Conservation biological control aims to enhance populations of resident natural enemies through habitat diversification and the provision of additional or alternative food close to or within cropping systems. Here, we report the occurrence of natural parasitism of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in an organically managed, conservation-oriented strawberry system with adjacent companion plantings, including floral resources. In July and August 2024, a total of 783 N. viridula individuals were collected by hand. Of these, 134 individuals were found to show macrotype eggs of a parasitic tachinid fly, resulting in a parasitism rate of 17.11%. The developmental stages, sex, and locations of the tachinid ovipositions were recorded and analyzed. The parasitized stink bugs were subsequently maintained under controlled conditions until the pupation of the tachinids. The emerged adults were morphologically identified as Trichopoda pictipennis Bigot (Diptera: Tachinidae). Additionally, DNA was extracted, the COI gene was amplified and sequenced, and the resulting sequences were uploaded into the NCBI GenBank. The results show that T. pictipennis has no oviposition preference between male and female stink bugs. In addition, oviposition was significantly preferred on the dorsal body side of the bugs. This study discusses the potential of companion planting in organic strawberry production and its role in facilitating the natural establishment of T. pictipennis. Furthermore, we address the gaps in the distribution knowledge of T. pictipennis, highlight the challenges of morphological identification that have led to numerous misidentifications across Europe in recent years, and emphasize the current lack of molecular reference data.

Although microhymenoptera are highly abundant in all terrestrial ecosystems, they are overlooked in most of insect monitoring studies due to their small-size and demanding identification linked with lack of taxonomic experts. Until now, it is unclear to what extent microhymenoptera are affected by insect decline, as there is a huge knowledge gap on their abundance. To fill this knowledge gap, we used Malaise trap samples from three study sites of a complete vegetation period (March to November) of an ongoing insect monitoring study in south-western Germany (i) to study the relationship of insect total biomass, and abundance and diversity of microhymenoptera, and (ii) to assess the phenology of microhymenoptera families. Our results show that microhymenoptera abundance and diversity are positively correlated with total insect biomass, indicating that insect biomass is a valuable proxy for insect abundancy trends even for small-sized insects. In total, we counted 90,452 specimens from 26 families belonging to 10 superfamilies of Hymenoptera. Microhymenoptera numbers peaked twice during the year, first between June and July and second between July and August. Interestingly, egg-parasitoids, such as Scelionidae, Mymaridae and Trichogrammatidae had a slightly shifted second activity period in August and September. Our data provides a baseline for the occurrence of microhymenoptera in meadow ecosystems in south-western Germany and underlines the potential of mass samples to study microhymenoptera in the context of insect decline.

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is an economically important pest of fruit and vegetable crops. It is also a nuisance pest overwintering in large numbers in man-made structures. In its native range, natural biological control plays a key role in regulating this pest. The egg parasi toid Trissolcus japonicus is a dominant natural enemy showing high parasitism rates on H. halys eggs. Adventive populations of T. japonicus have been reported from North America and several European countries with successful establishment within the new distribution areas of H. halys. The object of this study was to monitor H. halys egg masses to assess the distribution and establishment of T. japonicus. In Germany, T. japonicus was first reported in 2020 at three sites in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Since then, additional locations have been confirmed in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia. Thus, T. japonicus has been able to successfully overwinter, reproduce, and spread within H. halys' distribution range in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Here, the current status of presence and establishment of T. japonicus in Germany is reported.

Die invasive Marmorierte Baumwanze, Halyomorpha halys, verursacht weltweit wirtschaftliche Schäden in Obst- und Gemüsekulturen. Darüber hinaus ist sie ein Lästling, der gerne in großer Anzahl in menschlichen Behausungen überwintert. In den Ursprungsgebieten Ostasiens wird diese Schadwanze durch natürliche Gegenspieler reguliert. Die Schlupfwespe Trissolcus japonicus ist durch sehr hohe Parasitierungsraten der Eigelege ein dominanter Antagonist von H. halys. Adventive Populationen von T. japonicus wurden bereits in Nordamerika und mehreren Ländern Europas nachgewiesen, wo sie sich im Ausbreitungsgebiet von H. halys erfolgreich etabliert haben. In dieser Studie werden die Ergebnisse eines Monitorings von H. halys-Eigelegen zur Ausbreitung und Etablierung der Schlupfwespe dargestellt. In Deutschland erfolgte der Erstfund von T. japonicus im Jahr 2020 an drei Standorten in Baden-Württemberg. Seither haben sich weitere Fundorte innerhalb Baden-Württembergs sowie in Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Bayern und Nordrhein-Westfalen ergeben. T. japonicus kann nachweislich erfolgreich unter den klimatischen Bedingungen in Baden-Württemberg überwintern, sich fortpflanzen und innerhalb des Verbreitungsgebietes von H. halys ausbreiten. Der aktuelle Status von T. japonicus wird dargestellt.

