Climate Change

Climate change is bringing warmer summers and longer growing seasons, and that is not only beneficial to heat-loving plants, but also to bugs.
Here are the main harmful insects that we will see more often or much more in the United Kingdom:

Aphids

• Why more? They survive mild winters better and have more generations per year.
• Damage: increased foraging + spread of viruses, such as Beet western yellows virus (BWYV).
• Crops: potato, grain, sugar beet, vegetable, fruit.
• Additional problem: faster resistance to pesticides.

Thrips

• Why more. Love heat and dryness.
• Damage: silvery spots, growth inhibition, virus transmission.
• Crops: onion, leek, bell bell pepper, cucumber, ornamental plants.
• Increasingly difficult to control, even in outdoor cultivation.
• Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) will be seen more often.

Western corn rootworm

• Why relevant. Already found regularly in Europe; The United Kingdom is becoming attractive to the Western corn rootworm.
• Damage: Root damage → falling plants.
• Crop: sweetcorn.
• Bug number one in some countries.

Tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta)

• Why worrying. Heat-loving species advancing rapidly in Europe.
• Damage: leaf mines in leaves and fruits.
• Crops: Tomato (greenhouse and outdoor crops).
• Very high propagation rate.

Cabbage root fly and Onion fly

• Why more damage? More generations per year.
• Damage: larvae eat roots and bulbs.
• Crops: cabbage, onion, leeks.
• Climate + stricter resource legislation are a tricky combination.

Colorado potato beetle

• Why comeback? In warm summers, Colorado beetles reproduce faster.
• Damage: gnawed potato plants.
• Crop: potato.
• Traditionally a notorious pest, but long under control – that may be changing.

New & advancing exotics

• Spotted wing drosophila:
• Status: now present in NL and B, but numbers are growing.
• Damage: infestation of ripening fruit.
• Crops: strawberry, cherry, raspberry, blueberry.
• Hot, humid summers = disaster years.
• Mediterranean moths & bugs
  These species survive winters better and expand their habitat northward:
• Green shield bug (Palomena prasina)
• Brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys)
• Other types of tortrix moths

What does this all mean for agriculture?

• More and more extensive infestations during the season
• Faster population building
• More virus problems
• Less effective chemical agents
• Greater role for IPM, monitoring and prevention