Prevention is our #1 priority

We want to keep the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter out of our counties for as long as possible. If we do everything we can now, it may be possible to hold off the insect until we have an organic treatment developed that can effectively get rid of the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter.

The insect has already infested many counties in California, and many of the plants, trees and flowers that are imported into our County come from these areas. The State of California has implemented a strict inspection program for all the plants produced in these counties, and nurseries in Southern California are treating their shipments to get rid of any Glassy-Winged Sharpshooters.

The counties of Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Marin are doing everything possible to inspect all the shipments that come in, because the State of California will not allow the counties to stop incoming plant shipments because of concerns about restriction of trade. Please support the local inspection effort, and your local retail stores that are working with us to inspect their plants.

Buy your outdoor flowers, plants and trees only from local retail places that have a Certificate of Compliance from the County Agricultural Commissioner that indicates they are participating in an inspection program.

For a list of retailers participating in the inspection program, please visit these links:

Napa County Compliant Nurseries, Retailers and Landscapers

Sonoma County Compliant Nurseries, Retailers and Landscapers

Solano County Compliant Nurseries, Retailers and Landscapers

Early detection is our #2 priority

Because we are inspecting incoming plant shipments, we have already found egg masses of Glassy-Winged Sharpshooters. When we find them at that stage, we can just destroy the foliage that is infested, and ship the plants back immediately.

This applies to our yards, gardens, vineyards and orchards, as well. If we find just one or two egg masses on a plant, and there are no other signs of infestation in a yard, we may just be able to tear out the plant to protect all the other plants, trees and flowers in the area.

The important thing is to take a walk! Look around your yard, your neighborhood park, and your garden. Look for egg masses, nymphs or adults, and keep your eyes open for white stains that may have been made by Sharpshooter rain! The white stains may appear on anything outdoors - plants, sidewalks, cars, patio furniture, etc.

Eggs are usually laid on the underside of leaves, but adults can be anywhere on a flower, plant or tree, so watch carefully, and make sure you do it as often as possible!

The list of plants that Glassy-Winged Sharpshooters feed on is growing every day as we learn more about the insect. The variety of affected plants and trees is enormous and ranges from ornamental plants such as hibiscus, sunflower, and gladiolus, to crops such as citrus, grapes and almonds, to trees such as eucalyptus, sycamore and oak. Please visit the list of host plants for an updated summary of known food sources for the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter.

Get involved! If you have time, please volunteer to let people in your neighborhood, your club or your workplace, know about the insect.

Whether you just want to put up a poster in a local store, bank or coffee shop, pass brochures out to your neighbors, or want to speak to a group you belong to, we have material to make it easy!

If you have even a few minutes to help, please give us a call at
1-866-BUG-SPOT.