Home Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a new natural enemy of Chinese privet in North America: identification, establishment, and host range
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Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a new natural enemy of Chinese privet in North America: identification, establishment, and host range

  • Michael Ulyshen EMAIL logo , E. Richard Hoebeke , Yanzhuo Zhang , James Hanula , Scott Horn and Gabriel Mills
Published/Copyright: March 12, 2025
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Florida Entomologist
From the journal Florida Entomologist Volume 108 Issue 1

Abstract

Argopistes tsekooni Chen (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a flea beetle native to Asia, is reported for the first time in North America. It is established in the southeastern U.S.A. where it is causing substantial damage to Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.; Oleaceae), one of the most problematic invasive plants in the region. A. tsekooni was identified as a promising biological control agent in previous work, which led to a series of no-choice and choice tests to clarify its host range. The results from that work are presented here. Of the 22 test species included in no-choice tests, A. tsekooni feeding damage was reported from 16, eggs were found on 13, and mature larvae were produced from nine members of the tribe Oleeae. Moreover, it is clear from choice tests that A. tsekooni does not strongly prefer L. sinense over other members of the tribe, also readily feeding and laying eggs on Ligustrum vulgare L., Syringa meyeri C.K. Schneid, Chionanthus virginicus L., Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir., F. pubescens Nutt., F. segregata (Jacq.) Krug & Urb., and Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall. These preliminary results and observations suggest that A. tsekooni may help curtail the dominance and spread of L. sinense but not without also negatively impacting certain native species.

Resumen

Argopistes tsekooni Chen (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), un escarabajo pulga originario de Asia, se reporta por primera vez en América del Norte. Este, se encuenta establecido en el sureste de EE. UU., donde está causando daños considerables a la aligustrina (Ligustrum sinense Lour.; Oleaceae), una de las plantas invasoras más problemáticas de la región. A. tsekooni fue identificado, en trabajos anteriores, como un agente de control biológico prometedor, lo que condujo a una serie de pruebas de selección y no-selección para aclarar su rango de huéspedes. Los resultados de ese trabajo se presentan aquí. De las 22 especies incluidas en las pruebas sin selección, se detectó daño alimentario por A. tsekooni en 16 casos; se encontraron huevos en 13 casos y se produjeron larvas maduras en nueve miembros de la tribu Oleeae. Además, de las pruebas de selección se desprende claramente que A. tsekooni no prefiere fuertemente a L. sinense sobre otros miembros de su tribu, y también se alimenta y pone huevos fácilmente en Ligustrum vulgare L., Syringa meyeri C.K. Schneid, Chionanthus virginicus L., Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir., F. pubescens Nutt., F. segregata (Jacq.) Krug & Urb. y Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall. Estos resultados y observaciones preliminares sugieren que A. tsekooni puede ayudar a reducir el dominio y la propagación de L. sinense, pero no sin afectar negativamente a ciertas especies nativas.

Keywords: biological control; herbivore; host specificity; non-native; non-target impacts
Palabras clave: control biológico; herbívoro; especificidad del huésped; no nativo; impactos fuera de objetivo

1 Introduction

Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.; Oleaceae) is a shade-tolerant evergreen shrub native to Asia. After being introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental, the species is now widely established on every continent except Antarctica and on many islands in between (Cash et al. 2020). The species is considered one of the worst invasive plants in the southeastern U.S. (Oswalt et al. 2011) where it forms a dense midstory layer that suppresses tree regeneration and reduces biodiversity near the forest floor (Hanula et al. 2009; Merriam and Feil 2002; Ulyshen et al. 2022).

Mechanical and chemical control methods are the main options for restoring privet-invaded forests (Miller et al. 2010). However, these approaches are costly, temporary, and are not practical for large scale use. Therefore, in 2005, a collaboration was initiated between scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to explore the potential of biological control as an alternative control option. An initial survey of insect species found on Chinese privet in China yielded over 100 candidate species (Zhang et al. 2008b). One of the most promising was a species of leaf beetle, Argopistes tsekooni Chen (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The biology of A. tsekooni was described previously from Japan (Inoue 2006) and China (Zhang et al. 2009). Briefly, about 28 eggs are laid per female, with one to three eggs per leaf. Both adults and larvae feed on leaves, with the latter feeding as leaf miners. The larvae pupate in the soil and there are up to three overlapping generations per year depending on climatic conditions. A portion of the adult population overwinters within the leaf litter beneath host plants.

