• Pests reviewed or added to the risk register Summer 2024 27/10/2024

  We have recently screened the following pests through the UK plant health risk register for their po...
  

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• Finalised PRAs live 10/05/2024

  Two PRAs have recently been finalised, following stakeholder consultation, and are available on the ...
  

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• Pests added to the risk register January and February 2024 01/03/2024

  We have recently screened the following pests through  the UK plant health risk register for th...
  

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• Fruit flies assessed as very low risk for the UK (2): Asteraceae 27/12/2023

  A large number of Tephritidae (fruit fly) species are quarantine pests in the EU, and hence Northern...
  

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• Fruit flies assessed as very low risk for the UK (1) 27/12/2023

  A large number of Tephritidae (fruit fly) species are quarantine pests in the EU, and hence Northern...
  

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• Pests reviewed or added to the risk register Autumn 2023 14/12/2023

  We have recently added two new pests to the risk register: Leucaspis pusilla, a scale insect which f...
  

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• Pests reviewed or added to the risk register late summer 2023 21/08/2023

  Following a full Pest Risk Analysis, we have recently reviewed the scores of the following pests: ...
  

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• Pests added to or reviewed on the risk register: June 2023 (2) 22/06/2023

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Heliothis virescens - Tobacco budworm, polyphagous pe...
  

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• Pests added to or reviewed on the risk register: June 2023 18/06/2023

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Chrysobothris mali - Apple tree borer, added followin...
  

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• Pests reviewed on the risk register: February 2023 02/03/2023

  Pests recently updated on the risk register:Archips fuscocupreanus - Apple tortrix moth.Spiroplasma ...
  

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• Pests added to or reviewed on the risk register: December 2022 30/12/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Gnomoniopsis idaeicola - a fungal pathogen which affe...
  

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• Pest added to the risk register: October 2022 19/10/2022

  We have recently added Ips pertubatus to the risk register. This is a North American bark beetle whi...
  

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• Pests added to or reviewed on the risk register - September 2022 27/09/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Cherry green ring mottle virus - Virus which affects a ran...
  

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• Risk register updated for GB legislation 08/08/2022

  The risk register has been updated to reflect these changes which came into force for certain pests ...
  

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• Pests added to or reviewed on the risk register - June 2022 14/06/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register: Diaporthe amygdali, a pathogen causing canker on peach...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register May 2022 25/05/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register: Xanthomonas hydrangeae, a recently described bacterial...
  

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• Please update your risk register bookmarks 03/05/2022

  The UK plant health pest risk register has moved to a new web address. Our new home is within the pl...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register April 2022 06/04/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Blueberry red ringspot virus - Virus pest of blueberries p...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register February and March 2022 24/03/2022

  Pests recently added to or reviewed on the risk registerAdded Erthesina fullo - Yellow spotted st...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register, December 2021 15/01/2022

  Pests recently added to the risk register: Creontiades pallidus - A polyphagous bug pest of ...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register, November 2021 29/11/2021

  Pests recently added to the risk register: Leucaspis pini - a scale affecting pine trees Cyclorh...
  

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• Risk register review: October 2021 20/10/2021

  The risk register entry for Phytophthora pluvialis has been reviewed this month. This is a fungus-li...
  

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• Pests added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register, September 2021 14/09/2021

  Pests recently added to the risk register:Pests of plants mainly grown for fruit in the UK: Blueb...
  

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• Risk register guidance document updated 31/08/2021

  We have recently updated the guidance document which accompanies the risk register. The new document...
  

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• Additions and reviews on the Risk Register: July 2021 15/07/2021

  Pests recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk RegisterRecently added:Agrilus mali ...
  

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• Root-knot nematodes recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk Register 19/05/2021

  Meloidogyne species (root-knot nematodes) recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk ...
  

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• Additions and reviews on the Risk Register: spring 2021 19/05/2021

  Pests recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk RegisterRecently added:Eotetranychus...
  

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• Recent additions and reviews on the Risk Register: March 2021 01/03/2021

  Recently added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register:Ostrinia furnacalis – Asian corn borer, mo...
  

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• Legislative status of some pests in the Risk Register 31/12/2020

  Please be aware that the legislative status of some pests on the Risk Register in Great Britain will...
  

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• Recent additions and reviews on the Risk Register: December 2020 01/12/2020

  New to the Risk Register:Leek yellow stripe virus – a pest of leeks and garlicDiaporthe cauliv...
  

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• Large update of pest host lists: 26/10/2020

  A longer-term project to update the host lists on the Plant Health Risk Register (RR) has been compl...
  

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• New pests for the Risk Register: October 2020 26/10/2020

  Pests recently added to the Risk Register: Petrakia liobae – a fungal pathogen that grows o...
  

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• Limited information on lots of RNQPs added to the Risk Register 16/06/2020

  We have recently added a large number of Regulated Non Quarantine Pests (RNQPs) to the Risk Register...
  

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• New pests for the Risk Register: June 2020 15/06/2020

  We have recently added a number of pests to the Risk Register. All of these pests were added due to ...
  

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• Updates to the Risk Register: May 2020 19/05/2020

  We have recently added a number of pests to the Risk Register. All of these pests were added due to ...
  

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• Updating the host lists to be more comprehensive 04/05/2020

  We are in the process of adding extra hosts to many of the pests on the Risk Register, trying to mak...
  

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• Updates to the Risk Register April 2020 21/04/2020

  We have recently reviewed the scores of some pests on the Risk Register. Neocerambyx raddei, the...
  

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• We are in the process of reviewing many of the pests on the Risk Register 14/04/2020

  We are in the process of reviewing the scores of all listed (and formerly listed) pests on the UK Pl...
  

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• Additions and updates to the Risk Register March & April 2020 06/04/2020

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register: Lonsdalea quercina a disease of o...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register January 2020 15/01/2020

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Agrilus granulatus subsp. granulat...
  

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• Legislation status of pests 16/12/2019

  Please be aware that the legislation on Plant Health has changed significantly, as from 14 December ...
  

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• Additions and updates to the Risk Register October 2019 31/10/2019

  New to the Risk Register:Phellinus everhartii - fungal pest of oak species in North America The foll...
  

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• Additions and updates to the Risk Register September 2019 23/09/2019

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Spodoptera ornithogalli - a North ...
  

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• Additions and updates to the Risk Register June 2019 27/06/2019

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Dendroctonus jeffreyi - a non-Euro...
  

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• Addition to the Risk Register June 2019 11/06/2019

  Added to the Risk Register this month:Southern tomato virus - a seed-transmitted virus of tomatoes w...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register May 2019 21/05/2019

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.Pests recently added to the Risk R...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register January 2019 29/01/2019

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.Pests recently added to the Risk R...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register December 2018 12/12/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.Pests recently added to the Risk R...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register November 2018 12/11/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.Tree pests recently added to the R...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register September 2018 01/10/2018

  Tree pests recently added to the Risk Register:Rusticoclytus rusticus – grey tiger longhorn, a...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register July 2018 11/07/2018

  Tree pests recently added to the Risk Register:Takahashia japonica - string cottony scale, polyphago...
  

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• Updates and additions to the Risk Register June 2018 25/06/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Cathaica fasciola – a polyph...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register late May 2018 23/05/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Pests of trees:Hylesinus eos &ndas...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register May 2018 10/05/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Pests of trees:Cronartium comptoni...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register March 2018 14/03/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Eggplant mottled dwarf nucleorhabd...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register January 2018 24/01/2018

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Anthonomus spilotus – pear l...
  

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• Update and addition to the Risk Register December 2017 18/12/2017

  The following pest has recently been added to the Risk Register:Eurytoma schreineri – plum see...
  

