Most Wanted Pests

Invasive pests may seem like small bothers, but they can have big impacts on our communities and our economy. The following harmful pests have been found in Santa Barbara County:

• Asian Citrus Psyllids (ACP) (Diaphorina citri) brought Huanlong bing (HLB) to Florida in the 1990s and have nearly wiped out the Florida citrus industry. ACP was first identified in Southern California in 2012.
• Invasive Shot Hole Borers (ISHB) (Euwallacea spp.) are two identical but genetically different beetle species. They make ballpoint-pen sized holes in hundreds of tree species. The fungus they carry on their back causes Fusarium dieback (FD). The ISHB/FD complex can deforest our city neighborhoods and wildland ecosystems.
• Invasive mosquitoes (Aedes spp.) have been trapped in Santa Barbara County. They breed in standing water and can transmit tropical diseases like yellow fever and dengue fever.
• Black Fig Fly (Silba adipata) was discovered in 2021 in seven Southern California counties, including Santa Barbara County. It lays eggs in unripe figs and stops the fruits from maturing. Pin-sized exit holes in hard figs with brown streaks inside are symptoms.

Learn more about these "Most Wanted Pests" by clicking the links in the sidebar menu.