Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Summary of Plant Quarantine Pest and Disease Situations in Canada

This report summarizes survey activities conducted in 2002 for plant pests and diseases of quarantine significance to Canada. Survey and pest distribution information provides a basis for regulations and control measures to prevent the spread of these organisms as well as for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for export. Most of the surveys are conducted for pests listed in Schedule II of the Plant Protection Domestic Regulations, i.e. quarantine pests* which have not yet reached the limits of their potential range in Canada. This report also includes a survey for exotic pests not known to occur in North America but have been intercepted on incoming cargo (see Exotic Bark Beetle Survey).

Most of the information contained in this report was generated by the personnel of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. However, as noted in the text, the report also includes information from surveys conducted by, or in collaboration with, other agencies, notably the Canadian Forest Service, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Research Branch, and Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Survey data were compiled, summarized and mapped in Nepean by the survey team of the Plant Health Risk Assessment Unit. Inquiries about these and other non-indigenous pests and diseases may be directed to:

Robert Favrin
Plant Health Survey Co-ordinator
Science Division
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
3851 Fallowfield Road
Nepean, Ontario Canada
K2H 8P9
(613) 998-9320 (ext. 5909)
Email: favrinr@inspection.gc.ca

* Quarantine Pest: “A pest of potential economic importance to the area endangered thereby and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled. (Glossary of phytosanitary terms. 1997. International Plant Protection Convention, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome).

EXOTIC BARK BEETLE SURVEY

This domestic survey program complements the Canadian Food Inspection Agency import inspection program for wood packing materials in marine containers and to port activities designed to control of wood dunnage and crating disposal. The trapping survey for exotic bark beetles continued in 2002 in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic. Sites near dunnage storage and disposal areas were the principal targets as well as a number of warehouse locations identified through Canadian Food Inspection Agency import interceptions. In 2002 trapping in port areas was not conducted on the pier (vessel docking and loading/unloading points at the port) but moved to host stands in the port vicinity, i.e. a focus on detection of established populations not interception of sporadic individuals.

Lindgren funnel traps (8 or 12-funnel) were used for the survey. Traps were placed in March and collected in November, with two lure changes (June and September). In 2002, there were some lure changes over those used for this survey in the previous 3 years:
1) two 15-ml bottles of "alpha-pinene were replaced with Ultra-High Release "alpha-pinene + UHR ethanol
2) a Ultra-High Release ethanol lure was added
3) the Phero Tech Inc. Exotic Bark Beetle Lure® (ipsdienol, methyl butenol, cis-verbenol) was continued, however, each trap was baited with one of the three lure combinations described above.

A minimum of three traps were placed at each target area with multiple groups of three traps placed at some larger sites. The number of trap sites by province was as follows: British Columbia (21 sites); Ontario (72 sites); Quebec (70 sites); New Brunswick (6 sites); Nova Scotia (9 sites); Prince Edward Island (3 sites); Newfoundland (11 sites). In addition to the above, separate Tomicus piniperda and Hylurgus ligniperda surveys were conducted in some provinces as described in other sections of this report (T. piniperda; H. ligniperda).

No exotic target species were trapped during this survey with the possible exception of an unknown Scolytid possibly belonging to the genus Xyleborus, trapped in British Columbia A final identification was not available at the time this report was published. With the addition of a general ethanol lure and higher-rate release devices, significantly more specimens were collected. There were 2575 submissions, each containing multiple specimens, submitted to the Centre for Plant Quarantine Pests Entomology lab in Ottawa.

Emerald Ash Borer

Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire)

This exotic insect pest of ash (Fraxinus spp.) was positively identified for the first time in North America in the summer of 2002. Background information on this pest and regulatory updates can be found on the Forestry page of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's web site:

Surveys by Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Canadian Forest Service took place in Windsor and surrounding municipalities during the late summer and early fall of 2002. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency continued survey efforts throughout the fall of 2002 and winter of 2002-2003. By the end of 2002, the insect had not been found east of the Puce River Valley, i.e. all positives were in the western half of Essex County, Ontario. Please see the above link for updates.

