Nursery Protocol to Control Citrus Pest

Following the detection of the Lime Swallowtail Butterfly in St. Catherine and St. Elizabeth, the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands has put in place a nursery protocol which involves the following:
– scouting and periodic applications of pesticides in and around citrus nurseries;
– the erection of three-metre (10-foot) high mesh barriers around the perimetres of these nurseries;
– hand-picking of caterpillars wherever detected; and
– the quarantining of plants leaving citrus nurseries for a four-week period prior to distribution or sale.
Feedback received from nursery operators confirms that this protocol is being widely observed.
In addition to the above measures, the Ministry has established a task force to develop a comprehensive plan for the effective control of the Lime Swallowtail Butterfly.