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• New features for the Risk Register 04/12/2017

  We have been making some changes to the UK Plant Health Risk Register.Uncertainty. We have started t...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register November 2017 14/11/2017

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Trees and ornamentals:Neodiprion a...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register October 2017 20/10/2017

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Pests of trees and ornamentals:Aca...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register September 2017 15/09/2017

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Pepper vein yellows virus – ...
  

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• Updates and Additions to the Risk Register July 2017 20/07/2017

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Pests of protected & outdoor c...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register July 2017 04/07/2017

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Anguina pacificae – Pacific ...
  

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• Spodoptera species review June 2017 29/06/2017

  The Risk Register entries for six Spodoptera species (noctuid moths) have been reviewed. These revie...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register June 2017 29/06/2017

  The following insect pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:Moths:Ennomos subsignaria &...
  

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• Updates and Additions to the Risk Register April 2017 12/04/2017

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:Agriphila aeneociliella - eastern ...
  

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• Updates and Additions to the Risk Register March 2017 08/03/2017

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:Diurpahis noxia - Russian wheat ap...
  

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• Updates and Additions to the Risk Register February 2017 09/02/2017

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently: Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi - a ...
  

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• Xylella vectors 01/02/2017

  The Risk Register entries for the North American vectors of Xylella fastidiosa have been reviewed, t...
  

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• Updates and Additions to the Risk Register January 2017 01/02/2017

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:    Texas Phoenix P...
  

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• Viroids 13/12/2016

  Viroids are virus-like pathogens which can be spread mechanically (e.g. on tools or gloves) by veget...
  

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• Updates to the Risk Register 17/11/2016

  New pests have been added to the Risk Register:    Neofusicoccum luteum, N. parvum an...
  

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• Recent Interceptions 15/11/2016

  The following pests have recently been intercepted at the border or found in the UK for the first ti...
  

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• Updates to the Risk Register 28/09/2016

  Xylella fastidiosa has different subspecies and strains, which vary in their host range, impacts and...
  

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• Updated Risk Register Entries 25/07/2016

  The following pests have had their entries updated either due to new information, or because of the ...
  

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• New Entries July 2016 22/07/2016

  New pests have been added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register: -    Xylotoles griseu...
  

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• New Pest Alerts and Factsheets 08/07/2016

  Several new and updated pest alerts and factsheets are available:    Leptinotarsa dec...
  

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• Additions to the Risk Register 26/05/2016

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:    Corythucha ciliata &ndas...
  

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• Updates April 2016 13/04/2016

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:    Ceratothripoides brunneu...
  

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• Updates and Additions 31/03/2016

  The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:    Prodiplosis longifila &n...
  

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• Additions and Changes to Risk Register Entries 07/03/2016

  The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:    Callidiellum ru...
  

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• Epitrix potato flea beetles 29/02/2016

  Previously, two North American species of potato flea beetle were thought to have been introduced to...
  

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We have recently screened the following pests through the UK plant health risk register for their potential risk to the UK

Pseudips mexicanus a scolytine beetle which feeds under the bark of pine trees, largely as a secondary pest. Native to North America but recently detected in Ireland.

Blunervirus solani (Tomato fruit blotch virus) an emerging virus pest of tomatoes reported from parts of Europe and elsewhere.

Metcalfa pruinosa a polyphagous leafhopper widely present in Europe affecting grapevine, fruit trees and ornamentals.

Bactrocera jarvisi a fruit fly found in northern Australia. Low risk to the UK.

Corythucha ciliata the plane lacebug, recently reported from a limited number of trees in London

Meloidogyne chitwoodi a regulated nematode pest. Scores reviewed in light of contingency plan.

Tetropium gracilicorne, the fine-horned spruce borer. Updated in light of update to taxonomy information.

Tinocallis takachihoensis an aphid pest of mainly elms. Updated in light of wider findings in the UK.

Two PRAs have recently been finalised, following stakeholder consultation, and are available on the Risk Register.

Risk register scores have been updated inline with the PRA findings

Ips typographus - the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle. A quarantine pest, the PRA was undertaken following the finding of a breeding population in SE England.

Neodiprion abietis - the balsam fir sawfly. Native to North America, the PRA recommends this pest for regulation as a quarantine pest.

We have recently screened the following pests through  the UK plant health risk register for their potential risk to the UK:

Gnomoniopsis idaeicola is a fungal pathogen of raspberries, blackberries and other Rubus species. A survey in 2023 detected this pathogen in parts of England.

Three fruitflies (Tephritidae) were all considered to be low risk to the UK

Zacerata asparagi feeds inside asparagus stems in southern parts of Africa. 

Trupanea bisetosa is found in North America, and feeds in the developing seeds of sunflowers and closely related plants.

Paracantha cultaris is again from North America and similarly feeds in the developing seeds of sunflowers and closely related plants.

If you have questions or comments about these pests, please leave them via the feedback box, available at the bottom of every page.

A large number of Tephritidae (fruit fly) species are quarantine pests in the EU, and hence Northern Ireland. We are in the process of assessing the list of species through the risk register, though many species have almost no information available. The following species have been added to the risk register over the past few months, and all are considered to pose a very low risk to the UK.

Larvae feed in the seedheads of Asteraceae and have not been recorded causing impacts:

Asimoneura pantomelas    
Campiglossa albiceps    
Campiglossa californica    
Campiglossa snowi    
Craspedoxantha marginalis    
Dioxyna chilensis    
Goedenia stenoparia    
Insizwa oblita    
Neaspilota alba    
Neaspilota reticulata    
Paracantha trinotata    
Sphenella nigricornis    
Tephritis leavittensis    
Tephritis ovatipennis    
Trupanea femoralis    
Trupanea wheeleri    
Xanthaciura insecta

Larvae feed on Asteraceae, either in stems or leaves or their biology is unknown, and no impacts have been recorded:

Austrotephritis protrusa    
Campiglossa duplex    
Campiglossa reticulata    
Eurosta solidaginis    
Marriottella exquisita    
Tephritis luteipes    
Tephritis pura    
Trypeta flaveola    
Urophora christophi

Please note, the host lists for some species are still incomplete. The plant species used by these flies can be quite obscure, and we are still in the process of adding some to our database. We will add the missing hosts as soon as we can.

A large number of Tephritidae (fruit fly) species are quarantine pests in the EU, and hence Northern Ireland. We are in the process of assessing the list of species through the risk register, though many species have almost no information available. The following species have been added to the risk register over the past few months, and all are considered to pose a very low risk to the UK.

Larvae feed in the shoots or stems of bamboo and other grasses:

Bistrispinaria fortis    
Bistrispinaria magniceps    
Acanthonevra dunlopi    
Acroceratitis distincta    
Gastrozona nigrifemur    
Ptilona confinis    
Ptilona persimilis

Larve feed in tropical fruit species not commonly grown in the UK:

Anastrepha curvicauda    
Anastrepha recurcauda    
Carpomya incompleta    
Dirioxa pornia    
Monacrostichus citricola    
Taomyia marshalli    
Trypanocentra nigrithorax

The remainder have been recorded from various plants, see individual species for details of hosts:

Acidiella kagoshimensis    
Acidoxantha bombacis    
Callistomyia flavilabris    
Euleia separata    
Euphranta camelliae    
Euphranta cassiae    
Euphranta oshimensis    
Paratephritis fukaii    
Paratephritis takeuchii    
Philophylla fossata    
Sphaeniscus binoculatus

Please note, the host lists for some species are still incomplete. The plant species used by these flies can be quite obscure, and we are still in the process of adding some to our database. We will add the missing hosts as soon as we can.

We have recently added two new pests to the risk register:

Leucaspis pusilla, a scale insect which feeds on pine trees and some other conifers. The first UK population was found in London in 2023.

Zonosemata electa, fruit fly pest of Capsicum in North America.

Two pests have had their risk reigster entries and scores reviewed:

Cinara shinjii, an Asian aphid pest of Pinus parviflora which has now been found in Germany.

Sphaerolecanium prunastri, globose scale insect which is found in parts of Europe and whose preferred hosts are Prunus.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the webpage.

Following a full Pest Risk Analysis, we have recently reviewed the scores of the following pests:

• Lycorma delicatula (spotted lanternfly). A hemipteran pest with  a preference for tree of heaven, but with a wide host list of many woody and herbaceous species 
• Corythucha ciliata (lace bug). A hemipteran pest which affects plane trees

• Aculeastrum americanum (synonym Puccinastrum americanum). A rust fungus affecting raspberries, which has an alternate host of white spruce
• Paraterellia varipennis. A fruit fly whose larvae feed on juniper berries
• Parastenopa limata. A fruit fly whose larvae feed on holly berries

Pests recently added to the risk register:
Heliothis virescens - Tobacco budworm, polyphagous pest
Orgyia leucostigma - North American moth affecting trees species
Pochazia shantungensis - Brown-winged cicada, highly polyphagous
Cephalcia arvensis - Spruce web-spinning sawfly


Pests recently updated on the risk register:
Thrips parvispinus - Tobacco thrips

Pests recently added to the risk register:
Chrysobothris mali - Apple tree borer, added following EPPO PRA
Ceropsora weirii - Spruce needle rust


Pests recently updated on the risk register:
Chilli veinal mottle virus - virus affecting peppers, updated following PRA completion

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the webpage.

Pests recently updated on the risk register:

Archips fuscocupreanus - Apple tortrix moth.
Spiroplasma citri - bacteria which can affect a range of hosts, but in particular cause carrot purple top in carrots.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the webpage.

Pests recently added to the risk register:
Gnomoniopsis idaeicola - a fungal pathogen which affects Rubus and has been intercepted in the UK.

Pests recently updated on the risk register:
Tomato mottle mosaic virus - virus affecting tomatoes, updated following a draft PRA

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the webpage.

We have recently added Ips pertubatus to the risk register. This is a North American bark beetle which is a pest of several species of spruce, preferring trees which are already stressed. Existing requirements targeted against non-European Scolytidae and on wood packaging material help to mitigate the risk of entry to the UK.

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the webpage.

Pests recently added to the risk register:
Cherry green ring mottle virus - Virus which affects a range of stone fruits, in particular Prunus avium.

Pests recently reviewed on the risk register:
Chrysomyxa arctostaphyli - fungal pathogen affecting Picea, with alternative host Arctostaphylos (bearberry).
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni - bacterial pathogen affecting Prunus

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage.

The risk register has been updated to reflect these changes which came into force for certain pests in Great Britain on 8 August, as laid out in The Phytosanitary Conditions (Amendment) Regulations 2022 [external link].

The affected pests are:

• Eotetranychus sexmaculatus
• Platypus apicalis
• Agrilus horni
• Chrysobothris femorata
• Lycorma delicatula
• Chilli veinal mottle virus
• Diaporthe phaseolorum var. sojae
• Pseudomonas avellanae
• Meloidogyne arenaria
• Meloidogyne enterolobii
• Meloidogyne javanica
• Xiphinema index

Pests recently added to the risk register:

• Diaporthe amygdali, a pathogen causing canker on peach and some other hosts

• Lonsdalea populi (previously Lonsdalea quercina subsp. populi), a bacterium causing cankers on poplar, and more recently also recorded from willow
• Phymatotrichopsis omnivora, a fungal pathogen affecting many hosts, but all in countries much warmer than the UK

Pests recently added to the risk register:

• Xanthomonas hydrangeae, a recently described bacterial pathogen of hydrangeas
• Colletotrichum boninense, a fungal pathogen which has been intercepted in the UK on a number of hosts recently

• Alstroemeria necrotic streak virus, a viral pathogen of several ornamental plants

The UK plant health pest risk register has moved to a new web address. Our new home is within the plant health portal: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/pests-and-diseases/uk-plant-health-risk-register. Please update your bookmarks so you can continue to find us in future.

Pests recently added to the risk register:

Blueberry red ringspot virus - Virus pest of blueberries present in parts of Europe and elsewhere. No lasting impacts on yield have been recorded. Watching brief on UK status in line with increased awareness raising.

Blueberry shock virus - Blueberry virus present in North America causing dieback of stems and variable levels of yield loss. Plants may recover fully in subsequent seasons following infection, and in some cases the cost of replanting can outweigh the economic costs caused by reduced yields. Watching brief on UK status in line with increased awareness raising.

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Pests recently added to or reviewed on the risk register

Added

• Erthesina fullo - Yellow spotted stink bug is a pest of fruit and ornamentals in its home range, and has established in Albania. Awareness needs to be maintained due to the risk of entry as a contaminating pest (also known as hitchhiker). Monitoring of the situation in countries where it is known to be present will continue.

• Eutypella parasitica - Fungal pathogen of maples and sycamore, present in parts of Europe and beyond. Unlikely to cause significant damage if introduced to the UK, but statutory action would be taken against interceptions as a precaution.
• Pseudomonas syringae pv. persicae - Bacterial pest of hosts such as peach and nectarine, which are not widely grown in the UK. It is more likely to be of concern to countries where the hosts are more widely cultivated.
• Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli - Bacterial pest of common beans and some other legumes, mainly transmitted by infected seeds. Present in most bean-growing areas of the world. The highest impacts have been seen in countries with warmer climates than the UK.
• Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. fuscans - Bacterial pest of common beans and some other legumes, mainly transmitted by infected seeds. Present in most bean-growing areas of the world, but absent from the UK. The highest impacts have been seen in countries with warmer climates than the UK.

Pests recently added to the risk register:

• Creontiades pallidus - A polyphagous bug pest of cotton which is also predatory on other arthropods. It is reported as having some impacts on pepper and aubergine crops in Spain and Turkey, although this appears to be dependent on the situation, particularly the presence of preferential food sources.

Pests recently added to the risk register:

• Leucaspis pini - a scale affecting pine trees
• Cyclorhipidion pelliculosum, a beetle pest of broadleaved trees

The risk register entry for Phytophthora pluvialis has been reviewed this month. This is a fungus-like pathogen affecting several species of conifer trees.

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Pests recently added to the risk register:

Pests of plants mainly grown for fruit in the UK:

• Blueberry mosaic associated ophiovirus, a pest of cultivated blueberries
• Rhizoctonia fragariae, a pest mainly of strawberries
• Apple rough skin agent, a pest of apple trees

• Xanthomonas campestris pv. fici, affecting fig trees
• Olive leaf yellowing associated virus
• Olive vein yellowing associated virus
• Olive yellow mottling and decline associated virus

We have recently updated the guidance document which accompanies the risk register. The new document can be downloaded here, or via any of the hyperlinks to the guidance document on the RR, such as the link on the front page.
The main changes are to the structure of the document, rather than the content. There is a new 2-page summary guide at the start which covers the basics. For those who want more information, the detailed guidance has been edited so that the information is presented in the same order as an individual pest's RR entry. We hope this makes finding the information you want about a particular section easier.
The guidance is now provided as a docx file with headings to aid navigation and accessibility.

If you have any comments, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage.

