7. A Tiny Bug Devastated France’s Wine Industry
Lest you think the United States is the only victim of invasive insect species, let’s turn our attention to Phylloxera, a tiny aphid-like insect that was accidentally introduced to France from the United States. Our bad, guys.
Phylloxera have a complicated life cycle, many stages of which can greatly harm the vines they use for reproduction, food, and shelter. They lay eggs in the roots and stalks of vining plants, suck the sap out of the plants, and can also cause fungal infections in the rootstock. This combination of various assaults absolutely ravaged European grape production, as none of the European varieties had any natural resistance to the invasive New World insect.
It is estimated that as many as two-thirds of all grape vines in Western Europe were destroyed in the decade following the accidental introduction of the pest. European wine making saw a similarly drastic dip. A great deal of research went into grafting and cultivating grape stock that was hardier and resistant to the insect, as it could not be eradicated.