Moth Invades, Nips Napa Wine

A little moth is an oversized threat to the wine makers in California's famed Napa Valley. The invasive light brown apple moth, a native of Australia, was first discovered in the United States near Berkeley on March 22. It has since spread, and earlier this month, a moth was found in Napa. The larva of the light brown apple moth likes to eat, and its appetite has farmers and government officials worried about 250 Californian crops. But the international appeal of Napa wine has raised the profile of this particular pest. Invasive species are a symptom of global trade, and such "biological pollution" is a leading cause of both species loss worldwide, as foreign species out-compete natives, and of agricultural costs, as pests attack farm products. Having a moth attack our wine supply drives these facts home, according to a story in the May 17 San Francisco Chronicle.