Pests recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk Register

Recently added:
Agrilus mali – apple buprestid

Recently reviewed:
Agrilus horni – aspen root girdler
Potato virus Y (non-European isolates) – a virus of potatoes (and to a lesser extent, other solanaceous crops)

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Meloidogyne species (root-knot nematodes) recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk Register:

Recently added:
Meloidogyne arenaria  - peanut root-knot nematode, a pest of a wide-range of ornamentals and soft fruits under glass
Meloidogyne javanica - Javanese root-knot nematode, also a pest of a wide-range of ornamentals and soft fruits under glass

Full review:
Meloidogyne enterolobii – a nematode found outdoors in Europe for the first time, the UK has had numerous interceptions of this pest
Meloidogyne mali – apple root-knot nematode, found causing root galls to elm in the UK for the first time

Minor review:
Meloidogyne chitwoodi
Meloidogyne fallax
Meloidogyne ethiopica
Meloidogyne minor

Other Meloidogyne spp. also had their entries reviewed, but no changes were made.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Pests recently added to or reviewed on the UK Plant Health Risk Register

Recently added:

Eotetranychus sexmaculatus – six-spotted spider mite, a polyphagous pest of crops including grapevine
Heterodera fici – fig cyst nematode, restricted to fig species
Platypus apicalis – pinhole boring beetle, an ambrosia beetle limited to New Zealand
Cerroneuroterus lanuginosus  - an oak gall-forming cynipid wasp found in parts of Europe, but not known to be present in the UK
Epidiaspis leperii – European pear scale, found in parts of Europe, but not known to be present in the UK
Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 – one of the main causes of grapevine leafroll disease
Apricot latent virus – an asymptomatic virus of apricot first discovered in Eastern Europe
Blackcurrant yellows agent and Aucuba mosaic agent - Neither organism has a formally accepted name and the taxonomy of both is very unclear
 
Reviewed:
Xylella fastidiosa – a very polyphagous plant bacterium
Dendroctonus valens – red turpentine beetle
Elasmopalpus lignosellus – lesser cornstalk borer
Watermelon silver mottle orthotospovirus – a virus found in parts of Asia mainly affecting melons
Tomato mottle mosaic virus – a virus of tomatoes and peppers

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Recently added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register:

Ostrinia furnacalis – Asian corn borer, moth pest of maize and other crops
Tetraneura nigriabdominalis – rice root aphid, feeds on elm and grasses
Fusarium agapanthi – fungal pest of Agapanthus, now found in the UK
Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi – bacterial canker of olive present in Europe
Pseudomonas avellanae – stem dieback of hazel nut present in Europe


Records reviewed and updated:

Tetropium fuscum – brown spruce longhorn established in parts of Great Britain
Agrilus fleischeri – jewel beetle pest of poplar native to East Asia
Pseudaulacaspis pentagona – white peach scale established in parts of Great Britain
Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid – virus of tomatoes which has also been detected in ornamentals


If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

Please be aware that the legislative status of some pests on the Risk Register in Great Britain will require updating following the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. We will be working on these updates for the affected pests as soon as possible. In the meantime please consult the original legislation for the GB status of pests. The relevant legislation can be found using the official government legislation website. The specific regulation which applies is The Plant Health (Phytosanitary Conditions) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

New to the Risk Register:
Leek yellow stripe virus – a pest of leeks and garlic

Diaporthe caulivora  - a fungal pest of soy
Diaporthe sojae – a fungal pest of beans including soy

Six Xiphinema nematodes:
Xiphinema americanum sensu stricto
Xiphinema diversicaudatum
Xiphinema inaequale
Xiphinema index
Xiphinema intermedium
Xiphinema tarjanense

The record for Euwallacea sp. (an ambrosia beetle) has been split into 4 new entries:
Euwallacea fornicatior
Euwallacea fornicatus
Euwallacea kuroshio
Euwallacea perbrevis

Recently reviewed (though scores may not have changed):
Xiphinema bakeri
Xiphinema brasilense
Xiphinema chambersi
Xiphinema brevicolle
Xiphinema bricolense
Xiphinema elongatum
Xiphinema californicum
Xiphinema incognitum
Xiphinema insigne
Xiphinema pachtaicum
Xiphinema rivesi (newly split into 2 entries: European and non-European)
Xiphinema thornei

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

A longer-term project to update the host lists on the Plant Health Risk Register (RR) has been completed.
 
Previously, only the most relevant hosts were listed for each pest record. This recent update used data from a number of sources to make the RR host lists more comprehensive.

Please note that hosts lists are not comparable across pests, as sources for some taxa are more comprehensive than others.  
 
Please use the ‘contact us’ button if you would like to know more.

Pests recently added to the Risk Register:

• Petrakia liobae – a fungal pathogen that grows on beech leaves, recently identified in a few European countries.

• Choristoneura biennis
• Choristoneura carnana
• Choristoneura lambertiana
• Choristoneura orae
• Choristoneura pinus pinus
• Choristoneura retiniana

• Choristoneura parallela

• Verticillium albo-atrum (sensu stricto) (regulated on specified fruit and nut trees)
• Verticillium dahliae (regulated on a number of crops)
• Verticillium nonalfalfae (regulated on hops)

We have recently added a large number of Regulated Non Quarantine Pests (RNQPs) to the Risk Register (and will be adding more over the next month or two), but these pests only have a very limited amount of information associated with them, and no scores. As these are RNQPs listed in the legislation, we are making available the information we have gathered on the pests so far. As the Risk Register entries for these pests are extremely incomplete, they cannot be compared with other pests on the Risk Register at the current time.
It is possible that we will add new information to these pest entries in due course, but as there are a great many RNQPs this may take some time.

We have recently added a number of pests to the Risk Register. All of these pests were added due to their listing in the new Plant Health legislation which came into effect in December 2019. Please note, these pests were added in a different way to most new pests, in a series of workshops as part of our work reviewing the Risk Register in response to the new legislation.

Seven viruses, all vectored by Bemisia tabaci (with some also being vectored by other hemipteran insects)

Three viruses mainly affecting tomato:
Tomato chocolate virus
Tomato marchitez virus
Tomato mild mottle virus

Two viruses mainly affecting cucurbits:
Melon yellowing-associated virus
Squash vein yellowing virus

Two viruses affecting mainly sweet potato:
Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus
Sweet potato mild mottle virus

We have also added seven species in a genus of tortricid moths, Acleris. All the species added to the RR this month feed on broadleaved trees and shrubs of various hosts, though other species in the genus feed on many other hosts.
Acleris issikii
Acleris robinsoniana
Acleris semipurpurana
Acleris senescens
Acleris minuta
Acleris nishidai
Acleris nivisellana


If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which page the comment was made from.

We have recently added a number of pests to the Risk Register. All of these pests were added due to their listing in the new Plant Health legislation which came into effect in December 2019. Please note, these pests were added in a different way to most new pests, in a series of workshops as part of our work reviewing the Risk Register in response to the new legislation.

We have added six species of weevils affecting conifers:

• Pissodes cibriani
• Pissodes fasciatus
• Pissodes nitidus
• Pissodes punctatus
• Pissodes yunnanensis
• Pissodes zitacurense

• Coniferiporia sulphurascens

• Candidatus Liberibacter americanus (a bacterium)
• Elsinoe citricola (a fungus)
• Aleurocanthus citriperdus (a whitefly)

We are in the process of adding extra hosts to many of the pests on the Risk Register, trying to make the host lists for each pest more comprehensive. We hope this will help people in their filtering of the Risk Register. If you plan to look at hosts of pest(s) on the Risk Register, please check back regularly as it is possible that the list of hosts for any given pest could have changed significantly. This process is likely to continue for some months to come.

If you have any questions about the whether a host list for a specific pest has been updated, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on as we are not told which webpage the comment was made from.

We have recently reviewed the scores of some pests on the Risk Register.

• Neocerambyx raddei, the oak long-horned beetle (formerly known as Massicus raddei), which is an Asian pest of oak and sweet chestnut.
• 'Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum', a phytoplasma which causes European stone fruit yellows disease on Prunus spp.

We are in the process of reviewing the scores of all listed (and formerly listed) pests on the UK Plant Health Risk Register in light of the new legislation on Plant Health which came into force in December 2019. As a result, a small number of scores for a limited number of pests have been changed. Small changes to the statements, etc. are also being made as necessary. Due to the amount of work this mass updating entails, it has not proved possible to provide a list of all pests whose scores have been changed during this process.

To help users know how current information on any given pest may be, we have introduced a new feature on the pest pages: a record of when the pest's entry was last updated. If the last updated date is from 2019 or earlier (or does not display at all), then it has not yet been included in our current review process.

