A new worry for wine country: A destructive moth with an ominous name has been found in a vineyard in Calistoga.
The Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer is non-native moth with a ravenous appetite for grape leaves. The moths lay eggs in clusters on the bottom of the leaves, and after they hatch, the larvae feed on it.
Fortunately, the metallic-bluish moth doesn’t spread diseases, but it can cause severe damage to the leaves after feeding on them, costing vineyard owners time and money.
The Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office is asking growers and gardeners to keep their eyes out for the caterpillar stages of the invasive species.
“We do not want this pest to become established in Napa County,” Agricultural Commissioner Greg Clark said in a news release.
The Agricultural Commissioner’s Office has set up traps hoping to catch the bugs before they rapidly spread.
