The platanus lace bug, Corythucha ciliata (Say)(Hemiptera: Tingidae), a Nearctic pest of plane trees, new to Britain

In September and October 2006, Corythucha ciliata (Say) was reported in Bedfordshire. This is the first record of this Nearctic tingid in Britain. It was causing feeding damage to imported London plane (Platanus × hispanica) and Oriental plane (P. orientalis) trees at two commercial plant nurseries, and to mature plane trees (Platanus sp.) growing in adjacent hedgerows. It has been introduced to several other European countries where it has become an important pest of plane trees. In northern Italy C. ciliata can cause decline and death of trees in combination with two fungi, Ceratocystis fimbriata Ellis & Halsted f.sp. platani Walter and Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. & Speg.) Höhn. The host range, biology, geographical distribution and economic importance of C. ciliata are reviewed.