Photo by Jeffrey W. Lotz, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently expanded the La Mesa Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine twice in San Diego County, California.
On March 17, APHIS and CDFA expanded the quarantine following the confirmed detections on March 11 of one wild mated female Mexfly and one wild male Mexfly from a trap in an orange tree and one wild male Mexfly from a trap in an avocado tree. The quarantine was expanded by 1 square mile and did not include commercial agriculture.
On April 2, APHIS and CDFA further expanded the La Mesa Mexfly quarantine in response to the confirmed detection on March 25 of one wild unmated female Mexfly from a trap in an orange tree. That action again expanded the quarantine by 1 square mile and did not include commercial agriculture.
The amended quarantine encompasses 84 square miles and contains no commercial agriculture. All detections were on residential properties.
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 CDFA and the agricultural commissioner of San Diego County to eradicate this transient fruit fly population following program guidelines for survey, treatment and regulatory actions.
The La Mesa Mexfly quarantine area was established in March. Learn more here.
The APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies website contains descriptions and maps of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. The website notes that Mexfly can infest more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus and mango.
APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.
Source: APHIS
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