Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, its potential spread and economic and ecological consequences in Germany

Diabrotica virgifera virgifera has an important natural spreading potential in Europe. In 2003 this maize pest was introduced in 5 locations in West Europe, one of them was Blotzheim in Alsace (France) near the German border. A simulation of the spreading starting from the introduction point in Alsace over ten years results in an infested area of 1,3 million ha maize with France with 830,000 ha and Germany with 400,000 ha maize most affected. In the Federal Land of Baden-Wuerttemberg the Western corn rootworm would infest nearly the entire maize area with more than 140,000 ha over ten years. More than 38,000 ha maize are at high risk i.e. economic damage is expected. A total pecuniary loss of about 20 million Euro would accumulate over the considered spreading period of one decade in the high risk areas of Baden-Wuerttemberg