Recent Range Expansion Of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug In Europe

Abstract:
A public survey to determine the current distribution of the invasive brown marmortaed stink bug, Halyomorpha halys in Switzerland showed that by the end of 2013, it was present in 11 Cantons, including six newly invaded Cantons (Basel-Landschaft, Aargau, Genève, Solothurn, Ticino, Thurgau, and Bern). In total, H. halys was found in 76 locations in 38 cities across Switzerland with large breading populations being present in the cities Zurich, Basel, Bern, and Lugano. There is now evidence that H. halys was already present in 2004, three years before its first official detection in 2007. Although H. halys has been present in Switzerland for nearly 10 years, its natural spread can be considered slow. Large distribution gaps between Swiss cities Zurich, Basel and Bern indicate that founder populations from Zurich arrived in these locations through human activity and movement of goods along the main motorways connecting the cities. The new list of host plants in Europe contains 51 host plants in 32 families, including many exotic and native plants. High densities of nymphs and adults were observed on Catalpa bignonioides, Sorbus aucuparia, Cornus sanguinea, Fraxinus excelsior, and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. With growing populations in Switzerland, France and Italy H. halys may further extend its distribution and become a nuisance pest in many European cities.