Photo by Susan Ellis, USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, Bugwood.org
The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in July made several changes regarding Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. They amended the Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties and the Edinburg-Palmview-Donna quarantine in Hidalgo County. In addition, the Sullivan City quarantine in Hidalgo County has been removed.
The actions taken by date were:
- July 1 – The Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine was reduced by 62 square miles, including 135 acres of commercial citrus, after three generations elapsed since the date of the last Mexfly detection in that portion.
- July 14 – The Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine was further reduced and separated into distinct Harlingen and Sebastian quarantines. The reduction totaled 194 square miles, including 377 acres of commercial citrus after three generations elapsed since the date of the last Mexfly detection in that portion. The Harlingen quarantine is 101 square miles and includes 941 acres of commercial citrus. The Sebastian quarantine is 71 square miles and includes 5 acres of commercial citrus.
- July 14 – The Edinburg-Palmview-Donna quarantine was reduced by 65 square miles after three generations elapsed since the date of the last Mexfly detection in that portion. The amended quarantine area is 365 square miles and includes 8,755 acres of commercial citrus.
- July 14 – The Sullivan City quarantine has been removed. This action released 71 square miles from quarantine. There was no commercial citrus in this quarantine area. Release from quarantine occurred after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection.
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. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.
See the APHIS exotic fruit flies web page for descriptions and maps of the Mexfly quarantine areas and all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas.
Source: APHIS