New Pest Response Guidelines - aphis - US Department of Agriculture

Survey Procedures
Procedure
Use the procedure in Detection Survey on page 4-3 as a guide. Once
Dendrolimus moths are detected additional surveys should continue in nearby
areas in order to determine the full extent of the infestation. Inspections should
encompass continually larger areas, particularly where hosts are known to
occur. Surveys should be most intensive around the known positive detections
and any discovered through traceback and trace-forward investigations, if
possible.
Traceback and Trace-Forward Investigations
Traceback and trace-forward investigations help surveyors to set priorities for
delimiting survey activities after an initial detection. Use traceback
investigations to determine the source of an infestation. Use trace-forward
investigations to determine the potential dissemination of the pest, through
means of natural and artificial spread (commercial or private distribution of
infested plant material). Once a positive detection is confirmed, conduct
investigations in order to determine the extent of the infestation or suspect
areas in which to conduct further investigations.
If this pest is found attacking nursery stock, surveyors should compile a list of
facilities associated with infested nursery stock. The lists will be distributed by
the State to the field offices, and are not to be shared with individuals outside
USDA–APHIS–PPQ and State regulatory cooperators. Grower names and
field locations on the lists are strictly confidential, and any distribution of lists
beyond appropriate regulatory agency contacts is prohibited.
Each State is only authorized to see locations within their State and sharing of
confidential business information may be restricted between State and Federal
entities. Check the privacy laws with the State Plant Health Director for the
State.
When notifying growers on the list, be sure to identify yourself as a USDA or
State regulatory official conducting an investigation of facilities that may have
received material infested with Dendrolimus. Speak to the growers or farm
managers and obtain proper permission before entering private property. If any
sales or distribution has occurred from an infested nursery during the previous
six months, surveyors should check nursery records to obtain names and
addresses for all sales or distribution sites.
If Dendrolimus moths are detected in the United States, a Technical Working
Group will be assembled to provide guidance on using monitoring surveys to
measure the effectiveness of applied treatments on the pest population.
4-4 Dendrolimus Pine Moths 12/2012-01