polyphagous shot hole borer found in San Diego Co.

[crotchclimber]

There was a good but scary article in today's San Diego Union Tribune about the discovery of the polyphagous shot hole borer in El Cajon. Previously it has only been in LA and Orange counties. It probably won't take long to make it to Riverside county. Hopefully the researchers find a control soon! http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/dec/15/tp-destructive-beetle-a-new-threat-to-county-trees/

 

[Raintree]

That's one nasty little beetle, orchards will get hammered, pic is an infested Cherry limb.

We have the Ambrosia beetle here out East, not so destructive as the Shot hole bug. Tunnels into the heartwood,

giving our Maple boards a interesting look.

 

[beastmaster]

They fear this little pest is going to really do damage to the avacado groves out here in riverside and S.D.

 

[crotchclimber]

A researcher discussed this pest an oak pest seminar two weeks ago in San Diego. All of the funding for the research so far is coming from the avocado industry, primarily the California Avocado Commission. But it has a huge range of confirmed hosts it has reproduced in. They think it may have been introduced from Taiwan separately from the current infestation in the LA area.