Dangerous Beetle Pests

Author

Comment

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387130002	Reply with quote #1

The USDA already has very strict regulations prohibiting importation of figs from most countries because of the Asian Longhorned Beetle and the Citrus Longhorned Beetle. Yesterday a fig grower in Malaysia posted photos on Facebook of a ridiculously scary looking giant beetle that has done some serious damage. I don't know the name of this beetle yet, but thought I'd share these photos. Sure makes one consider the risks of illegal imports! __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387130047	Reply with quote #2

__________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

Grasa

Registered:1347083219
Posts: 1,819

Posted 1387130642	Reply with quote #3

Ewww giant creature! The side effects of artificial fertilization and depletion of the land is being hormone/food for these creatures. the poor airlayer has little chances. __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

Frankallen

Registered:1371842383
Posts: 994

Posted 1387135499	Reply with quote #4

Now I see why, the USDA has those restrictions, we have enough problems here in US, without these Ugly Bugs hitching a ride over here!! __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

armando93223

Registered:1318984112
Posts: 1,164

Posted 1387135824	Reply with quote #5

Wow, that killed my idea of trying to get an international cutting...LOL __________________ Armando in the Heart of California

pitangadiego

Moderator
Registered:1188871011
Posts: 5,447

Posted 1387141810	Reply with quote #6

And odds are it likes many more things than just figs. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com http://figs4fun.com http://webebananas.com "pitangadiego" everywhere

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387149011	Reply with quote #7

I'm guessing that figs make an ideal host for this pest (and similar ones that are borers) because of the soft corky center of branches. __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1387152692	Reply with quote #8

hits home harder when it's about things we love. lots of pests coming in from asian pacific. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Ingevald

Registered:1200844977
Posts: 312

Posted 1387153349	Reply with quote #9

Thanks for the posting and the very good photos. That looks like a very destructive pest. It does not look like the Asian Longhorned Beetle but some other destructive beetle. Here is a link that might be interesting http://asianlonghornedbeetle.com/ Ingevald

COGardener

Registered:1357441505
Posts: 814

Posted 1387153614	Reply with quote #10

I don't know how hard these beneficial nematodes would be to get Malaysia, it may however be worth looking into. http://www.buglogical.com/beneficial-nematodes/

Feigenbaum

Registered:1377643723
Posts: 382

Posted 1387154313	Reply with quote #11

I am glad that over here in Germany we don't have any big bugs, beetles or squirrels who are interested in figs! Even our local birds have no idea what a fig is. At least some little benefit to live in a cooler climate. __________________ Hi from Germany! (Zone 7b) Christian

pitangadiego

Moderator
Registered:1188871011
Posts: 5,447

Posted 1387169346	Reply with quote #12

Christian, they are supposedly in southern Europe, which is why all of Europe is off limits for importing, currently. They may be visiting in your neighborhood before long. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com http://figs4fun.com http://webebananas.com "pitangadiego" everywhere

figherder

Registered:1378804761
Posts: 237

Posted 1387198495	Reply with quote #13

Thank you to all who posted this info. I am one who just got some cuttings so now what do I do? Send em to the USDA or throw em in the woodstove? __________________ Jeff in zone 5b Wish list St rita,Vista,Sal's G,De la Reina, preto, Sport and pops purple red from Bellaclare, Planera Malta Black, Navid Unk Dark Greek,

WillsC

Registered:1348087628
Posts: 1,698

Posted 1387199819	Reply with quote #14

I would throw them in the freezer in a bag.....when the USDA shows up eventually you will be ready for them and can just say you learned after you received them that it is against the law.

Axier

Registered:1191346607
Posts: 217

Posted 1387276215	Reply with quote #15

I live in SW Europe and, as far as I know, we haven't new foreign beetles, I have never seen a beetle damaging fig woods. Just some inoffensive green Cetonia beetle on souring/rotten figs. __________________ Axier Basque Country Z9

Dave

Registered:1312388324
Posts: 1,482

Posted 1387477211	Reply with quote #16

Dam! I thought Gnats were a problem! __________________ Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada

gorgi

Registered:1188888396
Posts: 2,864

Posted 1387478045	Reply with quote #17

Dam! I thought one single 'figure-8-wandering' ant? was a problem! [See above post :-) Need to be logged in.] __________________ George, NJ_z7a.

