Spring is fast approaching, and that means that populations of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) will soon be on the rise. The approaching warm weather is the trigger that activates the GWSS statewide survey and detection program.
The focus of the program is on systematically trapping in uninfested urban and rural residential areas and nurseries to determine if GWSS are present. GWSS are detected by using yellow panel traps that are deployed in 43 counties that are not infested or are only partially infested with GWSS. The GWSS are attracted to the trap’s bright yellow color and become stuck on the adhesive surface. County and state personnel service traps on a regular basis during the trapping season.
Each urban and rural residential trap is checked every two or three weeks and moved to a new location every six weeks. New traps are used as needed. During the peak of the trapping season, approximately 33,000 traps are deployed and serviced statewide for GWSS detection and survey.
During 2017, the Pierce’s Disease Control Program (PDCP) provided detection training to 533 employees from 34 counties, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), nurseries participating in the Approved Treatment Program (ATP), and citrus packing houses. Staff assisted county personnel with field surveys and also conducted quality control inspections of county trapping programs. These inspections are done to ensure trap placement, host selection, servicing schedules, and record keeping are performed properly.
These and other efforts in the continuing partnership of government and industry have been a cornerstone in stemming the movement of GWSS into uninfested areas of the state for 17 years.
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