Business

Invasive insect threatens iconic Florida citrus

By Tamara Lush
Published August 25, 2014 12:01pm ET
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Invasive insect threatens iconic Florida citrus
In this Wednesday, July 30, 2014 photo, Ellis Hunt Jr., 61, walks past an orange tree, left, which is affected by a disease called "greening", in Lake Wales, Fla. The Hunt family owns 5,000-plus acres of groves and is part of the co-op that contributes to Florida's Natural, the third largest juice brand in the country. Florida's $9 billion citrus industry is facing its biggest threat yet by a tiny invasive bug called the Asian Citrus Psyllid, which carries bacteria that are left behind when the psyllid feeds on a citrus tree's leaves. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) | Lynne Sladky

LAKE WALES, Fla. (AP) — Citrus has always been synonymous with Florida.

The orange adorns the state license plate. The University of Florida’s famed football stadium was named after an orange magnate. There is even a county called Citrus.

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