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

Posted 1387513230	Reply with quote #18

Quote: Originally Posted by figherder Thank you to all who posted this info. I am one who just got some cuttings so now what do I do? Send em to the USDA or throw em in the woodstove? Just quarantine them in a separate room until early summer...don't turn them in, unless you want to be arrested or fined. By summer if nothing hatched you are safe to get them join your garden.

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387526378	Reply with quote #19

The individual who shared these photos from Malaysia reported today that agricultural officials there indicated the beetle normally are found in bamboo. Figs are a new introduction there and they apparently have found them to be very tasty! __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1387540234	Reply with quote #20

well.. it's not why asia has all these nasty pests.. but why human are over populating the planet and invading natural habitat of those insects. but since we are not into controlling human population, we will have to control the other end of the stick, animals, insects, plants and others. in process we more or less destroy biodiversity and some insects will become a "problem" to us human. and we forget what have we done to get rid of those "problem's' natural predators. the areas along the south east asia have conditions that favor large biodiversity, sort of like s. american rain forests which are also going away. human hasn't exactly "harness" the environment there like we did in New York, LA, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul and other fantastic metro cities. as soon as we destroy the remaining rain forests, we won't have to worry too much about any pests... other than the ones that will survive nuclear meltdown like roaches. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387557413	Reply with quote #21

I don't believe human population has anything to do with the presence of these pests. But when a new plant species (in this case, figs) is introduced into an a new area there is the risk of learning which local insects may find this new plant to be a good host for them. Cold climates kill off or reduce the populations of many insects so in tropical areas such as Malaysia there are always more insects since they have a year-round food supply. Whether this bamboo beetle would survive in colder USA climates is anyone's guess, though I imagine it would probably do fine in some areas. __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

Chivas

Registered:1283819505
Posts: 1,675

Posted 1387560538	Reply with quote #22

The Asian long-horned beetle *(Anoplophora glabripennis), also known as the starry sky, sky beetle, or ALB*, is a species native to eastern China,Japan, and Korea. This species has now been accidentally introduced into the United States, where it was first discovered in 1996, as well as Canada,Trinidad, and several countries in Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK. This beetle is believed to have been spread from Asiain solid wood packaging material. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle This little bugger is one of the reasons Canada has restricted importing figs from Europe, now we need to pay for a Pest Risk Assesment that will take several years to complete. It is a shame for us in Canada, but I would hate to wake up and find a single one anywhere. Lucky they haven't seen in it Spain or Portugal according to Wikipedia so that doesn't mean it hasnt been found. __________________ Canada Zone 6B

gorgi

Registered:1188888396
Posts: 2,864

Posted 1387565214	Reply with quote #23

The (black & white) Asian Long Horned beetle was in introduced here in US northeast; not from plants, but from those thousands/millions of wooden-pallets used by fork-lifters, while shipping only God knows what merchandise inside those big shipping metal containers. Nowadays, these wooden pallets have to be insect-free-certified. (Also, them same pallets are now being replaced by sterile plastic-ones.) http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/03/14/asian-longhorned-beetle-eradicated-from-new-jersey/ If you see one(1) of these little bad monsters; report it asap to your local agriculture department ... __________________ George, NJ_z7a.

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387566660	Reply with quote #24

To be clear, the insect in my original post is neither the Asian Longhorn Beetle or Citrus Longhorn Beetle, both of which are subject of USA federal orders prohibiting/restricting importation of figs and other potential hosts from many countries. Here is the ALB: Here is the CLB: __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387566870	Reply with quote #25

Here is CLB: __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1387566936	Reply with quote #26

ALB and CLB look the same to me. __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1387578830	Reply with quote #27

and they are cute... i wonder what they taste like.. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

Previous Topic | Next Topic

Modal title

Mahatma Gandhi

Insert Code

Please paste your code into the box below: