Diagnostic protocols
The following table lists the reference diagnostic protocols that are available for the identification of EU Quarantine Priority Insects and Mites. In addition it provides the link to the EURL Zotero web library where a selection of bibliographic resources is available for each of these pest organisms. Please note that for EU Quarantine Priority Insects and Mites for which a reference diagnostic protocol is available (EPPO/IPPC), the Extensive Systematic Literature Search (ELS) was limited to those publications which were published after the issue of the reference protocol. This list includes references which were retrieved until February 2023 and will be updated in a 6 month interval.
In order to access the EURL Zotero web library, click on the Zotero icon. Once there, you can sort all bibliographic resources by topic (morphological identification, molecular identification, occurence/outbreaks) by selecting the corresponding coloured tag (green, orange, violet) in the bottom left corner. Original description is also available, tagged in gray. For most of the bibliographic resources a DOI and a link to the editor's website for downloading are provided.
If you have not yet been invited to join the Zotero web library, please contact us and you will be welcome !
EU Priority pest |
Reference diagnostic protocol (IPPC, EPPO) |
Link to Zotero web library |
| Agrilus anxius Gory, 1841 |
No official identification protocol available |  |
| Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888 |
EPPO (2023). PM 7/154(1) Agrilus planipennis. EPPO Bulletin, 53, 285–308. LINK |
|
| Anastrepha ludens (Loew, 1873) |
IPPC (2016). ISPM 27 Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests DP 9: genus Anastrepha Schiner. International Plant Protection Convention. LINK | |
| Anoplophora chinensis (Forster, 1771) |
EPPO (2021) PM 7/149 (1) Anoplophora glabripennis and Anoplophora chinensis. EPPO Bulletin, 51: 568–586. LINK |
|
| Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky, 1854) |
EPPO (2021) PM 7/149 (1) Anoplophora glabripennis and Anoplophora chinensis. EPPO Bulletin, 51: 568–586. LINK | |
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|
No official identification protocol available | |
| Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) |
EPPO (2024). PM 7/156 (1) Aromia bungii. EPPO Bulletin, 54, 124–136. LINK |
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No official identification protocol available | |
| Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel, 1912) |
IPPC (2019). ISPM 27 Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests DP 29: Bactrocera dorsalis. International Plant Protection Convention. LINK |
|
| Bactrocera zonata (Saunders, 1842) |
EPPO (2023). PM7/114(2) Bactrocera zonata. EPPO Bulletin, 43 (3), 412–416. LINK |
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| Conotrachelus nenuphar Harris, 1841 (provisionally accepted name) |
IPPC (2018). ISPM 27 Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests DP 28: Conotrachelus nenuphar. International Plant Protection Convention. LINK |
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EPPO (2024). PM7/157(1) Dendrolimus sibiricus. EPPO Bulletin, 54, 137–146. LINK
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Popillia japonica |
EPPO (2006). PM7/074(1) Popillia japonica. EPPO Bulletin 36, 447–450. LINK |
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Rhagoletis pomonella |
No official identification protocol available | |
|
Spodoptera frugiperda |
EPPO (2015). PM7/ 124(1) Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera litura, Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera eridania. EPPO Bulletin 45 (3), 410–444. LINK |
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Thaumatotibia leucotreta |
EPPO (2019). PM7/137(1) Thaumatotibia leucotreta. EPPO Bulletin 49 (2), 248–258. LINK UNDER REVISION |
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Get ready for the 4th TEAM meeting in France!
Tephritidae and Drosophila suzukii will be the topic of the TEAM symposium in La Grande-Motte (France), bringing together specialists from all over the world
Less than one year to the 4th International TEAM (Tephritidae workers of Europe, Africa and Middle East) meeting, to be held from 4th to 8th October 2020, in La Grande-Motte, France.
Four years after the last meeting in Stellenbosch (South Africa, 2016), this TEAM symposium renews the strong bonds between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with the aims of bringing together academia, researchers, extension and industry specialists, who will present their latest scientific results and deliberate on a number of pertinent issues on fruit fly biology, ecology and control.
