The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in Lasara in Willacy County, Texas. The quarantine removal was effective June 9.
On Nov. 5, 2020, USDA/APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in that area and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of the pest to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after USDA/APHIS confirmed one mated female Mexfly from a trap in a mandarin tree in a residential area. Since that time, APHIS worked cooperatively with TDA to eradicate the transient pest population through various control actions.
USDA/APHIS removed the quarantine area after three of the pest’s life cycles elapsed with no additional detections in the area.
See a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. More information about the quarantine areas is available from Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109.
USDA/APHIS and TDA also recently released portions of the Mexfly quarantine in Cameron County, Texas. Learn more about that action here.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
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