Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1832)

Cvetkovska-Gjorgievska, Aleksandra, Dedov, Ivailo, Hristovski, Slavcho, Langourov, Mario, Lazarevska, Stanislava, Prelik, Dana & Simov, Nikolay, 2019, New records of allochtonous, invasive and pest invertebrate species from the Republic of Macedonia, Ecologica Montenegrina 20, pp. 56-70 : 61-62

Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1832) – Sycamore lace bug ( Hemiptera , Tingidae )

Records: Vardar River Valley: town of Gevgelia, central part, 65 m a.s.l., on Platanus orientalis , 10.06.2013, 10♂, 15♀, leg. N. Simov; Gradsko Vill., 150 m a.s.l., on Platanus orientalis , 14.05.2014, 5♂, 5♀, leg. N. Simov; town of Veles, 170 m a.s.l., on Platanus orientalis , 14.v.2014, many individuals, leg. N. Simov, S. Hristovski, I. Dedov obs.; Demir Kapiya Vill., 105 m a.s.l., on Platanus orientalis , 09.07.2011, many individuals, M. Langourov obs.; town of Strumica., 230 m a.s.l., on Platanus orientalis , 14.07.2014, many individuals, M. Langourov obs.

Origin: C. ciliata is an invasive alien species of North American origin ( USA and Southern Canada) ( Rabitsch 2008).

After the first European record of C. ciliata in Italy ( Servadei 1966), the species spread across almost all of Europe during the last five decades ( Rabitsch 2010). The most preferred areas in the invaded regions are those with Submediterranean and Mediterranean climate ( Rabitsch 2010). It is regarded as established in the Balkans from the second half of 20th century ( Rabitsch 2008; Simov et al. 2012). Up to now its remains overlooked for the territory of the Macedonia. In summer of 2011, 2013 and spring 2014 it was recorded for the first time in Macedonia – Vardar Valley – Veles, Gradsko and Gevgelija.

In its native range C. ciliata is trophically associated with Platanus occidentalis and other sycamores ( Coyle et al. 2005; Henry & Froeschner 1988). In Macedonia the main host for C. ciliata is Platanus orientalis . Practically, C. ciliata has been found in the whole range of Oriental plane in Macedonia – Vardar River Valley. In the neighboring countries the species is bivoltine ( Simov et al. 2012). Threats of the mass growth and development of the Sycamore lace bug to the stability the tree populations of Oriental plane in Macedonia, has not yet been studied. The bugs’ feeding may weaken the plants vitality and support secondary infections by fungi and pathogens ( Neal & Schaefer 2000; Rabitsch 2008).