Because preliminary research in China found A. tsekooni to have strong negative impacts on the growth and survival of Chinese privet (Zhang et al. 2011) and suggested a low risk of non-target effects (Zhang et al. 2008a), A. tsekooni was selected for further host testing and was imported to a United States quarantine facility in 2008. However, the colony was destroyed soon after those tests found A. tsekooni capable of feeding and reproducing on a variety of North American hosts. The results from those tests were not previously published and are presented and discussed herein.

Interest in A. tsekooni was recently renewed when, in 2023, the species was found to be causing damage to L. sinense in a residential area south of Atlanta, Georgia (personal communication, Gabriel Mills). Many additional populations have since been located over a large geographic area (Figure 1A). This situation raises questions about the potential impacts of A. tsekooni on Chinese privet as well as on native species. The objectives of this article are to 1) report the establishment of A. tsekooni in the southeastern United States; 2) provide a description of the beetle as well as the damage it causes to L. sinense; and 3) share the results from the original host-range testing of A. tsekooni and discuss the possible implications for plant species native to North America.

Figure 1: The known distribution of Argopistes tsekooni in Georgia, U.S.A. (A), with images of adults on damaged leaves (B) and a late instar leaf-mining larva (C). In the map, blue dots represent locations with photographic evidence while red dots represent locations confirmed from collected specimens.
Figure 1:

The known distribution of Argopistes tsekooni in Georgia, U.S.A. (A), with images of adults on damaged leaves (B) and a late instar leaf-mining larva (C). In the map, blue dots represent locations with photographic evidence while red dots represent locations confirmed from collected specimens.

2 Materials and methods

2.1 Documentation of established populations

Multiple locations were surveyed between Atlanta and Athens in 2024 to assess the extent of establishment of A. tsekooni in northeastern Georgia. Our objective was not to precisely delimit the species’ current distribution, but rather to determine whether it is confined to a small area or has already spread over a broader region. The search consisted of inspecting privet for adult beetles and damage at parks and other widely spaced points of interest (e.g., near the quarantine laboratory formerly used to house A. tsekooni mentioned above) between Atlanta and Athens over a period of several weeks. Georeferenced photographs uploaded to iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org, accessed September 2024) were added to our own observations to create a preliminary distribution map (Figure 1).

2.2 Host range testing

Argopistes tsekooni adults were collected from ornamental L. sinense in Huangshan city, Anhui province, China in 2008 and 2009, and shipped to a quarantine facility overseen by the USDA Forest Service at the University of Georgia’s Horticulture Research Farm in Oconee county, Georgia, U.S.A. (USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service permit P526P-08-01107). Upon arrival, the beetles were maintained in the quarantine facility on potted L. sinense within polyester cages (90 × 40 × 40 cm) with conditions held at: 24–26 °C, 50–80 % relative humidity (RH), and a 15:9 (light:dark) photoperiod. Mature larvae were transferred to bins (18 × 12 × 7 cm) filled with moistened potting soil for pupation and covered with the same polyester material mentioned above. Adults 15–20 days old, i.e., past the pre-oviposition period (Zhang et al. 2009), were transferred to fresh plants for host range testing.

We selected 22 plant species for testing which fell along a gradient of increasing phylogenetic distance from the genus Ligustrum. These included two species of Ligustrum in addition to L. sinense; two species belonging to the subtribe Ligustrinae; 12 species belonging to the tribe Oleeae; two species belonging to the family Oleaceae; two species belonging to the order Lamiales; and one species from the subclass Asteridae (Table 1). Chinese privet used for testing and maintaining the colony was from small seedlings sourced from local field populations one year prior to testing. The privet seedlings were fertilized when potted from the field. All other plant species were ordered from various nurseries in several states and repotted in 8-L pots upon arrival. All potted plants were held in an outdoor lathhouse for months before being used in tests. To our knowledge, no insecticides were used on any of the plants prior to receiving them.

