Norwegian Journal of Entomology - Norsk entomologisk forening

The mistletoe associated psyllid Cacopsylla visci
(Curtis, 1835) (Homo ptera, Psyllidae) in Norway
Lars Ove Hansen & Ian D. Hodkinson
INTRODUCTION
The Fennoscandian populations of mistletoe
(Viscum album) are small and restricted (Hultén
1971). In Norway the distribution covers
some small islands in the Oslofjord and some
populations on the adjacent mainland (Hanssen
1933, Lid 1985). In Sweden mistletoe is found
around Mälaren, some places in Kalmar and
one place in Östergötland (Hultén 1971, Lid
1985). The Danish populations are restricted to
the westcoast of Zealand, but it is also present
some other places where it has been introduced
to gardens. Mistletoe is not found in Finland. The
present distribution of V. album is given in Figure
1. Several species of insects are associated with
V. album in C and S Europe (e.g. Coleoptera,
Hemiptera), but none of these have hitherto been
recorded in the Nordic countries. This contribution
deals with the first record of the psyllid Cacopsylla
visci (Curtis, 1835) in the Nordic countries.
According to Klima szew ski (1973), this species
is monophagous on V. album in Europe.
THE RECORDS
Norw. J. Entomol. 53, 89-91, 22 May 2006
Hansen, L. O. & Hodkinson, I.D. 2006. The mistletoe associated psyllid Cacopsylla visci (Curtis,
1835) (Homoptera, Psyllidae) in Norway. Norw. J. Entomol. 53, 89–91.
Approximately 50 specimens of Cacopsylla visci were reared from a branch of mistletoe (Viscum
album) collected on the small Oslofjord island of Mølen at Hurum, E Buskerud (BØ); July 1990.
Attacks were also observed in July 1999, and both adults and nymphs (IV-V) were observed in early
May 2000, which indicates that the species may hibernate in these stages. This is the first Fennoscandian
records of the species and represents most probably a new northern limit for the species.
Key-words: Homoptera, Psyllidae, mistletoe, Viscum album, Tilio-Ulmetum, Oslofjord, Mølen.
Lars Ove Hansen, Zoological section, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, POBox 1172
Blindern, NO-0562 Oslo, Norway. E-mail: l.o.hansen@nhm.uio.no.
Ian D. Hodkinson, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University,
Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, England.
Attacks by the psyllid Cacopsylla visci (Curtis,
1835) were recorded on the island of Mølen
in E Buskerud BØ, Hurum: (EIS 19; UTM
32VNL8595) on V. album. A small branch (c. 15
cm.) attacked by nymphs (II-V) was collected on 4
July 1990, and about 50 psyllids hatched through
July and early August. Later attacks of C. visci
were observed in July 1999, and both adults and
nymphs (IV-V) were observed in early May 2000.
This may indicate that the species hibernates in
these stages. The collected material is deposited
in the collections at the Natural History Museum,
University of Oslo.
The island Mølen is 0.25 km 2 and lies about 3.5
km from the mainland. The flora is interesting
from a national point of view (Hagen 1950).
Remarkably, here is an old and dense elm-lime
forest (Tilio-Ulmetum), which covers a large part
of the interior of the island. An interesting insect
and arachnid fauna has been recorded (Hauge &
Hansen 1991, Hansen & Ligaard 1992). Mistletoe
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