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Pest categorisation of Arrhenodes minutus
EFSA Journal. European Food Safety Authority
|July 7, 2020
Summary
Arrhenodes minutus, a wood-boring beetle, causes structural timber damage and vectors a quarantine pest. Its presence in North America and potential EU establishment warrant consideration as a Union quarantine pest.
Area of Science:
- Plant Health
- Entomology
- Forestry
Background:
- Arrhenodes minutus is a wood-boring insect species in the Brentidae family.
- This pest is found in southern Canada and the eastern USA, primarily infesting oak, elm, beech, and poplar trees.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform a pest categorisation of Arrhenodes minutus.
- To assess its potential as a Union quarantine pest for the EU.
Main Methods:
- Pest categorisation based on established criteria.
- Analysis of its biology, host range, pathways, and geographical distribution.
- Evaluation against EFSA criteria for quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests.
Main Results:
- Arrhenodes minutus causes structural damage to timber through larval gallery boring.
- It acts as a vector for the quarantine pest Breziella fagacearum.
- The pest's life cycle typically spans 2-4 years.
- Main introduction pathways include wood and plants for planting.
Conclusions:
- Arrhenodes minutus meets EFSA criteria for a potential Union quarantine pest.
- It is absent from the EU, thus not meeting criteria for a regulated non-quarantine pest.
- Establishment in the EU is plausible due to host tree distribution and climate suitability.
