Back in 2011, Dr. Jiri Hulcr, co-author of Xyleborini of New Guinea, a Taxonomic Monograph (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), warned that a subset of fungus-farming ambrosia beetles from southeast Asia could be a significant threat to avocado trees.

“The redbay ambrosia beetle is originally from southeast Asia, where it colonizes dead wood exclusively. But since the species was accidentally introduced into the southeast United States it has begun colonizing living redbay and avocado trees — posing a significant threat to Florida’s avocado industry,” he wrote in a press release.

Now growers and the media are taking notice, as this video from a TV station in southern California shows:

Read more at:

– Spread Of Fungus-Farming Beetles Is Bad News For Trees

– Avocado Trees Threatened By Newly Discovered Fungus

– Avocado farmers face unique foe in fungal-farming beetle

– First Report of a Fusarium sp. and Its Vector Tea Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicatus) Causing Fusarium Dieback on Avocado in California