By Magnus Henagulph A warning has been sounded by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries over a threat from a bug that could potentially devastate the Island's plant life.

So far there have been no confirmed reports of the Pink Hibiscus Mealybug reaching Bermuda's shores, but the potential damage of such an invasion have been likened to the damage caused by the cedar blight in the 1940s.

And the consequences of such damage from the bug arriving on the Island could mean the loss of trees, plants, agriculture and, ultimately, tourism.

The US Department of Agriculture has labelled the bug as "a pest of extreme serious quarantine importance''.

Agricultural inspectors in Florida are on a state of alert in preparation for the arrival of the bug, which they feel is inevitable -- as did Dr. Jeff Jones, former entomologist at Agriculture and Fisheries.

But the current entomologist, Claire Jessey-Aldrich, said she did not feel this way.

She said she hoped the pest could be controlled by being vigilant and by keeping a step ahead of the bug.

The bug could find its way to Bermuda in many ways, but is most likely to be transported by unwary travellers who do not declare fruits, vegetables or other plant material they bring to the Island as the bug can be carried on these items.

Biological controls are the best way of keeping the bug in check, but efforts by Dr. Jones to introduce a natural predator, the Redheaded Ladybird beetle, also known as the `Mealybug destroyer', were unsuccessful.

Similar biological controls have been used on other islands in the Caribbean with varying levels of success.

They have also unsuccessfully tried pesticides which cannot easily penetrate the heavy wax layers on the bug's body, as well as cutting and burning host material which has made little impact on the invaders.

The Pink Hibiscus Mealybug originated in tropical regions of Asia, but the threat to Bermuda emanates mainly from the Caribbean where it arrived in Grenada in 1994 and has continued to spread to other islands.

However, Mrs. Jessey-Aldrich noted that modern jet-setting travellers could possibly import the bug from anywhere in the world.

The pest feeds on more than 200 species of plant including many plants found in Bermuda such as hibiscus, oleander, avocado, palm trees, citrus trees and some vegetables such as squash and pumpkin.

It was also noted that Bermuda's diversified plants would be an ideal breeding ground for the pest.

While sucking juices from its host plant, the bug simultaneously injects a toxic saliva, which leads to the malformation of leaves, and can ultimately lead to the death of the tree.

Symptoms to look for are leaves curling, crinkling or twisting, flowers not opening but shrivelling and dying instead, deformed fruits and clusters of small soft-bodied insects in white powdery cotton-like masses.

However Mrs. Jessey-Aldrich pointed out that Bermuda was already home to a different species of Mealybug that looked almost identical to the Pink Mealybug, but was not as voracious.

And she urged members of the public not to do anything drastic if they discovered an infestation, but to contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.