Résumé
Introduction. The Lewis spider mite, Eotetranychus lewisi, is native to central America and despite being mainly associatedwith poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants, it can attack and cause damages to several crops. In the European Union it´s a quarantine-regulated pest, being present in Madeira Island and mainland Portugal. Methods and Results. We conducted field samplings to identify plant hosts in Madeira and mainland Portugal (Algarve and Lisboa Districts), surveying different local crops and non-cultivated plants, with leaves collected from plants near or in direct contact with mite-infested poinsettias. Our results confirm the association of E. lewisi with E. pulcherrima and Ricinus communis. No damages were observed on agricultural crops. In addition to sampling, the risk of crop infestation and sustaining E. lewisi populations was studied with an outdoor experiment where potted “trap-plants” (strawberry, grape vine and poinsettia) were placed in direct contact with mite-infested poinsettias (“donor” plants). Two months after the start of the experiment, the mite was detected on the three recipient plant species, with low infestation rates in the two crops and without causing damages. Conclusions. Eotetranychus lewisi is mainly associated with poinsettia and R. communis. The Lewis mite is absent or rarely found (and in low numbers) on agricultural plants, and currently is not causing damages to crops. This is an important information for Portugal and also the rest of Europe considering the EU-regulated status of this exotic mite.