Red-haired Pine Bark Beetle

Hylurgus ligniperda

This beetle was discovered for the first time near Rochester New York in the late 1990's. It is native to Europe where it is a pest of pine trees. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Forestry Network has decided that this species will be regulated within a larger North American Pine Policy within the next year. Survey data is required in support of the proposed regulation. This was a new survey for Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2002 but operationally is similar to the Pine Shoot Beetle survey. The survey sites chosen were those targeted for Pine Shoot Beetle in southern Ontario and southern Quebec in previous surveys and included pine stands along major transportation routes, pine Christmas tree plantations, sawmills importing logs from New York State.

The survey utilized Lindgren funnel traps (8 or 12-funnel) baited with a combination of Ultra-high release alpha-pinene and Ultra-high-release ethanol. The survey began in Late March and ended in Late October with two lure changes during the season. Traps were placed in 74 sites in southern Ontario and 29 in southern Quebec. No H. ligniperda were detected in either province in 2002, supporting Canada’s pest-free area claim.

Gypsy Moth

Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus)

Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2002, 287 delta traps were deployed in the annual detection survey in Newfoundland. Trap sites were selected based on risk of introduction, such as campgrounds, recreational sites, tourist chalets and wooded areas frequented by visitors. Most survey sites were near the towns of Port-aux-Basques, Corner Brook, Gander, and St. John's. On the west coast of the island single male gypsy moth captures were reported from Burnt Islands, Doyles, and Rose Blanche-Harbour. Three single males were captured in Port-aux-Basques. On the east coast one male was captured in St. John’s.

Prince Edward Island. Increased moth captures were again observed on Prince Edward Island in 2002. Among the 394 traps placed, 1765 moths were captured in 317 positive traps (compared to 214 moths were captured in 114 positive traps in 2001 and 80 moths in 46 traps in 2000). Multiple trap captures were recorded from all parts of the island with a maximum trap capture of 22 moths in a single trap. The cities of Summerside and Charlottetown had the highest trap captures of 366 and 289 respectively. Follow-up egg mass searches, conducted in September and October, around positive trap locations did not detect other life stages (egg masses, pupal/larval skins, females).

Nova Scotia. The CFIA conducted leading edge trapping along the eastern boundary of the regulated area, and detection trapping throughout eastern Nova Scotia. In support of the survey activity, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has had in place (since 1995) a province-wide network of pheromone traps. In 2002, the highest male moth captures were recorded in Cumberland, Hants, and Colchester Counties, where 186, 91 and 70 moths were captured respectively. Male moths were also captured in three counties on Cape Breton Island (Inverness; 38, Victoria; 16 and Cape Breton; 10). In all other positive counties, with the exception of Halifax, total moth captures per county ranged from 1-4 moths.

In addition to the above, traps were placed around ports in Halifax and Shelburne. This was done, to collect moths for genetic analysis as part of a surveillance project to detect any possible incursion of the Asian race of Lymantria dispar. All moths analyzed were identified as the North American genotype.

According to New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy (NBDNRE) aerial surveillance, the defoliation caused by gypsy moth was up significantly in 2002 over what was observed the previous year. About 2061 ha of hardwood was affected mainly in the vicinity of Grand, Maquapit and Washademoak Lakes. Damage was most evident on oak, poplar and birch with some damage also reported on white spruce and white pine. For more details on this damage, visit the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy.

In addition to provincial aerial surveys, cooperative trapping surveys were conducted by number of federal and provincial agencies. The majority of the trapping effort focused on, 1) delimitation along the leading edge of the infestation and 2) early detection, in areas removed from the infested areas and determined to have a high risk of introduction (importing sawmills, tourist areas). Just under 427 sites were trapped as follows: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (276), Canadian Forest Service / Parks Canada (41), NBDNRE (110), with the CFIA focusing on delimitation with NBDNRE and the Canadian Forest Service focusing on early detection. The CFIA also trapped sites around Saint John, Lawrence Station, Oromocto and Lorneville as part of the Asian Gypsy Moth port monitoring project. Moths captured in these traps were sent for DNA analysis and all specimens were confirmed as the North American genotype.

