The risk analysis was prompted by the occurrence of this leafhopper in Baden-Württemberg on Vitis sp. and Parthenocissus sp.

The leafhopper Erasmoneura vulnerata, native to North America, is already present in the EU.

It is not yet listed in the annexes to Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 or by EPPO.

Due to the increasing spread of the species in the EU, a full express risk analysis was not carried out.

Erasmoneura vulnerata infects Vitis vinifera and other Vitis species and can also infect Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Bush ivy) and Cercis siliquastrum (Judas tree). Other host plants mentioned in the literature, but apparently not yet infected in the EU, include Ilex decidua (deciduous winterberry) and Aesculus spp. (horse chestnut).

The cicada was first detected in Italy in 2004, but remained a minor pest for more than ten years. Since 2016, however, it has been causing severe leaf damage in commercial vineyards, despite the use of insecticides. Even more severe infestations have been observed in organic farming, presumably due to lower efficacy of insecticides.

E. vulnerata first appeared in Slovenia in 2011, in Romania in 2016, in Switzerland in 2019, in Serbia and Bulgaria in 2021, in Hungary and Moldova in 2022, and in Austria in 2023. In Germany, it has been found in Karlsruhe (Baden-Württemberg), and in the towns of Wörth am Rhein and Germersheim (Germersheim district, Rheinland-Pfalz state) since 2024. 

In northern Italy, the cicada has two to three generations per year. The eggs are laid in the tissue of the larger leaf veins, especially in the midrib; the peak of egg-laying is in June (first generation) and August (second generation). The nymphs and adults are mainly found on the upper surface of the leaves. Exuviae are found on the underside of the leaves.

It can be assumed that, due to suitable climatic conditions, the cicada can establish itself outdoors in warmer regions of Germany, but not in other areas.

Erasmoneura vulnerata can cause massive damage, but it already occurs in the EU and has a high potential for spreading. Since the spread of this cicada is already well advanced and can no longer be sufficiently contained by phytosanitary measures, E. vulnerata does not meet the requirements of Article 29 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031.