1.

This $115,250 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care Federal Grant Program (CFDA 10.025) will fund a survey to detect the presence of newly invading exotic wood-boring insect pests in California. The primary activities include deploying insect traps across 4-6 counties, conducting visual surveys, and submitting suspect samples to a taxonomist for identification. The survey aims to determine if infestations of Agrilus planipennis, Anoplophora glabripennis, Tetropium castaneum, Tetropium fuscum, and Xyleborus glabratus exist, and support necessary eradication efforts. The California Department of Food and Agriculture will implement the survey in collaboration with county agricultural commissioners, with the goal of early detection and rapid response to mitigate potential economic impacts to California's $50 billion agricultural industry, including the timber sector.

Purpose

The objective will be to survey for the presence of newly invading exotic woodborers in the beetle families cerambycidae, buprestidae and curculionidae. Specifically, the detection of the following exotic species of woodborers: agrilus planipennis, anoplophora glabripennis, tetropium castaneum, tetropium fuscum and xyleborus glabratus. The survey will be accomplished through the use of different traps and visual surveys throughout the state. The surveys will determine if an infestation exists and the necessary eradication activities to follow. 2.

Activities

Adult woodborers will be collected through the use of attractant-baited multi-funnel traps, cross vane panel traps and a visual survey in each county. A total of 60 traps will be deployed with one of each trap and lure combination deployed per site surveyed in a total of 4-6 counties. Traps will be inspected during early february until late october, and collections will be made at two-week intervals whenever possible. Surveys will be conducted by state personnel, as well as hiring and training staff. Suspect samples collected will be referred to the cdfa taxonomist specialist for identification at the plant pest diagnostics center (PPDC). Pest and damage records (PDRS) will be input into the aphis approved database. Species lists for target beetles will be summarized in tables and included in the annual report. 3. Deliverables and expected outcomes: evaluation of the thoroughness of the survey can be quantified by the number of sites sampled and number of samples submitted for analysis. The survey methods to be used in this survey target likely habitats where newly invading exotic wood boring insects may occur. Targeting the survey on those areas that have the greatest risk for introduction should allow for a reasonable expectation for the detection of these pests. Negative survey results would suggest that these pests likely do not occur in california. 4. Intended beneficiary(IES): benefits of the exotic woodborer survey are numerous. Early detection and rapid response are key to successful eradication of newly invading exotic pests at lower costs. Negative survey data is beneficial because IT supports the validity of existing state and federal regulations while promoting california's export program. Exotic woodborers can cause devastating losses to the timber industry and to rural and urban landscapes. California has more forestland than any other state except alaska. 5. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: county agricultural commissioners and their staff will assist with the survey. No subaward given.