In addition to pheromone trapping, egg mass surveys were conducted at 666 sites in the province in 2002. NBDNRE increased the number of survey sites to 622 from 75 surveyed in 2001. New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy found twenty four new egg masses and 12 old egg masses in the city of Miramichi. These are the most northerly finds of gypsy moth life stages other than male moths in the province. Egg mass surveys following positive trap results in Miramichi City in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 were all negative.

Québec. Surveys for North American Gypsy Moth were not conducted by CFIA staff in 2001. According to provincial surveillance information, the overall gypsy moth (North American Gypsy Moth) distribution has not changed significantly in Quebec in a number of years with little to no defoliation observed in the past several years except in a few isolated locations.

Ontario. In 2002, the Canadian Forest Service - Ontario Region, continued trapping in northern Ontario provincial parks as well as conducting aerial surveys for defoliation. As in 2001 58 sites were trapped with two traps placed at each location. In the northeast the pattern of trap captures increased sharply with 648 males captured compared with 349 in 2001. Egg masses were also reported for the first time in towns of New Liskeard and Field.

According to Canadain Forest Service aerial survey information, the total area of moderate-to-severe defoliation increased to 153,674 ha from 7,345 ha in 2001 (see graph below). Most of the defoliation (136,878 ha) was observed in or near the City of Sudbury. Further information on specific areas of defoliation can be obtained from the Canadian Forest Service in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. In addition to the Canadian Forest Service surveys, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency trapped 169 sites in northwestern Ontario from White River to Kenora. No gypsy moth were captured west of Pigeon River. To the east of Thunder Bay, single males were captured at five sites.

Annual surveys are conducted for Gypsy Moth in Western Canada. The only province where gypsy moth has been a problem is British Columbia where eradications have been conducted as necessary since 1979. The Government of British Columbia takes the lead in eradicating populations that are moving toward establishment . The CFIA continues to take responsibility for the detection and identification of gypsy moth populations within the provinces of Western Canada. The CFIA uses “Delta” traps with “Disparlure” pheromone at varying densities.

Traps were placed in all four Western Canadian provinces in 2002 as shown in the following table:

Province 2002	# Traps	# Male Moths
British Columbia	8055	15
Alberta	473	0
Saskatchewan	191	0
Manitoba	201	0
Totals	8920	15

Specific trapping for Asian Gypsy Moth is not separated out from the North American Gypsy Moth in the British Columbia. trapping grid. Pheromone traps are placed in all port areas at a rate of one per square mile or higher. All males trapped are DNA tested by polymerase chain reaction. No Asian Gypsy Moths were detected in British Columbia in 2002.

Sudden Oak Death

Phytophthora ramorum

A national survey for Phytophthora ramorum was implemented in 2002 to support a new import policy to prevent the introduction of P. ramorum into Canada ( D-01-01). The survey was required to support Canada’s claim of pest freedom and to determine if the fungus had been introduced into Canada. The survey targeted symptomatic plants in the genera regulated at the time (Quercus, Rhododendron, Acer, Vaccinium, Lonicera, Arbutus, Arctostaphylos, Rhamnus, Viburnum, Aesculus, Lithocarpus, Umbellularia californica, Heteromeles arbutifolia). The latter three genera are rare or not officially recorded in Canada, particularly outside of British Columbia.

The survey was conducted from June to September and targeted the following types of sites:

Samples from eastern Canada were submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Centre for Plant Quarantine Pests in Ottawa. Most of the samples from British Columbia were submitted to the Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria. P. ramorum was not isolated from any of the samples submitted.

Brown Spruce Long-Horn Beetle

Tetropium fuscum (Fabricius)

In early 2000, the Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle (BSLB) was been identified by the Canadian Forest Service to be the causal agent of red spruce mortality in Point Pleasant Park in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Point Pleasant Park is 75 hectares in size and is located in the heart of Halifax. This is the first known interception of this invasive forest pest in North America. It is believed that this pest arrived in Canada in solid wood packing material via the port of Halifax which is immediately adjacent to the park

Since May of 2000 Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources staff have conducted extensive surveys to determine the distribution of T. fuscum. No pheromone or effective trapping method is available for use in a large operational context. Therefore most of the survey effort consists of a labour-intensive visual inspection of spruce trees for symptoms of attack: streams of resin scattered along the trunk; 4 mm holes in the bark; and networks of feeding tunnels just under the bark, up to 6 mm across and filled with sawdust-like material.

The table below summarizes the surveys conducted for T. fuscum in Nova Scotia up to December 2002

Pine Shoot Beetle

Tomicus piniperda (Linnaeus)

Maritimes & British Columbia. Pine Shoot Beetle (PSB) detection surveys in these provinces were incorporated into the Exotic Bark Beetle Survey through the use of the alpha-pinene baited traps. In New Brunswick, three sawmills that import pine logs from the US were also trapped. No T. piniperda were found in these regions.

Quebec. Delimitation surveys for this pest continued in 2002 around regulated Municipalités régionales de Comté" (MRC's). Lindgren funnel traps (8 or 12-funnel) baited with a combination of alpha-pinene, myrtenol and trans-verbenol, were used in the survey. There were seven positive sites outside of regulated "Municipalités régionales de Comté" (MRC's), six of which were north of the St. Lawrence River. Beetles were again captured in the St. Jovite area where T. piniperda was recorded for the first time north of the St. Lawrence in 2001. Single beetles were captured at two sites about 2 km apart. Among the new positive sites, three were in west Quebec at Fort Coulonge (1 beetle), Campbells’ Bay (3 beetles) and Pontiac (1 Beetle). The other new sites, were near Franklin, Sainte-Elisabeth and Brownsburg, all with one adult captured.

Ontario. Using the trap system described above, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency placed traps at 238 sites focusing on counties to east and north of the regulated areas. In addition, the Canadian Forest Service conducted a visual surveys at 142 sites along the north shore of Lake Huron and in Parry Sound District. There were sixteen positive trap sites in Parry Sound District, seven of which had multiple trap captures. The Canadian Forest Service reported one positive site near Orrville in Parry Sound at which the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had also trapped a beetle. There were also three new positive sites in Algoma District, near Iron Bridge and one near the City of Sudbury. Single beetles were recorded at each of these four sites.

Plum Pox Virus

For information on the Plum Pox Virus program visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's "Plum Pox Virus" page at the link below. Details on the 2002 surveys can be found in the Survey Updates section at the bottom of the page.

Leek Moth

Acrolepiopsis assectella, (Zeller, 1839)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducted it’s first year of formal surveys for this pest in 2001. Pheromone trapping and visual surveys were conducted at commercial and hobby farms in Ontario and Quebec. Pherocon® IIC traps were used in the survey baited with leek moth pheromone [blend of (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald) and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol acetate (Z11-16:Ac), in a 10:1 ratio and impregnated into a rubber septum release device]. In that year all positive sites were in the eastern Ontario-West Quebec region, within about 40 km of Ottawa.

In 2002, trapping and visual surveys continued and were focused on areas outside of those counties where A. assectella was found in 2001 and more emphasis placed on the larger commercial production areas. Traps and pheromones were the same as those described above.