We will continue to advertise via these news articles pests whose scores have been reviewed using our normal processes.
If you have any questions or comments about the review process for a specific pest, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please also ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:
Lonsdalea quercina a disease of oak trees.

The taxonomy of Ralstonia spp., pathogens of potatoes and other crops, has changed. Four newly described species have been added to the Risk Register:
Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum
Ralstonia syzygii subspecies celebesensis
Ralstonia syzygii subsp. indonesiensis
Ralstonia syzygii subsp. syzygii
And the scores of the species of Ralstonia which was already on the Risk Register have been reviewed to take account of the new taxonomy:
Ralstonia solanacearum

We have also reviewed the scores of:
Clavibacter michiganensis michiganensis to take account of the fact it is now considered to be present in the UK.
Ceratocystis platani (plane wilt), to take account of the recent findings in northern parts of France.


If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Agrilus granulatus subsp. granulatus - granulate poplar borer, a North American jewel beetle

Agrilus granulatus subsp. liragus - bronze poplar borer, a North American jewel beetle

Agrilus horni - aspen root girdler, another North American jewel beetle

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Please be aware that the legislation on Plant Health has changed significantly, as from 14 December 2019. We have updated the "Regulation and EPPO listing" box for all pests, but other parts of the Risk Register still require review. We are doing this as quickly as we can, but given the number of pests involved, it will take some time. In case of doubt over the legal status of any given pest, please check the annexes of the new legislation, available here http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/2072/oj.

We would like to apologise for the temporary inconvenience this may cause you.

New to the Risk Register:

Phellinus everhartii - fungal pest of oak species in North America

The following pests have recently been reviewed:

Chilli veinal mottle virus - virus of solanaceous plants which is native to Asia

Singhiella simplex- whitefly pest of certain Ficus species present in the Mediterranean area and beyond

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Spodoptera ornithogalli - a North American moth which feeds on many different crops

Elasmopalpus lignosellus - the lesser cornstalk borer, a serious pest of cereal and legume crops in the Americas

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Dendroctonus jeffreyi - a non-European scolytine beetle which only appears to attack Pinus jeffreyi a species of pine tree very rarely grown in the UK.

Stereonychus fraxini – a beetle which damages ash in southern Europe.

Phellinus spiculosus – a fungal pest of oak species in North America.

Phyllachora maydis with Microdochium maydis – two fungi found in North America that can cause damage to sweetcorn, particularly if found in combination.

Update:
Spodoptera frugiperda has been reported from new countries in South-East Asia, and, more significantly for Europe, from Egypt. The Risk Register distribution has been updated to reflect these new findings.

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Added to the Risk Register this month:

Southern tomato virus - a seed-transmitted virus of tomatoes with an unknown distribution in the UK. Also known to be present in parts of Europe and elsewhere. Infections can be asymptomatic. Mostly detected in mixed infections with little evidence of impacts alone.

If you have any comments on this entry, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of the webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.

Pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Lobiopa insularis – a polyphagous beetle pest causing significant damage to strawberries in some areas.
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus – An emerging virus of tomato.
Tomato mottle mosaic virus - a virus of tomato and peppers.
Agrilus bilineatus – The two-lined chestnut borer, a significant pest of Oak in North America.
Bagrada hilaris - the Bagrada bug, feeding mainly on Brassica hosts.
Tremex fuscicornis – a European and Asian wood wasp with a wide host range on broadleaved trees.
Melanagromyza sojae  - The soya miner, a pest of soybean and legumes.
Litylenchus crenatae – a nematode of beech species and putative cause of the beech leaf disease outbreak in the USA.
Chrysobothris femorata – the flat-headed apple tree borer, a polyphagous tree pest. 
Medythia nigrobilineata – The two-striped leaf beetle of Soybean, found in Europe for this first in 2018.
Grapevine Roditis leaf discoloration-associated virus – a virus of grapevine species.

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Adelges tsugae – The Hemlock woolly adelgid, a scale insect of mostly hemlock species.
Xylotrechus namanganensis - The Namangan longhorn beetle, a polyphagous pest of several major tree species.
Rose rosette virus – a virus of rose found in North America. 
Meloidogyne fallax, a root-gall nematode with a limited distribution in the UK.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.

Pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Scolytus ventralis - The white fir engraver, a bark beetle pest of firs native to North America.
Gymnosporangium yamadae –A rust of apple and juniper species native to East Asia.

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Aceria kuko - A mite of goji berries, now eradicated from the UK.
Echinothrips americanus  - A thrips pest of several ornamental species grown in protected cultivation.
Choristoneura conflictana - The Aspen borer, a defoliating moth of tree species in North American forests.
Agrilus convexicollis - A European jewel beetle of ash species, widespread in Europe but not yet in the UK.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.

Pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Aleurocanthus spiniferus – The citrus spiny whitefly, a pest of citrus species, with some impact on pear and Prunus.
Lema bilineata – The tobacco slug, a beetle pest of Solanaceous ornamentals.

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Phytophthora foliorum - A change of scenario for this fungal pathogen of Rhododendron, following its eradication in the UK.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register.

Tree pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Anisandrus maiche - An ambrosia beetle that is highly polyphagous on deciduous trees.
Dryocoetes himalayensis - An Asian bark beetle pest of walnut species.
Agrilus haustulifer - A buprestrid beetle pest of broadleaved trees.
Lambdina fiscellaria - The hemlock looper, a destructive defoliator of many tree species in North America.
Chrysomyxa ledicola - Spruce needle rust, a fungal pathogen that swaps between spruce and rhododendron hosts in North America.

Crop pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Phytophthora tentaculata - Stem rot of a range of ornamental species, herbs and celery.

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Microtheca ochroloma - Yellow margined leaf beetle, a pest of brassica crops in the Americas.
Pectobacterium aroidearum - A newly described Pectobacterium species.
Phytopthora siskiyouensis - A Phytopthora of alder species.
Tylenchulus semipenetrans - Citrus nematode, cause of Citrus slow decline syndrome.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Tree pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Rusticoclytus rusticus – grey tiger longhorn, a polyphagus beetle of broadleaved trees.
Platypus quercivorus & Raffaelea quercivora – Japanese oak wilt and its vector, damaging oak species.
Melittomma sericeun – Chestnut timberworm, a wood-boring beetle of oak, chestnut and elm.
Elsinoe coryli – hazelnut spot anthracnose, a fungal disease of hazelnut.
Pseudomonas syringae pv. Ulmi - bacterial leaf spot, a bacterial disease of elm.
Chionaspis pinifoliae  - pine needle scale, a scale insect of pine.

Crop pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Aleurocanthus camelliae – tea spiny whitefly, a pest of tea and other camellia species.

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Aproceros leucopoda - elm zig-zag sawfly, a defoliating pest of elm.
Tomato chlorosis virus – ToCV, a virus of tomato spread by whiteflies.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Tree pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Takahashia japonica - string cottony scale, polyphagous on broadleaved trees
Planococcus vovae - Nassonov's mealybug, attacks cypress and juniper
Oxycarenus modestus - a bug that feeds on alder seeds, recently recorded in the UK
Adelges pectinatae - Siberian fir woolly aphid, an adelgid pest of fir in northern Europe
Quambalaria eucalypti - a fungus of Eucalyptus present in Portugal and beyond

Crop pests recently added to the Risk Register:
Tetranychus lombardinii - crimson spider mite, a tropical and polyphagous pest
Meloidogyne graminicola - rice root-knot nematode, a pest of rice recently recorded in Italy

Pests recently reviewed on the Risk Register:
Geosmithia morbida - a fungus which causes thousand cankers disease
Pityophthorus juglandis - walnut twig beetle (vector of thousand cankers disease)
Euzophera bigella - quince moth
Spodoptera eridania - southern armyworm
Blueberry leaf mottle virus
Rhagoletis mendax - blueberry maggot
Diaporthe vaccinii - fruit rot of blueberry
Blueberry scorch virus - sheep pen hill disease
Eotetranychus lewisi - Lewis spider mite

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Cathaica fasciola – a polyphagous snail present in Asia.
Meloidogyne luci – a polyphagous nematode present in parts of Europe and beyond.
Aroga trialbamaculella – a moth pest of blueberries present in North America.


