MNHNL, 2000-. Recorder-Lux, database on the natural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. Echinogammarus berilloni (Catta, 1878) observed on 2023-10-17, occurrence ID DSS0043900002A6J, via https://mdata.mnhn.lu [accessed 2023-10-20].
  • ONEMA, 2015. Recueil de fiches d’identification, Espèces exotiques envahissantes des milieux aquatiques et associés en France métropolitaine, 168 pp.

 Page content last updated on 2023-12-14. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-10-26.

Plantago coronopus L.

English Buck’s-horn plantain Status LU: established. 1st record: 2014, ITW 2014.
Lëtzebuergesch Kuebefouss-Weeblat Status Eur.: established. 1st record: unkn.
Français Plantain corne-de-cerf RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Krähenfuß-Wegerich Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English Deutsch Français Nederlands | Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands Hertshoornweegbree Back to the list of neophytes

Brief description

Plantago coronopus L. is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant that reaches heights of 5 to 25 centimetres, flowering from June to September. It mainly grows on sandy or gravelly soils close to the sea, but also on salt-treated roadsides. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa but it can be found elsewhere, including the United States, Australia, and New Zealand as an introduced species (Wikipedia contributors 2022).

Although introduced to a number of countries, the history of this species introduction is not well documented (CABI 2012).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Plantago coronopus L. in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

Plantago coronopus L. is a rather new species for the Luxembourg flora, observed for the first time in 2014 in Kirchberg, in the flowerbeds along avenue Kennedy, between the roundabout and the shopping centre (Krippel et al 2018). During an inventory of halophytes in roadside habitats in 2017 and 2018,  the presence of Plantago coronopus was documented for the first time along national roads. A relatively high number of individuals was found on the verges of two motorways: A1 (2017, Potaschbierg) and A6 (2018, Croix de Gasperich). Further findings were located near Wasserbillig (2018, Park and Ride parking “Mesenich”) and Diekirch (2018, parking rue de l’industrie) (Ehl et al. 2019).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

  • CABI, 2012. Plantago coronopus. In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2023-01-31]
  • Ehl, S., K. Mildenberger, T. Frankenberg & C. Ries, 2019. Halophytes in roadside habitats: a survey of salt-tolerant vascular plant species along roads in Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 121: 37-51. [PDF 24.03 MB]
  • Krippel, Y., T. Helminger & G. Colling, 2018. Notes floristiques. Observations faites au Luxembourg (2016-2017). Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 120: 57-76. [PDF 265 KB].
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2022. ‘Plantago coronopus’, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 June 2022, 20:20 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_coronopus> [accessed 2023-01-23]

 Page content last updated on 2023-09-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl.

English Leatherleaf viburnum Status LU: established. 1st record: 1936, ITW 2019.
Lëtzebuergesch Rompelbliederege Schnéiball Status Eur.: established. 1st record: 1901.
Français Viorne à feuilles ridées RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Runzelblättriger Schneeball Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English Deutsch Français Nederlands | Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands Sneeuwbal Back to the list of neophytes

Brief description

Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl. is a vigorous, coarsely textured evergreen shrub which has an upright habit and 20 cm long, lustrous, deeply veined oval leaves with dark blue-green surfaces and pale green undersides. Plants grow 3.0–4.6 m tall and wide. The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a suckering habit. Viburnum rhytidophyllum grows naturally in forests and shrubs at altitudes between 700 and 2.400 meters only in some Chinese provinces. It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant for its evergreen foliage and tolerance of deep shade. In countries where the species has been introduced as an ornamental plant, it seems to be spreading more and more near settlements in recent years. It can potentially displace native species and also causes health issues (its hairs can cause itching and respiratory allergies) (Wikipedia contributors 2022, Gigon 2012).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl. in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

A specimen of Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl. from a garden in Rumelange can be found in the herbarium of Joseph Witry (1936-05-25). The herbarium of the National Museum of Natural History contains another cultivated specimen from Esch/Alzette (6 June 1959). As of January 2023, most of the occurences documented in the database Recorder-Lux are found in urban areas, in private gardens or parks. But V. rhytidophyllum has also been found in the wild: in forest areas close to Manternach (2019-10-01), in a vineyard in Bech-Kleinmacher (2020-04-26), west of Echternach (2022-02-04) and next to the A7 in the Grunewald area (2022-03-02). In 2023 it was also observed in the area around Gantebeinsmühle. The plant is quite common in the parks of the City of Luxembourg, especially along avenue de la porte neuve. The species is removed from the parks over a longer period of time, among other things for reasons of health protection for the park employees.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Although introduced several European countries, the history of this species introduction is not well documented as the data situation is insufficient. The earliest observation for Europe seems to be from Slovakia in 1901 (cf. CABI 2019).

