Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Some European Countries: Diffusion, Hosts, Molecular Characterization, and Natural Enemies

After the first record in 2008 in Southeast Italy, the alien invasive and quarantine pestAleurocanthus spiniferus (orange spiny whitefly--OSW) has gradually spread throughout Europe,infesting several new host plants in addition to the known hosts. Molecular characterization of someItalian populations and a newly found Albanian population highlighted two different haplotypesinvading Europe, belonging to one of the haplogroups previously recorded in China. A predatorwas recorded for the first time in several fields in Italy in association with OSW and other whiteflyspecies. It was successively identified through a morpho-molecular characterization as a Nearcticmember of the tribe Serangiini, the ladybird beetle, Delphastus catalinae. This predator represents apromising biocontrol agent to manage A. spiniferus outbreaks in Italy and other invaded countries.