Sonoma County Winegrape Commission

Sonoma County Winegrape Commission received funding from EPA for a Vine Mealybug research project. To read the Final Grant Report, please see link:
- Sustainable Approach for Vine Mealybug Control [pdf]
- Supported IPM for Vine Mealybug [pdf]

Sonoma County Winegrape Commission’s VMB Trap & Map Program

Despite growers’ best efforts, VMB is slowly spreading through the North Coast. To help manage it proactively, the Commission began implementing neighborhood VMB groups for newly infested areas. The groups are scaled-down versions modeled after the original Carneros group and the Alexander Valley group.

To keep vine mealybug from seriously impacting our industry, we need to slow the spread and implement effective IPM strategies. This requires that known sites be mapped, growers continue to trap for VMB males and share their results through neighborhood VMB grower groups. The SCWC will support those efforts by facilitating neighborhood group meetings, information sharing and by supporting trapping efforts.

The Commission encourages all growers to participate in our new "Trap and Map" from June through October. Set up VMB traps in your vineyard, notify the Commission of your trap sites and results. We’re offering trap reading as an additional fee-for-service benefit if you don’t have access to a trap reading service. If you’d like us to read your traps:

• Traps must be in a plastic ziploc bag to prevent cross contamination from males not stuck on the glue;
• Your contact information must be on the trap;
• The trap site (Ranch/block) must be on the trap;
• Please include $7 per trap, cash or check (made to Breyer’s Vineyard IPM Service).

Traps may be dropped off at:

Ag Unlimited
23199 Maffei Rd
Sonoma, CA 95476

Purity Products
1411 Grove St
Healdsburg, CA 95448

Wilbur-Ellis
160 Grant Ave
Healdsburg, CA 95448

Crop Protection Services (formerly UAP)
2900 Gravenstein Hwy North
Sebastopol, CA 95472

For more information on the program, or if you know how to read a VMB trap and would like access to the Commission’s microscope, or for full service VMB trapping contact Laura Breyer at 836-7033. Jenny Yamakawa (935-1645) is continuing her VMB service as well.
Initial funding for this program is through an EPA Grant for a Sustainable Approach for Vine Mealybug control for Sonoma County.

June 2009 is the time to begin Vine Mealybug trapping!

Mealybug males (grape, grass and vine) are being detected in the traps, some in alarming numbers. As we observed in 2005, having a trap density of one per 30 acres proved to be inadequate in helping detect Vine Mealybug Infestations in some locations.

Sonoma County UCCE has published trapping protocol recommendations for 2006. If you have never trapped before, or if previous year’s trap result were negative, place one trap per 30 acres (or per vineyard if smaller).

If you have trapped male VMB before, but have not found the infestation, or if there is a high risk your vineyard may become infested, increase your trap density to one trap per 10 acres.

Now is the time to re-evaluate your current trapping program.

VINE MEALYBUG Best Management Practices

The Agricultural Commissioner, growers, wineries and UCCE have developed Best Management Practices (BMP) for growers and wineries. These common sense practices will help to limit the spread of VMB.

If male VMB are found in a trap, it may be from that vineyard or a neighboring vineyard. It is important to notify neighbors to insure they are trapping their vineyard. Then begin looking for female VMB. Telltale signs include honeydew on leaves or clusters, black sooty mold in the canopy, and ants on the vines. If mealybugs are found, take samples to UCCE for identification. They could be grape or obscure mealybugs so positive identification is important.

When an infestation is confirmed, inform your neighbors so that they can take measures to insure early detection of VMB spread. The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission with funding from US EPA Region 9 will also facilitate neighborhood grower groups where information on VMB and its control can be shared and strategies to limit spread can be developed.

CLICK HERE for growers BMP PDF file.
CLICK HERE for wineries BMP PDF file.
 

Links:

Yellow Sticky Traps [PDF]
Retail Sources of Yellow Sticky Traps

Red Delta Traps and Lures [PDF]
Retail sources for Red Delta Traps and Lures for Male Vine Mealybugs

http://vinemealybug.uckac.edu/vmb.htm
University of California Cooperative Extension: Vine Mealybug

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r302301911.html
UC Pest Management Guidelines: Grape Vine Mealybug

Other updates can be found at: http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/viticulture717/Mealybugs.htm