Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in Texas

On June 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens; Mexfly) quarantine in Harlingen, Texas.

The expansion of the quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection between May 26 and June 11 of three wild mated Mexflies from traps in orange and olive trees in residential areas in Harlingen. As a result of these detections, the Harlingen quarantine increased by 5 square miles to 342 square miles, and includes portions of Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties.

APHIS and TDA established the original quarantine on March 26 and expanded it on May 20. There are 1,334 acres of commercial citrus in the quarantine area.

According to APHIS, Mexflies are harmful to the environment and can cause billions of dollars in lost revenue for the U.S. agricultural economy. A large number of commercially grown crops — including grapefruit, oranges and tangerines — would be rendered inedible if attacked by Mexfly larvae.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexflies to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.

The expansion of this quarantine area is reflected on the APHIS exotic fruit flies 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.

For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine areas, contact National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at richard.n.johnson@usda.gov or 301-851-2109, or Assistant National Policy Manager Avraham Eitam at avraham.eitam@usda.gov or 614-205-4565.

Source: USDA APHIS

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