Federal and state officials in July established an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in California and removed two Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine areas in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) took the actions along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), respectively.
CALIFORNIA
Effective July 1, APHIS and CDFA established the OFF quarantine in the North Hills area of Los Angeles County, California. This action is in response to the confirmed detections of 14 adult male OFF from four sites in the North Hills area by CDFA between June 22 and June 28. All the detections were from traps in various types of fruit trees in residential areas.
APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of OFF to non-infested areas of the United States. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is establishing a quarantine area which encompasses approximately 89 square miles of Los Angeles County. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Los Angeles County Department of Agricultural Commissioner to respond to these detections following program survey, treatment protocols and regulatory responses.
TEXAS
Effective July 27, APHIS and TDA removed the Mexfly quarantine area in Palmview, Hidalgo County, Texas. Effective July 28, APHIS and TDA removed the Mexfly quarantine area in Zapata, Zapata County, Texas.
On Jan. 13, APHIS and TDA established the Mexfly quarantine in Palmview and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after APHIS confirmed one mated female Mexfly from a trap in a sweet orange tree in a residential area. APHIS and TDA further expanded this quarantine on March 31 following the confirmed detections of five adult Mexflies from traps in various citrus trees in residential areas and commercial citrus groves.
On March 22, APHIS and TDA established the Mexfly quarantine in Zapata and restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after APHIS confirmed one mated female Mexfly from a trap in a grapefruit tree in a residential area.
APHIS has worked cooperatively with TDA to eradicate these transient Mexfly populations through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine areas after three Mexfly life cycles elapsed with no additional detections in this area.
MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE
An APHIS website contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas.
More information about the fruit fly quarantine areas can be obtained from APHIS Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service