We report for the first time the presence of the globally distributed and
extremely polyphagous pest species—the crescent-marked lily aphid (or mottled
arum aphid) (Neomyzus circumflexus L.) (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aphididae)—in
Greenland. This species, of alien origin, was found on the ornamental plant
Salix arbuscula L., imported from Denmark and sold in the main supermarket
of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. As this species is not the preferred host
plant of N. circumflexus, the possibility must be considered that the aphids were
not imported along with S. arbuscula from the mainland but were transferred
from other imported ornamental plants sold in the store. Supermarkets selling
decorative plants may be becoming reservoirs of alien species, facilitating the
movement of aphids and other alien species that “hop on, hop off,” to borrow
a phrase from the tourism industry. As unintentional introductions present the
greatest threats to the Arctic ecosystems, a stricter approach to regional biosecurity
needs to be considered and non-native species control and eradication
should be implemented
