Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

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adamcotton
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Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

Post by adamcotton »

A new paper has been published on Papilio demoleus in Cyprus:

John, E., Bağlar, H. & G. Konstantinou 2023. Has Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) succeeded in becoming established in Cyprus? Evidence from citizen science reports in 2022. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 159: 87–95.

Abstract:

Overwintering success of Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758, a recently arrived Swallowtail to the Mediterranean basin, has been such that we are able to report on dispersal of the species into 50×5km2-UTM squares in Cyprus. Citizen science reports, appropriately verified, have been invaluable in assessing the spread of a papilionid that was first reported from Cyprus in August 2021. These observations, supplemented by others from members of the Cyprus Butterfly Study Group, point to a known area of occupation representing ca. 11% of the island in just one year. However, the distances separating observations from the main concentration in central/eastern areas of the island with those reported from coasts around the island, strongly support a belief that the species has a far greater distribution in Cyprus. In turn, as the species has survived throughout an unusually cold winter during 2021/2022, this leads us to hypothesize that a successful, potentially permanent, range expansion has been achieved. Until more is known about the adaptation of P. demoleus to pertaining environmental conditions in Cyprus, where five annual generations appear achievable, we urge caution before the tag of ‘pest species’, as applied in other parts of the world, is attached to P. demoleus in Mediterranean regions.

Eddie has told me that the species has been recorded this year in large numbers too, suggesting that it has clearly established itself on the island. It will be interesting to see if it can spread further westward in the Mediterranean.

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Re: Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

Post by wollastoni »

A great addition to the European fauna !
I have always wondered why P. demoleus (or demodocus) hasn't conquered the Mediterannean shores.

I guess they arrived in Cyprus through Citrus tree importation from Asia.
I doubt it would be a threat for the Citrus industry today, as they already use outrageous amounts of pesticide (except organic cultures of course).
But as most private gardens have a Citrus there, it would find plenty of host plants to thrive.

The good thing is that it should not compete with other local species, as I can't figure any local lepidoptera that eats exclusively Citrus.

The only issue could be the human reaction : even more pesticides or the introduction of a natural parasite who would exterminate local butterflies too. For those who don't know, it is what happened on Reunion island 70 years ago. An entomologist introduced P. demodocus and it became an issue for the local Citrus industry. Other state-funded entomologists decided to import a parasitic wasp which control demodocus population in Africa. The result has been the rarification of endemic Reunion butterflies (Papilio phorbanta, Salamis augustina ...), which have suffered a lot of this new parasite... and demodocus is still there.
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Re: Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

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wollastoni wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:46 am I guess they arrived in Cyprus through Citrus tree importation from Asia.
Not really, they crossed from Turkey, Lebanon or Syria in 2021. P. demoleus has gradually been moving westwards from Iran in the past years. Previous papers have discussed the origin of the species in Cyprus.

See
John, E., Bağlar, H., Başbay, O. & Salimeh, M. 2021. First appearance in Cyprus of Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), as it continues its predicted westward spread in the Palaearctic region. Entomologist’s Gazette 72: 257–264.
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed considerable range expansion of the migratory Indo-Australian papilionid Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 from the Gulf States. Following dispersal / migration into central Syria, a rapid and extensive colonisation of the eastern Mediterranean coastlines of Syria soon ensued, with penetration into neighbouring regions of Turkey and Lebanon. Further westward spread had been anticipated and here we report on the species’ first appearance in Cyprus. We hypothesise that westward trans-Mediterranean migration brought small numbers of immigrants to the island, and from the pristine nature of the individuals, it is considered that those seen in August 2021 were the progeny of an earlier, unnoticed migration. We also record the Levant’s first known example of marine puddling by P. demoleus.

and
John, E., Bağlar, H., Başbay, O., Konstantinou, G. & Wiemers, M. 2022. Confirmation of the presence of nominotypical Papilio demoleus demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in Cyprus, with additional notes on breeding and potential colonization. Entomologist’s Gazette 73: 117–128.
Abstract
The arrival of Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 in Cyprus in 2021 signalled the species’ first appearance in a country of the European Union attributable to range expansion from mainland coastal regions to the east, rather than by human-mediated activity. Molecular work on the Cyprus taxon has shown this to belong to nominotypical P. demoleus demoleus, matching exactly results of similar work carried out on specimens from Mediterranean Syria. Breeding of Papilio demoleus on three species of Citrus at various urban locations in Cyprus has been confirmed, and from which observations it is apparent that two broods were achieved in late summer/autumn of 2021. As has been the experience in neighbouring Mediterranean Turkey and Syria, overwintering success is thought likely.

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Re: Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

Post by adamcotton »

wollastoni wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:46 am An entomologist introduced P. demodocus and it became an issue for the local Citrus industry. Other state-funded entomologists decided to import a parasitic wasp which control demodocus population in Africa.
Therein lies the innate problem of attempting to eliminate a species by parasitoid biocontrol. Elimination can never actually be achieved, only reduction of the pest population numbers. As the pests become rarer the numbers of the biocontrol parasitoids also go down, and they form a cyclical synchronised population. When the numbers of parasitoids increase the pest population decreases, but the parasitoids never actually kill all the pests. As a result subsequent generations of parasitoids cannot find hosts, and their numbers decrease. Then the numbers of the pest species increase again and as a result the parasitoid population starts to increase in numbers again and the cycle repeats.

In the case of the parasitoid introduced to control P. demodocus in Reunion, unfortunately it was also able to parasitize the local species, making those much rarer than before as well.

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Re: Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

Post by wollastoni »

adamcotton wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:15 am Not really, they crossed from Turkey, Lebanon or Syria in 2021. P. demoleus has gradually been moving westwards from Iran in the past years. Previous papers have discussed the origin of the species in Cyprus.
Thanks, the distribution map I looked at wasn't up-to-date then.
It confirms a fast expansion in Turkey and now Cyprus, it should very soon reach Greece then.
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Re: Papilio demoleus in Cyprus

Post by wollastoni »

adamcotton wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:27 am Therein lies the innate problem of attempting to eliminate a species by parasitoid biocontrol. Elimination can never actually be achieved, only reduction of the pest population numbers. As the pests become rarer the numbers of the biocontrol parasitoids also go down, and they form a cyclical synchronised population. When the numbers of parasitoids increase the pest population decreases, but the parasitoids never actually kill all the pests. As a result subsequent generations of parasitoids cannot find hosts, and their numbers decrease. Then the numbers of the pest species increase again and as a result the parasitoid population starts to increase in numbers again and the cycle repeats.
Sure.
The goal was indeed to "control" the demodocus explosion, not to eradicate it. It partially worked but has been a disaster for local endemic species.
A sad story with succesful wrong human decisions (as often...).
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