One of hottest, and surprisingly controversial, issues to hit the pest management arena lately is the presence and proposed eradication of the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) in several California counties.  This hungry little pest first made it’s “debut” in February and has caused quite an uproar ever since. 

The LBAM originated in Australia, and even though there is no way to determine exactly how it got here, the thought is that it “hijacked” it’s way into the U.S. on a plant.  Once established, the LBAM can and will eat it’s way through over 2000 host plants, including tree fruits, berries, grapes, tomatoes, pines, firs, oaks, corn, beans, cabbage, alfalfa, clover, chrysanthemums, roses, jasmine……….and the list goes on.  This pest will not only have a huge detrimental effect on California Agriculture, it will damage our entire landscape.  Forests, orchards, vineyards, urban parks, personal gardens – all will be at the mercy of the LBAM’s appetite.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has proposed an eradication effort aimed at disrupting the mating habits of the moth.  The CDFA’s plan is pretty simple – use aerial applications of pheromones to confuse the male moths so they cannot locate a mating partner.  As breeding subsides, the infestation will eventually collapse. 

This type of eradication plan should have everyone – agriculturalists, urbanites, environmental groups – united.  Pheromone applications are some of the most environmentally friendly ways to deal with a pest like the LBAM.  Some interesting points to consider from the CDFA website:

1. Pheromones are present in our environment every day as insects use them to attract mating partners or to signal other behaviors.
2. Human and other mammals do not use these pheromones, and therefore cannot detect them.
3. The pheromones will only affect a very limited number of closely related insects, while leaving beneficial insects and endangered species unaffected.
4. The inert ingredients in the pheromone formulation are water and biodegradable elements such as urea (a normal constituent of the human body that is derived from the breakdown of proteins that we eat). 
5. The pheromone itself breaks down in water, so along with the other biodegradable ingredients, the formulation is not harmful to water sources, and runoff is not a concern.
6. The treatment mist is mostly water, which makes it unlikely that it will directly enter homes or buildings.
7. The treatments will not damage automotive paint, outdoor furniture or other surfaces.

Looking at this issue from a purely agriculturalist perspective, I know that we all agree that something has to be done to eradicate this pest.  Agriculture is looking at up to $640 million annually in crop losses, pest control costs, and market losses due to potential quarantines.  Then there is the additional risk of movement from California into neighboring States, Mexico and Canada.  We are already seeing some restrictions on produce and nursery products coming from these affected counties.  The increased cost associated with the delays and required inspections, along with the loss of revenue as perishable commodities lose their marketable “window”, have the potential to wreak havoc on not only the agriculture industry, but the entire economic health of the State.  Eventually some type of eradication will have to be done, but the longer we wait the more expensive and more toxic the applications will become.  The potential for losses to environmentally sensitive habitat, feed for endangered species, wildlife habitat, along with production agriculture – these scenarios should have all us standing shoulder to shoulder and demanding that these eradication efforts go forward.  To get the most up-to-date and accurate information on this pest and the eradication efforts, log on to the CDFA’s website at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov.