Cinco de Mayo: Celebrate for a Cause
May 5, 2011
The fifth of May is a day where people break out their taco shells, queso and guacamole to not only commemorate the Mexican victory over France in 1862, but also to celebrate Mexican pride, heritage and, let’s not forget, food. DPI employees will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo today at our annual Spring Luncheon, and we encourage you to join us in celebrating this holiday, but doing so for a cause.
Laurel wilt is a serious disease that impacts trees of the Laurel family, including redbay, sassafras and avocado. The avocado industry in Florida has a local economic impact of $13 million. This disease is spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle, an invasive insect to Florida’s environment. The redbay ambrosia beetle can be transported, often unknowingly, around the state in unprocessed wood products like firewood.
In order to educate the general public about laurel wilt and the redbay ambrosia beetle, DPI launched its Save the Guac campaign. Avocados and guacamole are staple dishes during Cinco de Mayo festivities, and we encourage you to keep this campaign in mind while you celebrate. However, your participation with Save the Guac doesn’t have to end with Cinco de Mayo. You can share the message of the Save the Guac campaign by telling your friends and family about the dangers of transporting unprocessed wood products that can harbor invasive insects like the redbay ambrosia beetle. You can watch for signs of laurel wilt on your trees. You can purchase avocado and other host trees from registered nurseries only. Finally, you can purchase firewood locally and burn it all on site.
To learn more about Save the Guac, laurel wilt and the redbay ambrosia beetle, please visit http://www.SavetheGuac.com. You’ll even have the opportunity check out great guac recipes and sign up to receive a free Save the Guac bumper sticker!
Happy Cinco de Mayo from all of us at DPI! We hope that you join us in celebrating for a cause.
Pledge an Act of Green: Save the Guac
April 20, 2011
Earth Day is Friday, and the theme for this year is Pledge and Act of Green. Pledging to help Save the Guac has its perks, including a free bumper sticker! Here’s the condensed version of Save the Guac:
Laurel wilt = disease threatening trees in the Laurel family, including avocado, which has a $13 million impact on Florida’s economy. (Plus, who doesn’t love avocados?)
Redbay ambrosia beetle = the insect associated with spreading Laurel wilt, which can be harbored in unprocessed wood products like firewood and transported around the state
Guacamole = tastes awesome, and largely consists of avocado
Visit http://www.savetheguac.com to learn more about how you can help Save the Guac and protect Florida’s avocado industry and environment from laurel wilt and the redbay ambrosia beetle. Plus, Cinco de Mayo is coming up, and it would be a sad celebration without guac!
For more information, view related posts on our blog, our website, or call DPI at 888-397-1517. Learn more about Earth Day at http://www.earthday.org.
Keeping an Eye on Laurel Wilt Disease
March 25, 2011
Laurel wilt is a deadly disease of redbay (Persea borbonia) and other tree species in the Laurel family (Lauraceae). The disease is caused by a fungus (Raffaelea lauricola) that is introduced into host trees by a non-native insect, the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus). Laurel wilt can have a devastating impact on Florida’s avocado industry, as avocado is a tree in the Laurel family.
DPI implemented the Save the Guac campaign to help Floridians get involved with protecting the state from laurel wilt disease and the redbay ambrosia beetle. Laurel wilt has been spreading throughout the state since its introduction in 2005, and has also been detected in Georgia and South Carolina. If you suspect laurel wilt disease in your yard, or think you have found a redbay ambrosia beetle, please submit a sample to DPI using the forms below.
With a Medfly eradication program currently underway in Pompano Beach, and a positive find of laurel wilt in Miami-Dade County, it is quite evident that FDACS and USDA trapping programs are effective and crucial to the state’s agriculture industry, environment and economy.
FDACS has positively identified the presence of laurel wilt disease, a destructive disease of redbay, avocado and other trees in the laurel family, on three swamp bay trees in south Miami-Dade County. State and federal agriculture officials are working with the industry and UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to determine procedures for enhanced trapping and disease management. Planning is also underway to conduct aerial surveys of the area, which is an effective tool for identifying additional symptomatic trees.
Laurel wilt is a fungus that is introduced to host trees by the redbay ambrosia beetle. The beetle was found in Miami-Dade County in March. It had not previously been found south of Martin County.
“The discovery of the redbay ambrosia beetle last year was a likely harbinger that laurel wilt disease was not far behind,” said Dr. Wayne Dixon, Acting Director of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. “Our staff, along with our federal partners, has been conducting intensive trapping efforts throughout the state with increased trapping efforts around Florida’s economically important avocado industry.”
According to Florida Agriculture Statistics, the avocado industry represents nearly $13 million to the local economy, with more than 6,773 acres in production in Miami-Dade and Collier counties. For more information about laurel wilt, the redbay ambrosia beetle and protecting Florida’s avocados, visit http://www.savetheguac.com.
You can help prevent the spread of laurel wilt and the redbay ambrosia beetle by
-Becoming familiar with the signs of laurel with disease and redbay ambrosia beetle and looking out for symptoms of the pest/disease on your trees;
-Using local firewood only (destructive pests and diseases, such as redbay ambrosia beetle and laurel wilt can hitchhike into and around Florida on infested firewood);
-Not transporting host trees (redbay, swamp bay, avocado, sassafrass, pondspice, pondberry and other in the Lauraceae family) unless purchased from a registered nursery; and
-Using UF/IFAS recommended methods to dispose of trees in the Lauraceae family, if necessary.
If you suspect your tree might be infected with laurel wilt or find a redbay ambrosia beetle, please call the DPI helpline at 888-397-1517.
Management recommendations for homeowners
Instructions for submitting a plant or insect sample
More info on laurel wilt
Save the Guac Campaign
