The Cypress Jewel Beetle Lamprodila Festiva Linné, 1767 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an Invasive Major Pest of Thuja Occidentalis Linné in Romania

Abstract

The invasive species called the cypress jewel beetle, Lampodila festiva Linné (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a major pest in urban areas, infesting the white cedar, Thuja occidentalis Linné (Cupressales: Cupressaceae), in parks, gardens, nurseries and hedges. The insects develops in wood, affecting the trees by galleries made by larvae inside. The invasion of the beetle was growing faster in the last years, migrating from its native area of Mediteranean region, including parts of Northern Africa,   to the Southern and Western Europe, then in the Central and Eastern countries. The studies were carried out in 2017-2024 in Cluj-Napoca (Romania), in different area of the city (11 locations) and in laboratory conditions. The insects have been observed and collected from the colonized plants of white cedar, Thuja occidentalis Linné and then photographed and studied with the corresponding description.