Western Plant Diagnostic Network1

First Detector News A Quarterly Pest Update for WPDN First Detectors Fall 2014 edition, volume 7, number 4 P

In this Issue Dear First Detectors, The Fall 2014 edition of the WPDN newsletter features the seemingly relentless spread of the Page 1: Editor’s Note Bagrada bug, moving through the Southwest and up the California coast. It has even reached Davis, CA! Good news is Pages 2 – 4: The Bagrada bug the successful campaign to eradicate the European spreads relentlessly grapevine moth in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys of CA. A concerted effort by several public agencies and growers has Page 5: European grapevine led to this positive outcome. Another article is about the moth being eradicated in CA khapra , an international pest of grains and flours. It has entered the United States several times and continues Pages 6 - 7: The Khapra Beetle trying to gain a foothold. Please read the article, visit the embedded websites, and familiarize yourselves with this nd Page 8: Announcing the 2 pernicious pest. Visit the website, Hungry Pests, that list Invasive Snail and Slug pests and plant problems state by state. And, back by Workshop popular demand is the WPDN Invasive Snail and Slug workshop, to be held at UC Davis on June 16, 17, & 18, 2015. See the details on page 8.

Contact us at the WPDN Regional The WPDN team wishes you and yours a healthy and pest Center at UC Davis: free 2015! Phone: 530 754 2255 Email: [email protected] Please find the NPDN family of newsletters at: Web: https://wpdn.org

Editor: Richard W. Hoenisch Newsletters @Copyright Regents of the University of California All Rights Reserved

Western Plant Diagnostic Network News

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Photoby J. Palumbo 2

The Bagrada Bug Spreads 1.

The Bagrada bug , , is a species of shield Map by Mike Boone bug in the family It is native to much of eastern and southern Africa and parts of southern Europe and Asia. It is known elsewhere as an introduced species, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Hawaii (Maui Oct 2014). Bagrada bug was first reported in 2008 in La Crescenta and Eagle Rock (Los Angeles Co.)”. It then moved into of the intensely cropped Coachella and Imperial valleys 2008 of California, doing damage to cole crops there, especially those grown organically. It is a major pest

of Brassica oleracea crops (including cabbage,

kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli), and States infested with the Bagrada bug (and Hawaii) related Brassicaceae, such as turnips, rapeseed, and mustard. The adult and nymph of the species suck sap from the leaves of the plants, causing wilting,

yellowing, and stunting of growth. Besides crucifers, the bugs are known on papaya, sorghum, , Photo from MA Dept of Ag potato, cotton, caper, pearl millet, and some legumes. Large numbers of the bug congregate on the plants and cause extensive damage. See the Bagrada bug

National Pest Alert and the expanded Bagrada bug article in the WPDN Winter-Spring 2012 newsletter, pages 6 – 9.

Ecological Explosion

The rapid spread of the Bagrada bug along with its very high populations is an example of an ecological explosion. When first identified in Los Angeles County in 2008, it was the first time this invasive species was found in North America. Therefore there are no natural enemies or predators for this insect. The Center for Invasive Species Research (CISR) at UC Riverside and other research programs are looking in the center of origin of the Bagrada bug in Africa for natural predators. Bagrada bug pest alert. Note the Female (top),

very small size of this invasive PhotoSurendra by Dara insect in the alert (above) and also mating pair on the dime in the image to the (middle), and a right. mature nymph (bottom) of Western Plant Diagnostic Network News Bagrada bug on a dime.

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June 2008

Original collection just south of Las Cruces NM on California is on the way to total infestation

peppergrass June 2010; Valencia & Socorro Cos. since the initial introduction into Los Angeles 2011; Luna, Santa Fe, & Sandoval Cos. 2012; County in June, 2008 Bernalillo & Sierra Cos., 2013; Curry Co. 2014

Coahuila

Yuma County, Arizona, has 230,000 acres of First found in the El Paso TX and Midland areas winter vegetable production and became on Brassicaceae in September 2012, then on infested by 2009. Yuma is the leading corn and cotton in Lubbock in October 2013. It producer of winter broccoli. was found in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, in 2014

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1. Photo from WhatsThatBug.com

Bagrada bugs on fig in western AZ, at Photo by Brendan Kreute elevation approx. 1800 ft. 1. Bagrada bugs on peppers in Santa Barbara County, CA

