Here I am! Evidence of a Hymenopteran larval parasitoid attacking the Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) in Germany confirmed

The box tree pyralid moth (Cydalima perspectalis), which originates from Asia and has been introduced to Europe in 2006, has now infested several countries and continents outside its natural distribution. This herbivore is specialized on Buxus spp. and has destroyed not only many ornamental plantings, which are often of historical value, but also boxwood in its natural range, where it is often part of certain forest types. To date, no effective natural enemies are known, and plantings can only be saved by frequent insecticide applications, while natural boxwoods are threatened or have already gone extinct after massive outbreaks of this pest. During a monitoring in 2025, we discovered a parasitoid population in one of the first infested natural Buxus spp. stands in Europe, the boxwood forest near Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany. According to our data, this Campoplegine larval parasitoid, Eriborus sp., is not native, but may have been accidentally introduced in the years after the introduction of its host nearby

Outbreak dynamics of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b euBB, in black-headed gulls and common terns in Germany in 2023

Since the winter of 2022/23, the high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype euBB, has caused extensive mortality among wild birds. This genotype emerged in France in spring 2022 through reassortment between a gull-adapted low-pathogenicity virus and HPAIV H5N1. Here, we investigate the spread, virus-related mortality, and population-level impact of genotype euBB in black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and common terns (Sterna hirundo) in Germany using phylogeographic analyses, ringing data, and information on spatiotemporal outbreak patterns. Transmission into German breeding colonies involved multiple independent incursions, likely associated with black-headed gulls returning from their wintering grounds in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. It spilled over into common terns, and led to high adult mortality in both species in 2023 (at least 8,137 black-headed gulls and 614 common terns; > 3% of the breeding population), followed by significant breeding pair declines in 2024 (-16% in black-headed gulls, -6% in common terns). Increased immunity, at least in common terns, may have contributed to the apparent subsequent fade-out of genotype euBB. These findings highlight how integrating ornithological, epidemiological, and virological data can aid our understanding of viral transmission routes and population-level impacts, while also stressing that HPAIV should be added to the growing list of pressures on seabirds, a group that was already the most threatened among all bird taxa globally

Hydrological conditions outweigh soil texture, temperature, and terrain in German agricultural land use

Background The availability of fertile land suitable for agriculture is limited. In the European Union, political demand for self-sufficiency in staple food production currently competes with increasing ambitions for nature restoration and green energy. Meanwhile, the overall agricultural area shrinks due to land sealing. This makes an efficient use of land area essential. Aims With Germany as a case study, we determined which soil, terrain, and climate properties govern current agricultural land use and historic land-use change (LUC) to inform future land-use decisions. Methods Using data from the 3104 sites of the German Agricultural Soil Inventory, we defined land-use categories based on 100-year histories for permanent cropland, permanent grassland, and conversions between cropland and grassland. Conditional inference forest models used static edaphoclimatic variables to predict land-use type likelihood. Results Low precipitation, deep groundwater, or Luvisol or Cambisol soils favored the centennial continuous use of land as cropland. High precipitation, shallow groundwater, or Gleysol/Fluvisol/Histosol soils favored permanent grassland. LUC sites showed drivers similar to their destination permanent land use. For example, the likelihood of cropland-to-grassland conversion increased with higher precipitation and showed sharp increases, especially on land with mean annual precipitation >900 mm y−1, whereas slope terrain was of secondary importance. Conclusions Land use in Germany largely depends on factors related to hydrological properties (i.e., precipitation and drainage properties) rather than soil texture, temperature, and terrain per se. The patterns outlined in this study provide novel insights into how differences in site properties affect land use and can be used to inform future LUC priorities