The Oriental tea tortrix Homona magnanima Diakonoff, 1948 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) has been intercepted three times in Germany on imported plants from Japan since 2023. The moth was found on bonsai of Taxus sp., T. cuspidata and Pinus thunbergii. The findings were diagnosed in a close cooperation between official laboratories in the federal states of Baden-Wurttemberg (Landwirtschaftliches Technologiezentrum Augustenberg), Brandenburg (Landesamt f & uuml;r L & auml;ndliche Entwicklung, Landwirtschaft und Flurneuordnung), North Rhine-Westphalia (Landwirtschaftskammer) and the National Reference Laboratory located at Julius K & uuml;hn Institute (NRLJKI). DNA barcoding of the COI gene region revealed identical sequences for all findings in Germany. However, the final confirmation by a database comparison with NCBI GenBank and the BOLD database was insufficient, presumably due to incorrectly referenced but also missing entries. Phylogenetic analysis in combination with information on native distribution, host tree preferences and morphological features allowed for a species assignment as Homona magnanima. Following the identification, an Express-Pest Risk Analysis was conducted by the JKI, resulting in a categorisation of the tortrix as a potential quarantine pest.

Foreign invasive species have caused considerable economic damage in fruiticulture during the past decade. Consequently, commercial fruit production is facing major, new challenges. Reasons for the spread of those pest insects are manifold. Appropriate control measures for the containment of invasive species depend on several years of experience with diverse fruit cultures and in-depth-knowledge of the insects & PRIME;behaviour. For Spotted Wing Drosophila, first efficient mechanisms for the control of fruit infestation were identified and are in use. Moreover, broad knowledge of biology, ecology, and genetics of this species is available and can be applied for the development of further control strategies. Research on invasive stink bugs is currently undertaken at different locations. Effective means for their population regulation are developed in those research projects.

Gebietsfremde invasive Schadinsekten haben im Obstbau im vergangenen Jahrzehnt große wirtschaftliche Schäden verursacht und den kommerziellen Obstanbau vor neue Herausforderungen gestellt. Die Gründe für die Ausbreitung dieser Insekten sind vielfältig. Regulierungsmaßnahmen zur Eindämmung dieser Neozoen benötigen Erfahrungen in verschiedenen Kulturpflanzen und umfangreiche Kenntnisse zum Verhalten der invasiven Arten. Für die Kirschessigfliege gibt es bereits erste wirksame Regulierungsstrategien, sowie eine Dekade an Erfahrung und somit umfangreiches Wissen zur Biologie, Ökologie und Genetik dieses Schadinsekts, welches für die Weiterentwicklung von Bekämpfungsmaßnahmen unabdingbar ist. Invasive Schadwanzen werden derzeit an verschiedenen Standorten intensiv untersucht. Potenziell wirksame, alternative Methoden zur Regulierung werden aktuell in Forschungsprojekten erarbeitet.

The brown marmorated stinkbug ( Halyomorpha halys Stål) is a polyphagous insect from the Pentatomidae family that is originally from Asia. This contaminating (i.e. hitchhiking) species, often found in urban areas and along anthropogenic infrastructure, is fast spreading in Germany and other European countries. As a pest in those countries for agriculture and as a nuisance pest for the public it is important to have a solid database of the current distribution for spread modelling, risk assessment and further analysis to contain infestations and reduce or prevent further spread. The authors present here the current phytosanitary status and trends of distribution of the brown marmorated stinkbug in Germany.

