New pest- look for them on your Brassicas (broccoli relatives)

Please keep an eye out for this pest and report any sightings, with photos, to the Bay Area IPM Advisor. They are a lot smaller than this photo might suggest- take a look at the website for reference. Thanks!


http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=12609

"Dear Bay Area invasive species stakeholders,

A UC IPM colleague just (belatedly) informed me of a sighting in January of the invasive bagrada bug in San Francisco:
http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=12609

Prior to this confirmed (photo positively identified) sighting, the bugs had not been seen north of the Monterey area. This insect may represent a serious new pest for San Mateo County's Brussels sprouts and cole crops growers (preferred hosts are in Brassicaceae), a nuisance pest for urban gardeners (often found associated with sweet alyssum), and a new nuisance pest for structural pest control operators (aggregates and seeks shelter in structures in late autumn). I will try to contact the resident who took these photos so that San Francisco's Agriculture Department can investigate further if desired.

Happy Friday to all,

Andrew

Andrew M. Sutherland, Ph.D, BCE
Bay Area IPM Advisor
UCCE Alameda County
(510) 777-2481 office
(510) 499-2930 cell
amsutherland@ucanr.edu

visit my urban IPM web site here
visit the UC IPM web site www.ipm.ucanr.edu"