Federal and state authorities in early November expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was 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) on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. 7.
This action is in response to the confirmed detections by CDFA of an unmated female Medfly on Oct. 12 and a male Medfly on Oct. 31 from traps in fruit trees in residential areas. As a result of these detections, the Leimert Park area quarantine increased by 21 square miles to 90 square miles. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area.
APHIS and CDFA established the original Medfly quarantine on Oct. 18 following the confirmed detection of two flies in the Leimert Park area on Sept. 27. 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 Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. APHIS is working with CDFA and the agricultural commissioner of Los Angeles County to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.
The expansion of this Medfly quarantine area is reflected on the APHIS fruit fly website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.
Learn more here about recent Medfly and Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantines in California.
Additional information on the quarantine areas may be obtained from APHIS Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.Source: APHIS
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