Because the Bagrada bug had not occurred in North America before June 2008, there is much still to learn

about the biology, host range, and control of the pest. Its introduction and subsequent rapid spread surprised growers, state and county regulatory staffs, pest control advisors, and chemical company representatives when it first appeared in the fall of 2009 in huge populations in California’s Imperial County and neighboring Yuma County in Arizona. The generation cycle and number of generations per year is dependent upon the climatic conditions. In Southern California there are multiple generations each year

and populations generally peak late in summer and fall. Usually all life stages are present together on plants, especially when pest densities increase, generations overlap, and food sources decrease. Even though Bagrada bugs prefer cool-season cole crops, development is favored by warmer temperatures; adults tend to fly when temperatures are above 85 ͦF. However, the spend more time in the soil in hot weather, where they hide, seek moisture and shade, or lay eggs. The female Bagrada bug can produce around 10 eggs per day. The Bagrada bugs overwinter as adults when temperatures are unfavorable. Overwintering efficiency is still unknown.

They lay their eggs singly in the soil, according to Scott Bundy, an entomologist at New Mexico State. See the video embedded in the Entomology Today article. Only a handful of stink bugs lay their eggs singly, and this is the only known species in the world that actively buries its eggs. They also lay eggs on all plant parts.

Surenda Dara, Ph.D. with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Ventura County writes there are varying reports on the effectiveness of pest control products especially for organic crops. Dr. Dara has found good control with the organic fungus-based product Mycotrol-O. Some have reported effective control with mechanical exclusion and azadirachtin with Mycotrol-O. However, University of Arizona entomologist, John Palumbo, Ph.D., extension specialist at the Yuma Agricultural Center and one of the original Bagrada bug researchers, in his studies did not see effective control by organically approved products when compared to the combination of dinotefuran and bifenthrin . Cultural control through pest monitoring and early detection, removal of weed hosts, mechanical removal through handpicking or vacuuming, cultivation to destroy eggs in the soil, and overhead irrigation to dislodge nymphs and adults from the plants are some of the options suggested. A research group from the infested states have an excellent PowerPoint on control strategies: Bagrada bug: biology, host range and effects on cole crops. Links to Dr. Palumbo’s lectures to growers on YouTube: Bagrada Bug Part 1 and Bagrada Bug, part 2; and his article on Bagrada bug control: Knockdown and Residual Control of Bagrada Bug with Foliar Insecticides in Broccoli.

Western Plant Diagnostic Network News

5 European Grapevine Moth Eradication A Quarantine and Cooperation Success Story

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has announced that the southern portion of Napa County has been removed from the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) quarantine. Approximately 300 vineyard sites and 12,000 acres have been removed from the quarantine. The remaining portion of Solano County under quarantine has been released along with the majority of the remaining Sonoma County quarantine areas. Great cooperation by the winegrape industry and local, state and federal departments of agriculture has led to this quarantine area reduction. Growers and wineries that are still operating within the quarantine must continue to follow all requirements outlined in their compliance agreements and be vigilant to prevent any re-infestation of areas removed from quarantine. The lifting of the entire quarantine for Napa County is still two years away given there are no new EGVM detections. Frank G. Zalom, Ph.D., (UC Davis Dept. of Entomology), Lucia Varela, Ph.D., (UC Cooperative Extension – North Coast CA), and Monica Cooper, Ph.D., (UC Cooperative Extension – Napa), formed a team together with the infested counties’ Agricultural Commissioners, the USDA, and CDFA, to combat the moth that threatened to destroy the west coast wine industry. Their rapid response program led to an eradication of the EGVM.

Lobesia botrana, the European grapevine moth, was first reported in the United States from Napa County vineyards in October 2009. Native to Southern Italy, it was first described from Austria and is now found throughout Europe, North and West Africa, the Middle East, and eastern Russia. It was more recently introduced into Japan, and in 2008 it was first reported in Chile. The WPDN Fall 2009 newsletter reported the newly discovered pest. In May and June, first-generation larvae web and feed on the flower clusters. Second-generation larvae (July-August) feed on green berries. Young larvae penetrate the berry and hollow them out, leaving the skin and seeds. Third-generation larvae (August- September) cause the greatest damage by webbing and feeding inside berries and within bunches, which become contaminated with frass (excrement).

Control – Mating Disruption A novel approach to pest control is the use of pheromone lures. With enough “false” pheromone in the air, males are unable to successfully locate a female and mate.

Pheromone disruption is most effective when populations are low and males are dependent on locating a female by tracking her pheromone. In dense populations males are able to locate females by site and pheromone disruption is not effective. Pheromone disruption is considered essential to lowering current low populations to undetectable, with eradication being the ultimate goal. See the YouTube: Pheromones and other controls.

