SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Department of Agriculture officials say a light brown apple moth has been trapped at a Polk County nursery, the first time it has been found in the state.
The Statesman Journal says the bug is a native of Australia that can harms orchards, trees, and ornamental plants. The department says it likely came to Oregon on imported nursery stock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the moth has the potential to be a highly destructive pest, since foliage from 2,000 species of plants and trees.
Dan Hilburn of the Oregon Agriculture Department says there’s no indication that a breeding population of the moth is in the state. But he says it shows inspectors need to keep their vigilance up. The state will put out more traps in Polk County next month.
