Immigrants in Arizona?!?

I know this is ground breaking news to some, but it looks like somebody's new in town and their setting up shop in Arizona:

Little bug could mean big trouble for Arizona wine industry

That little bug they are referring to is none other than the glassy-winged sharp shooter, and the fine folks in California are quite familiar with its handy work. You see this little bugger (sorry for the pun) carries a thing call Pierce's disease and grape vines are exactly down with the program. As it turns out, they (the vines) die pretty damned fast.

"There's no question," Callaghan added. "It could annihilate much of what we do. There are always problems, but not something in this order."

That's from Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards in Elgin, Az. I have not had the chance to taste his wines and if doesn't do something pretty quick, I likely won't for a while to come.

I must say I find the sense of 'surprise' more than a little surprising. This is a know pest in CA. and has been for some time. I would think it only a matter of time until this insect made across the border. And I guess that time has come.

One bit of advice, Mr. Callaghan: Start stringing up fence. The last real breakthrough I saw on combatting the sharpshooter was to hang netting around the vineyard somewhere around 17-18 ft tall. It seems cruising altitude for this insect is somewhat lower but they can't take the thin air way up there.

Click here for some sweet video of the article