Posts Tagged: LBAM

Sterile light brown apple moths released in Carneros

USDA scientists released 3,000 sterile light brown apple moths yesterday in a Carneros vineyard, according to an article in the Sonoma Index-Tribune. The scientists hope that flooding the environment with sterile moths will prevent females from mating with normal moths and producing offspring.

Reporter Emily Charrier-Botts wrote that UC Davis entomologist James Carey does not expect the program to be successful. He said releasing sterile insects has eradicated only one pest in history - the screw-worm fly. (Screw-worm fly maggots, a livestock pest, feed on living mammal flesh after a female fly lays eggs on a superficial wound, according to CDFA.)

The USDA scientist overseeing the light brown apple moth program, entomologist Gregg Simmons, said the pilot project will help officials determine whether sterile moths could be used to combat infestations across the state.

"The goal is to drive insects to manageable levels. As part of the integrated pest management strategy ... eradication may be achieved," Simmons was quoted.

Light brown apple moth larva.

LBAM eradication program not based on sound science, panel says

A panel of 10 scientists, economists and USDA employees released a report yesterday that said the USDA's characterization of light brown apple moth as an "invasive threat" was correct, but the federal agency didn't back up the assertion with sound science, according to an Associated Press story.

The panel, convened by the National Academy of Sciences, includes UC Berkeley entomologist Nicholas Mills. He acknowledged in the article that assessing the potential threat of an invasive species is a very difficult thing to do, and expressed concern about USDA's information gathering efforts.

"We found that people in the agency were sometimes using their best guesses, relying sometimes on published literature or unpublished information, and sometimes on no information," Mills was quoted.

Opponents of the USDA's eradication plan feel the agency has overblown the threat and put people and animals at risk by spraying pheromones meant to prevent LBAM mating over coastal communities.

According to the article, officials currently are working on eradication by setting out sticky traps baited with moth pheromones and spraying only in inaccessible areas.

Light brown apple moth larva.

Light brown apple moth still stirs debate

Even as California's focus has been on its stagnant economy and the state budget fiasco, the light brown apple moth is still fluttering in the background. Early this month, the San Joaquin County agricultural commissioner announced the discovery of LBAM in a Manteca trap; a second moth was found in Manteca last week, according to a report published on the KSWB Channel 8 Web site.

Meanwhile, two UC scientists are saying the CDFA's LBAM eradication test scheduled for August in Napa and Sonoma counties is unnecessary and destined to fail, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury News.

"Honestly, it's a waste of money," the story quoted UC Santa Cruz arboretum director Daniel Harder.

UC Davis entomologist James Carey believes LBAM is already established in California and can be controlled by pest management methods used on similar species.

"Even conceding that the LBAM infestation is serious, and I don't, you have to pick your battles. This one can't be for eradication," Carey was quoted.

Male and female light brown apple moths.

Farm advisor's blog generates news coverage

Santa Cruz UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Mark Bolda reported in his blog, "Strawberries and Caneberries," that a local blackberry farm sustained severe damage from the Light Brown Apple Moth. According to Bolda's report, 20 percent of the crop was lost.

"This information is being provided in the interest of emphasizing to the grower community that this pest is not only a regulatory problem now, but is capable of becoming an economic problem as well," Bolda wrote.

On Monday, a story about the LBAM infestation in blackberries appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. It said USDA inspectors discovered the problem in May, and it came to light after an "agricultural official posted it on his blog earlier this month."

Reporter Donna Jones noted that she was unable to reach Bolda for comment on Monday. The Santa Cruz Sentinel story quoted USDA spokesman Larry Hawkins as saying the LBAM infestation on the blackberry farm is a "unique situation."

"We've seen large numbers of light brown apple moth but before now there has not been noticeable damage. Now there is. In the case of this particular field over in Santa Cruz (County), the grower is not being able to market a substantial amount of the fruit. That's economic damage," Hawkins was quoted.

Blog more immediate than newsletter

I was able to reach Bolda this morning. He said his blog is becoming a useful conduit of information to his clientele.

"I can include color pictures and I can post information immediately," Bolda said. "Our newsletter won't come out for two months and the pictures will be black and white."

The blog also permits Bolda to track his readership through Google Analytics, which tells him where his readers are located, how long they looked at posts and which posts are the most popular. "It helps me address the needs of the audience," he said.

The blog also offers the opportunity for dialog. Bolda's LBAM post generated several comments, including a lengthy one that expressed skepticism about CDFA's LBAM eradication efforts.

"I don't want to get into long drawn-out fights," Bolda said. "I do monitor the comments. But there are different opinions and I think they could be a good source of information."

Blackberry damaged, presumably by LBAM.

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