Officials have confirmed that a European grapevine moth was
trapped by Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner staff on May
10 in a vineyard northeast of Soledad.
Officials have confirmed that a European grapevine moth was trapped by Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner staff on May 10 in a vineyard northeast of Soledad.
The trap was one of about 1,300 placed under a statewide program in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
“As a result of the find, our local inspectors and state staff have placed nearly 400 traps in commercial vineyards within an 80-square-mile area around the discovery,” said Eric Lauritzen, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner. “It is critical we determine if there are any more of these pests in our area, as any additional finds could trigger a quarantine,” he said.
The European grapevine moth was first detected in Napa County in September of 2009. It has since been found in Sonoma, Solano, Mendocino, Merced and Fresno counties, where officials say grower pest management efforts are under way.
County officials described the moth as “a grape pest of significant economic importance” in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, southern Russia, Japan and Chile.
Its larva feed on grape flowers and developing fruit. Second and third generations cause damage by feeding on mature grapes, and indirectly by predisposing the crop to fungal infections such as gray mold.
Treatment options for the European grapevine moth include traditional and organic ovicides and larvicides, as well as mating disruption.
The County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office asks anyone who finds a moth to call 759-7325.
