Single LBAM males have been found this summer in Brentwood and Byron. So far, we have not found additional moths that would put these areas under quarantine. As of August 28, four moths have been found in the Oakley area and five in Antioch. The Northern California quarantine area continues to expand into new territory with multiple finds in Manteca (San Joaquin County) and Davis (Yolo County). LBAM has also spread to Southern California, triggering new quarantine areas in Los Osos (San Luis Obispo County) and Long Beach (Los Angeles County).

During the coming year, we expect the LBAM quarantine area to expand and cover most, if not all, of our east county area. The resulting restrictions would have a serious impact on our growers since LBAM can infest just about every type of crop that Contra Costa County grows. Based on our previous experience, these quarantine expansions happen suddenly and cause big problems for growers trying to move their harvested commodities. When the quarantines expand, we have to write compliance agreements for each affected grower, inspect the fields within 30 days of harvest, and issue documents that allow transportation of the commodity.

A draft of the Environmental Impact Report for the LBAM Eradication Program was released for public comment on July 31. It presents CDFA?s plans to control LBAM using the release of sterile males, biocontrol organisms, and the application of mating disruption pheromones. The pheromones would be applied in urban areas and for small, isolated populations by using twist-ties and in blobs of matrix applied to utility poles and trees. In remote, heavily infested areas, the pheromones would be applied by air.