Invasive Insektenarten, die durch direkten Warentransport und Tourismus in neue Regionen eingeschleppt werden oder infolge naturlicher Ausbreitung einwandern, sind fur Mitteleuropa nichts Neues. Nun ist ein neuer Schadling auf dem Vormarsch (s. auch „In Kurze“, DB 11/2021)

Scelionid wasps are arthropod egg parasitoids, many of which are relevant to global biosecurity. However, the scelionid fauna of Germany has not received much attention from professional taxonomists. Eleven species and four genera are recorded for the first time from Germany, including species of interest to agriculture and biological control. First genus records include Baryconus Förster, Macroteleia Westwood, Paratelenomus Dodd and Probaryconus Kieffer. First species records include B. europaeus (Kieffer), Idris nigroclavatus (Kieffer), Idris semiflavus (Kieffer), M. bicolora Kieffer, M. pannonica Szabo, Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd), Trimorus varicornis (Walker), Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston), Trissolcus belenus (Walker), Trissolcus colemani (Crawford) and Trissolcus flavipes (Thompson). COI barcodes are identified for the first time from B. europaeus and M. bicolora. Each species is illustrated and updated world distributions are provided. Implications for agriculture are discussed.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is a polyphagous pest species of worldwide economic importance. Since the mid-1990s, it has invaded and become established in various countries outside its native Asian range. In the newly invaded areas, biological control by native natural enemies has been shown to be insufficient in the long-term control of this severe pest. Adventive populations of Trissolcus japonicus, an important biological control agent of H. halys in Asia, have been reported from North America and some European countries since the mid-2010s. This egg parasitoid species seems to follow in the wake of the establishment of H. halys populations outside their native Asian range. Here, we report the first discovery of an adventive population of T. japonicus in Germany. In 2020, adult T. japonicus were recovered from parasitized H. halys egg masses (naturally laid and sentinel egg masses) and collected in ruderal areas using an insect suction sampler. The arrival of T. japonicus in Germany, unintentional through pathways yet unknown, corroborates a northbound expansion of its range within Europe. Further field surveys will show the extent of its dispersal and establishment capacities within this new distribution area.

Klimasensitive Schadorganismen sind Arten, deren Risiko einen Schaden zu verursachen sich aufgrund der vorhergesagten klimatischen Veränderungen voraussichtlich erheblich verändern wird. Damit stellen sie eine besondere Herausforderung für die Pflanzengesundheit dar. Zur Vorhersage des Etablierungs- und Ausbreitungspotenzials dieser Schadorganismen ist eine Bewertung unter verschiedenen Umwelt- und Managementszena­rien unerlässlich. Ein effizientes Werkzeug zur Unter­suchung des Risikos klimasensitiver Schadorganismen (SO) sind prozess-orientierte Simulationsmodelle. Im Rahmen des Projektes,,ProgRAMM“ wird ein solches Modell, das auf Grundlage artspezifischer physiologischer Parameter und Verbreitungseigenschaften arbeitet, entwickelt. Mit diesem Modell wird es möglich sein, die o.g. Vorhersagen und Szenarioanalysen zu realisieren und langfristig einen übertragbaren, verallgemeinerten Open-Source-Modellrahmen als Standardverfahren zur Unterstützung von pflanzengesundheitlichen Risikoanalysen klimasensitiver SO zu etablieren. Dabei steht beson­ders im Vordergrund, dass das Modell leicht erweiterbar ist und sich leicht mit einzelnen Wirtspflanzen, aktu­ellen Klimadatensätzen sowie neuen An-/Abwesenheitsdaten der SO koppeln lässt. Die Ergebnisse des Modells werden in Form von Verbreitungs- und Risikokarten grafisch dargestellt. Diese Karten dienen der verbesserten Abschätzung und Darstellung der wirtschaft­lichen und ökologischen Risiken durch die Schadorganismen in Risikoanalysen. Zusätzlich kann durch die Identifizierung von Hochrisikogebieten für die Ansiedlung von SO, die Planung von Monitoring-Aktivitäten unterstützt werden. Das Modell wird open-source gehalten und um verschiedene Untermodelle sowie artspezifische Funktionen und Parametrisierung erweiterbar sein, damit die Übertragbarkeit auf möglichst viele Schadorganismengruppen (Pilze, Insekten, Milben, Nematoden, Bakte­rien) sichergestellt ist.