Tuesday, 9th September 2008 - 14:57CET
Alert raised over harmful pest
The Plant Health Department has raised the alert over the Citrus Longhorn Beetle (Anoplophora cinensis) a damaging quarantine pest which has not been reported in Malta but has established a presence in Italy.
It said it was monitoring for any signs of this beetle, so that if it was introduced in Malta, necessary action would be taken immediately."
The natural range of the beetle includes China, Japan and other countries in South East Asia. But it has been moving around the world on ornamental trees imported from Asia.
"They are a threat to horticulture, forestry and also to citrus production in the Mediterranean. Worth mentioning is the outbreak of the beetle that occurred in Lombardia, Italy. Eradication measures have included the destruction of hundreds of mature trees," the department said.
Adults of the Citrus Longhorned beetle are large (21–37 mm long) and black with variable white markings. Their antennae are longer than their bodies and are black with white/light blue bands. These beetles spend most of their life (ranging from one to two years, in Asia), as larvae inside a trunk or root, and hence there can be little or no sign of their presence to anyone inspecting a host tree.
The most obvious symptoms of the damage caused by these insects are exit holes which are typically 6–11 mm in diameter and are generally found towards the base of trunks.
The department said anyone suspecting the presence of the pest should report on 25904312 or 23397222/3. Further details on the biology and symptoms of this insect can be found on www.planthealth.gov.mt
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Comments
Whilst agreeing with you that open and immediate communication with the public is the first step towards effective crisis managment i also agree with Ms. Vincenti that some dratic measures must be taken on the importation of such trees.
Many people have been forced to fell trees that cost a lot of money to buy again (incidently these are bought from the people/companies who actually brought these bugs to our island thanks to their carelessness) What measures are being taken to refund us this money? At least have the decency to introduce stringent regulations and harsh penalties for anyone caught circumventing these regulations. We DEMAND it
It is the same thing for any other issue that requires a backbone decision. Whether it's billy the beetle, hunting, blatant littering of our sea & land, illegal immigration, vehicles choking our air or the age old problem of those ugly squatter green huts making our shoreline look like Mumbai, it all comes down to the fact that putting 'our foot down' would mean the risk of losing votes! Having said that, I think I'll go find myself a nice piece of land with unobstructed seaviews, I'll build a structure and then demand connection to water, electricity & drainage & erect a 'privat keep out' sign... Flatmate anyone?