On my walks I have noticed yellow sticky traps in some trees that say “Government Monitoring Device – Do Not Disturb”. What are these traps for?
The traps are part of a program by the County Agricultural Commission to detect the presence of the glassy winged sharpshooter. The glassy winged sharpshooter is native to the southeast United States and was first observed in California in 1990. The glassy winged sharpshooter has recently been discovered in Santa Clara County. Our local Agricultural Commission is actively monitoring for this insect as early detection is important for developing control strategies. This pest is a particular threat to California vineyards because it spreads Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterium that causes Pierce’s disease. Pierce’s disease kills grapevines and there is no effective treatment for it. This disease also causes oleander leaf scorch. It is a large insect, ½ inch long, dark brown with a lighter underside. The upper parts of the head and back are stippled with ivory or yellowish spots; the wings are transparent with reddish veins. When feeding, it excretes copious amounts of watery excrement in a steady stream of droplets. When dry, the excrement can give plants a whitewashed appearance. If you notice any signs of this pest or “leafhopper rain” on your plants, contact the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner, at (650) 363-4700.
I’ve read that there is a preventative treatment for Sudden Oak
Death. Should I have my Live oaks treated?
The new treatment for SOD is a phosphate compound, sold under
the brand name of Agri-Fos. This compound can be injected into the tree’s
vascular system by a trained professional, or it can be applied topically to
the bark of the tree when combined with organosilicate, brand name Pentra-Bark.
The treatment is only approved for use on Coast Live Oak, Black Oak, Shreve
Oak, Canyon Live Oak and Tanoak. Phosphites have been used for more than ten
years on other Phytophora species with numerous commercial agricultural applications.
It is considered a low-toxicity chemical and the method of application, the
injection and bark spray, are targeted so that the chemical is not dispersed
into surrounding areas. The treatment does not kill the pathogen, but stops
its growth if used in the early stages of infection. It is not a universal “cure”,
and is designed for use on high value trees in yards where there are known infections
within a four mile radius. At this time, it is not recommended that you have
your trees treated with this product unless you are in an infected area. Atherton
is not considered an infected area.
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The Town of Atherton is a community of trees, with a majestic live oak as the Town's symbol.
The Atherton Tree Committee is a volunteer, non-profit, community based organization dedicated
to the preservation of Atherton's heritage trees. The Tree Committee participates in a variety of programs
designed to educate residents about the value of trees in our environment and to encourage appreciation
and protection of our urban forest resources.
Benefits of the Urban Forest
For more information contact Kathy Hughes Anderson at
650.752.0526 or send email to
kanderson@ci.atherton.ca.us
 Tree
Committee Home Page |