Ability to Respond Total:17 / 25Ability to Respond = ( Ease of Response + Tools in Place )
Confidence:High
Confidence Notes:
Impact
Spread
Notes
Score
Spread Rate
The adult beetles can readily fly several miles even without winds; this pest occurs in nearly every other state in the US except CA, NV, HI, and AK; it is in southern Canada, Central America, Europe and parts of Asia.
5
Spread Amount
Besides the "isolation and separation" of the two key potato production areas in CA, probably 500 miles apart, there is no obvious reason why this pest would not flourish in CA.
4
Damage
Notes
Score
Ecological
Increased insecticide usage would result to manage this pest if it established - this would threaten environmental quality.
1
Agricultural
Potatoes are the key crop damaged but other Solanaceae crops (eggplant, tomato) can be damaged as well as numerous weed hosts in that family.
3
Infrastructure
0
Cultural
Pest of garden vegetables.
1
Health
0
Benefit
Notes
Score
Ecological
0
Agricultural
0
Infrastructure
0
Cultural
0
Health
0
Total
14
Ability to Respond
Ease of Response
Notes
Score
Detection
The beetles, eggs, and larvae are all very obvious easy to detect.
4
Control
Many control methods have been developed due to the heavy investment in research, but these will add costs for growers - insecticides, crop rotation, etc. can be used; a key example of an insect that quickly develops resistance to insecticides.
3
Tools in Place
Notes
Score
Entry
A-rated pest from CDFA.
5
Control
A-rated pest from CDFA.
5
Outreach
No efforts in this area in CA but it is a heavily researched and published insect elsewhere.