In Ontario, a single male was trapped in early July in a 40 ha field of cooking onions about 1 km west of Mount Pleasant (Gwillimbury Twp. York Co.). Four traps were placed in the positive field. An overview of leek moth survey results in Ontario as shown on the associated map in this report. No other leek moth finds were recorded in Ontario or Quebec in 2002. Anecdotal information from growers in eastern Ontario suggests that leek moth populations were lower in 2002 as compared to the previous two years. This was based on casual observation of damage in fields where the insect had previously been found.

Swede Midge

Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer)

This was a new survey for Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2002. The swede midge is an introduced pest that discovered for the first time in North America (Ontario) in 2000. More information on the background of this pest and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's response can be found on the on the Horticulture page of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's web site at:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/protect/pestrava/swedceci/swedcecie.shtml

A visual inspection of host material using a systematic walking pattern was used for this survey. There were two inspection visits per farm (July and August) and at each visit a minimum of two crop blocks were inspected per farm. Suspect tissue samples were submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Centre for Plant Quarantine Pests in Ottawa for analysis.

Ontario
Ninety-seven farms were inspected in Ontario representing about 50% of the commercial vegetable farms producing host plants in the province. Swede midge was detected in eight counties (Brant, Niagara, Wellington, Dufferin, Simcoe, Halton, York) plus the City of Toronto.

Quebec
In Quebec 118 farms were surveyed. This represented approximately 20% of the commercial vegetable farms producing host plants in the province were surveyed. No C. nasturtii were detected in Quebec.

Other Provinces
Surveys were conducted at commercial vegetable operations in British Columbia (2 farms), Manitoba (5 farms), New Brunswick (13 sites), Nova Scotia (10 farms), Prince Edward Island (6 farms) and Newfoundland (15 farms).

Oriental Fruit Moth

Grapholita molesta (Busck)

Surveys for G. molesta have been carried out in British Columbia for many years and employ pheromone baited wing traps. A new dispenser (flexlure) that provides a 2 month release of the Oriental Fruit Moth pheromone was used with the benefit of reduced trap visits by staff. The principle area of commercial stone fruit production in British Columbia is the Okanagan Valley where the majority of trapping takes place. A total of 157 traps were placed in 2002 and no G. molesta were detected. No traps were placed in the prairie provinces due to lack of commercial stone fruit production.

Japanese Beetle

Popillia japonica (Newman)

Nova Scotia
In August, 2001, adult Japanese beetles were identified feeding in Cornwallis Park, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In response, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began trapping adult Japanese beetles in the park and in the area within 1.6 kilometres of it. In excess of 800 adults were trapped, of which over 600 were trapped within the park itself. All but 5 adults were trapped either in Cornwallis Park or within 200 metres of it. Soil surveys were conducted in the fall of 2001 around all positive adult traps, and immature stages of the beetle were identified within the limits of the park. (Trace back efforts have not identified the source of infestation.)

During the fall of 2001 and the winter of 2002, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency met with stakeholders and undertook consultations, to develop an eradication protocol. Stakeholders included the city of Halifax, the provincial department of agriculture, national and provincial landscape associations, and residents' associations and potentially affected businesses in the vicinity of the park.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency deemed eradication of the Japanese beetle in Halifax to be feasible because of the limited distribution of the pest in an isolated urban location.. Recognizing that no single treatment is likely to succeed in eradicating the beetle, an integrated approach will be employed. Eradication activities include restrictions on the movement of potentially infested materials, an intensive adult trap-out program, removal of preferred larval host materials, enhancement of oviposition sites and application of a systemic pesticide.

Movement restrictions are in place on all properties within a 200-metre radius of Cornwallis Park. In order to prevent the spread of the beetle through the movement of material that is or could be infested with the different life stages of the beetle. The movement of soil and related matter from these properties is prohibited, unless it is authorized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Halifax Eradication Measures – Mechanical Control
Mechanical disruption of the larval stages and removal of the larval host material in Cornwallis Park were carried out in the spring of 2002. All sod, plants and roots, were removed from the park to control the larvae through the removal of their primary food source, in an effort to disrupt the feeding larvae before they pupate. Due to the infestation, all plants and soil removed from the park was disposed in vessel composting a composting facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Throughout the composting process, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Inspection Staff conducted sampling of the material for the presence of any life stages of Japanese Beetles and reviewed temperature reports. No insects were recovered during the sampling. In addition to this sampling, pheromone traps were placed both inside the composting facility as well on the property around the facility and no beetles were captured.

