Pest Prevention

Pest Management

The Agricultural Commissioner is charged with the responsibility of managing nuisance pests of agriculture and of human health. By order of the Board of Supervisors, toxic baits are available and sold at cost. We are involved in efforts to control the spread of weed pests such as star thistles and distaff thistle.

Vine Mealybug (VMB)

General Information on VMB

VMB is a very serious pest of grape vines that has the potential to cause a significant impact on the wine grape industry. For detailed information regarding the biology of VMB and the damage it can cause go to the UC Vine Mealybug Pest Management Guidelines website. We believe it is critical that growers successfully manage this pest based on the best management practices below. Growers should communicate with their neighbors and winery on an ongoing basis regarding trapping efforts, infestations and pesticide applications directed toward VMB.

History of VMB

This mealybug was first discovered in California in 1994, and by the end of 2004, VMB had been found in 21 counties in California. VMB was found for the first time in a vineyard in Sonoma County in August 2002. Since that time the insect has been found in numerous locations throughout the county and is spreading.

VMB Best Management Practices

All growers should trap for VMB in their vineyards beginning in June, and trap through December, or until the first good rain. Growers may either set out their own traps then "read" them to look for male mealybugs that may have been caught, or obtain the services of someone trained and willing to do so.

For a list of current VMB Trap Service providers, contact UCCE at (707) 565-2621.

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), Sonoma County Viticulture Program contains several documents on VMB - http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/Viticulture717/Mealybugs.htm.

The following two documents are related to VMB traps:

• Vine Mealybug Trapping Protocol: Monitoring Vine Mealybug with Pheromone Traps in North Coast Vineyards
• Retail Sources of Red Delta Traps and Lures, for male Vine Mealybug, Planococcus ficus – Scroll down to “Trapping For Male Vine Mealybug”

Communication

To understand the risks and threat posed by VMB to your vineyard and those surrounding your property, neighbors should communicate regularly with each other during the trapping season from June through December. Trapping alone on one property will not provide vineyard managers the information they need to prevent the spread or manage this pest. We expect growers and wineries to use the following Best Management Practices to help prevent the spread of this insect to new locations.

Visit the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission to view the Best Management Practices for Growers and Wineries. At the Grower Resources page, you will need to login at Grower/Vintner Login. Once you have logged in, go to “Grower Resources”, and then to “Vine Mealybug Info”.

The Best Management Practices for Growers and Wineries were prepared by Nick Frey with the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, and reviewed by Rhonda Smith and Lucia Varela with the University of California Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County.

Additional Information

If you have questions or concerns regarding regulatory issues related to VMB, you may contact Dan Curtin with our office at (707) 565-2371. For more information regarding VMB, please visit the website links listed below or contact Rhonda Smith or Lucia Varela with the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) at (707) 565-2621.

Vine Mealybug Links and Information

• Vine Mealybug Update - January 10, 2008
• Sonoma County UCCE Mealybug website
• Napa County UCCE Vine Mealybug website
• UC Vine Mealybug Pest Management Guidelines website
• Vine Mealybug Poster (1.22MB)

Miscellaneous Links and Information

• CDFA Noxious Weed Information Project site
• UC Davis Weed Research and Information Center
• Federally Recognized Invasive Species
• Poisonous Plants, Cornell University
• National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS)
• How to Manage Pests, UC Integrated Pest Management Program
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS)

These documents are saved in Adobe Acrobat format and you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the reports. Visit our page to download Acrobat Reader.

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