Detection of Marchalina hellenica in Victoria and South Australia

 

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Publication Date

Mon, 13 Jul 2015, 01:58

Last Updated

July 13, 2015, 1:58 a.m.

Report Number

AUS-69/1

Country

Australia

Pest Id

Marchalina hellenica - (MARCHE)

Report Status

Preliminary

Hosts

The affected host species reported are restricted to the family Pinaceae with records available for the following species and genera: • Pines: Pinus brutia, Pinus halepensis, Pinus kochiana Klotzsch ex K. Koch, Pinus laricio tauricus, Pinus nigra salzmannii J.F.Arnold, Pinus pinea, Pinus sosnowskyi, Pinus sylvestris. • Firs: Abies cephalonica, Abies nordmenniana, • Spruces: Picea engelmanni , Picea orientalis,

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Transient: actionable, under eradication

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Present: transient

Geographical Distribution

Metropolitan Melbourne (Victoria) and Adelaide (South Australia)

Summary

This is the first report of Marchalina hellenica in Australia. Preliminary evidence indicates that the pest is restricted in its distribution.

Marchalina hellenica can infest a range of different pine species, but has only been detected on Pinus radiata and Pinus halepensis).

Marchalina hellenica is a sap-feeding insect. It produces large amounts of honeydew on which sooty moulds develop. It prefers the lower part of the tree and mainly nests on the main trunk, but infestations can be also observed on branches and even exposed roots. It can be found in bark crevices, covered by white waxy secretions. Large populations cause branch dieback, gradual desiccation eventually followed by tree death.

Danger

Marchalina hellenica has been found in metropolitan Adelaide and metropolitan Melbourne. There have been no detections of Marchalina hellenica anywhere else in Australia. Marchalina hellenica has been causing defoliation of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year needles on each tree and appears to be a factor in the death of one Pinus radiata tree. The eradication response includes the surveillance activities and using stem injections or destruction of trees found to be infested with Marchalina hellenica.

Contact for info

Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 [email protected]

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