Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Department
for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs

UK Risk Register Details for Blissus insularis

Pest has been archived

This pest has been assessed for the Risk Register and is considered to pose a low risk to the UK. The information on this pest was correct as of 11/03/2025, but is no longer actively maintained. It will only be updated if new information is received which indicates the potential for a significant increase in risk to the UK.

This record was last updated on 11/03/2025

Common Names

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Chinch bug, southern

Scenario and Pathways

Scenario for Risk Register

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Pest is introduced

Pathway Assessed for Entry to UK

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Plants for planting (except seeds bulbs and tubers)

Common Pathways

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Plants for planting (except seeds bulbs and tubers)

Risk Ratings and Current Mitigations

Unmitigated Risks

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Likelihood For "Pest is Introduced" the lowest value of Entry or Establishment, as both are required for a successful introduction. For "Pest Spreads to Maximum Extent" this is an expert judgement on the likelihood of this occurrence. See Guidance Document for more Information Likelihood [1 - 5]	1
Entry The Likelihood of movement of the pest into the UK on a pathway and transfer of that pest to a suitable host. See Guidance Document for more Information Entry [1 - 5]			3
Establishment The likelihood of the pest surviving and perpetuating in the UK for the foreseeable future after it has entered. See Guidance Document for more Information Establishment [1 - 5]	1
Spread The rate at which a pest can expand, by natural dispersal only, within an area. See Guidance Document for more Information Spread [1 - 5]		2
Impact The highest value from economic, environmental or social impacts. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact [1 - 5]		2
Impact - Economic The predicted economic impacts of the pest in the UK. This includes direct effects on yield, quality and possible indirect effects such as trade implications. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Economic [1 - 5]		2
Impact - Environmental The proportion of the environmental value of the plant which is likely to be lost through the introduction of the pest. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Environmental [1 - 5]	1
Impact - Social The predicted social impacts of a pest in the UK, including effects on tourism, amenities and animal and human health. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Social [1 - 5]	1
Value at Risk The value of the hosts or industries at risk from this pest in the UK. See Guidance Document for more Information Value at Risk [1 - 5]	1
Likelihood x Impact The likelihood multiplied by the impact, which shows the risk to the sector. See Guidance Document for more Information Likelihood x Impact [1 - 25]	2
UK Relative Risk Rating Likelihood x Impact x Value at Risk. See Guidance Document for more Information UK Relative Risk Rating [1 - 125]	2

Current Mitigations

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Key mitigation for pest

Regulation

Surveillance

Industry Scheme

Contingency Plan

Awareness

Research

Mitigated Risks

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Likelihood For "Pest is Introduced" the lowest value of Entry or Establishment, as both are required for a successful introduction. For "Pest Spreads to Maximum Extent" this is an expert judgement on the likelihood of this occurrence. See Guidance Document for more Information Likelihood [1 - 5]	1
Entry The Likelihood of movement of the pest into the UK on a pathway and transfer of that pest to a suitable host. See Guidance Document for more Information Entry [1 - 5]			3
Establishment The likelihood of the pest surviving and perpetuating in the UK for the foreseeable future after it has entered. See Guidance Document for more Information Establishment [1 - 5]	1
Spread The rate at which a pest can expand, by natural dispersal only, within an area. See Guidance Document for more Information Spread [1 - 5]		2
Impact The highest value from economic, environmental or social impacts. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact [1 - 5]		2
Impact - Economic The predicted economic impacts of the pest in the UK. This includes direct effects on yield, quality and possible indirect effects such as trade implications. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Economic [1 - 5]		2
Impact - Environmental The proportion of the environmental value of the plant which is likely to be lost through the introduction of the pest. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Environmental [1 - 5]	1
Impact - Social The predicted social impacts of a pest in the UK, including effects on tourism, amenities and animal and human health. See Guidance Document for more Information Impact - Social [1 - 5]	1
Value at Risk The value of the hosts or industries at risk from this pest in the UK. See Guidance Document for more Information Value at Risk [1 - 5]	1
Likelihood x Impact The likelihood multiplied by the impact, which shows the risk to the sector. See Guidance Document for more Information Likelihood x Impact [1 - 25]	2
UK Relative Risk Rating Likelihood x Impact x Value at Risk. See Guidance Document for more Information UK Relative Risk Rating [1 - 125]	2

Proposed Actions

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Regulation

Deregulation

Management By Industry

Targeted Survey

PRA

Contingency Plan

Publicity

Research

Distribution and Pest Details

Distribution

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Country / Territory		Status
Europe
	Portugal	Present
North America
	Mexico	Present
	United States	Present
South America
	Colombia	Present
Central America
	Antigua and Barbuda	Present
	Bahamas	Present
	Bermuda	Present
	Cuba	Present
	Dominica	Present
	Grenada	Present
	Haiti	Present
	Jamaica	Present
	Martinique	Present
	Panama	Present
	Puerto Rico	Present
	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Present
	Trinidad and Tobago	Present
	Turks and Caicos	Present

Type of Pest

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Insect (Hemiptera)

Host or Industry at Risk

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Ornamental grasses

Major Hosts

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Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.
Paspalum notatum Fluegge
Paspalum vaginatum Swartz
Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze

Threats to Protected Cultivation

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Forest Tree Pests and Pathogens

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Further Information

PRA

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PRA Availability

PRA not available

Regulation and EPPO listing

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Not currently listed

Actions Indicated

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Action

No statutory action

General Comments

Blissus insularis is an insect pest which causes yellowing and death of the tropical and sub-tropical turf grass Stenotaphrum secundatum (St Augustine grass) in southern states of North America, especially Florida, and in Portugal where damage was first noted in 2019. The UK outdoor climate is unsuitable for both the host plant and insect, so the risk associated with this pest is considered very low.

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Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Departmentfor EnvironmentFood & Rural Affairs

UK Risk Register Details for Blissus insularis

Pest has been archived

Common Names

Scenario and Pathways

Scenario for Risk Register

Pathway Assessed for Entry to UK

Common Pathways

Risk Ratings and Current Mitigations

Unmitigated Risks

Current Mitigations

Key mitigation for pest

Regulation

Surveillance

Industry Scheme

Contingency Plan

Awareness

Research

Mitigated Risks

Proposed Actions

Proposed Actions

Regulation

Deregulation

Management By Industry

Targeted Survey

PRA

Contingency Plan

Publicity

Research

Distribution and Pest Details

Distribution

Type of Pest

Host or Industry at Risk

Major Hosts

Threats to Protected Cultivation

Forest Tree Pests and Pathogens

Further Information

PRA

PRA Availability

Regulation and EPPO listing

Actions Indicated

Action

General Comments

Further Information

Uncertainty

Key uncertainty for pest

Climate

Current distribution

Hosts

Impact

Pathways

Regulation

Taxonomy

UK distribution

Risk Records for this Pest

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for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs