ODA issues emergency quarantine on aquatic nursery stock with intent of stopping zebra mussels from establishing in Oregon

From April 19, 2021 Oregon Department of Agriculture News Release:

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) filed an emergency rule prohibiting the import of Marimo or moss balls infested with invasive zebra mussels. According to the rule, moss balls may only be imported to Oregon if accompanied by a quarantine compliance certificate stating the commodity was inspected and found free of zebra mussels, issued within seven (7) days of shipment. Moss balls without proof of inspection within the seven (7) days will be destroyed.

Read the full News Release here

Upcoming Allium Leafminer Rule Meeting (5/19/21)

Please see the notice of the Allium leafminer rule here. There will be an open virtual GoTo meeting for any comments to be recorded on this rule. 

Allium leafminer rule meeting 

Wed, May 19, 2021 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (PDT) 

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. 

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/271483629 

You can also dial in using your phone. 

United States (Toll Free): 1 877 309 2073 

United States: +1 (646) 749-3129 

Access Code: 271-483-629 

Join from a video-conferencing room or system. 

Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com 

Meeting ID: 271 483 629 

Or dial directly: 271483629@67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##271483629 

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/271483629

Pest Alert: Asian Giant Hornet

What is the Asian giant hornet?
The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the world’s largest hornet and is native to Asia. The Asian giant hornet is a quarantine pest for the United States and is a serious pest of honeybees and other insects. A quarantine pest is a pest of potential economic importance, possibly present in the area of concern but not widely distributed, and officially regulated by the USDA APHIS. Learn more about quarantine pests by visiting the The Food and Agriculture Organization website.

ASIAN GIANT HORNET FOUND IN WASHINGTON STATE. FROM WA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HORNET PEST ALERT AGR PUB 809-816

Where has it been found?
In 2019, these hornets were found in British Columbia, Canada and Blaine, Washington. As of June 1, 2020, it has not been found in Oregon. However, if the Asian giant hornet does make its way into Oregon, it will threaten Oregon’s honeybees and poses a risk to humans. According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Asian giant hornet is expected to attack the same things in this region that they attack in their native range: medium to large sized insects (large beetles, katydids, mantids, caterpillars).

MAP SHOWING REPORTS (AS OF JUNE 8, 2020) OF ASIAN GIANT HORNET FROM THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S HORNET WATCH REPORT FORM. VIEW THE CURRENT 2023 MAP HERE

Are they dangerous?
Yes! Use extreme caution near Asian giant hornets. While they do not generally attack people or pets, they can attack when threatened. Not only can the Asian giant hornet sting multiple times, their stinger is longer than that of a honeybee and the venom is more toxic than any local bee or wasp. Typical beekeeping protective clothing is not sufficient to protect you from stings.

Asian giant hornet Identification Tips:

• Large wasps about 1.25 to nearly 2 inches long

• Large, yellow-orange head with prominent eyes

• Black and yellow striped abdomen

• Forms large colonies that usually nest in the ground

• Significant numbers of killed honeybees in or around a hive - they are typically snipped into pieces

IMAGE FROM WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUGWOOD.ORG, AND USDA APHIS PPQ.

Does it look like other insects? 
Some local insects have been confused with Asian giant hornets, including those listed below which are NOT Asian giant hornets. Remember, unlike the local insects below, Asian giant hornets are LARGE wasps 1.25 to nearly 2 inches long. Click here to view the Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarina) and Oregon Look-a-likes poster, which was created by Oregon Department of Agriculture.

• Paper wasp

• Bald faced hornet

• Yellow jacket

• Elm sawfly

The Washington State Department of Agriculture recently started a social media campaign called #ThatIsNotAnAsianGiantHornet which consists of putting a picture of an Asian giant hornet next to a picture of an insect that has been reported (but is not Asian giant hornet).

Credit: Dave Wilkes

Credit: Joel Nielsen

Credit: USDA APHIS

What should you do if you think you’ve seen an Asian giant hornet?
Do not kill what you think might be an Asian giant hornet and do not approach a suspected colony! Not only is it potentially dangerous, misidentification by well-intentioned members of the public can result in the killing of native bees and other insects. Instead, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is asking that you report it immediately here: https://oda.fyi/HornetReport. If you do not have internet access, you can make a report by calling 503-986-4636.

