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New insects in Germany are among the most exciting discoveries in the local animal world. In 2022, the list was expanded with a few species, which will be presented to you in this article.
In a nutshell
- new insect species in Germany are only rarely found
- are often difficult to reach
- are often confused with known species
- invasive insect species have also arrived
6 new types of insects
In Germany, new species of insects are regularly found that either did not attract attention until they were discovered or were confused with taxa that had already been researched. For these reasons, few species are classified as having been discovered with certainty. Furthermore, foreign insect species (neozoa) that are known from other countries and increase the diversity of species often settle there. The following six taxa were newly discovered in Germany (as of 2022).
Asian hornet (Vespa velutina var nigrithorax)
- Distribution area in Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate
- Habitat: prefers tall trees (min. 10 m), shrubs and buildings are rarer
- colony size: 4,000 to 10,000 animals, 1 queen
- Leave the nest completely from November, queens hibernate
- Height: 25 to 32 mm (queens), 17 to 25 mm (workers), 20 to 28 mm (males)
- Coloring: black body, face, legs and terminal bands yellow to reddish brown
- hairiness: brown to black
- Food: Carrion, other insects (especially bees), tree sap, nectar, fruit
- not to be confused with the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)
Source: nature.catcher, Asian predatory wasp (Vespa velutina var. nigrithorax), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Notice: The Asian hornet is no more aggressive than the native wasp species. Their behavior is comparable to that of the hornet (Vespa crabro).
Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
- Distribution area in Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, settlement in other federal states possible
- Habitat: urban and industrial areas, forest edges, meadows, fields, very adaptable
- Size: 9 to 10mm
- Coloring: black and white striped, wings transparent and not patterned
- Food: Blood of humans, other mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds (females), plant juices and nectar (males)
- Activity: diurnal, prefers twilight
- transmissible viruses: West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever Virus, St. Louis Encephalitis Virus, Dengue Viruses, Chikungunya Virus, Zika Virus
- particularly aggressive mosquito
Notice: The tiger mosquito is one of the most dangerous mosquito species due to its aggressiveness and the numerous transmissible pathogens. Dengue fever in particular is problematic for people who are already weak.
Ghostfish (Ctenolepisma calva)
- Distribution area in Germany: Chemnitz (Museum of Natural History), Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt am Main
- Size: 8mm
- Coloring: white-yellow, almost transparent, body ends light brown, eyes black
- Body shape: wedge-shaped, two long antennae, three caudal appendages, provided with bristles
- Food: likely starch, protein and sugar sources such as carrion or scraps of paper
- are considered museum pests
- easily confused with the silverfish (Lepisma saccharina).
Source: Bushnest, Ctenolepisma-calva-01, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Japanese bush mosquito (Aedes japonicus)
- also known as the Asian bush mosquito
- Distribution area in Germany: mainly south-west and west Germany
- Habitat: urban and industrial areas, forest edges, meadows, fields, very adaptable
- Size: 9 to 10mm
- Coloring: black and white striped, wings transparent and not patterned
- Food: Blood of mammals and birds (females), plant juices and nectar (males)
- Activity: diurnal and nocturnal
- transmissible viruses: West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis viruses
Source: James Gathany, CDC, CDC 7887 Ochlerotatus japonicus, edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
Korean bush mosquito (Aedes koreicus)
- Distribution area in Germany: Bavaria, Hesse, settlement in other federal states possible
- Habitat: urban areas, forests, gardens, city parks
- Size: 8 to 12mm
- Coloring: closely resemble the Japanese bush mosquito, differing in light basal bands on the hind feet
- Food: Blood of mammals and birds (females), plant juices and nectar (males)
- Activity: diurnal
- transmissible viruses: Chikungunya virus, Japan B encephalitis virus
Source: Syrio, Aedes koreicus 1, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stenichnus subseriatus
- Distribution area in Germany: Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia
- Size: about 1.5mm
- Coloring: light brown
- hairy elytra
- little researched so far
Similar family member "Stenichnus collaris"; Source: URSchmidt, Stenichnus collaris (Mueller & Kunze, 1822), edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
frequently asked Questions
How many undiscovered insect species are suspected to be in Germany?Researchers assume that there are around 50,000 species of insects in Germany, of which around ten percent have not yet been discovered. There are therefore around 5,000 taxa that have yet to be discovered, described and named in order to obtain a complete overview of the native biodiversity.
How do neozoa settle?Neozoa reach Germany via a variety of different routes. Most often they are brought in by products from abroad such as wood or food and tourists. The climate also plays a major role. Tropical insects, for example, can establish themselves more easily in Central Europe due to climate change.
Are immigrant insects problematic?Yes. Neozoa compete with native species for food sources and habitats. Since the immigrated species can be better adapted to the living conditions in the new area, for example through natural disease resistance, they displace native insects. They can also have a negative impact on the economy and people.