Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Twist and Shout on Hold

In 2007, Danny Arredondo of the California Department of Food and Agriculture — along with an audience of 6 year-old Vincent Souza and 3 year-old Frank Souza — hung pheromone-laced twist ties in trees near Coffield Avenue in Napa to prevent breeding of the light brown apple moth. source

Apple moth program suspended

By ROBERT DIGITALE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

source

Published: Tuesday, June 17, 2008


Representatives from the state Department of Food and Agriculture have postponed placing hundreds of special “twist ties” into two Sonoma neighborhoods until fish and wildlife experts can study the program designed to combat the light brown apple moth.

The twist ties, which are laced with a chemical to attract the male moth and disrupt the reproductive cycle, were to be put out this week. The plan followed the finding of an apple moth earlier this year in the two neighborhoods.

Tuesday the agricultural officials said they were postponing the action until they can better understand the impact of the twist ties on aquatic life, should any ties inadvertently end up in a nearby creek.

Additionally, a number of residents have called the county and said they don’t want the ties placed around their homes and yards. Supervisor Valerie Brown, who represents Sonoma, has asked the Board of Supervisors to hold a hearing on the 8-inch twist ties next month.

The light brown apple moth is a native of Australia. It feeds on a variety of plants ranging from grapes to redwoods.

After discovering the moth in Sonoma, the state last month declared a 15-square-mile moth quarantine area extending from western Sonoma north to Eldridge.

The two neighborhoods are the area of Arnold Drive and Craig Avenue and around Bokman Place in the residential neighborhood south of Flowery Elementary School.

Residents in the quarantine area are prohibited from taking plants and other “host materials” off their properties, while agricultural growers are required to allow trapping and inspections to show their crops are free of the moths.

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Over the years my opinions have changed but this will never change: Jesus Christ, Lord, God and Savior, died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay for my sin.