Halifax Eradication Measures -- Cultural and Chemical Control
New Sod was laid in Cornwallis Park during the last week of June, 2002 to discourage adults from looking for suitable egg deposition sites outside of the park. A granulated pesticide with the active ingredient imadicloprid, and trade name of Merit was applied. A user requested minor label expansion to allow the use of this pesticide in Nova Scotia was granted through Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Imidicloprid is systemic and highly efficient in controlling early instar larvae. Preferred adult host material including rose bushes were maintained in the park.

Halifax Eradication Measures – Trap-out
In an attempt to use pheromone trapping as a means of reducing the adult population in Cornwallis Park, a trap-out grid was installed at a density of 25 traps per hectare. Because of the possibility of traps set just outside the park having the effect of drawing beetles out of the park, no traps were set within 100 meters of the park perimeter. Traps and host material in the park were inspected daily for the presence of adult beetles. A small amount of adult feeding was observed (several branches on one rose bush). There were 9 adult Japanese beetles collected on host material in Cornwallis Park during daily inspections.

Halifax Survey–Trapping
Traps were set, at decreasing densities, outside of this 100-metre zone, to a distance of 4.8 kilometres from the park. Traps were checked regularly for the presence of adult beetles. A survey of all host material in the area of the positive trap catches was conducted. No signs of adult feeding was found on any host material outside Cornwallis Park.

Halifax Survey – Soil Sampling
All sites of positive trap captures were soil sampled in the fall to detect for the presence of larva. A non-disruptive techniques was used. A minimum 30 cm x 30 cm sod was cut on three sides using a spade. The sod was turned over, the soil examined for the presence of any larvae and the sod was returned to its original position.

Quebec and Ontario
In Quebec and Ontario, delimitation surveys were conducted, mainly at importing/exporting nurseries in counties adjacent to the regulated areas. Nearly all major exporting and wholesale nurseries are now within the regulated areas of these provinces and a major revision of the policy underway may consider these provinces as generally infested.

In Ontario, 80 sites were surveyed in 2002. Outside of the regulated areas single beetles were captured at two sites in Kitchener (Waterloo RM) and one site in Elora (Wellington Co.). In Hastings County, 10 beetles were captured at one site in Belleville. All other finds were within regulated areas*.

In Quebec, 95 sites were trapped with beetles caught at 12 sites outside of the regulated areas as summarized below*.
- Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile-Perrot ("Municipalités régionales de Comté" (MRC) Vaudreuil-Soulanges ) - 2 sites (3 and 4 beetles, respectively)
- Pierrefonds (Montréal) - 2 sites (3 and 6 beetles, respectively)
- Lachine (Montréal) - 6 sites (1, 1, 2, 3, 3 and 7 beetles, respectively)
- Boucherville ("Municipalités régionales de Comté" (MRC) Lajemmerais ) - 1 beetle
- Drummondville ("Municipalités régionales de Comté" (MRC) Drummond) - 1 beetle

British Columbia:
Annual detection surveys for Japanese beetle are conducted in British Columbia. In 2002, 130 sites were trapped in Greater Vancouver/Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and in the Interior. Most other areas of the province are not suitable for larval development. The survey focused on nurseries, garden centers, sod farms, golf courses and around sites that may have been exposed to regulated imported material from infested areas of the US or Canada. Japanese beetle was not detected in British Columbia in 2002.

Chrysanthemium White Rust

Puccinia horiana P. Henn.

