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Mystery bug vomit threatens Florida palm trees
AP ^
| August 30, 2011
| Tamara Lush
Posted on 08/30/2011 4:38:30 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
ST PETERSBURG— An insect with a disgusting habit is killing palm trees in the Tampa Bay area and experts are worried the disease transmitted by the bugs will affect trees around the state.
The first Florida sighting of Texas Phoenix Palm Decline was in 2005 in Manatee County. Since then, it's been detected in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties, although experts say Manatee County is still the hardest-hit area.
According to University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the disease is spread by a planthopper insect but the exact kind of bug isn't yet known. The insects pierce the palm leaves, then vomit — and the vomit spreads the bacteria that causes the disease.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: bugvomit; palmtrees
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Tampa Bay Bugganeers.
To: ConservativeStatement
Sounds like a job for a natural enemy of the puking bugs.
2
posted on
08/30/2011 4:41:10 PM PDT
by
DoughtyOne
(McCain 5 yrs Left/1 yr right "BAD!" - Republicans 3 yrs Right 1 year Left to elect RINOs. "Good?")
To: ConservativeStatement
Sound likes an invasion of New York Leftist Democrats (Are there any other kind?).
Who you gonna call? Demobusters!
To: ConservativeStatement
Probably some foreign cootie..They’re brought in all the time along with all our imported food, machinery, shoes, computers, lumber, sunglasses, etc...
No worries though, if it gets worse, your government will come over with a fleet of helicopters and spray the city.
4
posted on
08/30/2011 4:46:42 PM PDT
by
dragnet2
(Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
To: ConservativeStatement
Why are these bugs puking? Did they see Me-chelle Obama in another skirt?
5
posted on
08/30/2011 4:47:36 PM PDT
by
max americana
(FUBO NATION 2012 FK BARAK)
To: ConservativeStatement
“...The insects pierce the palm leaves, then vomit...”
-
I still remember when I had my first beer...
6
posted on
08/30/2011 4:50:19 PM PDT
by
Repeal The 17th
(Proud to be a (little bit bigger) monthly donor.)
To: ConservativeStatement
"It's pretty scary," said Brian Dick, assistant superintendent for parks in the city of Lakeland. "We've invested quite heavily in our palm trees over the past 25 years. To have a disease come out of nowhere and kill our palm trees, it's pretty disappointing."Yes, you have, but it's taxpayer money, so, whatever.
Pheonix Dactylifera (Indian Date Palms) -- architectural masterpieces -- were going for around $400/ft of trunk wholesale when I left that business 7 years ago. They are not native but come from huge groves in Cali and Tx. And they were starting to line the boulevards of all the re-gentrified "downtowns" and artsy districts during the boom. It was a disaster waiting to happen, to those of us paying attention. They were buying all shiney, new equipment, big, expensive palm trees, every square foot of paveable space was done over with those awful concrete pavers...ick. Anyway...
gawd ain't that gorgeous!
To: ConservativeStatement; windcliff
Shouldn’t this thread have a barf alert?
To: DoughtyOne
Bring on the palmetto bugs. Have to be good for something.
To: ConservativeStatement
Reminds me of monitor lizards that don’t bite to kill. They bite to infect.
10
posted on
08/30/2011 4:59:46 PM PDT
by
UCANSEE2
(Lame and ill-informed post)
To: ConservativeStatement
If they could just get the bug to vomit on KUDZU, all our problems would be solved.
11
posted on
08/30/2011 5:01:09 PM PDT
by
UCANSEE2
(Lame and ill-informed post)
To: ConservativeStatement
If you say so. LOL
I know nothing about them.
12
posted on
08/30/2011 5:02:58 PM PDT
by
DoughtyOne
(McCain 5 yrs Left/1 yr right "BAD!" - Republicans 3 yrs Right 1 year Left to elect RINOs. "Good?")
To: DoughtyOne
You are lucky. LOL. They are nasty bastards.
To: dragnet2
Florida is a haven for all sorts of things from foreign lands.
14
posted on
08/30/2011 5:11:37 PM PDT
by
Moonman62
(The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
To: ConservativeStatement
Other than Florida, the only place where they seem to breed even larger is El Paso.
15
posted on
08/30/2011 5:17:28 PM PDT
by
onedoug
(!)
To: Moonman62
16
posted on
08/30/2011 5:17:28 PM PDT
by
Sawdring
To: ConservativeStatement
A similar fate met our tall Jamaican coconut palms a while back ,down here in SO Fl.
17
posted on
08/30/2011 5:17:55 PM PDT
by
Cheetahcat
(Carnival commie side show, started November 4 2008 ,A date that will live in Infamy.)
To: ConservativeStatement
18
posted on
08/30/2011 5:43:58 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
#18: Damned! An unknown photo of Helen Thomas as a teenager.
Boy was she hot, as in “Hotshot” insect spray.
To: ConservativeStatement
Mystery Bug Vomit would be a great name for a rock band.
20
posted on
08/30/2011 5:49:44 PM PDT
by
xp38
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