There are risky situations even multiple damages in many countries of the world because of the invasion of Harmonia axyridis. The scientific literature was full with alarming news on ferocious populations of H. axyridis in the New World, nevertheless at the same time official permissions were provided for insect traders in Europe to commercialize this species. However, H. axyridis became established in many countries where no permission was delivered.
What do we know on ecology, population dynamics, and genetic background of species decided to be introduced to new areas? What about the authorities and well rewarded experts?
Dear All,
You can find an attachment on occurrence and introduction of Harmonia axyridis into Europe.
Dear András,
so far there is no harmonized regulation and risk assessment of the release of beneficial insects/arthropods in Europe. During an EU Policy support action, named REBECA, we developed guidelines for the risk assessment and regulations. These have been summarized in this book:
http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/agriculture/book/978-90-481-3663-6?cm_mmc=EVENT-_-BookAuthorEmail%20-_-
But can be also found here:
http://www.rebeca-net.de/?p=360
Also the EPPO gives guidance for the risk assessment of beneficial insects:
http://archives.eppo.int/EPPOStandards/biocontrol.htm
However, so far the European countries decide on their own about the regulation of beneficial insects.
Regarding the permissions for Harmonia in Europe, as far I know since 2000 permissions has given only for a special strain which is unable to fly. Therefore, this commercial strain has a low dispersal potential and is not competitive anymore to native lady beetles. However, my knowledge might be not up to date.
Today flying Harmonia axyridis wouldn’t get permission as biological control agent in Europe if the currently available guidelines would have been adopted by all the European countries.
However, it is no clear if the biocontrol strains alone are the basis for the current world wide invasion. First introductions as a classical biocontrol agent in the USA and Europe failed. Recent genetical investigations point out the influence of repeated unintended introductions from Asia (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10526-011-9379-1).
Data regarding the current distribution in Europe can be found here:
http://www.europe-aliens.org/speciesFactsheet.do?speciesId=50711#
Dear Olaf,
Thanks for the detailed answer with the many citations. This is an interesting regulation. As you have written “the European countries decide on their own about the regulation of beneficial insects.”
I have read about “coccibelle” the flightless strain reared out in France, but it has no chance with the ferocious populations which can be found almost everywhere in Europe.
Regarding the table I have shown, many counties had right to infest with exotic and potentially dangerous beings not even its own country but also other countries?
Your second-to-last citation on the genetic backgrounds of the invasive populations is a publication from 2011. I propose to read this one:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0009743
However, the most important thing is which lesson biological control specialists,
EU and the country members have learned from the case of Harmonia axyridis.
Dear András,
it will be a long way to go until we will have harmonized regulations of the use of non-indigenous species on the whole continent. However, even that can not protect a country entirely from invasive species, since insects and other organism are spread now all over the world unintentionally by airplanes, ships ect., as also shown for Harmonia or for Diabrotica for example. Nevertheless, without the international agreements according phytosanitary measures it would be even worse already.
The paper from 2011 I mentioned is written partly by the same authors as the paper cited by you, bud discussing the whole picture of the world wide dispersal of Harmonia including the results published in the earlier paper.
The European countries learned from the Harmonia case. However, some of them even overreact already, when planning to restrict permissions for non-endemic strains, instead of species. This kind of regulation takes also place in countries outside the EU. At least this doesn’t make any sense if this country is not an island as France for example.
Dear Olaf,
Your lines communicate a philosophy: we are not in “the best world of all possible worlds”. Nobody can play the role of Dr. Pangloss, and simple human beings have not much opportunity to expect categoricus imperativus as a moral foundation of the general society or ruling bureaucracy.
Regarding the discussed citations, I think the more recent article explains a bit deeper the genetic background of the H. axyridis invasion.
Unfortunately, I do not understand your note: “an island as France”. Would you be as kind as to clear it?
Dear András,
sorry that was misleading. France is one of the countries which has established recently a new regulation, demanding a risk assessment for strains of beneficial organisms which are not native in the country. Note well ‘strains’, not species. And France is not an island of course.
Dear Olaf,
Thanks for the explanation.
I have not misunderstood the "island as France" but I have not known what could remain behind it.
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