DIAPREPES ROOT WEEVIL QUARANTINE NOW INCLUDES PART OF ENCINITAS

SACRAMENTO, June 15, 2006 – A two square mile quarantine zone has been established in Encinitas due to an infestation of Diaprepes Root Weevil, an exotic pest that threatens more than 270 species of plants. This follows previous quarantines for the pest in La Jolla, Newport Beach, and Long Beach.

The quarantine zone has been established to regulate the movement of green waste, plants and soil. The regulation applies to an area bordered on the west by Rancho Santa Fe Rd.; bordered on the north by Dusty Trail; bordered on the east by Wildflower Dr.; and bordered on the south by El Camino Del Norte.

CDFA is evaluating options for management of the Diaprepes root weevil population.

Diaprepes root weevils are native to the Caribbean, have generally infested Florida and have also infested a part of Texas. Adult weevils feed on the leaves of plants and their larvae plunge underground and feed on plant roots. Left unchecked, the pest could damage urban and rural landscaping, the nursery industry, and significant portions of California’s fruit and vegetable output, including citrus, a favorite of the pest.

Diaprepes root weevils are black, with distinctive orange, yellow or gray markings on their backs. For more information, please link to CDFA’s web site, www.cdfa.ca.gov, and to report suspicious bugs, please call
1-800-491-1899

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