In early October, 2001, P. horiana was discovered in commercial greenhouses in the lower mainland of British Columbia. A full scale trace back and trace forward survey was undertaken of all mum growers in the area. In total, nine operations were found with infected material and eight placed under quarantine. All infected material in the greenhouses together with buffer zones, as appropriate, were destroyed. Destruction was followed by deep burial, incineration or steaming of greenhouse beds. Growers applied fungicides to remaining plants as required in the eradication protocol. A follow-up survey was conducted in the fall of 2002 (Sept. - Oct.) between flowering and harvest when climatic conditions are most suitable to development of visual symptoms. A total of 171 sites with mums, both commercial and backyard were examined including hobbyists collections on Vancouver Island. In commercial greenhouses, special attention was paid to high humidity areas, new more susceptible varieties and all mother plants No commercial houses were positive but one semi-commercial operation had retained infected mums from the 2001 season. Eight backyard gardens were found positive again linked to the previous finds in Chilliwack in 2001. All positive material was destroyed.

Blueberry Maggot

Rhagoletis mendax Curran

Newfoundland: Detection trapping was conducted in 14 areas where lowbush blueberries are commercially harvested in Newfoundland. The major areas surveyed were the Avalon and Bonavista peninsulas, central Newfoundland and near Port aux Basques. No R. mendax flies were detected in Newfoundland in 2002.

British Columbia: The Fraser Valley is the major production area of commercial blueberries in British Columbia and prior to 1996 was the only area of the province surveyed for blueberry maggot. The production area in the Fraser Valley is divided into thirds and surveyed on a three-year rotation. Thirty-five sites were trapped in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island in 2002 and no R. mendax flies were detected.

Quebec: In Quebec, 891 traps were placed at 450 sites. In addition to general detection survey, a delimitation survey was conducted in the vicinity of a managed lowbush plantation near Saint-Elzéar (MRC Bonaventure ) on the southern Gaspé peninsula, where a single fly was captured for the first time in 2001 (see 2001 report on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's web site). In 2002, four sites were positive in the Saint-Elzéar area, three of which had multiple fly captures. This would indicate the presence of an established population in that area - most easterly extension of the pest’s range in Quebec. Among the other positive sites in 2002, nine were in the generally infested areas of southwestern Quebec in the MRC's of Le Haut-Saint-Laurent and Brome-Missisquoi. Most of these sites were used as sentinels to monitor adult emergence or were part of the Blueberry Maggot Certification Program as outlined in Policy Directive D-02-04. Adult R. mendax were also trapped again in a plantation near Saint Thomas ( MRC of Joliette ) which was first detected in 1999. All other survey sites outside of the regulated areas were negative.

Ontario: In Ontario, trapping was conducted at 32 commercial highbush plantation sites and 10 wild sites. This represents about one third of the commercial highbush growers in the province. Rhagoletis mendax was only detected at one site in 2002. The positive site is a small hobby farm that had been previously identified as positive. All other previous positive commercial sites were negative in 2002. None of the wild sites were positive. One of the farms without captures was the site of the first find in Ontario (near Port Burwell). Blueberry maggot has not been found on this farm since 1995 and it is possible that the population has been reduced to undetectable levels or has actually been eradicated as a result of the regulatory requirements.

Apple Maggot

Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh)

British Columbia is the only major apple producing area in North America that remains free of apple maggot. An annual survey has occurred for many years in British Columbia to support claims of pest freedom and justify import restrictions under Policy Directive D-00-07. A cooperative survey involving the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and the British Columbia Fruit Growers takes place in apple producing areas and in urban high risk areas. Since 1999, sticky plasticized red spheres baited with butyl hexanoate (apple volatile) have been used for trapping replacing the traditional yellow sticky board traps which proved very attractive to a non-target species, the snowberry maggot. The use of the spheres has also significantly reduced the workload required for identification of target species. In 2002, 450 sites were trapped. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitored the urban areas (227 traps) where Federal legislation permits the entry of an inspector on private property. The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and the British Columbia Fruit Growers monitored 250 traps in commercial apple orchards. No R. pomonella were captured in B.C. in 2002.

