Costco Plants, California Nightmare?

Costco Wholesale store sign against a blue sky — NIGHTMARE FOR CALIFORNIANS

A tiny insect found on grapevines sold at Costco stores across Northern California could devastate one of America’s most valuable wine regions — and hundreds of those plants are still sitting in people’s backyards right now.

Story Snapshot

The glassy-winged sharpshooter, a destructive invasive insect, was found on grapevines sold at Costco locations across at least 10 Northern California counties between late April and mid-May 2026.
The infested plants came from Burchell Nursery in Fresno, which failed to catch the infestation before shipping the vines to stores.
Costco alerted agricultural officials promptly, destroyed hundreds of infested plants, and began issuing refunds to customers.
Hundreds of purchased grapevines remain unaccounted for in consumers’ hands, leaving a dangerous gap in containment efforts.

What the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Can Do to Wine Country

The glassy-winged sharpshooter is not just a nuisance bug. It spreads Pierce’s disease, a bacterial infection that kills grapevines with no cure. Wine grower Nello Olivo put it plainly: if the insect gets into Napa, it could kill all the vines there.

Stuart Spencer, head of the Lodi Wine Grape Commission, said Pierce’s disease makes grape farming “economically unviable.” That is not hyperbole. California’s wine industry generates billions of dollars each year, and a serious outbreak could wipe out entire vineyards.

The insect spreads fast. It feeds on plants and moves easily from yard to yard. A single infested vine sitting in a suburban garden near wine country is a potential launch pad. That is why agricultural officials across 10 counties moved quickly and why this story matters well beyond the gardening aisle at your local Costco.

Where the Infestation Started — and How It Reached Store Shelves

The grapevines came from Burchell Nursery in Fresno. Inspectors found multiple life stages of the glassy-winged sharpshooter on the plants, meaning the infestation was established before the vines ever left the nursery.

Marin County Agricultural Commissioner Joe Devinney said it clearly: “What broke down was there was an infestation in the nursery and it wasn’t caught. And then they were shipped and we weren’t notified.” The failure started upstream in the supply chain, not on Costco’s loading dock.

This is a pattern that keeps repeating in California agriculture. Large retailers act as amplifiers. A pest problem at one nursery can scatter infested plants across dozens of counties in a matter of weeks.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has since placed Burchell Nursery under stricter treatment, inspection, and shipping rules. That response is appropriate, but it comes after the damage was already done.

Costco Acted Fast — But Hundreds of Plants Are Still Out There

To Costco’s credit, the company did the right things after the discovery. It told agricultural officials right away. Sacramento County agricultural inspectors destroyed 160 infested grapevines delivered to Sacramento Costco locations.

In Napa County, 63 of 220 delivered vines were destroyed, with one glassy-winged sharpshooter egg mass confirmed on site. Costco also began contacting members who bought plants between April 21 and May 21, 2026, and started issuing refunds.

Costco issues warning notice for plant due to invasive insect infestation concernhttps://t.co/jHrISjWGP8

— Nepa Here (@nepahere) July 13, 2026

The problem is what is still missing. Sacramento County reports that hundreds of grapevines remain unaccounted for, still in customers’ hands who may not yet know about the alert. Napa County says 157 of its 220 delivered vines remain unaccounted for.

No matter how cooperative Costco has been, those plants are a live threat until they are found and destroyed. Every county agricultural commissioner in the affected area is urging buyers to act immediately.

What You Should Do If You Bought a Grapevine at Costco This Spring

If you bought a grapevine at a Northern California Costco between April 21 and May 21, 2026, do not move the plant. Do not put it in a green waste bin or compost pile.

Double-bag it in plastic garbage bags and contact your local county agricultural commissioner’s office for disposal instructions. Costco is issuing full refunds for affected purchases. You do not need to return the plant to the store — just call your county ag office first.

The glassy-winged sharpshooter looks somewhat like a large, dark leafhopper — about half an inch long with spotted wings. Adults and eggs can both be present on leaves and stems.

If you see anything suspicious on a plant you bought during that window, report it before you do anything else. The faster these plants are found, the better the chance of keeping this pest away from California’s vineyards.