Ambrosia Beetle Research Project Seeks California Avocado Groves to Survey

Dr. Paul Rugman-Jones is collaborating with University of Florida researchers on a project called, "Sustaining avocado production in the face of the lethal laurel wilt disease". As part of this project, he is looking to survey California avocado groves located in Ventura, San Diego and Riverside/San Bernardino Counties.

Currently, laurel wilt in Florida is spread — particularly in avocado — by several ambrosia beetle species. While California does not yet have laurel wilt or the red bay ambrosia beetle, through his research Dr. Rugman-Jones hopes to pre-emptively gather knowledge that will help the California avocado industry prepare in case that were to change.

Dr. Rugman-Jones seeks to sample at least two commercial California avocado orchards in each of the above-noted counties three times in 2025 and 2026 — in the spring, summer and fall. On the first visit each season, a series of Lindgren funnel traps will be placed in the orchards and baited with known ambrosia beetle attractants. The traps will be not allow the insects to escape. The contents of the traps will be collected after two weeks, refilled and then recollected after two weeks. During the visits, he will walk the groves looking for evidence of ambrosia beetle infested branches. With the permission of the grower, he would remove and bag those branches for study at a quarantine facility.

In addition to avocado, he will conduct limited surveys of California Bay Laurel and Camphor tree, both of which are susceptible to laurel wilt, and may provide a network of inoculative sources for secondary translocation of the laurel wilt pathogen into avocado orchards.

Growers who are interested in participating in the study should contact Dr. Rugman-Jones at [email protected].