Federal and state officials in late June removed Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) and Oriental fruit fly quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
MEDFLY
The Medfly quarantine was removed in the Upland area of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. On Nov. 16, 2021, APHIS and CDFA established a Medfly quarantine in that area and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary to respond to the CDFA’s confirmation of a mature, unmated female Medfly on Oct. 25, 2021, and a male Medfly on Nov. 9, 2021, from Jackson traps placed in backyard citrus trees in residential areas of Upland, California.
Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with CDFA and the San Bernardino and Los Angeles County agricultural commissioners’ offices to eradicate the transient Medfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS and CDFA removed the quarantine after three Medfly life cycles elapsed, with no further detections in the area.
ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY
The Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine was removed in the San Jose area of Santa Clara County. On Sept. 30, 2021, APHIS and CDFA established an OFF quarantine in the San Jose area of Santa Clara County and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of OFF to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary for response to the confirmed detections of six adult male OFF from the San Jose area by CDFA between Sept. 13 and Sept. 24, 2021, all from traps in various types of fruit trees in residential areas. By Oct. 4, 2021, CDFA confirmed the seventh male OFF in the vicinity of the earlier finds, which expanded the quarantine further.
Since then, APHIS has worked cooperatively with CDFA and the Santa Clara County agricultural commissioner’s office to eradicate the transient OFF population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three OFF life cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
More information about all the current federal fruit fly quarantine areas can be found here.
Additional information about the Medfly and Oriental fruit fly infestations can be obtained from APHIS Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
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