The Aegean Archipelago as cradle: divergence of the glaphyrid genus Pygopleurus and phylogeography of P. foina

First Report of the Pepper Fruit Fly Atherigona orientalis (Schiner 1968) (Diptera: Muscidae) Infesting Commercial Pepper Crops in Greece

The pepper fruit fly Atherigona orientalis (Schiner 1968) (Diptera: Muscidae) is a cosmopolitan tropical pest which has been recently recorded in several European countries. The biology of the pest has been primarily associated not only with decomposing fruits and vegetables, but even vertebrate and invertebrate carrion, dung and faeces. Relatively recently, A. orientalis has been reported as a primary pest of pepper fruits as well. In this short communication, we report, for the first time in Greece and, to the best of our knowledge, in Europe, cases of pepper fruit fly damage to pepper fruits in commercial greenhouse crops (in Crete in 2022). In this direction, possible implications and concerns regarding the occurrence of this pest in Crete are discussed.

Hylotelephium spectabile, a New Host for Carnation Tortrix Moth (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and Molecular Characterization in Greece

Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) is a highly polyphagous pest of a wide range of crop and ornamental plants. It is of Mediterranean origin and widespread in European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) region. For the first time, infestations of Hylotelephium spectabile (Boreau) Ohba (syn.: Sedum spectabile Boreau) (Saxifragales, Crassulaceae) ornamental plants by C. pronubana larvae, in private gardens in urban area of Drama, Greece, were found. Species identification was conducted based on morphology of female genitalia. In addition, due to reports on occurrence of cryptic C. pronubana species within Europe, DNA barcoding was carried out to determine the molecular status of the pest. This communication reports a new host of C. pronubana and places the Greek pest population along with European species clade.