Three European grapevine moths found recently in a northeast Merced County vineyard mean six grape-growing California counties are now dealing with the new pest, according to an article over the weekend in the Fresno Bee.

The pest, a native of southern Italy, made its first California appearance last fall in Napa County. It has also been trapped in Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino and Fresno counties.

Writer Robert Rodriguez reported that the Merced agricultural commissioner was surprised by the local find. Only about 12,000 acres of vineyards are within the county borders; by contrast, Fresno County as 190,000 acres.

Fresno County UCCE viticulture farm advisor Stephen Vasquez told Rodriguez that he has received dozens of calls from growers about the European grapevine moth since the ag commissioner announced the pest was trapped in three Fresno County locations in late April and early May.

"Farmers want to know how to kill it and what will they have to do as part of the quarantine," Vasquez was quoted in the story. "Many are concerned about their ability to move fruit in and out of the area."

UC Cooperative Extension is working with the ag commissioner's office to offer four grower meetings about the pest in Fresno County. They will be held:

• 10 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesday, May 19, at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center near Parlier.
• 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, at UC KREC
• 10 a.m to 12 noon Saturday, May 22, at the California Tree Fruit Agreement office in Reedley.
• 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Fresno County Farm Bureau office in Fresno.

At each of the meetings, growers will learn about European grapevine moth life cycle, the monitoring program, quarantine guidelines and more. For details, see the meeting flyer. More information about the pest is available on the UC Integrated Pest Management website.