Thirteen European grapevine moths were trapped in a North Ukiah chardonnay vineyard this week, the first evidence the pest problem has reached Mendocino County.
The moths are suspected of hitching a ride on winegrapes from Napa, where infestations are high, said Mendocino County Agricultural Commissioner Tony Linegar.
"In areas of Napa, they say you can see clouds of moths flying over the vineyard," he said.
The Ukiah pests were found near a winery that had transported fruit from Napa County, Linegar said. Several were found on winery waste.
Linegar is hoping that the problem can be confined to and destroyed in that vineyard. State agricultural officials are on hand, and the larvae are being attacked with pesticides, he said.
The area is likely to be quarantined within the next few weeks.
No moths have been found outside of the North Ukiah vineyard, Linegar said, but they're believed to have arrived two years ago.
"The fact we found 13 means we have a population that was established last year and probably arrived in 2008," Linegar said.
Moths also have been found in Sonoma County vineyards, where thousands of acres are facing quarantine.
Grapevine moths, native to Mediterranean Europe, were first confirmed in the United States in September, when they were spotted in Napa Valley. They destroyed the crop in one Oakville vineyard and have damaged other vineyards, state officials said.
Moth larvae burrow into and feed on the fruit, making it vulnerable to botrytis, a gray mold.
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