Image courtesy of USDA-APHIS

VitTracker

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Mating disruption! Photo Photo courtesyof Western Plant Diagnostic Network News EGVM pheromone disruptor twist tie hung high in the canopy were mating occurs. 1. The Khapra Beetle 6 granarium (Everts, 1898); Order Coleoptera ; Family

1. The khapra beetle , Trogoderma granarium, originated in and is one of the world’s most destructive pests of grain products and seeds. It is considered one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. It is native to and has become established in other countries in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Infestations are difficult to control because of the insect's ability to survive without food for long periods, its preference for dry conditions and low-moisture food, and its resistance to many insecticides. There is a federal quarantine restricting the importation of into the U.S. from countries with known infestations

of the beetle. The beetle does not bore into host material, but young larvae feed on damaged seed and older larvae on whole grains. Its feeding damage often spoils 30 percent of the product; up to 70 percent damage has been reported. Khapra in Hindi and Urdu means “the destroyer, खपरा भംग .”

Previous U.S. detections of this tiny beetle have required massive, long-term and costly control and eradication efforts. In 1953, an extensive infestation was found in California, which began a massive control and eradication effort until 1966, costing an estimated $15 million. Subsequent surveys revealed its presence in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. These infestations were eradicated in 1996. During 1980-1997, several other infestations were discovered and eradicated in isolated areas of California, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Khapra beetle is frequently intercepted at ports by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) working with the USDA-Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ).

Do not bring rice, , Cicer species (e.g., ), and seeds from these countries into the U.S. Check the Web site www.aphis.usda.gov/travel for any updates. Comply with U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspections when traveling internationally. Rice from India and other countries where the khapra beetle exists is prohibited from entering the U.S. and subject to penalties of up to $1,000 or more. Report any sightings of this pest in imported foods at Hungry Pest or your local agricultural commissioner (in CA) /county agent/extension office.

Image courtesy of Bugwood.org Photo by James D. Young Image courtesy of Bugwood.org

Adult khapra beetle Larva of khapra beetle. This Khapra beetle larvae in stage does the damage. rice (note the size)

Khapra prefer grain, cereal products, particularly , , , , maize, rice, flour, malt, and noodles and oilseeds. It can feed on products with as little as 2% moisture content. The khapra beetle can also develop on matter such as dead mice, dried blood and dried insects. Damage includes fruits, seeds, grains and pods: internal feeding; visible mould. Shed skins and feces can also contaminate grain and cause allergic reactions. See BioNET Khapra Beetle and the NPDN

Fact Sheet about the damage it causes and control methods.

Western Plant Diagnostic Network News

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Life cycle and caption from Russel IPM http://www.russellipm.com/

•Adult beetles are brownish and 2-3 mm long. Adult longevity is between 12-25 days.

•Females lay between 50-100 eggs in a lifetime. No eggs are produced at 20°C or lower. Eggs are milky white to pale yellow and hatch between 3-14 days depending on temperature.

•The life cycle can complete as quickly as 26 days

•Larval development usually takes 4-6 weeks. Immature larvae are up to 5 mm long and are covered in dense, reddish-brown hair. The larval stage can last from a month to a year, if it enters diapause.

•The pupal stage lasts 2-5 days and quiescent adult stage 1-2 days. Also they are capable of surviving without food for a period of several years.

•The beetle occurs in hot, dry conditions, predictably in areas, which, for at least 4 months of the year, have a mean temperature greater than 20°C and an RH below 50%.

Photo courtesy of Agriculture Western Photo courtesy of the CBP

Image courtesy of Bugwood.org

Khapra beetle larvae infesting grains and pulses

Western Plant Diagnostic Network News

WPDN Invasive Snail and Slug Workshop 8 June 16 -18, 2015 at UC Davis

Due to ongoing interest in invasive snails and slugs in the United States, the Western Plant Diagnostic Network is sponsoring a second Invasive Malacology workshop. Please see the WPDN Winter-Spring 2013 newsletter featuring the first Malacology workshop in March 2013. The three day workshop will be held on June 16, 17, and 18, 2015, at the University of California, Davis. The participants should be national, state, and county identifiers, those with regulatory responsibilities, agricultural/horticultural inspectors, wholesale nursery producers, and those academically interested in malacology. The registration cost is pending funding sources. Please contact this newsletter’s editor, Dick Hoenisch [email protected], phone 530 754 2255, for registration or information about the workshop. Thanks!

Grimm -

Photo by Fritz Geller Fritz by Photo

Photo ®R. Zimmerman, USDA APHIS USDA Zimmerman, ®R. Photo

The infamous Giant African Snail Theba pisana, the Mediterranean snail, (GAS) on fennel

March 2013 Malacology Workshop – note the sturdy Nitrile gloves for handling snails and slugs

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