Citrus growers, crop consultants, and local Ag officials from the San Joaquin Valley saw first-hand what the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) looks like in citrus trees.

A tour that included stops at a city park in San Bernardino where the psyllid is well-established in decorative citrus trees and a visit to a California Department of Food and Agriculture facility that rears a parasitic wasp used to combat the psyllid, was aimed at helping those on the front-lines of the ACP fight know what to look for in their groves.

The ACP is well-established in southern California and is moving north into the state's prime citrus growing region. The invasive pest has now been discovered in Kern, Tulare, and Fresno counties, as well as in urban and commercial growing regions on the Central Coast.

While the ACP is quite small there are some tell-tale signs that make the pest easier to spot once people know what to look for.

Commercial growers who suspect they have the psyllid, especially if it's their first time discovering the pest, need to contact their local agricultural commissioner. Urban residents are likewise encouraged to contact local or state agricultural officials if they suspect they have the Asian citrus psyllid. In California the Department of Food and Agriculture's telephone hotline is (800) 491-1899.