I. PALAGESIU, L. GROZEA
Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Timisoara Calea Aradului 119, 1900 Timisoara Romania
M. HINCU
Phytosanitary Direction of the Timis District Calea Sagului 140 A 1900 Timisoara Romania

Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte was found for the first time In 1996, in Romania in the Arad District. In 1997 it was detected in the Timis District too, which neighbors with the Arad District end also with Yugoslavia and Hungary.

The paper presents the results concerning the pest's evolution from 1997 to 2001 in the Timis District (South-West of Romania).

For its monitoring FAO pheromone traps (Csalomon R), Romanian pheromone traps (Cluj-Napoca), Multigard yellow sticky traps and cucurbitacin traps were utilized from June to October.

In 1997 the Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte adults was very frequent along the border with Yugoslavia, but it was also registered in the area near to Hungary. In 1998 the pests spread from West to East, within almost the whole Timis District. The Diabrotica population heave increased strongly year by year up to 2001. For monitoring the best results with FAO sex pheromone were obtained. In 2000 the first areas with larval attack in a maize field of the Jimbolia zone was found. In this year the attack in stronger than before.

It results that Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte is a large disseminated pest in the Tims district and in consequence his control will be necessary.