Table 1:

List of plant species included in Argopistes tsekooni, potential biological control agent of Ligustrum sinense, no choice and choice tests. As indicated in the “Taxon” column, species are arranged along a gradient of increasing phylogenetic distance from the genus Ligustrum.

Taxon Species No choice test Choice test Common name Native to North America?
Genus Ligustrum Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. X X Japanese privet No
Ligustrum sinense Lour. X X Chinese privet No
Ligustrum vulgare L. X X European privet No
Subtribe Ligustrinae Syringa meyeri Schneid. X X Korean lilac No
Syringa patula (Palib.) Chang & Chen X Miss kim lilac No
Tribe Oleeae Chionanthus pygmaeus Small X Pygmy fringe tree Yes
Chionanthus virginicus L. X X White fringe tree Yes
Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir. X X Eastern swamp privet Yes
Forestiera godfreyi Anderson X Godfrey’s swamp privet Yes
Forestiera pubescens Nutt. X X Desert olive Yes
Forestiera segregata (Jacq.) Krug & Urb. X X Florida swamp privet Yes
Fraxinus americana L. X X White ash Yes
Fraxinus caroliniana Mill. X X Carolina water ash Yes
Fraxinus nigra Marshall X X Black ash Yes
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall X X Green ash Yes
Olea europaea L. X X Common olive No
Osmanthus americanus (L.) Benth. & Hook. F. ex A.Gray X X Devilwood Yes
Family Oleaceae Fontanesia phillyreoides fortunei (Carrière) Yalt. X Chinese false privet No
Forsythia X intermedia Zabel X Border Forsythia No
Order Lamiales Buddleja x weyeriana X Sungold butterfly bush No
Callicarpa americana L. X American beautyberry Yes
Subclass Asteridae Nerium oleander L. X Oleander No

All 22 test species were used in no choice assays to assess their suitability to A. tsekooni as a food source and breeding substrate. Due to space limitations, the no choice assays consisted of eight separate trials consisting of 3–5 test species, with L. sinense included in each, from August 2009 to October 2010. There were 10 replicates for all species except for L. sinense and Chionanthus pygmaeus Small for which there were 80 and four, respectively. The sex of the adult beetles was determined based on the shape of the terminal sternite (Zhang et al. 2009) and 20 pairs of adults (each consisting of one female and one male) were placed separately within polyester bags (25 × 15 cm) enclosing randomly selected individual branches of test plants. The selected branches were similar in terms of the leaf area provided. Typically, five plants of each test species were used, with four bags of paired beetles tied to each plant. However, for some small plants without sufficient branches, additional plants were used. One week later, 10 branches with bags containing beetles were randomly selected and cut from each test species. Measured responses were: area damaged by feeding activity, the number of eggs laid, and the number of mature larvae produced. Leaves were removed from branches, placed on a flatbed scanner (HP Photosmart C8180 scanner) and scanned. We used these scanned images to visually estimate damaged area (mm2) based on a 1 mm2 transparent grid placed over the images. Eggs deposited in leaves were counted using a dissecting microscope immediately after scanning. On the same day, beetles in the remaining 10 bags were collected using an aspirator and the bags were then placed back on the branches to allow larval development. These remaining bagged branches were checked every other day for mature larvae that had emerged.

The 14 plant species found to be most suitable to A. tsekooni in the no choice assays (all within the tribe Oleeae) were used in subsequent choice tests (Table 1). Due to space limitations, two choice tests were conducted separately. The first test consisted of eight species including L. sinense, Syringa meyeri C.K. Schneid., Chionanthus virginicus L., Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir., F. pubescens Nutt., F. segregata (Jacq.) Krug & Urb., Olea europaea L., and Osmanthus americanus (L.) Benth. & Hook. F. ex A.Gray (Table 1). The second choice test consisted of seven species including Ligustrum japonicum Thunb., L. sinense, L. vulgare L., Fraxinus americana L., F. caroliniana Mill., F. nigra Marshall, and F. pennsylvanica Marshall. Test plants and control plants (i.e., L. sinense) were similar in size to provide insects with comparable leaf area. For each experimental replicate, the plant species being tested were randomly arranged within a cage (2.2 × 1.9 × 2.4 m) made with white polyester organza (∼81 holes per cm2). Cages had a slit in one side for access and the bottom edges were taped to the floor to prevent beetles from escaping. Fifty male and 50 female A. tsekooni were released in the middle of the cage but not in contact with any of the test plants. Each test was conducted for one week and consisted of four replicates. At the end of each test, leaves of each plant were removed and examined for feeding damage and eggs. Response variables were damaged area and the number of eggs observed. Leaves with feeding damage were scanned and the damaged area was measured following the same procedure as above. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test (including the pairwise.wilcox.test function) in R version 4.3.3 (R Core Team 2024) to compare leaf damage area and the number of eggs among species for each choice test separately.

