New York Growers Asked to Look for the Leek Moth

Cornell Cooperative Extension associations of Northern New York are asking growers to report any evidence of the destructive leek moth.

The moth is a pest with a taste for onions, garlic, chives, shallots, leeks and other Alliums.

Cornell University and Cooperative Extension are trapping the pest to identify its range and determine if the moth is becoming established in the major onion production areas of New York, which could result in significant damage to the $54 million industry in the state.

A grant from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is being used to determine where the leek moth is, how fast it is spreading and how to control it.

At this point, the nocturnal pest has been located in Clinton, Essex, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties in New York and Grand Isle County in Vermont.

More information on the leek moth is available at local Cooperative Extension offices and online at www.nyagdev.org under Horticulture and through the Leek Moth Information Center for the U.S. at Cornell University: http://web.entomology.cornell.edu/shelton/leek-moth/.