8^th Meeting of the EPPO ad hoc Panel on Diabrotica virgifera 

held jointly with the 10^th International IWGO Workshop

Engelberg, Switzerland (2004-01-14/16)

The situation of Diabrotica virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae – EPPO A2 list) in Europe was reviewed during the 8^th Meeting of the EPPO ad hoc Panel on D. virgifera held jointly with the 10^th International IWGO Workshop in Engelberg, Switzerland (2004-01-14/16). 

D. virgifera has continued to spread in Central Europe in 2003, and the outbreak has now reached Slovenia. D. virgifera was also found for the first time in Belgium, Netherlands and United Kingdom. In France, a new outbreak was found in Alsace (near Germany and Switzerland). In Italy, eradication measures taken in the Veneto region proved to be effective and very few adults were caught. However, D. virgifera continued to spread in Lombardia, Piemonte, and has now reached Emilia Romagna and Trentino-Alto Adige. A rather large outbreak has also been found in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, near Slovenia. In Switzerland, several new outbreaks have also been found north of the Alps. For the European Union, 2003 has also been highlighted by the official publication of emergency measures against D. virgifera (Commission Decision 2003/766/EC of 24 October 2003 on emergency measures to prevent the spread within the Community of Diabrotica virgifera Le Conte)

Participants (Courtesy Dr Ulli Kuhlmann and Mario Bertossa)