Feds release thousands of sterile moths

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Friday, November 06, 2009

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By MIKE TRELEVEN
Register Staff Writer

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November 6th, 2009

Feds release thousands of sterile moths

November 5th, 2009

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The first sterile light-brown apple moths ever released in the United States have landed in a vineyard in Carneros.

Federal officials released 3,000 moths — 1,500 males and 1,500 females — late in the afternoon Wednesday in a pinot noir vineyard belonging to Domaine Chandon. The Yountville-based winery volunteered for the program.

From now until early December, an estimated 30,000 irradiated sterile light-brown apple moths will be released in other quarantined areas of Napa and Sonoma counties, on properties belonging to about 20 growers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the moths Wednesday in an area where the pest was originally discovered in March 2007 — near the Napa-Sonoma county line. The agency’s goal is to evaluate the sterile moths’ life span and how far it flies in comparison to its wild counterpart.

“This release is just for data gathering,” said Lawrence Hawkins, USDA public affairs specialist.

Forty traps were put out in the vineyard to determine how far the sterile bugs travel.

USDA entomologist Greg Simmons hopes the sterile moths have a life expectancy of two to three weeks, the same as the wild apple moth.

“This looks to be a promising program based on other sterile pest programs from the past,” Simmons said.

Agricultural officials said they will monitor the sterile moths as long as there is foliage on the vines, probably into early December. Then the USDA will wait until spring to resume its releases and data collecting.

Simmons said the sterile moths came from a new USDA facility in Moss Landing, on Monterey Bay. The irradiated moths arrived at the vineyard in a plastic ice chest, which contained a clear petri-like container with the sterile moths.

Josh Rubin, viticulturist for Domaine Chandon, said the winery volunteered for the program because winery leaders believe the irradiated moths can help control the wild pest.

“This area (Carneros) has been the hot seat of the quarantine,” Rubin added.

10 comment(s)

herbal@got.net wrote on Nov 6, 2009 12:33 AM:

" It is too bad the winery folks did not check with their counterparts in New Zealand and Hawaii or read the National Academy of Science review about USDA's LBAM policies. They would have found that LBAM is a minor and easily controlled insect in New Zealand, it has done nothing to anything in more than 113 years in Hawaii, and according to the NAS that USDA's policies are scientifically inaccurate and flawed. I think the worst part is that no one is asking what is the efficiency of the technology? No technique is 100% effective. So will USDA actually cause an infestation where none exists? It has been shown that cats who eat irradiated food can die; what effect will the irradiated moths have on the ecosystem. I guess Carneros will find out and I sure will not be buying their wine any time soon. "

Little Lord Fauntleroy wrote on Nov 6, 2009 7:34 AM:

" herbal: they are not causing an infestation. If you read the article, it says that they are sterile, so they can't reproduce. They will mate once, and no offspring will be produced. How is that an infestation? "

krusty wrote on Nov 6, 2009 7:45 AM:

" Oh no! Obama is sending out sterile moths now?! How long before he sends out sterile humans? We must do something, Sheeple!!!!! Meet me at Mike Thompsons office at noon. Bring tea bags and the the most offensive sign you can find. "

nweaver wrote on Nov 6, 2009 8:23 AM:

" Irradiated moths have no significant effect on the ecosystem unless you are a fellow moth.

The irradiated moths are sterile but will still mate, and many insect species are physically incapable of mating more than once. Thus each normal moth that mates with an irradiated moth can't reproduce.

Apart from being physically unable to reproduce, they are effectively identical to any other bug when it comes to the food chain.

I don't know where the previous poster got the bit about cats and irradiated food, I've never heard of that and frankly, it makes no sense to me.

For those who are opposed to pesticide sprayings, sterile insect releases, when appropriate, are probably the best method of control: it only affects the targeted species. "

nightwatchman wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:37 AM:

" Krusty-- A+

Hilarious. "

herbal@got.net wrote on Nov 6, 2009 11:07 AM:

" As noted previously, no technology is 100% effective. So if the rate of sterilization efficiency is 90%, or whatever percentage you want to assign to it, there is the potential for a percentage of every batch of released moths to be fertile. Originally, USDA was proposing to release 1 million moths per square acre in the Santa Cruz area; at 5% potential fertility this had the potential to release more fertile moths than the total number of moths that have been trapped in California. USDA has not released any information as to the level of efficacy of sterilization but acknowledged in a meeting with us and Senator Florez that no technology is 100% effective. "

Little Lord Fauntleroy wrote on Nov 6, 2009 11:54 AM:

" krusty, yes, Obama's sterile human program is a huge problem. He must be stopped! I'm ready to have a tea-bag party to protest "

PlasticPinkFlamingo wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:56 PM:

" The government is issuing sterile moths - there is a good joke in there but I don't think I can word it so it gets past the editors . . . "

Lexme2 wrote on Nov 6, 2009 3:58 PM:

" Love it Krusty! "

RobertW wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:26 PM:

" LBAM IS A FRAUD FOR MONEY

Dr. Jerry Powell, UC entomologist, found the first LBAM in California in his back yard in July 2006. Jerry said that likely the moth has been in California for years prior to entering his yard.

James Carey, invasive pest biologist, studied the moth's location and spread and estimated LBAM has been in California for 30-50 years.

Darryl Chambers, retired Entomologist identified that LBAM could not be eradicated from California.

Nick Mills, UC Berkeley Entomologist, studied LBAM and estimated the locations where LBAM can thrive at very minimal within California, the U.S. and the world. His modeling is consistent with where LBAM is known to live in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Europe, etc. Nick Mills does not evaluate LBAM as a pest more significant than other similar native leaf roller moths in California.

The National Academy of Science did not evaluate LBAM as a pest of greater significance than other leaf roller moths in California.

The CDFA Environmental Impact Report (chapter #3, pages 3-20, 3-21) states that: NO DAMAGE FROM LBAM HAS OCCURRED IN CALIFORNIA. This confirms no damage from LBAM even though the media incorrectly reported damage from sources that had not been verified by the media.

So:
1. LBAM has been in California approximately 8 to 50 years.
2. LBAM has caused no damage in California for 8 to 50 years.
3. LBAM is not a threat to crops in California.
4. LBAM cannot be eradicated.

QUESTION #1: Why are $100 million of public funds each year being targeted for LBAM eradication?

Question #2: Why is SIT the predominant method to eradicate LBAM when no moth has ever been eradicated by SIT and SIT for LBAM is in its infancy? "

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