The book titled "Insect invasions in Hungary" has been published as part of the New Scientific Pocket Library series, which was launched in 2022 in collaboration between the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network and Typotex Publishing. The authors of the book are Jenő Kontschán, a doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Director General of the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research (HUN-REN CAR), and Balázs Kiss, senior research associate at the HUN-REN CAR Plant Protection Institute. The book is now available at Typotex bookstores and website, as well as at Libri and Líra bookstores and their online shops. The electronic version will soon be available at Interkönyv webshop and the eKönyv Magyarország website.
In Hungary, indigenous insects have been present in large numbers since medieval times, causing significant damage even in the past. However, from the end of the 19th century, the extent of their damage started to increase. Since the turn of the 20th to the 21st century, due to processes of globalisation, climate change, and open borders, Hungary, similar to neighbouring countries, is even more exposed to the harmful effects of changes in the insect world.
In this book, the authors present insect invasions affecting the territory of Hungary from the medieval period to the present day, the appearance and spread of indigenous insects, while also addressing the economic impacts frequently associated with these invasions. For the most important invasive species, they briefly discuss their morphological and ecological characteristics, but primarily focus on the causes of insect spread and the agricultural and plant protection issues they cause.