Apple Ermine Moth

Yponomeuta malinellus Zeller

In Nova Scotia trapping and visual surveys were conducted in abandoned orchards and fruit farms at 22 sites in the Annapolis Valley. In Quebec, both trapping and visual surveys were conducted at 36 sites. The targeted areas included importing nurseries, unsprayed orchards and areas with abandoned trees. In Ontario, surveys were conducted at 42 sites, including commercial orchards, abandoned orchards, nurseries and garden centres, in 15 Counties throughout southern Ontario. Yponomeuta malinellus was not detected in any trap or visual surveys in 2002.

Soybean Cyst Nematode

Heterodera glycines Ichinohe

Ontario: A province-wide survey was conducted in 2002 in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF). The CFIA provided laboratory resources in the form of cyst extractions and diagnostic identification and OMAF contributed field staff to collect the samples. Samples were collected during the late growing season or after harvest, following a zig-zag pattern throughout the field. Each sample consisted of about 1 liter of soil made up of 10-30 cores collected using a 2.5 cm soil probe to depth of approximately 20 cm. The number of samples generated per field varied with the field size. Over 1300 soil samples were collected across the province, focusing on non-regulated counties. As of this writing, over half of the samples were processed and tested negative but not further diagnostic information was available.

Quebec: Annual soil surveys are conducted on soybean fields in the vicinity of potato processing plants that had imported potatoes from H. glycines-infested states in the U.S., and at selected seed fields. In 2002, fifteen farms were surveyed with 10-30 samples collected per farm. All samples were negative for H. glycines, although some contained the clover cyst nematode, Heterodera trifolii, which is not a pest of quarantine significance to Canada.

Manitoba:A soil survey for soybean cyst nematode was conducted for the first time in Manitoba in 2002. Samples were collected from twenty-two seed farms throughout southern Manitoba using methods similar to those for Ontario above. All samples were negative for H. glycines. A few of the samples contained small numbers of Cactodera sp.

Cereal Leaf Beetle

Oulema melanopus (Linnaeus)

Alberta
Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff conducted surveys in Southern Alberta beginning in late May through to the end of June. In total, 129 fields representing 3531.3 hectares were surveyed, consisting mostly of wheat, barley and grass headlands and ditches. All locations were negative for O. melanopus.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan
In Manitoba 48 fields were surveyed in municipalities, mainly along the southern border. In Saskatchewan, 73 fields were surveyed. The majority of fields surveyed in both provinces were in cereals. No O. melanopus were found in 2002 in either of these provinces.

British Columbia
With the establishment of the Cereal Leaf Beetle Quarantine Zone in the southeast of the province (the land districts of Central and East Kootenay) no O. melanopus surveys were conducted in British Columbia in 2002.

Potato Wart

Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilberzky) Percival

In 2002 a second find of Potato Wart was discovered in Prince Edward Island. The find was the result of a routine Canadian Food Inspection Agency post-harvest field inspection. These inspections are required under the three-year Canada/U.S. operational work plan. More information on this topic can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's web site at:

Summary of Plant Quarantine Pest and Disease Situations in Canada 2002

Table of Contents

FORESTRY SURVEYS

GRAINS AND FIELD CROPS

HORTICULTURE SURVEYS

POTATOES

Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire)

Hylurgus ligniperda

Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus)

Sudden Oak Death

Tetropium fuscum (Fabricius)

Tomicus piniperda (Linnaeus)

Acrolepiopsis assectella, (Zeller, 1839)

Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer)

Grapholita molesta (Busck)

Popillia japonica (Newman)

Puccinia horiana P. Henn.

Rhagoletis mendax Curran

Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh)

Yponomeuta malinellus Zeller

Heterodera glycines Ichinohe

Oulema melanopus (Linnaeus)

Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilberzky) Percival

Summary of Plant Quarantine Pest and Disease Situations in Canada
2002