Oak (Quercus spp.) ratio preferences of oak lace bug ( Corythucha arcuata) at the front line of its spread

There is increasing evidence of the effects of tree species composition on herbivores, with numerous examples of smaller damage caused in tree-species-rich forests. We investigated the effect of tree species richness on leaf damage caused by the oak lace bug, Corythucha arcuata, a rapidly spreading invasive pest of oak trees. We found no significant effect of the percentage of oak in the investigated forests on the level of C. arcuata infection. We have shown that higher infection categories are significantly more frequent next to roads at the initial stage of the invasion. We conclude that a mixture of tree species does not significantly reduce the impact of C. arcuata on oak foliage. This highlights the importance of further investigation of biological control options against this invasive pest.