IRELAND PUT ON COLORADO BEETLE ALERT
The Irish Agriculture Department issued
a Colorado beetle alert today after three of the beetles were
found in a box of parsley imported from France.
    Officials said a colony of the black and amber coloured
beetles can destroy a potato field in a day. The females lay up
to 2,500 eggs each.
    Some of the 80 boxes in the parsley consignment had already
been distributed to markets and the department called on all
shopkeepers and the catering trade to be on the alert.
 Reuter
