Aussie Moth Pestering Californian Farmers

by ScienceDave | June 19, 2007 at 07:18 am

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Californian farmers are squirming over a tiny moth known as the "light brown everything moth", due to its muddy coloring and insatiable appetite for just about any agricultural product. The Aussie moth is thought to have arrived in California in, you guessed it, a shipment of goods (although I'm sure someone is advocating for a trans-Pacific flight invasion).

As its name implies, this little Bug-ger is munching down on whatever its glutinous feelers can get a hold of, including Napa Valley's grapes and the state's fir trees.

Estimated damage so far - $100 million USD of a $7.2 billion industry. However, the damage could be far more reaching.

According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the moth poses a huge threat to the state’s $7.2 billion annual agricultural exports. “Some countries have specific regulations against this pest and many others consider it a regulated pest that would not be knowingly allowed to enter,” the department said.

“Additional measures, such as preharvest treatments and post-harvest disinfestation, would likely have to be taken to ensure that shipments to these countries are free from [the moth].”

It added that because the moth is an exotic pest – not already established in the US – other states might impose restrictions on fruits, vegetables and nursery stock, which could “severely impact the domestic marketing of California’s agricultural products”.

State officials estimate it will cost $100 million to eradicate the invasive population. A massive spraying campaign is now underway.

On a side note, this little moth isn't alone in California, which has become somewhat of a multicultural haven for invasive species. According to the Invasive Species Information Center, there over 90 foreign species, the majority of them being either plants or aquatic organisms (both plants and animals)