Extension offices in our area are continuing a their fight against Citrus Greening Disease.
Last week, the county extension office reported that it has released a fourth batch of citrus psyllid parasitoids in our area to aid in control of the pest that spreads citrus greening disease.
Citrus greening disease is bacterial disease that slowly weakens and kills all types of citrus trees and causes fruit to become lopsided and taste bitter, making it unusable.
There is no known cure for the disease, but there is a way to kill off the bug that spreads the disease.
Citrus Greening Disease is spread by an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid and a successful method of controlling the psyllids is to release a tiny non-stinging wasp which is a natural enemy of the psyllids.
The parasitic wasp lays its eggs inside the larvae of the psyllids and when the eggs hatch, new wasps emerge and kill the host as they exit.
The wasp has proved successful in controlling the spread of citrus greening in other areas and does not affect any other species than the Asian citrus psyllids.
The wasps remain as long as they have psyllids to lay their eggs in, and die off once the psyllid population is eradicated.
The first release won done in 2017 when four vials containing about 100 wasps each were released in areas between Apalachicola and Carrabelle where citrus greening disease had been found.
The releases are part of a coordinated effort between Franklin, Gulf and Bay Counties to reduce psyllid numbers.
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