Squamura spp. (Lepidoptera: Cossoidea: Metarbelidae) damaging urban trees in Vietnam

Squamura disciplaga (Swinhoe, 1901) and Squamura maculata Heylaerts, 1890 (Lepidoptera: Cossoidea: Metarbelidae) were identified as serious emerging pests damaging urban and plantation trees in Vietnam. This study found that S. disciplaga attacked Dipterocarpus alatus and S. maculata attacked Bauhinia variegata and D. alatus. The larvae are bark or wood feeders. Attacked trees were visibly weakened. Damage incidence (P%) of S. disciplaga in D. alatus trees was 56.3–68.1% and damage severity (R%) was 25.7–39.5%. The P% and R% of S. maculata in B. variegata was 25.8–39.3% and 16.8–28.6%, respectively, which were higher than in D. alatus trees (P% 11.9–13.5%, R% 6.5–6.8%). Research to develop management solutions for these pests is recommended.