Impacts on Insect and Mite Pests - Climate Resilient Agriculture for Ensuring Food Security - page 124

Table 7.4 Published reports of empirical studies on impact of climate change on future geographic range and
distribution of insect pests

Impact on insects/ behavioral
response Order/family Host plant(s)

Insect pest References

Corn earworms, Heliothis
zea and Helicoverpa
armigera

Lepidoptera:
Noctuidae

Maize Altitude-wise range expansion

and increased overwintering
survival in the USA

Diffenbaugh
et al. ( 2008 )

European corn borer,
Ostrinia nubilalis

Maize Northward shifts in the

potential distribution up to
1,220 km are estimated to occur

Porter et al.
( 1991 )

An additional generation per
season

104 common
microlepidoptera species
inhabitant in Netherlands

Lepidoptera Many crops of

agricultural
importance

Changing patterns in phenology
and distribution of
microlepidoptera in the
Netherlands

Kuchlein and
Ellis ( 1997 )

Advancement of fl ight peak
dates almost by 12 days since
1975-1194
Changes in the species
composition of the local fauna

Old world bollworm,
Helicoverpa armigera

Lepidoptera:
Noctuidae

Phenomenal increase in the UK
from 1969 to 2004 and
outbreaks at the northern edge
of its range in Europe

Cannon ( 1998 )

Cottony cushion scale,
Icerya purchasi

Populations appear to be
spreading northwards

Cannon ( 1998 )

Oak processionary moth,
Thaumetopoea processionea

Northward range extension
from Central and Southern
Europe into Belgium, the
Netherlands, and Denmark

Cannon ( 1998 )

Cottony camellia scale,
Chloropulvinaria fl occifera

More abundant in the UK Cannon ( 1998 )

Extending its range northwards
in England and increasing its
host range in the last decade

35 species of nonmigratory
European butterfl ies

Papilionidae,
Lycaenidae,
Nymphalidae,
Satyrinae

Poleward shift of the
geographic range and
distribution

Parmesan and
Yohe ( 2003 )

Cotton bollworm/pulse pod
borer, Helicoverpa armigera

Lepidoptera:
Noctuidae

Cotton, pulses,
vegetables

Expansion of geographic range
in northern India

Sharma et al.
( 2010 )

Adult fl ights/migratory
behavior

Table 7.5 Outline trends in selected pests by 2020
Species/crop General trend Europe North America

Western corn rootworm in
maize

Spreads with temperature rise Extension from current

outbreaks

Spreads to 50 %
of crop area

European corn borer ( Ostrinia
nubilalis ) in maize

More generations; spreads
north

Moves with crop More frequent

outbreaks

Colorado beetle in potato Adaptable; moves north Could become established in

the UK and Scandinavia

More frequent
in Canada