News

The fuchsia gall mite (Aculops fuchsiea) is on its way through Europe.

In 2003 the fuchsia gall mite was brouhgt with cuttings from Northern America to France, in 2005 the same happend to Germany. Also infected is the Island of Jersey.

Currently the following regions are infected:
in France the departments of Finistere, Cotes-du-Nord, Morbihan, Illes-et-Villaine and Loire-Atlantique, as well as the city of Angers and the isle of Bréhat;
in the United Kingdom not only the island of Jersey but - as of Septenbre 2007 - also the south of England;
in Germany the area of Wolfhagen (near Kassel).

For details of the infected areas click here

It seems that aculops is dispersed mainly by birds, bees, and wind, but also by gardener's fingers or fuchsia lovers, who transport the mite with plants or cuttings.

If plants are infected, the possibilities to fight the gall mite are limited and depending on national laws partialle restricted for non-comercial gardeners. Mainly the plants have to be treated with an akarizid or an aphizid (against plant louses), but available means do not destroy the whole mite population (for details see here).

Therefor Euro-Fuchsia's warning: Do not bring fuchsia plants or cuttings from the infection areas to other parts of Europe.