- Author: Ben Faber
There have been recent reports of a beetle infesting downed avocado fruit in Ventura County. This scolytid weevil was first reported in San Diego in 2010. Gary Bender found it in a high density planting where fruit was lying on the ground.
The reports in Ventura have been of fruit that has found on the ground. It's a “B” rated pest that previously had only been reported from the Andes through Central America and Mexico into North Carolina. The main threat is to stored corn. The weevil is about the size of a sand grain. The photo below is by Alana King.
The beetle burrows into the fruit where the larvae tunnel the flesh.
Image - Aimee Smith
Image: Alana King
The avocado reports here have involved some superficial tunneling into the fruit flesh, although its various names include seed weevil. This is not the seed weevils Helipus or Conotrachelus which cause so much damage in Mexico
This insect probably is not a major threat to avocado, but just demonstrates again how easily pest infestations occur.
- Author: Ben Faber
UC Ag Expert talks about Fuller rose beetle
Date: January 23, 2019
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Contact: Petr Kosina pkosina@ucanr.edu
Sponsor: UC Ag Experts Talk
Location: Webinar
Event Details
Register in advance for webinar at
https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RIYGPBgkTo6o_hPooWlfmg
Participants of this webinar will receive 1 DPR hour of 'Other' CE units and 1 CCA hour of IPM CE units
Note: This webinar has no fee.
Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, citrus IPM specialist and research entomologist, will discuss the lifecycle, damage to citrus, monitoring, methods of control and export issues associated with Fuller rose beetle. Participants can use the chat function of the webinar to ask questions.
Event Reminder
/h2>/h2>/h1>- Author: Ben Faber
UC Ag Expert talks about
Fuller rose
beetle (weevil)
Date: January 23, 2019
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Contact: Petr Kosina pkosina@ucanr.edu
Sponsor: UC Ag Experts Talk
Location: Webinar
Event Details
Register in advance for webinar at:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RIYGPBgkTo6o_hPooWlfmg
Participants of this webinar will receive 1 hour of 'Other' CE units
Note: This webinar has no fee.
Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell, citrus IPM specialist and research entomologist, will discuss the lifecycle, damage to citrus, monitoring, methods of control and export issues associated with Fuller rose beetle. Participants can use the chat function of the webinar to ask questions.
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r107300311.html
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/beetles/fuller_rose_beetle.htm
Event Reminder
- Author: Ben Faber
On a recent trip, we saw Diaprepes Root Weevil damage on avocado. It was feeding on the leaves, tattering them. The problem with this pest is that it also feeds on the roots, weakening the tree and opening it up to disease, such as Phytophthora. This adult beast about measures about ¾ inch long and the larvae are bigger, about an inch long. They are hard to kill when they are in the ground. They have a host range of 270 plant species including citrus, strawberry, papaya and lots of vegetables species. It's already found in parts of LA, Orange and San Diego Counties. If you see it, call the local Ag Commissioner. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Plant/pdep/target_pest_disease_profiles/Diaprepes_PestProfile.html
Treatment options are listed in the IPM Guidelines
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Plant/pdep/target_pest_disease_profiles/Diaprepes_PestProfile.html
You don't want this in your orchard.
Diaprepes feeding on avocado (Tim Spann)
Damage to citrus root system.
- Author: Ben Faber
Just so we don't forget, but there are a lot more threats to California than ACP and PSHB. There's a lot more where they came from. Here's one that has landed in Florida that could easily with the shipment of infested plants arrive in California.
Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus Marshall, the Sri Lankan weevil, is a plant pest with a wide range of hosts. The Sri Lankan weevil was first detected in 2000 in Florida. By May, 2006 it was found in 12 counties in that State. The Sri Lankan weevil has a wide host range of over 150 plant species including native, ornamental, vegetable and fruit species. Some host plant examples include Citrus spp., citrus; Conocarpus erectus, green buttonwood; Bauhinia x blakeana, Hong Kong orchid tree; Chrysobalanus icaco, cocoplum;Phoenix roebellenii, pygmy date palm; Prunus persica, peach; Lagerstroemia indica, crepe myrtle;Capsicum spp., pepper; Litchi chinensis, lychee; Muntingia calabura, strawberry tree; and Solanum melongena, eggplant. It is unclear what the larval host plants are, but they have been reared in the laboratory on pepper, eggplant, cotton, carrot, and sweet potato roots.
The damage adults cause to foliage can be significant in the ornamental industry and to young citrus trees they can be lethal. The most disturbing aspect of this pest is that it has a larval stage that feeds on roots and is difficult to detect and treat with traditional insecticides. This pest behavior is very much like of the introduced Diaprepes root weevil which is found in certain areas of the Southern California coast. The possible distribution of the pest is for much of coastal California
Various life stages of the Sri Lankan Weevil.