There's no need to stress the importance of fruit flies for the fruit production economy and the high risk associated to the potential introduction and establishment of those pests in Europe. Fruit flies from tropical countries are frequently intercepted by National Plant Health Service during the phyto-sanitary control at EU points of entry for goods. For example, Bactrocera dorsalis (the oriental fruit fly) was detected for the first time in 2018 in Campania, Southern Italy, during an official survey. For the first time, Drosophila suzukii will be included in this meeting. This invasive pest can be considered as a fruit fly in its own right, with many similarities to Tephritidae due to its difficult management.
More information about program, registration and organization can be found on the official 4th TEAM meeting webpage.
List of EU quarantine pests
PERMANENT LIST OF EU REGULATED PESTS
Directive 2000/29/EC listed the EU quarantine pests to be targeted by specific control measures. They were listed in annexes I and II (Part A, Section I and II). Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2017/1279 and Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/523 amended Directive 2000/29/EC.
Directive 2000/29/EC was repealed on 14 December 2019 and was replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 ("Plant Health Law") of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning protective measures against pests of plants.
According to Article 5(2) of the Plant Health Law, the Commission establishes the ‘list of Union quarantine pests’, which is included in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 of 28 November 2019. The list of Union quarantine pests is available in Annex II of this Regulation. In addition, Annex IV contains the list of Union regulated non-quarantine pests (‘RNQPs’). Annexes of the Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 are now amended by the
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2285 of 14 December 2021 (Annexes I, II, IV to VIII and X to XIV are amended);
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2004 of 23 July 2024 (Neoceratitis asiatica, N. cyanescens and Neotephritis finalis are added to the list of quatantine Tephritidae; Draeculacephala minerva (Hemiptera : Cicadellidae) is removed from Annex II, the whole genus Draeculacephala is regulated; Ripersiella hibisci (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is deleted from Annex II; cut flowers of Rosa L. is added as a possible introduction pathway of Thaumatotibia leucotreta).
PRIORITY QUARANTINE ORGANISMS
Article 6(2) of the Plant Health Law empowers the Commission to establish a list of the priority pests. Published in the Official Journal on 11 October 2019, the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1702 lists 20 quarantine pests as priority pests, 16 of which are insects and reported here below:
- Agrilus anxius Gory
- Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire
- Anastrepha ludens (Loew)
- Anoplophora chinensis (Thomson)
- Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)
- Anthonomus eugenii Cano
- Aromia bungii (Faldermann)
- Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc.)
- Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)
- Bactrocera zonata (Saunders)
- Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst)
- Dendrolimus sibiricus Tschetverikov
- Popillia japonica Newman
- Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh
- Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith)
- Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick)
TEMPORARY MEASURES
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1941 of 13 October 2022 prohibit the introduction, movement, holding, multiplication or release of Chloridea virescens, Leucinodes orbonalis, Leucinodes pseudorbonalis, Resseliella citrifrugis and Spodoptera ornithogalli, which are not included in the annexes of Regulation (EU) 2021/2285, but are considered to present a high phytosanitary risk for the Union territory. This regulation has been amended by
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1957 of 17 July 2024, wich removes Leucinodes orbonalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from the lists the pests which are temporarily prohibited to be introduced into, moved within, or held, multiplied or released in the Union territory, and adds Homona magnanima (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).
INTRODUCTION
The Entomology and Botany Unit of ANSES Plant Health Laboratory (Montpellier, France) and the Institute for Sustainable Plant Production of AGES (Vienna, Austria) are in charge of the activities of the EURL for Insects and Mites. They have an extensive experience in the identification of regulated and invasive pests which can cause severe damage to plants. The consortium can rely on a broad knowledge in the morphological identification of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera, Hemiptera and Acari. Molecular diagnostics (e.g. DNA barcoding and pest-specific PCR assays) complement the morphological identification and allow the accurate identification, especially of life stages that are difficult to identify by morphological characteristics.
They conduct their activities under quality assurance regime and are accredited according to the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard for testing and analysis. Moreover, ANSES is accredited according to the EN ISO/IEC 17043 standard for the coordination of inter-laboratories Proficiency Testing.
They comply strictly with all the International, European and National regulations and legislations regarding Plant Health.