METCALFA PRUINOSA (SAY) (HEMIPTERA: FLATIDAE) IDENTIFIED IN A NEW SOUTH EASTERN AREA OF ROMANIA (BUCHAREST AREA)

During August-October of 2011, the presence of Metcalfa pruinosa (Say), a nearctic invasive flatid plant-hopper introduced from North America to Europe in 1979, was detected on fruit trees, grapevines and different ornamental and shrubs plant species in private gardens, public institutions courts in Bucharest city and adjacent areas. Adults were directly observed or captured on the yellow sticky traps set up in orchards and grapevine plots with or without protective management to detect the specific phytoplasma insect vectors. The large white waxy filaments amount and the honeydew production caused unaesthetic damages to garden, terraces and ornamental plants. First detection of the pest in Romania was on plants in urban green areas and public parks in 2009. Taking into consideration that the M. pruinosa continues to spread with growing populations in new areas of country and also the way of feeding in the plants phloem, it could be suspected to pay a role in the epidemiology of important diseases with spreading through the insects, such as viruses and phytoplasmas. The Japanese maple leafhopper, Japananus hyalinus (Osbom) was detected in M. pruinosa colonies on maple trees.