Agriculture officials on May 20 expanded Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in areas of Texas containing commercial citrus. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) increased the Harlingen Quarantine and the Sebastian Quarantine, which include areas of Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties.
The expansion of the Harlingen Quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on April 18 and May 4 of Mexfly larvae in grapefruit in commercial groves in La Feria and the confirmed detection on April 21 of a wild mated Mexfly from a trap in an orange tree in a residential area in Harlingen. As a result of these detections, the quarantine increased by 35 square miles to 337 square miles. USDA APHIS and TDA established the original quarantine on March 26. There are 1,421 acres of commercial citrus in the quarantine area.
The expansion of the Sebastian Quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on May 7 and May 9 of two wild mated female Mexflies from traps in trees in residential and rural locations in the Lasara area. As a result of these detections, the quarantine increased by 83 square miles to 174 square miles. USDA APHIS and TDA established the original quarantine on March 21 and expanded the quarantine on April 3. There are 1,275 acres of commercial citrus in the quarantine area.
USDA APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. USDA APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient pest populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.
The expansion of these quarantine areas is reflected on the APHIS exotic fruit flies website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas.
Additional information on the quarantine areas can be obtained from USDA APHIS National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at richard.n.johnson@usda.gov or 301-851-2109.
Learn about other recent Mexfly actions in Texas here.
Source: USDA APHIS
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