90% of fig trees in Malta destroyed

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140729/local/Pest-annihilates-fig-trees-across-island.529693

WoW, that is so sad. I wonder if Lampo (Francisco) can comment on this.

That is truly depressing. I hate to think of the possibility of something like that happening here. Very sad for Malta.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Mike,

Thank you for asking my opinion and I confirm this is very sad indeed!
The information I have is the  same you also got from the press.

But I am quite far from Malta ! - 

Italia, Sicilia, Tunisia, Algeria or Lybia are the closest places, as per my Mediterranean maps.

May be other fellow members with family ties in Malta could provide a more updated information on what is going on over there.

Hope the local authorities manage to control this problem

Francisco
Portugal

Francisco, thank you for your comments. I knew you were not that close but closer than anyone else that usually post here.

I did not know if you would have any other information or not.

That is sad news. I wonder if they will be able to contain it effectively now it is well spread.

What a shame, this is why it can be dangerous importing plant materials from other countries. We just have to wait for the varieties that are here to come down in price where all of us can afford to purchase them. I hope that several unavailable varieties, now in Quarantine or for other reasons, at USDA/UC Davis will be available soon

The beetle affecting the fig trees, Hypocrypahlus scabricollis, is a close relative to (or a specific species of what is often generally called) Ambrosia beetles, an invasive species that has been in the US since the 1970s.  Numerous people on the forum have already encountered them, though they don't seem to have hit us as hard as they have in Malta :-(
Jim

The article says that the beetle has also been in Malta for 50 years, but only started attacking fig trees in 2007.

Hi,
Well, sad news, but we all know trees are easy targets for all pests and for now I'm more concerned by underground rodents (moles, voles ... and things that are still unnamed I'm sure) than by those beetles. I can cage one for you if you're missing them :) - no don't ask, they are a pain to catch dead, so I'm not trying alive ...
I just checked and Malta is in the South of Sicily . So people targeting cuttings from Italy ... should perhaps check twice before doing so. Malta being an island, that probably helps in keeping the beetles there.
Lets speak geography a bit more: If Lampo was to drive to Malta, he would have a 3500 Km journey , where I would drive 2000 Km and perhaps a german member would beat me by 100 km or I'll beat him by that distance .
As for now, here, we're still out of scope of that pest but global transportation ... helps spread those pests.

Don't go crazy about those kind of reports, but of course we shouldn't be innocents and play the white doves.

Thanks for the information .

Nor regarding the malta beetle, we in israel have the batocera variety.

I dont want to scare people growing figs in the ground - and that is anywhere in the world , this beetle ( long horn, batocera etc..) like fig bark and had been brought to israel from china in the 40's and destroyed all fig crops and no one in the forum knows. it can be brought anywhere and spread very fast and destroy whole field in 1 year.
as i know it lays its eggs and the babies need a tree diamter bigger than 8 cm to thrive, less than that and they are done- thats why i feel relatively safe with the pots.

for those growing in  the ground see this translated document on treatment: maybe it can work against the malta beetle too.

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eco-garden.co.il%2Findex.php%3Fm%3Dar%23%25D7%2599%25D7%25A7%25D7%25A8%25D7%2595%25D7%25A0%25D7%2599%25D7%25AA

I think investing in some netting can be a wise choice.

Hi elin,
In Zone7 we're safe then. None of my trees was able to reach that diameter - even the mother trees of mine ... Did I mention they disappeared or came back from the roots in 2012 ... ?

Maybe we can save malta fig industry with hardy chicagos

FYI, in my own experience, the minimum diameter claims that I've read about the beetles that attacked my trees this spring (a type of ambrosia beetle known as a "shothole borer") turned out not to be true.  All the literature claimed they would not bother trunks or limbs of less than 1" diameter.  They certainly went for limbs and trunks smaller than that, even down to a size of 1/8", or about 3mm.  I have even seen them boring into the dead part of rooted cutting, i.e. the part above the top node that eventually dies back.
  I can believe the beetles/larvae need a trunk of a few inches to "thrive"...but they are still interested in smaller diameter trees, especially weak, sick trees.
Jim

Bumping the topic here and Reporting from Malta here
I see a lot of fig trees on the road sides with dry dead bark
I wanted to take some cuttings but am afraid.