Fears that the pink mealy bug and melon fly might invade local flora and fauna have left nursery owners unable to start off the spring season in full bloom.

Local plant nurseries, already hit hard by Hurricane Fabian, cannot import plants from Florida for fear of the pests so, house plants will continue to be in short supply in coming months.

Nursery owners told the situation has hit them hard.

Last year Government issued a quarantine on plant products from Florida to protect the Island from the devastating effects of the pink mealy bug.

?This has left us in a bad position,? said Joel Cassidy of Bermuda Plant Nursery.

His house plant supplies were destroyed in the hurricane and now he is unable to replenish his stock due to the ban.

?By now, we should have everything ordered but we?re cut off,? Mr. Cassidy said.

?We?ve been using material out of California but not a lot of companies want to deal with Bermuda because of the high restrictions based on importation.?

Government has said the ban is necessary to protect local plants but it is looking for solutions.

Plant Protection Officer Claire Jessey has travelled to Florida to research suitable plant nurseries in that state which may be able to safely export plants to Bermuda.

In the meantime, nursery owners can contact companies in California and New York without reported cases of pink mealy bug, she said.

?As a result of the strict regulations Bermuda has, we don?t have the pests that other countries have,? Ms Jessey said. ?We?re taking the position that Bermuda?s plant environment needs to be protected.?

Nurseries said, however, they need their supplies to arrive by the first or second week of this month to start certain plants growing during the summer season.

?We?re trying to work around the problem, but we?re still left with a very small stock,? said Mr. Cassidy.

He had a hotel order of 3,000 Bleeding Heart flowers but was unable to obtain a permit to bring them in from a Florida-based company, he said.

Aberfeldy Nursery owner Bobby Baron refused to comment on the issue, but he said business at the nursery is ?not too good? at the moment.

And Brighton Nurseries manager Eddie Semos said he is focusing on the outdoor plant trade at the moment due to difficulties of importing house plants from the US.

He said it is also more cost effective to propagate outdoor plants.

Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield has expressed concern about the pink mealy bug and melon fruit fly getting into the Island once direct flights to Florida start on May 5.

The bugs have already left millions of dollars of damage in their wake throughout the Caribbean.

Bermuda plant permits stipulate that the exporting country must inspect the plants and certify that all the conditions of entry have been met prior to shipping to Bermuda.