The light brown apple moth is not devastating the Napa Valley grapegrowing industry, but it is proving to be a thorn in the side for local grapegrowers.

For growers in the quarantine area, which includes most of the Napa Valley, the presence of the moth means putting a tarp cover over each load of grapes leaving the vineyard and making detailed visual inspections of the vineyards before picking.

For haulers, wineries and growers, it also means getting a notice of compliance from federal agricultural officials to transport and process the grapes from quarantined areas.

Farmers also have to get a compliance agreement and what is known as a federal shield from the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s office to conduct business at harvest time. County officials have issued nearly 1,800 compliance agreements since the apple moth quarantine went into effect.

“Last year, we had to tarp loads leaving Carneros,” Jim Lincoln, vineyard manager for Beckstoffer Vineyards, said. “Tarping a load is a lot of extra time you don’t have during harvest.”

“There’s a lot of paperwork involved. For the wine industry, it means pushing a lot of paper around. And you have to dispose of the waste a certain way,” Lincoln added.

At Domaine Chandon, viticulturist Josh Rubin said that prior to picking this year he inspected every vineyard block, looking for the light brown apple moth while it was still in its larval stage. “It took me about a week,” said Rubin. “And that requires close attention.”

Rubin said tarping each load is not as big an issue for Domaine Chandon, “because we were already doing it for the vine mealy bug, which has been a problem with us for five years.”

While mid-valley grower Bill Hanna has never found a light brown apple moth in his vineyard off Dry Creek Road, he is still in a quarantine area. “It really doesn’t impact us. I’ve never seen the pest in our vineyard. It has not caused us any excessive work.”

Hanna said loads of winegrapes do not need to be tarped if the vineyard was inspected prior to picking and was deemed free of light brown apple moth.

Jon Ruel of Trefethen Vineyards said neither the European nor Australian moths have appeared at his Oak Knoll vineyards. He said the main impact of these exotic bugs is a requirement for good communication and educational efforts, both between growers and with their crews.

“When a pest is found, the Ag Commissioner’s office is quick to communicate with us and get the word out. Photos are shared with vineyard workers and we tell them to let us know if they find it,” Ruel added. “This is yet another pest our people are having to look for.”