3 Results

3.1 Established populations of A. tsekooni

To date, observations of A. tsekooni have been made throughout Atlanta and as far east as Athens, indicating the species is already well established across a large geographic area (Figure 1A). The greatest beetle densities and damage to Chinese privet were observed near Atlanta, with both diminishing towards Athens. Observed damage was consistent with what was described from China (Zhang et al. 2009, 2011]). Leaves fed upon by adults and larvae were riddled with holes and galleries (Figure 1B and C). Such damage resulted in premature abscission, resulting in bare, leafless stems toward the end of the season. In September 2024, we observed adults, eggs, and late instar larvae at the same locations, consistent with the multiple overlapping generations reported from China (Zhang et al. 2009).

3.2 Taxonomic review of A. tsekooni, recognition, and first records in North America

More than 50 species of Argopistes have been reported from Asia (22 species), the Afrotropics (nine but with at least 13 new species undescribed from Madagascar sensu Biondi et al. 2024), the Neotropics (six), Australia (three), the Palearctic (three), and the Nearctic (one) (Biondi and D’Alessandro 2012; Biondi et al. 2024; Blanco and Konstantinov 2013; Konstantinov and Vandenberg 1996; Lee et al. 2024; Shigetoh and Suenaga 2022). Six New World species are recorded from the Caribbean and south Florida (Blanco and Konstantinov 2013): A. coccinelloides (Suffrian) (Cuba), A. coronatus Blake (Puerto Rico), A. rubicundus Blake (Mexico), A. scyrtoides LeConte (Florida), A. turnbowi Blanco and Konstantinov (Bahamas), and A. woodleyi Blanco and Konstantinov (Dominican Republic). Host plants for Argopistes species include the Oleaceae and, rarely, Rutaceae and Verbenaceae (Nadein 2015).

Genus diagnosis for Argopistes (adapted from Konstantinov and Vandenberg 1996). Body medium-sized to large (2–4 mm), hemispherical, strongly convex from lateral view. Color black, dark brown, orange to reddish yellow, sometimes with red spots on elytra. Head strongly deflexed, opisthognathous. Eyes very large. Antennae 11-segmented, filiform. Pronotum very broad, transversely convex, lateral margin narrowly explanate. Procoxal cavities open behind. Elytra broadly oval, laterally explanate with well-developed humeral calli. Elytral punctation confused, indistinct, not aligned in distinct rows. Elytral epipleuron broad, slanted upward from margin, not visible from lateral view. Metafemur greatly swollen. Apex of hind tibia forming sharp tooth with large emargination and spine inside.

Species redescription for A. tsekooni (adapted, in part, from the original description of Chen (1934); Kimoto (1965), and Lee et al. (2024) (Figure 2A–F). Body hemispherical, strongly convex. Color of dorsal integument highly variable: some with body entirely black (populations in China) (Figure 2A); some not entirely black but with each elytron with a red patch above the middle (majority of specimens examined in Georgia) (Figure 2B); or in some cases, the body entirely yellowish-brown, or elytra almost entirely orangish dorsally with blackish pronotum and black epipleura and lateral margins (few specimens examined in Georgia) (Figure 2C). Head entirely hidden by the pronotum; vertex distinctly punctate with very small, irregular punctation. Antennae pale yellowish basally, with five or six apical antennomeres darker. Pronotal disc distinctly transverse, sides slightly arched; surface smooth, sparsely micropunctate. Basal margin at the middle only slightly produced. Elytra elongate-oval, with punctures of interstriae comparatively coarse, dense, and confused, with marginal area narrower, somewhat convex, with punctures less closely spaced and with a distinct marginal row. Legs black with apex of femora and tarsi pale yellow. Median lobe of aedeagus (Figure 2D–F), in ventral view, tapered towards the apex; in lateral view moderately curved. Body small, length 2.2–2.5 mm.

