The California Department of Food and Agriculture has confirmed the discovery of six additional Asian citrus psyllids in Tulare County. Sabrina Hill has more.
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture has confirmed the discovery of six additional Asian citrus psyllids in Tulare County. The insects were found on three traps south of the city of Porterville. They bring the total number of psyllids found in Tulare County to nine.
CDFA has already started saturating the affected area with detection traps in order to determine the extent of any infestation, and will work with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to figure out what steps to take next.
The discovery of the Asian citrus psyllid is very concerning because the insect can carry and spread huanglongbing disease to citrus trees. While there is no threat to human health, when a tree becomes infected there is no cure and the tree will decline until it dies.
Despite the discovery of several Asian citrus psyllids, huanglongbing disease has been found in only one citrus tree in California so far.