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Ashes in Europe are in danger: the invasive range of Agrilus planipennis in European Russia is expanding

Biological Invasions volume 16, pages 1345–1349 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera, Buprestidae), is a pest of ash native to Asia. This major stem borer has killed millions of ash trees in North America. It was first found in Europe in 2003 in the city of Moscow. Now it is rapidly spreading in European Russia. In 2012 A. planipennis was found in the Tula, Kaluga, and Smolensk regions. A survey of green plantations in 22 localities in 2013 has revealed that A. planipennis occurs also in the Tver, Orel, Voronezh, Tambov, and Yaroslavl regions. It occurs 230 km northeast, 350 km southeast, and 460 km south from Moscow. Most ashes in the Moscow region, both alien American Fraxinus pennsylvanica and the indiginous European ash Fraxinus excelsior, are dying or already dead. Thousands of trees in other regions are seriously damaged. The pest will cross the western border of Russia soon. It represents a serious threat for ashes in other European countries.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to M. G. Volkovich (Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) for the confirmation of the beetle identification. The research is supported by the Program of Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences “Wildlife”—”Invasions”.

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  1. A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskiy Prospect, Moscow, 119071, Russia

    Marina J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja

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  1. Marina J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja
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Correspondence to Marina J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja.

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Orlova-Bienkowskaja, M.J. Ashes in Europe are in danger: the invasive range of Agrilus planipennis in European Russia is expanding. Biol Invasions 16, 1345–1349 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-013-0579-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-013-0579-8

Keywords

  • Agrilus planipennis
  • Pest
  • Emerald ash borer
  • European Russia
  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica
  • Fraxinus excelsior