Bibliography

  • CABI, 2019. ‘Viburnum rhytidophyllum’ (2022) CABI Compendium. doi: 10.1079/cabicompendium.56343. [accessed 2023-09-27]
  • Gigon, A. (2012): Ersatz-Pflanzenarten für die unerwünschten gebietsfremden Arten (invasive Neophyten) der Schwarzen und der Beobachtungsliste der Schweiz. 2012 (infoflora.ch [PDF]).
  • MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2023. Viburnum rhytidophyllum Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl. in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2023-09-27]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2022. ‘Viburnum rhytidophyllum’, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 November 2022, 10:26 UTC, <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runzelblättriger_Schneeball> [accessed 2023-01-30]

 Page content last updated on 2024-08-06. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov 1897

English Quagga mussel Status LU: absent.
Lëtzebuergesch Quaggamuschel Status Eur.: established.
Français Moule quagga RA: ISEIA: n/a. Harmonia+: n/a.
Deutsch Quagga-Dreikantmuschel Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English - Zebra mussel Wikipedia - Français - Moule zébrée Wikipedia - Deutsch - Zebramuschel Nederlands | Wikispecies: n/a | CABI
Nederlands Quagga mussel Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

The quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis, also known as Dreissena bugensis or Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) is a species (or subspecies) of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Dreissenidae. It has an average lifespan of 3 to 5 years. The species is indigenous to the Dnieper River drainage of Ukraine, and is named after the quagga, an extinct subspecies of African zebra. The invasive quagga mussel is currently of major concern as it spreads in the rivers and lakes of Europe and also in the Great Lakes of North America.

Quagga mussels are presumed to have originated in the Ukrainian section of the Black Sea. The expansion of its range in Europe began only after 1940 and likely was associated with construction of interbasin canals and creation of impoundments along the large European rivers. Today, they are an invasive species found throughout western Europe. In Germany, quagga mussels were first identified in 2005, and now populate many inland waters, such as the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, the Main, and the Rhine. They were first identified in Switzerland in 2015 and in Lake Constance in 2016, where they have since spread massively and caused considerable problems, in particular to the machinery in waterworks. In 2014, the species was reported at Wraysbury Reservoir, not far from London’s Heathrow Airport in the valley of the River Thames. In Ireland, the mussels were first discovered in 2021 in two lakes on the River Shannon: Lough Derg and Lough Ree.

The mussel is expected to compete with existing zebra mussels and native species. Due to these biological traits, Dreissena spp. can substantially affect the environment, food webs and biodiversity of the ecosystems they invade, and cause tremendous economic damage in raw water-using industries, potable water treatment plants, and electric power stations. This species was identified as the top ranking invasive species threat to the UK in a study of almost 600 non-native species (CABI 2014, Wikipedia contributors 2022).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov 1897 has not been documented yet.

A flyer about invasive mussels has been published by natur&ëmwelt.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

  • CABI, 2014. Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov 1897. In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2023-01-23]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2022. ‘Dreissena rostriformis bugensis‘, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 November 2022, 22:31 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quagga_mussel> [accessed 2023-01-23]

 Page content last updated on 2024-09-09. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Oxycarenus lavaterae (Fabricius, 1787)

English Lime seed bug Status LU: established. 1st record: 2019.
Lëtzebuergesch Lannewanz Status Eur.: established. 1st record: n/a.
Français Punaise du tileul RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a.
Deutsch Lindenwanze Wikipedia: English Deutsch Nederlands | Wikispecies: Wikispecies |
Nederlands Lindenspitskop Back to the list of neozoa

Brief description

Oxycarenus lavaterae (Fabricius, 1787) can reach a length of 4.5–5.4 millimetres in adult females, and 4.2–5 millimetres in males. Adult bugs are mostly red, white and black colored. The head, the entire prothorax, the scutellum and the antennae are black. The nymphs can be easily recognized by their black head and the red-colored abdomen.There are usually two annual generations. These bugs are found on and feed upon plants in the family Malvaceae, such as Tilia, Althea, Hibiscus, and Malva.

The original range of the lime bug is the western Mediterranean, including western North Africa and the Canary Islands. The original range in Europe is given as: the Iberian Peninsula, France, north to Aquitaine and Haute-Vienne, almost all of Italy, marginally to Ticino and South Tyrol, and the northwest of the Balkan Peninsula. Since about the mid-1990s, the species began to spread northward and eastward from here. By 2000, Hungary (1994), Slovakia (1995) and Bulgaria were reached, and Austria in 2001. The first German record, from the Upper Rhine plain, dates from 2004, from where the species spread rapidly northward in the Rhine valley. Isolated findings in England, the Netherlands and Finland are based on introduced animals, the species could not establish itself here so far. In northern Germany the species has been detected in Berlin in 2019. In Switzerland, mass occurrences are already reported for 2005. Towards the east, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania were colonized. Meanwhile, the species also occurs in northern France, as far as Normandy.

