Exotic beetle spreads deadly disease to native plants

An exotic beetle that spread a deadly disease to native plants like avocado trees throughout Florida has made its way into Highlands County.

The Highlands County Extension Office has found that the redbay ambrosia beetle and its fungi have infested native plants like redbay, pond spice, sassafras and avocado trees.

The beetle lives synergistically with a fungus, which enters the water supply of the trees when it feeds off of the plant, killing it within months.

The disease called laurel wilt disease and originally from Asia has spread from Georgia, South Carolina and to Florida.

"Once the beetle makes its way into the area, 92 percent of these trees will be dead within 18 months or even faster than that," said John Alleyne, commercial horticulture agent for the extension office.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Plant Division Industry first found the laurel wilt disease in eastern Highlands County in 2008.

But, recently, the extension office has seen signs that the disease is spreading. The extension office warns that one beetle's infestation is capable of killing an entire tree.

"This is a dangerous situation," Alleyne said.

Unlike most other beetles that feed off of trees that are sick, dying or stressed, the redbay ambrosia beetle attacks healthy trees.

The first signs of an infected tree are wilting leaves and an appearance of dryness.

"It appears like it has been burned but the leaves have not fallen," Alleyne said.

Since the beetle is smaller than a grain of rice, it is easier to detect if trees are infected by these symptoms, according to the department of agriculture.

The beetle has already invaded 23 counties in Florida including Duval, Brevard and Indian River.

In the last four to five months, the extension office has tracked the beetle and found it has migrated west from Vero Beach and Okeechobee County before entering Highlands County.

It is likely to continue in its pattern and reach surrounding counties like Polk County, Alleyne said.

The beetle has been found in Lake Placid and Lorida. The extension office and the department of agriculture have placed two traps to monitor the beetle and are conducting sample tests on an avocado farm in Lake Placid that is showing signs of the disease.

Alleyne said that if the beetle has infested the avocados, the consequences could be detrimental to the industry.

"With the nature of the beetle and the disease, eradication is unlikely but management of the disease is more promising," said Denise Feiber, public information director for the Division of Plant Industry.

The department of agriculture is coordinating efforts for research of fungicides and biocontrols which uses insects that might attack the beetle or somehow affect its fungus.

Avocadoes are second to citrus as the largest fruit industry in Florida. They average about $30 million annually and about 60,000 Floridians have at least one avocado tree in their yards, according to the Associated Press.

"It redbay ambrosia beetle has not been found in any of the state's avocado groves...That's not to say that avocado trees in isolated areas have not gotten the disease," said Mark Fagan spokesperson for Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The wilting disease can also impact the swallow tail butterfly species that live and feed off the redbay trees.

"If we lose our redbays, we would essentially lose our swallow tail butterflies," Alleyne said.

Residents who believe their trees are infected should contact the extension office. The office is encouraging people to avoid buying wood that comes from these trees.

Infected trees should not be burned unless authorized by the county. If trees have been cut, the debris should be taken to the landfill.

For more information, contact the Highlands County Extension Office at (863) 402-6540 and visit www.savetheguac.com