The following pests have recently been reviewed:
Tomato ringspot virus – EU regulated virus of certain ornamental, fruit and glasshouse crops, believed to be present at low levels in the UK.
Tobacco ringspot virus  - EU regulated virus of certain ornamental, fruit and glasshouse crops, also believed to be present at low levels in the UK.
Meloidogyne ethiopica – a polyphagous nematode present in Africa and South America (previously confused with M. luci).
Fusarium circinatum – pitch canker of pines, present in parts of Europe and beyond.


If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Pests of trees:
Hylesinus eos – a bark beetle of ash and walnut trees present in Asia
H. striatus – a bark beetle of ash trees present in Russia
H. laticollis – a bark beetle of ash trees present in Asia
H. cholodkovskyi – a bark beetle of ash trees present in Russia and China

Pests of crops:
Eurygaster integriceps – Sunn pest, a shield bug pest of wheat and oat in Eastern Europe and beyond
Pea necrotic yellow dwarf virus – a virus spread by aphids present in Europe

Pest of both trees and crops:
Xiphinema chambersi – a polyphagous dagger nematode present in North America and East Asia

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Pests of trees:
Cronartium comptoniae - sweet fern blister rust, a North American fungus of pine trees
Cronartium quercuum f.sp. fusiforme - fusiform rust of pine, a North American fungus of oak and pine
Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis – a fungal pest of crab apple trees and post-harvest pest of eating apples present in the UK
Saperda tridentata – elm borer, a beetle present in North America

Pests of crops:
Groundnut bud necrosis virus – a virus of vegetable crops present in Asia
Gymnandrosoma aurantianum – a moth pest of tropical fruit plants
Globodera ellingtonae - potato cyst nematode, a nematode present in the Americas

The following pests have recently been reviewed:
Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lactucae – lettuce wilt, now present in the UK
Heterodera elachista - Japanese cyst nematode, a pest of rice, maize and wheat present in Italy
Thekopsora minima - leaf rust of blueberry, a fungus affecting blueberry and hemlock detected in some European countries.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Eggplant mottled dwarf nucleorhabdovirus – a virus of vegetable crops and ornamentals present in Europe.
Grapevine Syrah virus 1 – a virus of grapevines present in Europe.
Euzophera semifuneralis – American plum borer, a moth pest of cherry, plum and apple orchards in the US.
Dendroctonus simplex – Eastern larch beetle, a North American bark beetle pest of larch.  
Contarinia jongi – a gall midge pest of Alstromeria flowers.
Scutellonema brachyurus – a polyphagous nematode with a cosmopolitan distribution.  

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Anthonomus spilotus – pear leaf weevil, a pest of pear trees present in Kent
Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum pathotype – a fungus causing ‘wheat blast’ in South Asia and South America.
Grapevine fanleaf virus – a virus present in much of Europe and recently found in the UK

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pest has recently been added to the Risk Register:
Eurytoma schreineri – plum seed wasp, a pest of Prunus fruit in eastern Europe.

The following pest has recently been reviewed:
Trichodorus cedarus – a stubby-root nematode associated with conifers, broadleaved trees and many other plants.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

We have been making some changes to the UK Plant Health Risk Register.

Uncertainty. We have started to display summaries of uncertainty for some of the pests. Please note that uncertainty is currently displayed for only a tiny proportion of the total pests, though this number will increase over time.
Here are some links to pests where uncertainty is displayed: Monoxia obesula, Neodiprion abietis, Opogona sacchari, Phenacoccus fraxinus.

Archiving. In order to focus our attention on maintaining the Risk Register entries for pests we consider to pose a higher risk to the UK, we have started to “archive” pests which we have previously assessed as low risk. Archiving means that we will not actively update the Risk Register entry for that pest, unless significant new information becomes available. Archived pests are clearly marked with a banner at the top of the page. Again, the number of archived pests is currently very small, but will increase over time. Here are some links to archived pests: Herpetogramma licarsisalis, Hypothenemus seriatus, Paratylenchus tenuicauatus, Zaprionus indianus.

Advanced searches. We have fixed some bugs in the advanced search options.

Spreadsheet download. The pathways assessed for the Risk Register are now included in the download.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Trees and ornamentals:
Neodiprion abietis - a sawfly pest of fir and spruce (particularly balsam fir)
Macrohomotoma gladiata – a psyllid pest of Ficus microcarpa (Indian laurel)

Wider environment:
Monoxia obesula – a beetle associated with plants in the family Amaranthaceae growing in saltmarshes.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Pests of trees and ornamentals:

Acanthococcus pohutukawa – a felt scale of New Zealand Christmas trees (Metrosideros excelsa)
Agrilus ater – a jewel beetle whose larvae feed on poplar and willow
Callopistria floridensis – Florida fern moth
Xanthomonas dyei – a bacterial pest of broadleaved trees and shrubs (eg. Olea, Prunus and Lobelia)

Pests of food crops:

Dacus punctatifrons – a fruit fly of Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae
Zaprionus indianus – a vinegar fly (this pest record has been archived)
Zaprionus tuberculatus – a vinegar fly (this pest record has been archived)
Mint vein banding-associated virus – a virus associated with yellow banding in mint
Apple dimple fruit viroid – a viroid which causes symptoms on some cultivars of apple

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Pepper vein yellows virus – PeVYV, a virus that causes leaf yellowing, curling and brittleness in Capsicum species.

'Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense' – also known as strawberry lethal yellows or Australian grapevine yellows, a pathogen of strawberry, grapevine and Cordyline plants.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Pests of protected & outdoor crops:
Chilli veinal mottle virus - a virus of Solanaceous plants
Phytophthora chrysanthemi - a fungal disease of Chrysanthemums

Pests of broadleaved trees:
Xylella taiwanensis – a close relative of Xylella fastidiosa found on Asian pear tree in Taiwan
Phyllonorycter issikii – a leafminer moth of lime (Tilia) trees
Agrilus fleischeri – a beetle that attacks poplar trees

Reviewed this month:
Phenacoccus fraxinus – a mealybug of ash trees in China

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Anguina pacificae – Pacific stem gall nematode, a pest of annual meadow grass having an impact on Californian golf courses.
Blueberry shoestring sobemovirus – BSSV, a virus of Vaccinium species.
Phytophthora fragariaefolia  – an oomycete that causes crown rot in strawberries.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The Risk Register entries for six Spodoptera species (noctuid moths) have been reviewed. These reviews are part of the continuous process of updating and ensuring consistency across the Risk Register.

