Authorities in Napa County are sounding the alarm about a moth known to cause “significant” damage to grape vines after an insect trapper discovered it earlier this month and reported it to the county’s agricultural commissioner.  

The moth, dubbed with the rather heavy metal name “Western grapeleaf skeletonizer” is from the species Harissina metallica and is described by the county as a “voracious feeder” that can cause extensive damage to grape leaves, often resulting in partial or complete defoliation of grapevines. The feeding can also damage fruit and lead to secondary fungal damage.  

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Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.