The Australian info A native bug hasactually been damaging Victorian olive crops, with some growers losing practically their whole yearly harvest. Michael Freudenstein, who farms inbetween the north-east Victorian towns of Myrtleford and Bright, stated he had neverever seen his 1,000-tree olive grove so bare. “This is the veryfirst year we’ve had an attack of this lace bug, and it’s been fast and substantial,” he stated. The olive lace bug is native to Australia however can show expensive to growers.(Supplied: DPIRD Western Australia) Mr Freudenstein is one of anumberof Victorian farmers fighting the olive lace bug, a sap-sucking native insect which targets olive trees. “Between 70 and 75 per cent of our trees haveactually been severely harmed,” he stated. “We must conserve the rest, however we won’t get a crop this year.” Mr Freudenstein states the bug has expense him the bulk of his crop.(ABC Goulburn Murray: Anna Chisholm) Spreading ‘far and broad’Mr Freudenstein came back from his Christmas break to discover his grove plagued. “There was some wearandtear of some of the leaves before we left in November, however I didn’t understand whether it was a nutrient problem or something else,” he stated. “So I left it, however when we came back the trees were completely denuded of leaf.” Australian Olive Association Victorian representative Tina Knight stated Mr Freudenstein’s experience was far from separated. She stated she hadactually been fielding calls from distressed farmers throughout north-central Victoria impacted by the bug “and asking what they can do about it”. “Once they hatch and grow wings, they’re dispersing far and large … particularly with some of the strong winds we’ve had,” Ms Knight stated. Tina Knight states olive growers haveactually been asking for recommendations.(ABC Shepparton: Callum Marshall) She stated she was handling an problem at her own 27,000-tree grove at Rushworth in main Victoria. “We idea muchbetter have a appearance in our own grove, and when we did, we discovered about 4 spots of trees plagued with lace bugs,” she stated. Pest paradiseAgriculture Victoria plant bugs and illness supervisor Chris Pittock said the spike in invasions was mostlikely due to current beneficial weathercondition conditions for the bug. He stated last year’s moderate winterseason and spring and “a not-too-hot summertime” had led to the problem. “So what we’re seeing at the minute is pests are rather comfy, duetothefactthat they’ve got a lavish environment to feed off and live in,” he stated. Some growers haveactually been using chemical sprays to curb the issue insect, however Mr Freudenstein stated it wasn’t a silver bullet. “We sprayed the grove assoonas, however it didn’t knock whatever out since there were some sort of eggs still on the leaves,” he stated. “You turn the leaves over, you might see up to 10 or 15 on the back of each leaf. “Once t
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