Figure 2: Dorsal habitus of Argopistes tsekooni, showing three common color morphs: Black (A), red-spotted (B), and yellowish-brown (C). The aedeagus is shown in ventral (D), lateral (E), and dorsal (F) views. Photo credit for A, D–F: Alexander Konstantinov.
Figure 2:

Dorsal habitus of Argopistes tsekooni, showing three common color morphs: Black (A), red-spotted (B), and yellowish-brown (C). The aedeagus is shown in ventral (D), lateral (E), and dorsal (F) views. Photo credit for A, D–F: Alexander Konstantinov.

Native distribution. China (Jiangsu, Zhejiang), Japan (Honshu, Kyushu), North Korea, and South Korea (Ulleung-do, Dockdo Is.) (Bezděk and Sekerka 2024 and references therein).

Specimens examined. USA: Georgia: Barrow county, Fort Yargo State Park, 33.9669°N, 83.7413°W and 33.9838°N, 83.7328°W, 10 September 2024, M. Ulyshen (2 ♂); Butts county, Jackson, Eagle Truck Wash, 33.2092°N, 84.0634°W, 21 May 2024, E. Olsen (1 ♂); Clarke county, Athens, University of Georgia campus, 33.9418°N, 83.371°W, 12 & 25 September 2024, E. R. Hoebeke (17 ♂, 9 ♀); Clayton county, Forest Park, 33.5868°N, 84.3717°W, 11 September 2024, M. Ulyshen (7 ♂, 5 ♀); Cobb county, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 33.87875°N, 84.4412°W, 11 September 2024, C. Asaro; DeKalb county, near Stone Mountain Park, 33.8209°N, 84.1315°W, 11 September 2024, M. Ulyshen (14 ♂, 7 ♀); Gwinnett county, Peachtree Corners, 33.9894°N, 84.2289°W, 9–19 September 2025, P. Chappell (9 ♂, 4 ♀); Oconee county, Veteran’s Memorial Park, 33.8742°N, 83.4811°W, 11 September 2024, M. Ulyshen (2 ♂); Oconee county, University of Georgia Horticulture Farm, 33.8826°N, 83.419°W, 11 September 2024, M. Ulyshen (1 ♀).

Voucher specimens are deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (USNM), and the University of Georgia Collection of Arthropods, Georgia Museum of Natural History, University of Georgia, Athens (UGCA). Specimens found imaged on the website iNaturalist include the following confirmed records from Georgia: DeKalb county, Decatur, Legacy Park, 33.76747°N, 84.27832°W, 4 May 2024; Decatur, Glennwood Estates, 33.78276°N, 84.2908°W, 2 May 2024; Fulton county, nr. DeKalb Peachtree Airport, 33.87228°N, 84.2856°W, August 2024; Morningside Nature Preserve, 33.80725°N, 84.3556°W; Buckhead, Atlanta, 33.80868°N, 84.40223°W, 30 April 2023; and Newton county, W. Soule St., Oxford. 33.62644°N, 83.87391°W, 11 June 2024. All specimens collected from Chinese privet, L. sinense.

3.3 Host range tests

Of the 22 test species included in our no choice assays, feeding damage was reported from 16, eggs were found on 13, and mature larvae were produced from nine (Figure 3). While mature larvae were produced from both L. sinense, and L. vulgare, we found no evidence that A. tsekooni can reproduce on L. japonicum. It is clear from the no choice assays that A. tsekooni is not limited to Ligustrum. Mature larvae were produced from other members of the subtribe Ligustrinae as well as from multiple species within the tribe Oleeae.

Figure 3: No-choice assays were used to assess the utilization of various plant species by Argopistes tsekooni. Measured responses were area damaged by feeding activity, the number of eggs laid, and the number of mature larvae produced. There were 10 replicates for all species except for Ligustrum sinense and Chionanthus pygmaeus for which there were 80 and four, respectively. The names of native species appear in bold.
Figure 3:

No-choice assays were used to assess the utilization of various plant species by Argopistes tsekooni. Measured responses were area damaged by feeding activity, the number of eggs laid, and the number of mature larvae produced. There were 10 replicates for all species except for Ligustrum sinense and Chionanthus pygmaeus for which there were 80 and four, respectively. The names of native species appear in bold.

