Neighborly Pest Management Working to Prevent Spread of Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter

The glassy-winged sharpshooter thrives on most landscaping plants and vegetation (e.g., citrus, jasmine and crape myrtle trees) so the concern is that they will become established on residential properties and then spread to nearby vineyards.

King said the first part of the Pierce’s disease control program is to saturate these residential properties with sticky traps to limit the extent of the infestation. Once this is accomplished, the next step is eradication efforts. 

After a formal bid process, the county selected Neighborly Pest Management, Sacramento, Calif. to perform the eradication. Neighborly had experience with the glassy-winged sharpshooter, having done this work the last time they were found in Solano County in 2004. 

Neighborly Owner Jim Steed said for this year’s treatment his company performed foliar treatments using Tempo Ultra SC. “It’s not a real heavy treatment. Right now, it is fall (in California) so we have to be careful with wind, but we are treating any host material that we can,” Steed said.

Prior to the application, the county will notify residents, and Steed said the goal is to treat homes where “finds” have been confirmed, as well as adjacent properties. “We’ve been treating 15-30 homes per days,” said Steed, who added that ag department officials are on site to witness the application. To date, Steed said Neighborly has treated about 60 homes.

During the next two months, King said, the Solano County Department of Agriculture will continue to monitor the treated areas and continue public outreach efforts to raise homeowner awareness about the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

Steed added that it’s been gratifying for him and his team to be involved in these eradication efforts. “The pest control that we perform everyday plays an important part in public health but this project also protects one of California's signature resources," he said. "We are thrilled to be a part of this project."