Spodoptera cosmioides  and S. exempta – no changes to scores.
Spodoptera frugiperda – reviewed primarily due to the pests’ recent findings in Africa.  
Spodoptera eridania, S. littoralis and S. litura – minor adjustments in overall ratings to ensure consistency and reflecting current information on each species.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following insect pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

Moths:
Ennomos subsignaria – elm span worm
Prionoxystus robiniae – carpenter worm
Endoclita excrescens – Japanese swift moth

Beetles:
Xylotrechus grayii – grey tiger longhorn beetle 
Otiorhynchus lavandus – a weevil
Paropsisterna variicollis – Eucalyptus variegated beetle
Calamobius filum – a longhorn beetle

True bugs:
Lygus lineolaris – tarnished plant bug
Myzus mumecola – an aphid

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:
Agriphila aeneociliella - eastern grass veneer moth
Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. poinsettiae - poinsettia leaf spot
Rhagoletis cerasi - European cherry fruit fly
Scaphoideus titanus - a hemipteran bug which vectors grapevine flavescence doree
Two moths which lay eggs on a variety of commodities, including non-plant items such as cars: Hylesia nigricans and Orgyia thyellina
Finally, two Asian pests of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.): a longhorn beetle, Monochamus guttulatus and a mealybug Phenacoccus fraxinus

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:
Diurpahis noxia - Russian wheat aphid
Sirococcus piceicola - a shoot blight of spruce
Hypocryphalus scabricollis - a bark beetle
Nipponorthezinella guadalcanalia - an orthezid scale insect
Colaspis ornata - a beetle
Macrosiphoniella pseudoartemisiae - an aphid
Hirschmanniella caudacrena - a nematode

The following entry had its scores reviewed in response to new information:
Naupactus xanthographus - South American fruit tree weevil

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:

• Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi - a fungal pathogen of sweet chestnut
• Arge pullata - a birch sawfly

• Sirococcus tsugae - shoot blight on cedar
• Rose rosette virus - a highly destructive viral disease of roses in North America spread by a microscopic mite
• Phyllocoptes fructiphilus - the mite vector of Rose rosette virus
• Dendrolimus superans - Japanese hemlock caterpillar
• Luperomorpha xanthodera - rose flea beetle
• Rathayibacter toxicus - a bacteria causing gumming disease on grasses, which also may have impacks on livestock
• Meloidogyne ethiopica - a root-knot nematode
• Phymatotrichopsis omnivora - a root rot

The Risk Register entries for the North American vectors of Xylella fastidiosa have been reviewed, to take into account the mitigation provided by the current EU emergency measures. In North America, the vectors primarily belong to the sharpshooters (tribe Proconiini), whereas in Europe the primary vector has been the meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius.

Once an adult insect has acquired Xylella, it is able to spread it for the remainder of its life, and thus insect vectors are a potential pathway of entry for the pathogen, and the risk assessed if that these vectors will enter carrying Xylella.
The entries reviewed are:
•    Draeculacephala minerva – green sharpshooter
•    Carneocephala fulgida – red-headed sharpshooter
•    Graphocephala atropunctata – blue-green sharpshooter
In addition a new entry was created for Homalodisca vitripennis, the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

If you have any comments on these entries, please leave them via the feedback box on the bottom of each webpage, and please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register recently:
•    Texas Phoenix Palm Decline – a phytoplasma disease killing Canary island palms in Texas and Florida
•    Acalolepta sejuncta – Asian longhorn beetle which attacks a variety of trees
•   Crisicoccus pini – Kuwana mealybug, a pest of pines recently introduced to Italy
•    Monilinia polystroma – Asiatic brown rot
•    Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense – Fusarium wilt of banana

The following entries have had their scores reviewed in response to new information:
•    Candidatus  Phytoplasma pyri – pear decline – risk to perry and dessert pears are now assessed separately due to a recent increase in impacts in Perry orchards.
•    Cocounut lethal yellowing phytoplasma and its vector Haplaxius crudus – causing death of Canary island palm as well as coconut
•    Iris yellow spot virus – reviewed after the completion of an updated UK PRA
•    Candidatus Phytoplasma mali – spreading in the EU

If you have comments about these or any other RR entries, please leave your feedback via the box at the bottom of each webpage ensuring you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Viroids are virus-like pathogens which can be spread mechanically (e.g. on tools or gloves) by vegetative propagation and in some cases via seed and pollen. Pospiviroid is a genus of viroids of which many are recorded as pests of Solanaceous crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, where they cause stunting and yield losses. They can also infect various ornamental species, though infections are usually symptomless. The current regulatory status of various pospiviroids is being discussed at EU level, and protecting UK tomato and pepper crops is a priority. A factsheet from 2010 on viroids can be found here.

The following viroids have been added to the Risk Register:

•    Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid – sporadic outbreaks in tomato crops in the EU, and found in ornamentals in the UK
•    Tomato planta macho viroid – only found in Mexico and Canada where it causes disease in tomatoes.
•    Citrus exocortis viroid – causes disease in both Citrus and tomato

The following viroids have had their entries reviewed:
•    Tomato apical stunt viroid
•    Columnea latent viroid
•    Chrysanthemum stunt viroid
•    Pepper chat fruit viroid

New pests have been added to the Risk Register:

•    Neofusicoccum luteum, N. parvum and N. australe – fungal pathogens which mainly attack woody hosts already stressed by other factors.
•    Aquilegia downy mildew – a previously undescribed disease of Aquilegia.
•    Rose Rosette Virus and its vector Phyllocoptes fructiphilus – a highly destructive viral disease of roses in North America spread by a microscopic mite.
•    Orchidophilus spp. – orchid weevils which could be destructive if introduced to orchid collections.
•    Chrysodeixis includens – soybean looper, intercepted by the UK for the first time.

In addition, the following pests have had their Risk Register entry updated in response to new information:

•    Ca. Phytoplasma aurantifolia – lime witches’ broom phytoplasma, found to also be causing disease in apple trees.
•    Rhynchophorus ferrugineus – red palm weevil, updated in response to an outbreak in Normandy, France.

If you have comments on these or any other pests on the Risk Register, please leave them using the comment box on the bottom on each page, ensuring you mention the name of the pest your query regards.

The following pests have recently been intercepted at the border or found in the UK for the first time, but assessed as posing a low risk to UK plant health. No statutory action will be taken against future findings of these pests:

•    Phytophthora bisheria
•    Fusarium miscanthi
•    Liriomyza cannabis
•    Fig mosaic virus
•    Tropidacris dux

Xylella fastidiosa has different subspecies and strains, which vary in their host range, impacts and ability to tolerate cold temperatures. Following the report of Xylella fastidiosa in Germany, a new entry has been created for Xylella fastidiosa subspecies fastidiosa.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:
•    Sipha flava – sugarcane aphid, detected for the first time in Continental Europe in Spain.
•    Liriomyza chinensis – leafmining pest of onions and related crops, intercepted in the UK.
•    Strobilomyia laricicola – a pest of larch seed.
•    Glycaspis brimblecombei – red gum lerp psyllid, a pest in Italy causing damage on Eucalyptus.
•    Candidatus Phytoplasma phoenicium – a phytoplasma disease of various Prunus species causing considerable damage in Iran and Lebanon.
•    Rotylenchulus macrosoma – a nematode species intercepted in the UK.

In addition, the following pests have been reviewed in response to new information:
•    Pseudaulacaspis pentagona – white peach scale, a pest spreading in Europe with occasional findings in the UK.
•    Dryocosmus kuriphilus – oriental chestnut gall wasp, updated in response to findings in the south-east of England.
•    Heterobasidion occidentale – a butt and root rot of conifers, updated after the completion of a pest risk analysis.