Additional Resources:

• USDA New Pest Response Guidelines for Asian Giant Hornet

• Resources from the Washington Department of Agriculture:

  • Information for Beekeepers

  • Join the Asian Giant Hornet Watch Facebook Group

  • Asian Giant Hornet Fact Sheet for farmers, gardeners, hunters, hikers, and outdoor workers. Available in Spanish: Farmers and outdoor workers

  • WSDA Virtual Press Conference (Recorded May 29, 2020): https://youtu.be/dzDgxBw48pM

The information above was compiled from the Oregon Department of Agriculture Pest Alert, Washington Department of Agriculture Hornet Webpage, and the USDA New Pest Response Guidelines for Asian Giant Hornet.

*Asian Giant Hornet Update from WSDA (7/24/2020)*

On July 24th, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) released an Asian giant hornet stakeholder update. Below are a few important takeaways from the update:

• Volunteers have put up over 1300 traps, which is in addition to the hundreds of traps managed by WSDA!

• The Washington Invasive Species Council contributed $3,000 toward the cost of billboards in Whatcom County, WA to help raise awareness and encourage reporting of Asian giant hornets.

• WSDA is partnering with the Washington State University Master Gardeners to provide a training (August 11 at 10 a.m.) for Master Gardeners who might be answering questions or receiving suspected Asian giant hornet specimens from clients. Master gardeners who are interested in participating in this webinar should contact their program coordinator for  information on how to attend the training.

All Asian giant hornet stakeholder updates from WSDA can be found here. If you would like to receive updates from WSDA’s Pest Program on Asian giant hornet (and other topics), click here.

Thank you for your interest in protecting Oregon from invasive species. To learn more about the Oregon Invasive Species Council and to report sightings of invasive species, please visit https://www.oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org/report-an-invader and follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

(Post updated August 19, 2020)

2019 Japanese Beetle Eradication Update from ODA

The Oregon Department of Agriculture recently released a 2019 update on the Japanese Beetle Eradication project in Washington County. Here are some highlights:

• 95% of those within the treatment area consented to treatment in 2019.

• Treatment included 8,500 residences, 6 schools, 8 parks, 3 shopping center, and 1 golf course.

• Compared to 2018, there was a 56% reduction in the overall number of beetles trapped in 2019.

• As a result of the 2018 granular treatment and 2019 foliar treatment, there was a 65% reduction this year in the number of beetles trapped within the 2018 treatment boundary.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture will continue treatment next season and are planning to expand the treatment boundary. For more information on the Japanese beetle eradication project please visit: https://www.japanesebeetlepdx.info.

The full 2019 Japanese beetle eradication project update can be found here: www.japanesebeetlepdx.info/updates.

Emerging Insect Pest Threats Webinar on New OISC Webpage

The OISC has a new webpage, “Invasive Species Videos” which can be found under the “Resources” tab. The Invasive Species Videos webpage will be used as a place to share important invasive species videos from the Council and our partners. If you have any invasive species videos you’d like to share, or know of any YouTube channels that post invasive species videos, please email us a link so we can share it!

Our first video on the new page is a recording of the webinar we hosted on January 17th titled “Emerging Insect Pests: Threats to Oregon’s Agriculture, Forests, and Plant Trade.” This webinar focused on key emerging invasive insect threats that could cause significant, lasting impact to the state. The webinar included the current status of these insects in Oregon, how they get here, the efforts being made to address the issues, and what you personally can do. There were short presentations from the following experts:

Chris Hedstrom, Oregon Department of Agriculture

Wyatt Williams, Oregon Department of Forestry

Meg Raabe, USDA-APHIS-PPQ

1st slide of Emerging Pest webinar outlining the agenda.

Opening slide for of Emerging Pests webinar.

Check out the the new page “Invasive Species Videos ” to watch a full recording of the webinar, along with a handy Q&A sheet with questions (and answers) that were discussed during the webinar. Let’s stop these pests in their tracks!