Too close for comfort

North County has a new resident – an unwelcome one – that is making its home inside avocado, oak, and sycamore trees. The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle has traveled from East Asia to communities near Fallbrook.

"I understand [the beetle] has been found in nearly a dozen avocado groves so far, primarily in the Escondido and Valley Center area," said Eric Larson of the San Diego County Farm Bureau.

Larson said while the beetle could adversely affect avocado crops, it is also a significant threat to the overall rural landscape of North County since it also favors oaks and sycamores.

The beet...