Photogenic Pests? "White Ring" Panic Spreads on Social Media

Introduction: The "White Ring" Encircles Northern Italy

At the end of May this year, streets and gardens in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy were suddenly adorned with white rings resembling cotton candy. Local media dubbed it "Signora degli Anelli" (Lady of the Rings), while German newspapers called it "Herrin der Ringe" (Queen of the Rings), reporting that the phenomenon was caused by the Japanese-origin invasive scale insect Takahashia japonica. These eerie necklaces lining sun-dappled avenues are actually "brood sacs" where female insects protect thousands of eggs. Experts are perplexed, stating "there is no effective pesticide yet," while social media is abuzz with surprise, humor, and anxiety.merkur.decorriere.it

1 What Kind of Pest?—The Structure of the "Ring" and Its Explosive Reproductive Power

• Species Name and Morphology

  • In Japanese, it is known as "Watafuki Tsuno Kaigaramushi." The female pushes the egg sac outside her body, forming a ring with a diameter of 5 to 7 cm. This waxy ring becomes elastic like rubber when dried.

• Reproductive Cycle

  • Each female lays 4,000 to 5,000 eggs annually. Eggs are laid in May, larvae (nymphs) hatch in June, move to the underside of leaves to suck sap, and survive the summer. They return to overwintering sites in autumn and emerge in spring to lay eggs again, completing a single generation cycle.merkur.de

• Affected Tree Species

  • In Italy, street and park trees such as Japanese maple, elm, ash, Judas tree, birch, and sweetgum are more affected than native Japanese species like red spruce and Japanese elm.merkur.detg24.sky.it

2 The Reality of the Damage—From Lombardy to Wider Areas

Since confirming the first invasion in 2017, the Lombardy Plant Protection Agency has continued annual surveys, but by 2025, the damage has expanded to "the largest scale ever."

• Geographic Spread

  • First detected in 2017 in Cerro Maggiore, a suburb of Milan

  • Expanded to Lake Como and Monza and Brianza Province in 2020

  • Established in urban areas in southern Varese and Bergamo by 2023

  • Confirmed in the wine-producing region of Oltrepò Pavese, Pavia Province, by 2025merkur.dewired.it

• Relation to Climate Change

  • Recent mild winters and high spring temperatures have increased the overwintering survival rate of egg sacs. Experts point out that "global warming is promoting reproduction."merkur.dewired.it

3 Challenges in Countermeasures—"Cut" or "Observe"

• Stalemate in Chemical Control

  • No registered pesticides. In the research phase, orange oil, neem oil, mineral oil, and potassium salt agents are being tested, but data on effectiveness and environmental risks are lacking.

• Limitations of Biological Control

  • Some municipalities release the spotted ladybird (Adalia bipunctata), but the required number of individuals is enormous, and there are strong concerns about ecosystem disruption.corriere.it

• Physical Control

  • "Prune branches with egg sacs before hatching (by mid-May), seal in plastic, and incinerate" is recommended. However, cutting all street trees is unrealistic in terms of both landscape and cost.

4 The "Ring" Shock Spreading on SNS

• Hashtags in Italian

  • #SignoraDegliAnelli (Lady of the Rings)

  • #TakahashiaJaponica

  • #AnelliBianchi (White Rings)

• Representative Reactions

  1. "The maple in my garden looks like sliced octopus!" — A tweet with a photo garnered 40,000 impressions.

  2. "I thought it was a child's necklace... I screamed when I touched it and it was sticky" — A TikTok video was viewed 1.2 million times.

  3. There were also posts jokingly calling it the "Lombardy version of 'Close Encounters'."

  4. Meanwhile, the gardening community is cautioning, "Don't spray chemicals indiscriminately. Report to the authorities first."

• Official Account Announcements

  • The official X account (formerly Twitter) of Lombardy <@RegLombardia> is urging people to "send location information via the app FitoDetective if you find tree egg masses."twitter.com

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• Public Opinion Divide

  • The Relief Group: "If it's harmless to humans and animals, it's okay to leave it alone."

  • The Concerned Group: "It's ruining the scenery and farming."

  • Voices linking the issue of invasive species to environmental policy, calling it a "warning of climate change" — the debate continues to spread.

5 Expert Perspective — Lessons for Japan

Although Japan is the native region of this species, there are few records of outbreaks domestically due to natural predators and climate acting as controlling factors.

• Impact on Export Plant Quarantine

  • There is a possibility of strengthened quarantine for flowering trees and seedlings imported from Italy.

• Vulnerability of Domestic Park Trees

  • Liquidambar and Judas trees, which are heavily damaged in Italy, are also popular horticultural species in Japan. Theoretically, "re-imported" damage could occur under rising temperatures.

• Implications for Urban Greening Plans

  • A row of single tree species can become a "highway" for invasive pests. It is pointed out that planting designs with diversity can serve as risk diversification.

6 Interviews with Local Residents (Summary from SNS DM)

• Suburbs of Milan: Female in her 30s, Gardener

  "Last year, it was 2 out of 10 trees, but this year, all have rings hanging. I'm troubled by the difficulty of disposing of pruning waste."

• Province of Pavia: Wine Farmer

  "So far, the grapes are safe. However, the scenery looks bad, and tourists take photos and post them on SNS, making it look like a 'diseased field'."

• City of Bergamo: Biology Teacher

  "When I brought it up in class, the students got excited, calling it 'alien life.' I think it's a good teaching material to learn about the relationship between invasive species and global warming."

7 Summary: "Landscape Pests" Reflecting Social Issues

The white and beautiful rings also serve as a "mirror" visualizing multiple issues such as the risk of invasive species, climate change, and the vulnerability of urban ecosystems. The future indicated by the street trees of Lombardy might overlap with Tokyo or Seoul at the same latitude. The key to solving this is—

1. Early Detection: Visualizing distribution with citizen-participation apps

2. Multilayered Measures: Parallel promotion of pruning, natural enemies, and new drug development

3. Communication: Transforming SNS from "panic spreading" to "knowledge sharing"

The rings are by no means a curse from "The Lord of the Rings." However, if left unchecked, the green shade of the city will quietly disappear. The actions we should take are not temporary measures to cut off the rings but to weave a long story with the environment.