The European grapevine moth that interrupted the lives of South
County growers in September 2010, has been discovered in Santa Cruz
County causing the quarantine to spread further 87 square miles
near Aptos and Watsonville.
The European grapevine moth that interrupted the lives of South County growers in September 2010, has been discovered in Santa Cruz County causing the quarantine to spread further 87 square miles near Aptos and Watsonville.
The invasive, crop-destroying moths were first found in Napa County in 2009 and since were discovered in Santa Clara, Fresno, San Joaquin, Mendocino and Merced counties. The pest quarantine statewide now spans 2,000 square miles.
California tops the list in the nation of grape growers, and in 2009, the grape harvest was worth $2.74 billion – about a third of which was produced in the Napa Valley.
In South County, grapes are the eighth top-selling crop. Wine production in Santa Clara County in 2009 was worth $6.98 million, according to the Santa Clara Division of Agriculture. More than 5,600 tons were produced that year with about three to five tons produced for every acre.
Three third-generation adult moths were found near Watsonville Road, north of Day Road last September, causing the call for an immediate quarantine and trashing of exposed fruit. In the springtime, the species of moths feed on ripening grapes and expose them to fungal infections. They can cause the grapes to brown and rot and ruin an entire crop. Currently, growers within the quarantine area are asked to spray an organic compound on the fruit and set up moth traps. Grants are available for growers struggling to pay the cost of about $100 per acre.
