The Plane Tree Tiger: The New Insect Invading France

We knew the tiger mosquito. Here comes the plane tree tiger! This biting insect is proliferating in France during the summer. Its bites, fortunately harmless to humans, cause small red itchy bumps.

A worrying proliferation

Mosquitoes are no longer the only pests that can ruin your summer... A new biting insect is making headlines in the media. After the tiger mosquito and bedbugs in recent years, it's now the turn of the sycamore lace bug to make the news.

As seen in close-up photos circulating on the web, this biting-sucking insect called Corythucha ciliata is recognizable by its whitish, membranous wings speckled with black.

It measures only 3 mm in length, but it concerns authorities due to its proliferation. Sycamore lace bugs can reproduce up to 4 times a year. They have particularly multiplied this year in France, due to the weather. A rainy spring favors the reproduction of these insects during the summer.

An insect that lives in plane trees

The appearance of the sycamore lace bug in France is relatively recent. Indeed, this insect is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It was unknown in France until the mid-1970s.

According to experts, it first appeared in Italy, in Padua in the 1960s, then in southern France in 1975. From there, it spread throughout central and southern Europe.

It wasn't until the 2000s that it arrived in the Île-de-France region. Today, its presence is confirmed throughout the entire French territory. This pest proliferates in urban areas because the sycamore is a commonly used street tree in our cities.

As their name suggests, sycamore lace bugs live in groups on these trees and feed on the leaves of the sycamore. When a sycamore is infested by these insects, its leaves become discolored and the tree is weakened. With its yellowed foliage, the tree appears to be dying but does not die.

Small red itchy bumps

With the proliferation of sycamore lace bugs this summer, many city dwellers have discovered this flying insect and its itchy bites. The sycamore lace bug can indeed land on humans, enter homes, and bite. Fortunately, its bite is harmless to humans. Unlike the tiger mosquito, for example, this insect does not transmit diseases.

Its spread in French cities remains problematic because its bites cause small red itchy bumps. Therefore, sycamore lace bugs are a significant nuisance for walkers and residents.

For now, combating this pest is not mandatory in France. However, its multiplication could lead authorities to deploy chemical or biological control measures. Another strategy to limit its proliferation is to diversify the types of trees planted in cities.

No need to panic if you get bitten, even if you are allergic. To date, no allergies to the sycamore lace bug have been reported.