Ekspresowa Analiza Zagrożenia Agrofagiem: Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst)

Conotrachelus nenuphar is a beetle of the Curculionidae family found in eastern and Midwestern North America, where it is a major pest of fruit orchards. The larvae feed in fruit, causing quantitative and qualitative losses. The main host plants from cultivated plants are plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, but also apple, pear and blueberry trees. The pest has not yet been established in the EU area, but the prevalence of host plants and a suitable climate may favor the establishment and spread of this beetle in Europe and the PRA area once it arrives. There is a risk that damage to orchards in the PRA area after the arrival of the agrophage could be comparable to that caused in its natural area of occurrence. The insect can be imported with goods (fruits, plants for planting with soil, on packages), coming from places where the species occurs, so it is particularly important to carry out inspections of potentially infested imported goods. If the species appears in a PRA area, it is necessary to use available methods for its eradication (mainly insecticide treatments) and to monitor the threatened areas (vetting of host plants and use of traps for trapping and monitoring the pest).