In the fall, the bugs congregate on trunks and branches of lime trees, where they form colonies. The mass appearance of these bugs is observed quite often. The bug is considered an invasive pest in some countries (Wikipedia contributors, 2023).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Records of Oxycarenus lavaterae (Fabricius, 1787) in Luxembourg. Data source: Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2024-10-06.

Observations of the species in Luxembourg exist since 2019, when it was documented in the City of Luxembourg (Bonnevoie) as well as in the Moselle valley (Grevenmacher, Remerschen), in Rosport-Hoelt and Mondorf-les-Bains (Schneider 2020).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

 

Bibliography

  • Schneider, N., 2020. Premières mentions d’Oxycarenus lavaterae (Fabricius, 1787), de Tropidothorax leucopterus (Goeze, 1778) et de Stephanitis takeyai Drake & Maa, 1955 (Insecta, Hemiptera, Heteroptera) au Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 122: 99-102. [PDF 387 KB]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2023. ‘Oxycarenus lavaterae‘, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 12 January 2023, 12:31 UTC, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/>Oxycarenus lavaterae> [accessed 2023-01-23]
  • Wikipedia contributors, 2023. ‘Oxycarenus lavaterae‘, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 November 2020, 08:34 UTC, <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/>Lindenwanze> [accessed 2023-01-23]

 

 Page content last updated on 2023-09-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Obama nungara Carbayo, Álvarez-Presas, Jones, Riutort 2016

English n/a Status LU: unknown.
Lëtzebuergesch Grousse gefleckte Landplattwuerm Status Eur.: established.
Français n/a RA: not yet assessed. Harmonia+: not yet assessed.
Deutsch n/a Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English - Brown bullhead Deutsch Français Nederlands  | Wikispecies: n/a
Nederlands Grote gevlekte landplatworm Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Obama nungara Carbayo, Álvarez-Presas, Jones, Riutort 2016 is a medium-sized land planarian with a lanceolate body, up to 70 millimetres long. The species is native to South America. Populations in the two southernmost Brazilian states, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul are most certainly native. The species is also found in Argentina, where it may be native or introduced. It is very common in human-disturbed areas, especially gardens and parks.

Obama nungara was probably introduced to Europe through the plant trade. Since 2008, a large land planarian has been found in several localities in Europe, including Guernsey, Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy and, more recently, Belgium, the Netherlands and Slovakia. It was identified as possibly of Neotropical origin and belonging to the genus Obama, but its true identity was not resolved at first. In a study published in 2020, Obama nungara was recorded from Italy, Switzerland, and 72 of the 96 Departments of Metropolitan France. The species was especially abundant along the Atlantic coast, from the Spanish border to Brittany, and along the Mediterranean coast, from the Spanish border to the Italian border. More than half of the records were from an altitude below 50 m, and no record was from above 500 m. However, in 2019, a specimen was found on São Miguel Island (Azores) at an altitude of 947 meters.

Local abundance in continental Europe was considered impressive, with hundreds of specimens found in a small garden. On the basis of a molecular analysis, the study also concluded that the population which has invaded several countries in Europe came from Argentina, not Brazil.

Obama nungara is a predatory flatworm that actively hunts earthworms and snails. Because of its hunting behaviour and its wide distribution, it might be the most dangerous land planarian for biodiversity and soil ecology in Europe. It has no natural predators in Europe (Wikipedia contributors 2022).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Obama nungara has not been documented in Luxembourg yet.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Source: GBIF.org: https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/map?q=Obama%20nungara [Accessed 27/02/2023]

Bibliography

 Page content last updated on 2023-09-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835)

English Red-necked longhorn beetle Status LU: absent.
Lëtzebuergesch Asiatesche Bisambockkiewerlek Status Eur.: casual. 1st record: 2008.
Français n/a RA: ISEIA: n/a Harmonia+: n/a
Deutsch Asiatischer Moschusbockkäfer Wikipedia: Deutsch | Wikispecies: Wikispecies | CABI
Nederlands n/a Back to the list of neozoa

Brief description

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) is native across the south-eastern Palaearctic and Oriental regions. It is recorded from China, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. A. bungii is an oligophagous species; its host range is largely limited to Prunus spp.. The species has entered Europe several times with international trade. The first detection in Europe was in 2008 when three adults were intercepted among wooden pallets in a warehouse in Bristol, UK. The larvae of A. bungii grow inside host trees by consuming the wood. Several generations can develop within an individual tree, leading to its death. The beetle presents a significant risk to all stone fruit-growing countries in Europe and neighbouring countries (CABI 2022).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) has not yet been recorded in Luxembourg.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

  • CABI, 2014. Aromia bungii (red necked longicorn) In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org [accessed 2023-01-20]

 Page content last updated on 2023-09-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2023-03-27.