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jdmasek

Diaprepes Root Weevil Eradication Spraying in SoCal?

tuesdayschild
17 years ago

I have just recently received a message in the mail informing me that the Powers that Be are going to be conducting an eradication spraying for the Diaprepes abbreviatus root weevil in my area (La Jolla). A Caribbean import, this thing was accidentally introduced near Apopka, Florida in 1964, presumably introduced in an ornamental plant shipment from Puerto Rico. Since 1964, D. abbreviatus has spread over a large area of central and southern Florida and parts of Texas where it is damaging to ornamental plants and other crops, especially citrus. We've been quarantined for 4 mos, but now I guess we're stepping up the action.

OK I get it..... gotta protect our SoCal citrus product (which is apparently really endangered by this nasty bug which has a two-cycle life, one below ground and one above, making it really difficult to eradicate), -- one person described it as "The diaprepes root weevil is the most devastating pest we've come across in a while because it attacks so many different plants," (So far 270 species of plants., including citrus and roses).

I have worked my patooty off setting up a reasonably balanced ecology in a downtown environment, working with my neighbors to introduce tons of beneficials into a blighted area-- no bees, no nice stuff, until we started a neighborhood campaign. Its really showing results the last year... now what? What can I expect from an eradication spraying like this from the state (remove old people, imuno-compromised individuals, pets, etc.) on my careful work? The chemicals in the pesticides include carbaryl, imidacloprid and pytrethroid. Do I kiss our praying mantis population goodbye (and expect the stick bugs to reduce us to wasteland again)? Are my lacewings history? Do I start over from scratch? Do I sit around and wait to see what happens before I order the next round of bugs????

Anyone have any suggestions?

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