Erthesina fullo insect detected for the first time in Brazil

By Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages

An exotic species of stink bug with the scientific name of Erthesina fullo, originating in Southeast Asia, was detected in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, causing concern among local researchers. 

So far, the insect has been sighted in several neighborhoods in the coastal city of Santos.

This species has been attracting attention in recent years, especially after being found in Albania and New Zealand, where environmental authorities issued alerts to the population to inform them as soon as they learned of the presence of Erthesina in their communities.

According to the Brazilian researchers, the insect probably arrived on a container ship and could threaten the biodiversity and agriculture in the tropical country. This is because it can spread and become a pest, as it can reproduce easily in warm habitats.

The researchers contacted the Environmental Secretariat of Santos (Semam), who are monitoring the sightings of this bug in the city. They feed on ingás, a species of fruit tree native to Brazil.

Through a note, Semam informed that it has already communicated to IBAMA (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), that it is a federal responsibility since the origin of the bug was probably the port area.

Researcher Yan Lima, from the Catholic University of Santos, was the one who made the first record of the stink bug in Brazil in November 2020. He registered the discovery on the iNaturalist website, an initiative of the California Academy of Sciences (USA) and the National Geographic Society, where the scientific community and lay observers share important findings.

The Erthesina fullo bug is a polygaphous insect, and it reproduces easily, producing two to three generations each year. Though harmless to humans, it is highly adaptable and voracious. In China, it feeds on more than 57 types of plants, including fruit trees. Some are economically important, such as kiwi, pear, peach, apple and pomegranate crops.

The last international study published on the subject points out that in 1991 alone, the Chinese province of Shaanxi had a loss of US$181 to $362 per hectare in kiwi fruit orchards after the insect caused a loss of 10% to 30% in the cultivation.

Dr. Feng Zhang, one of the authors of the research, says countries must carry out a biosafety risk assessment, develop a surveillance program, and an emergency plan before the insects invade planting areas.