Crop-Destroying Pest Feared in San Diego

A beetle, known as the "tea shot hole borer" is destroying crops in the Los Angeles area, and the pest could be headed to San Diego.

The beetle attacks avocado trees, spreading a fungus that makes the branches of the tree die.

At this point, none of these destructive beetles has been spotted in the avocado trees here in San Diego, but farm workers are still taking some precautions in case they appear.

"Right now growers are getting educated so they'll know what it looks like because they growers are the ones who are in the avocado groves everyday," says the Executive Director of the San Diego Farm Bureau Eric Larson.

He adds that this insect was seen in the San Diego area years ago and affected crops, but never in avocado trees.

If these "hole borers" make their way to San Diego, it could cause a big damage.

San Diego is California's second largest avocado grower with more than 20,000 acres of avocado trees.