Our choice tests show that A. tsekooni will readily feed and lay eggs on multiple species of Oleaceae, including L. sinense and L. vulgare, S. meyeri, C. virginicus, F. acuminata, F. pubescens, F. segregata, and F. pennsylvanica (Figure 4). In the first choice test, there were significant differences in the amount of damage observed (χ 2(7) = 22.01, p < 0.01) as well as the number of eggs (χ 2(7) = 22.58, p < 0.01) among test species. In that test, we observed significantly less damage and fewer eggs on O. europaea and O. americanus than on all other tested species (Figure 4). We also detected significant differences in damage (χ 2(6) = 16.94, p < 0.01) and egg number (χ 2(6) = 17.99, p < 0.01) among test species included in the second choice test. In that test, we detected more damage and eggs on L. sinense and L. vulgare than on L. japonicum or F. americana (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Two choice tests were used to assess the utilization of different host plants by Argopistes tsekooni. Response variables were damaged area and the number of eggs observed. The names of native species appear in bold.
Figure 4:

Two choice tests were used to assess the utilization of different host plants by Argopistes tsekooni. Response variables were damaged area and the number of eggs observed. The names of native species appear in bold.

4 Discussion

The unexpected establishment of A. tsekooni in the southeastern U.S. may prove beneficial with respect to reducing the dominance and spread of Chinese privet (L. sinense), one of the most problematic invasive plant species in the region. Control options were previously limited to mechanical and chemical treatments which, though effective, provided only temporary and local benefits (Miller et al. 2010). In China, Zhang et al. (2011) found high densities of A. tsekooni to significantly reduce growth, biomass, and number of leaves in container-grown Chinese privet. Moreover, mortality was observed within one month of feeding at the highest densities. Based on those results, the authors predicted that A. tsekooni could be effective at reducing the fitness of Chinese privet outside its native range. Although more research is needed to determine the effects of A. tsekooni on L. sinense growth and survival in the southeastern U.S., our preliminary observations suggest A. tsekooni may significantly reduce the competitive advantage of L. sinense within the region.

Despite the potential benefits of A. tsekooni as a natural enemy of L. sinense, it is clear from our host range tests that the species will readily feed and reproduce on a wide range of species within the tribe Oleeae, including many species native to North America. These include species of Fraxinus already under threat from emerald ash borer, as well as species of Forestiera and Chionanthus. Research on A. tsekooni as a candidate biocontrol agent was discontinued based on the results presented herein that were collected over a decade ago. Although A. tsekooni can utilize a wide range of hosts, it is clear from our results that suitability varies greatly among even closely related species. For example, A. tsekooni more readily fed upon and reproduced more successfully on L. vulgare and L. sinense than on L. japonicum. The species exhibited a similar preference for certain Fraxinus species compared to others. Such patterns may be due in part to differences in the physical properties of leaves. For example, L. japonicum produces much thicker leaves than L. sinense and L. vulgare and may be less suitable for the leaf-mining larvae of A. tsekooni as a result. Indeed, foliage thickness was found to be one of the most important determinants of leaf mining insect richness in a previous study (Bairstow et al. 2010).

It is unclear when or how A. tsekooni became established in the southeastern U.S. The species was likely introduced several years prior to detection given the fact it is already well established across a large area. Based on our observations, the density and damage caused by A. tsekooni appear to decrease as one moves eastward from Atlanta. These observations suggest that the established populations of A. tsekooni reported here likely did not originate from specimens escaping from the quarantine facility overseen by the USDA Forest Service in Oconee county near Athens. Although we were able to collect several adults off privet behind that facility in 2024, the beetle was far less common and had caused much less damage to privet there than at sites visited near Atlanta. More research will be needed to determine the species’ point of introduction and current distribution within the southeastern U.S.

Corresponding author: Michael Ulyshen, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Athens, GA, USA, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

We thank John Nowak for early communications about this situation and Chris Asaro for sharing coordinates of an established population of A. tsekooni in Atlanta. We also thank Alexander Konstantinov (Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Washington, DC) for confirming the identity of A. tsekooni, for providing images of the adult and male genitalia used in Fig. 2, and a photocopy of the original description of A. tsekooni. This paper was written and prepared in part by U.S. Government employees on official time, and therefore it is in the public domain and not subject to copyright. The findings and conclusions in this publication are those of the authors and should not be construed to represent an official USDA, Forest Service, or U.S. Government determination or policy.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: Michael Ulyshen: performed field work, conducted the analyses, and wrote the first draft of the paper; E. Richard Hoebeke: provided a redescription of A. tsekooni and contributed to the paper; Yanzhuo Zhang; conducted host range tests and provided edits to the paper; James Hanula; oversaw host range tests and provided edits to the paper; Scott Horn; assisted with host range tests and provided edits to the paper; Gabriel Mills; detected populations of A. tsekooni and provided edits to the paper. All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Received: 2024-10-15
Accepted: 2025-01-06
Published Online: 2025-03-12

© 2025 the author(s), published by De Gruyter on behalf of the Florida Entomological Society

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. Establishment and monitoring of a sentinel garden of Asian tree species in Florida to assess potential insect pest risks
  4. Parasitism of Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) sentinel eggs in Central Florida
  5. Genetic differentiation of three populations of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in Mexico
  6. Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) associated with blueberry cultivation in Central Mexico
  7. First report of Phidotricha erigens (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae) injuring mango inflorescences in Puerto Rico
  8. Seed predation of Sabal palmetto, Sabal mexicana and Sabal uresana (Arecaceae) by the bruchid Caryobruchus gleditsiae (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), with new host and distribution records
  9. Genetic variation of rice stink bugs, Oebalus spp. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Southeastern United States and Cuba
  10. Selecting Coriandrum sativum (Apiaceae) varieties to promote conservation biological control of crop pests in south Florida
  11. First record of Mymarommatidae (Hymenoptera) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
  12. First field validation of Ontsira mellipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as a potential biological control agent for Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in South Carolina
  13. Field evaluation of α-copaene enriched natural oil lure for detection of male Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in area-wide monitoring programs: results from Tunisia, Costa Rica and Hawaii
  14. Abundance of Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and other thrips in commercial snap bean fields in the Homestead Agricultural Area (HAA)
  15. Performance of Salvinia molesta (Salviniae: Salviniaceae) and its biological control agent Cyrtobagous salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in freshwater and saline environments
  16. Natural arsenal of Magnolia sarcotesta: insecticidal activity against the leaf-cutting ant Atta mexicana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
  17. Ethanol concentration can influence the outcomes of insecticide evaluation of ambrosia beetle attacks using wood bolts
  18. Post-release support of host range predictions for two Lygodium microphyllum biological control agents
  19. Missing jewels: the decline of a wood-nesting forest bee, Augochlora pura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), in northern Georgia
  20. Biological response of Rhopalosiphum padi and Sipha flava (Hemiptera: Aphididae) changes over generations
  21. Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a new natural enemy of Chinese privet in North America: identification, establishment, and host range
  22. A non-overwintering urban population of the African fig fly (Diptera: Drosophilidae) impacts the reproductive output of locally adapted fruit flies
  23. Fitness of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) on four economically important host fruits from Fujian Province, China
  24. Carambola fruit fly in Brazil: new host and first record of associated parasitoids
  25. Establishment and range expansion of invasive Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae) in Texas
  26. A micro-anatomical investigation of dark and light-adapted eyes of Chilades pandava (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
  27. Scientific Notes
  28. Early stragglers of periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) found in Louisiana
  29. Attraction of released male Mediterranean fruit flies to trimedlure and an α-copaene-containing natural oil: effects of lure age and distance
  30. Co-infestation with Drosophila suzukii and Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae): a threat for berry crops in Morelos, Mexico
  31. Observation of brood size and altricial development in Centruroides hentzi (Arachnida: Buthidae) in Florida, USA
  32. New quarantine cold treatment for medfly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in pomegranates
  33. A new invasive pest in Mexico: the presence of Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in chili pepper fields
  34. Acceptance of fire ant baits by nontarget ants in Florida and California
  35. Examining phenotypic variations in an introduced population of the invasive dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
  36. Note on the nesting biology of Epimelissodes aegis LaBerge (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
  37. Mass rearing protocol and density trials of Lilioceris egena (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent of air potato
  38. Cardinal predation of the invasive Jorō spider Trichophila clavata (Araneae: Nephilidae) in Georgia
  39. Retraction
  40. Retraction of: Examining phenotypic variations in an introduced population of the invasive dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
https://doi.org/10.1515/flaent-2024-0079
Keywords for this article
biological control; herbivore; host specificity; non-native; non-target impacts
Creative Commons
BY 4.0

