EU Pest Classification Updates

21 Jun 2022

Platypus apicalis

(Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae), an ambrosia beetle, also known as a pinhole borer. P. apicalis is a polyphagous pest native to New Zealand. The majority of its life cycle is spent inside tree wood.

P. apicalis satisfies the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

Tetraleurodes perseae (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), the red‐banded whitefly

T. perseae is a tropical and subtropical species that originated in the Neotropical region and has now spread and established in the USA (California and Florida), Israel and Lebanon. T. perseae is not listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is oligophagous on Lauraceae and most frequently reported on avocado (Persea americana), on which it is considered a minor or secondary pest.

T. perseae satisfies all of the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. However, this conclusion has a high uncertainty regarding magnitude of potential impact as the insect is a minor and sporadic pest in its current area of distribution.