The Great Lime Shortage of 2014
Hell with droughts, floods, earthquakes caused by fracking — we're facing a lime shortage! Drink prices going through the roof, or — even worse — Margaritas and Mojitos made with lemon juice!?!?!?!
Fortunately, a tiny parasitic wasp might be our Savior. Limes in Florida, Texas and California are getting decimated by Huanglongbing, a citrus greening disease. Huanglongbing is being spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny plant-eating insect. And the Tamarixia radiate wasp kills these lime-eating psyllids.
The USDA will be spending $1.5 million on a breeding program to increase the numbers of these Tamarixia radiate wasps. The wasps will be released in Florida, Texas and California. And believe it or not, Congress has appropriated $125 million to a fund for preventing Huanglongbing over the next five years. You go Congress!
John Boehner may hate clean air, endangered species and poor people, but don't fuck with his Mojito.
Labels: Asian citrus psyllid, Huanglongbing, Tamarixia radiate wasp