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. Establishment and monitoring of a sentinel garden of Asian tree species in Florida to assess potential insect pest risks
  4. Parasitism of Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) sentinel eggs in Central Florida
  5. Genetic differentiation of three populations of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in Mexico
  6. Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) associated with blueberry cultivation in Central Mexico
  7. First report of Phidotricha erigens (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae) injuring mango inflorescences in Puerto Rico
  8. Seed predation of Sabal palmetto, Sabal mexicana and Sabal uresana (Arecaceae) by the bruchid Caryobruchus gleditsiae (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), with new host and distribution records
  9. Genetic variation of rice stink bugs, Oebalus spp. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Southeastern United States and Cuba
  10. Selecting Coriandrum sativum (Apiaceae) varieties to promote conservation biological control of crop pests in south Florida
  11. First record of Mymarommatidae (Hymenoptera) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
  12. First field validation of Ontsira mellipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) as a potential biological control agent for Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in South Carolina
  13. Field evaluation of α-copaene enriched natural oil lure for detection of male Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in area-wide monitoring programs: results from Tunisia, Costa Rica and Hawaii
  14. Abundance of Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and other thrips in commercial snap bean fields in the Homestead Agricultural Area (HAA)
  15. Performance of Salvinia molesta (Salviniae: Salviniaceae) and its biological control agent Cyrtobagous salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in freshwater and saline environments
  16. Natural arsenal of Magnolia sarcotesta: insecticidal activity against the leaf-cutting ant Atta mexicana (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
  17. Ethanol concentration can influence the outcomes of insecticide evaluation of ambrosia beetle attacks using wood bolts
  18. Post-release support of host range predictions for two Lygodium microphyllum biological control agents
  19. Missing jewels: the decline of a wood-nesting forest bee, Augochlora pura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), in northern Georgia
  20. Biological response of Rhopalosiphum padi and Sipha flava (Hemiptera: Aphididae) changes over generations
  21. Argopistes tsekooni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a new natural enemy of Chinese privet in North America: identification, establishment, and host range
  22. A non-overwintering urban population of the African fig fly (Diptera: Drosophilidae) impacts the reproductive output of locally adapted fruit flies
  23. Fitness of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) on four economically important host fruits from Fujian Province, China
  24. Carambola fruit fly in Brazil: new host and first record of associated parasitoids
  25. Establishment and range expansion of invasive Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae) in Texas
  26. A micro-anatomical investigation of dark and light-adapted eyes of Chilades pandava (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
  27. Scientific Notes
  28. Early stragglers of periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) found in Louisiana
  29. Attraction of released male Mediterranean fruit flies to trimedlure and an α-copaene-containing natural oil: effects of lure age and distance
  30. Co-infestation with Drosophila suzukii and Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae): a threat for berry crops in Morelos, Mexico
  31. Observation of brood size and altricial development in Centruroides hentzi (Arachnida: Buthidae) in Florida, USA
  32. New quarantine cold treatment for medfly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in pomegranates
  33. A new invasive pest in Mexico: the presence of Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in chili pepper fields
  34. Acceptance of fire ant baits by nontarget ants in Florida and California
  35. Examining phenotypic variations in an introduced population of the invasive dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
  36. Note on the nesting biology of Epimelissodes aegis LaBerge (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
  37. Mass rearing protocol and density trials of Lilioceris egena (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent of air potato
  38. Cardinal predation of the invasive Jorō spider Trichophila clavata (Araneae: Nephilidae) in Georgia
  39. Retraction
  40. Retraction of: Examining phenotypic variations in an introduced population of the invasive dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
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