Rhyzobius forestieri (Mulsant, 1853) (Insecta, Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) : une nouvelle espèce de Coccinelle pour la faune d’Alsace et deuxième mention pour le Grand Est (France)
Abstract - Rhyzobius forestieri (Mulsant, 1853) is an Australian ladybird that was introduced in Europe, first in Italy and Greece and then in the south of France in 1983, because of its ability to control the cochineal Saissetia oleae (Olivier 1791). Initially bred in an INRA laboratory, it was finally used on clementine trees on the island of Porquerolles in the autumn of 1986. Since the 1980s, the species has spread to almost all regions of the country, probably thanks to global warming, especially in the Centre-West and North of France. The first observation for the Grand Est was made in 2020, in the "Lac du Der" area, 4 years before this first mention for Alsace. was found in a warm mixed forest consisting mainly of oak, chestnut and pine on the foothills of the Vosges. The host plant was blueberry. This discovery is the first record for Alsace and the second for the Grand Est.
Lux T. 2025. Rhyzobius forestieri (Mulsant, 1853) (Insecta, Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) : une nouvelle espèce de Coccinelle pour la faune d’Alsace et deuxième mention pour le Grand Est (France). Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire naturelle et d'Ethnographie de Colmar, 81 (1) : 1-3. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14670718