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We face an increasing global food security challenge as the human population continues to grow across the globe. As agricultural production rises to keep up with food demand, so too does the expansion of crop detrimental pest species. Early detection can be crucial to control their damage and relies on the use of accurate and dependable techniques. We report the first record of rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus) in the Iberian Peninsula. The distribution range expansion of this invasive rice pest weevil is confirmed through traditional sampling and through natural sampling by bats combined with DNA metabarcoding, a non-invasive technique with strong potential for early detection of pests in agricultural areas. Presence of rice water weevil was confirmed genetically from bat faecal samples collected from a Pipistrellus pygmaeus bat roost in the Ebro Delta (Catalonia, Spain). The known distribution of …