Laurel Wilt

Scientific name: Raffaelea lauricola sp. nov. T.C. Harr. Fraedrich & Aghayeva

Common name: Laurel wilt

Native To: Probably Asia (the disease vector, the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus), is native to Asia) (Harrington et al. 2008)

Date of U.S. Introduction: Redbay ambrosia beetle first discovered in 2002; disease first discovered in 2003 (Fraedrich et al. 2007)

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Video: Florida Division of Plant Industry - Laurel wilt in Florida (or click Play button below)

Means of Introduction: Probably arrived with the redbay ambrosia beetle on imported wood packing materials (Harrington et al. 2008)

Impact: Fungal disease of redbay (Persea borbonia) and other trees in the laurel family (Lauraceae) (Harrington et al. 2008)

Current U.S. Distribution: Southeastern U.S.

• Distribution of Counties by Year of Initial Detection
  USDA. FS. Forest Health Protection. Southern Region.

Management Plans: Microbes / Laurel Wilt

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Raffaelea lauricola Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research

Laurel Wilt
USDA. FS. Forest Health Protection. Southern Region.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

State Government

Laurel Wilt Disease
Alabama Forestry Commission.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Controls

Laurel Wilt Disease
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Division of Plant Industry.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

Forest and Shade Tree Pests: Laurel Wilt Disease (Apr 2008; PDF | 671 KB)
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Florida Forest Service.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Controls

Laurel Wilt Disease Associated With Redbay Ambrosia Beetle
Georgia Forestry Commission.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Dispersion

Laurel Wilt
Mississippi Forestry Commission.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Dispersion

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle and Laurel Wilt
University of California, Riverside. Center for Invasive Species Research.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Dispersion

Laurel Wilt: A Threat to Redbay, Avocado, and Related Trees in Urban and Rural Landscapes
University of Florida. IFAS Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle-Laurel Wilt Fungus: A Potential Major Problem for Florida Avocados
University of Florida. IFAS Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Dispersion; Controls

Red Bay Ambrosia Beetle and Laurel Wilt Disease
North Carolina State University. Cooperative Extension.
Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls

International

Raffaelea lauricola (fungus) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Laurel Wilt
Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center.
Photographs; Impacts; Dispersion

Ability of the redbay ambrosia beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) to bore into young avocado (Lauraceae) plants and transmit the laurel wilt pathogen (Raffaelea sp.) (Sep 2008; PDF | 45 KB)
Florida Entomologist.
Introduction History; Impacts; Dispersion

Laurel wilt
Invasive.org.
Photographs

Laurel Wilt: Invader of the Month (Dec 2007)
Maryland Invasive Species Council.
Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution; Dispersion

Laurel Wilt: A New and Devastating Disease of Redbay Caused by a Fungal Symbiont of the Exotic Redbay Ambrosia Beetle (Apr 2007; PDF | 94 KB)
Michigan Entomological Society.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Laurel wilt & ambrosia beetle - Ophiostoma sp. & Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff
The Nature Conservancy. Global Invasive Species Initiative.
Photographs; Impacts; Distribution; Dispersion

Raffaelea lauricola sp. nov. T.C. Harr. Fraedrich & Aghayeva
North American Plant Protection Organization. Phytosanitary Alert System.
Taxonomy; Introduction History; Impacts

Citations

Fraedrich, S.W., T.C. Harrington, and R.J. Rabaglia. 2007. Laurel wilt: a new and devastating disease of redbay caused by a fungal symbiont of the exotic redbay ambrosia beetle (PDF | 94 KB) Newsletter of the Michigan Entomological Society 52(1-2):14-15.

Harrington, T.C., S.W. Fraedrich, and D.N. Aghayeva. 2008. Raffaelea lauricola, a new ambrosia beetle symbiont and pathogen on the Lauraceae (PDF | 420 KB) Mycotaxon 104:399-404.