February 2009Volume 4, Issue 2

334 Via Vera Cruz,

Suite 152

San Marcos, CA.92078

Phone:760-752-4715

E-Mail:

jabethke@ucdavis.edu

Don’t miss the

SAF AnnualPestManagementConference

Feb 19-21,San Jose, Ca.

For moreinformationsee thefollowingweb site

http://www.safnow.org/content/category/12/53/359

Tipu Psyllid

James A. BethkeUCCE San Diego County,Floriculture & Nursery

Farm Advisor760-752-4715

bethke@ucr.edu

Floriculture & NurseryNews & Notes

Things Found in the MailI know you have heard aboutthose people that have tried tosmuggle the darnedest thingsthrough customs like drugs,birds strapped to their legs,lizards in their sleeves, fish inspecially constructed apronswith pouches to hold water-filled bags, etc. Smuggling ofthat nature is prosecutable.Well so is trying to get plantsand animals into or across thecountry via mail. There are many examples ofplant or plant part smugglingbut here are a few interestingones that I gleaned from theCDFA A&Q pest interceptionreports.On November 24, 2008 SanBernardino County dog teamintercepted a package of awaroots (Piper methysticum) from aprivate shipper in Hawaii. SanBernardino County talked to theshipper and discovered that theawa roots were intended to beused as an offering at a temple.The shipper scraped the bark andtook the roots to the USDAinspection station at the HiloAirport where they were issued a“released” stamp, certify ingthem for entry into California.S a n B e r n a r d i n o C o u n t yinspected the shipment andfound scale insects on the areasof the bark that hadn't beens c r a p e d , n e a r w h e r e t h e

branches came off the maintrunks. The scales were an A-rated mining scale (H o w a r d i ab i c l a v i s ). The shipment wasdestroyed.On June 10, the San BernardinoCounty Canine Inspection Team,working at the Ontario Airportintercepted three boxes ofF l ori d a l y c h e e /li tch i (Litchichinensis) from a private shipper.The lychees were infested with aQ-rated beetle (ScarabaeidaeF a m i l y ) a n d Q - r a t e d w e e v i l(Myllocerus spp.). The shipmentwas destroyed.

SAN DIEGO’s OWN DOG

New and Invasive PestsOn October 6 2008, a privatesoil and plant lab contactedO r a n g e C o u n t y f o r h e l pidentifying an insect pest. Thesample was taken from anornamental tipu tree (Tipuanatipu) in Carlsbad, San DiegoCounty. The sample was sent toCDFA where it was identified asQ - r a t e d t i p u p s y l l i d(P l a t y c o r y p h z a sp.). This is the

first record of the tipu psyllidin California. EntomologistsNick Nisson (Orange County) andDavid Kellum (San Diego County)are currently surveying tocollect an official sample. Thetipu psyllid causes honeydew andsooty mold damage to its host,the tipu tree. The tipu tree iscommonly used as a landscapetree in Southern California.

UCCE SanDiego County,FloricultureFarm Advisor

334 Via Vera Cruz, Suite

152, San Marcos, CA.92078

Phone:760-752-4715

E-Mail:

jabethke@ucdavis.edu

Photos of thenew blue gumeucalyptusgall-formingwasp are by Dr.GevorkArakelian, LosAngelesCounty

Galls onEucalyptus

Inside the gallsare the larvae of

the wasp

Los Angeles International and San

Francisco International Airportsreceived boxed basil shipments from

a farm in Texas. County biologistsinspected the basil and found a

plethora of pests, including A-ratedRed Imported Fire Ant, B-rated

glassy-winged sharpshooter, andmultiple Q-rated pests including

plant bugs and leaf hoppers, thrips,and various moths. In addition to

being rejected for live pests, theshipment was also in violation of the

marking requirements. There was no

origin stated on the package and

there was misrepresentation ofwhat was in the box. The shipments

that were intercepted in LosAngeles and San Mateo Counties

were destroyed.Just a warning, Don’t think you get

away with shipping even smallamounts of plant material that you

think would be a great newcommodity in California. There’s a

good chance Bart, Bella, or Fridaywill sniff it out. No telling the

consequences!

New and Invasive Pests (Cont.)

D r . G e v o r k A r a k e l i a n , L o sAngeles County entomologist,h a s d o c u m e n t e d a n e we u c a l y p t u s g a l l w a s p i nM o n r o v i a , t h e L A C o u n t yArboretum, and the BotanicalGardens in Arcadia. The wasp isinfesting blue gum eucalyptus(E u c a l y p t u s g l o b u l u s) a n dcausing cancerous like growthon branches and twigs. Thecancerous like growths are

galls formed by the wasps’ stingand larvae are developing inside.Infested trees are very poorlooking with heavy, hangingbranches and twigs covered withg a l l s . T h e w a s p s a r eSelitrichodes spp. Eulophid gallmakers, and they have never beendescribed before.

More interceptions