SAPERDA TRIDENTATA OLIVIER (COLEOPTERA CERAMBYCIDAE LAMIINAE): CONTINUOUS INTERCEPTIONS AT THE ITALIAN PORT OF LIVORNO REPRESENT A GROWING CHALLENGE FOR PHYTOSANITARY SERVICES

Trade of plant material poses a potential risk for accidental introductions of alien pests. Despite prevention and control measures, many exotic species have been unintentionally introduced into the Italian peninsula in the last decades. From April 2016 to March 2019, infested wood material from several areas of the USA was intercepted by phytosanitary authorities at the port of Livorno (Tuscany, Italy). The longhorn beetle Saperda tridentata was detected in six shipments containing heavily infested elm logs (Ulmus rubra) with bark. All the interceptions were made thanks to a national monitoring network including the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MIPAAF), the Regional Phytosanitary Services, the Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification (CREA-DC) and other Italian scientific institutions. Our findings suggest that monitoring of timber shipments should be further developed not only at the entry ports but also, and particularly, in the countries of origin. Moreover, a shift in phytosanitary policies such as introducing mandatory wood treatments (e.g. debarking, fumigation or heat treatments) prior to shipment would be advisable as it could drastically reduce introductions of alien pests and streamline all inspection procedures.