If you have comments on these or any other pests of the Risk Register, please write them in the comment box found at the bottom of each page on the UK Plant Health Risk Register website, ensuring you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have had their entries updated either due to new information, or because of the completion of actions:

•    Meloidogyne mali – a root knot nematode
•    Potato spindle tuber viroid
•    Heterobasidion parviporum – a root and butt rot of conifers
•    Little cherry virus 2
•    Ips hauseri – Kyrgyz mountain engraver
•    Gibberella circinata – pitch canker of pine
•    Naupactus cervinus – fuller rose beetle
•    Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris in carrot
•    Chryseococcus arecae – golden root mealybug
•    Etiella zinckenella – pea pod borer
•    Xylosandrus compactus – black twig borer
•    Lycorma delicatula – spotted lantern fly
•    Epitrix argentinensis – a flea beetle
•    Clavibacter michiganensis subspecies insidiosus – bacterial wilt of lucerne

If you have comments about these, or any other pest on the Risk Register, please leave them via the feedback box below ensuring you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

New pests have been added to the UK Plant Health Risk Register: -

•    Xylotoles griseus – New Zealand fig longhorn, which has recently been found in the UK
•    Bactra bactrana – a moth whose larvae usually feed on grasses, but has been found infesting peppers grown under protection in Greece
•    Grapevine pinot gris virus – a virus of grapevines becoming increasingly widespread in Europe and globally
•    Planococcus kraunhiae – Japanese mealybug, intercepted on persimmon fruits
•    Coccotrypes dactyliperda – date stone beetle, intercepted on palm seeds
•    Kuwanaspis howardi – bamboo white scale, detected in the UK
•    Groundnut ringspot virus – a potentially damaging virus of salad crops, found for the first time in Europe, in Finland

The following pests have been recently intercepted, but judged to pose little risk to UK plant health:

•    Paratylenchus tenuicauatus, Bitylenchus aerolatus and Bitylenchus ventrosignatus, three nematode species not recorded as pests
•    Stromatium barbatum - Kulski teak borer, a tropical bark beetle species
•    Bactrocera tau, Anastrepha serpentina, Anastrepha striata, Carpomya vesuviana – four fruit fly species
•    Sybra praeusta – banana beetle

If you have any comments about these or any other pest on the RR, please leave them via the comment box on the bottom of each page, making sure to mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Several new and updated pest alerts and factsheets are available:

•    Leptinotarsa decemlineata – Colorado beetle
•    Popillia japonica – Japanese beetle
•    Thrips palmi – melon thrips
•    Thaumatotibia leucotreta – false codling moth
•    Lycorma delicatula – spotted lanternfly
•    Anoplophora chinensis – Citrus longhorn beetle

Suspected outbreaks of any non-native plant pest or disease should be reported to the relevant authority:

For England and Wales, contact your local APHA Plant Health and Seeds Inspector or the PHSI Headquarters, Sand Hutton, York. Tel: 01904 405138
Email: planthealth.info@apha.gsi.gov.uk

For Scotland, contact the Scottish Government’s Horticulture and Marketing Unit:
Tel: 0131 244 8935 Email: hort.marketing@gov.scot

For Northern Ireland, contact the DAERA Plant Health Inspection Branch:
Tel: 0300 200 7847 Email: planthealth@daera-ni.gov.uk

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:

•    Corythucha ciliata – a lace bug species that can affect plane trees, a previous UK outbreak has been eradicated.
•    Phytophthora foliorum – a pathogen of rhododendron
•    Tomato yellow ring virus – a virus of tomatoes recently found in Europe for the first time
•    Spilostethus pandurus and S. hospes – polyphagous seed bugs whose hosts include tomatoes, but are a low risk to UK plant health
•    Helicoverpa assulta - moth pest of solanaceous crops

In addition the entry for false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta, has been reviewed due to recurrent interceptions.

If you have comments on these are any other pests on the Risk Register, please leave them via the feedback box making sure to mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:

•    Ceratothripoides brunneus and Ceratothripoides claratris – two thrips species that are pests of tomatoes amongst other glasshouse crops.
•    Psylliodes punctifrons – cabbage flea beetle, an Asian pest of brassicas.
•    Luperomorpha xanthodera – rose flea beetle, a European species with occasional findings in the UK.
•    Puto barberi – Barber giant mealybug, a pest intercepted on produce in the UK.
•    Ditylenchus destructor – Regulated nematode pest of potatoes.
•    Bactrocera latifrons – a fruit fly with a preference for tomatoes, peppers and aubergine, but unlikely to pose a threat to the UK.
•    Euplatypus parallelus – regulated bark beetle intercepted on wood.
•    Cerodontha unisetiorbita – bamboo leafminer now present in the UK but causing only minor damage.
•    Pseudacysta persea – the avocado lacebug, recently found in Madeira.

The following pests have been intercepted recently, but pose little risk to UK plant health so action will not be taken on future findings:

•    Diatraea saccharalis - sugarcane stalk borer.
•    Thaumatotibia hemitoma – an Asian moth species.

The following Risk Register entries have been updated in response to new information:

•    Thaumetopoea pinivora – northern pine processionary moth
•    Aleurotrachelus trachoides – Solanum whitefly
•    Agapanthus gall midge

If you have any remarks on these, or any other Risk Register entry, please submit via the feedback box at the bottom of each web page. Please ensure you mention the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have been added to the Risk Register:

•    Prodiplosis longifila – citrus gall midge, also a significant pest of greenhouse crops such as tomato.
•    Choristoneura dinota – small tea tortrix, a regulated pest recently intercepted on produce and unlikely to pose a significant threat to UK plant health
•    Phyllonorycter pastorella – willow leaf mining moth now present in the UK
•    Florithrips traegardhi – a recently intercepted thrips species unlikely to pose a threat to UK plant health.
•    Dacus frontalis – fruit fly pest of pumpkins and other cucurbits spreading in Northern Africa.
•    Sitona discoideus – clover weevil, a pest of lucerne unlikely to establish in the UK.

In addition the entry for Pantoea stewartii (Stewart’s wilt of maize) has been updated in response to an outbreak (under eradication) in Italy.

If you have comments on these or any other Risk Register entries, please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of every page mentioning the name of the pest you are commenting on.

The following pests have recently been added to the Risk Register:

•    Callidiellum rufipenne – Japanese cedar longhorn beetle whose hosts include juniper intercepted for the first time in the UK.
•    Lepidosaphes ussuriensis - Ussuri oystershell scale, an Asian pest of various broadleaved trees.
•    Candidatus Phytoplasma pini – a phytoplasma that can cause witches’ broom on pines and other conifers.
•    Chilo partellus – spotted stem borer, a pest of maize spreading in the Mediterranean.
•    Rathayibacter toxicus – bacteria that can cause a gumming disease of grasses and have impacts on livestock.
•    Pratylenchus brachyurus – a root lesion nematode occasionally intercepted with plants for planting.
•    Alternaria mali – An EU regulated fungal pathogen of apple.
•    Grapevine red blotch-associated virus – A recently described virus of grapevine from North America.
•    Ovachlamys fulgens – the jumping snail, a pest of orchids.

The following entries have been reviewed based on new information or completion of actions:

•    Polygraphus proximus – bark beetle pest of firs (Abies) subject to a European PRA.
•    Candidatus Phytoplasma fraxini – ash yellows phytoplasma, subject to a UK PRA.
•    Tomato yellow leaf curl virus and Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus – entries reviewed to take into account the mitigation provided by the regulation of the vector in the UK, Bemisia tabaci.
•    Thrips setosus – Japanese flower thrips, more widespread in Europe that previously thought.
•    Macchiademus diplopterus – grain cinch bug.
•    Pratylenchus mediterraneus – a root lesiobn nematode intercepted on potatoes but unlikely to survive or cause impacts in the UK.
•    Grapholita molesta – Oriental fruit moth, primarily a pest of peach but increasing important on apple and other pome fruits.
•    Rhagoletis completa –walnut husk fly, not present in the Netherlands.
•    Acleris variana – eastern black headed budworm, a pest of firs
•    Dryocoetes confusus – western balsam bark beetle, a pest of firs.

If you have any comments about these or any other entries or aspect of the Risk Register please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom on each page, mentioning the name of the pest you are commenting on.

Previously, two North American species of potato flea beetle were thought to have been introduced to Europe: Epitrix cucumeris and Epitrix similaris.

It is now known that the species previously known as Epitrix similaris in Spain and Portugal is actually a new, previously undescribed species, Epitrix papa, which has now been added to the Risk Register. This entry also reflects the mitigation provided by the new UK national measures.

The entry for Epitrix similaris has been revised to reflect the fact its distribution is limited to North America. The pest fact sheets will be updated soon.

If you have any comments or questions on these or any other Risk Register entries please leave them via the feedback box at the bottom of the page, mentioning the name of the pest your query relates to.