Country: United States

Title: Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly) – Establishment of a quarantine area in Perris, Riverside County, California.

Contact:
John Stewart, National Fruit Fly Policy Manager, at 919-855-7426.

Report:

On December 19, 2014, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) quarantine area—effective immediately—in the town of Perris, Riverside County, California. APHIS is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of medfly to noninfested areas of the United States. This outbreak is considered to be transient, actionable, and under eradication.

Between December 10, 2014 and December 29, 2014, twelve adult medflies were detected as well as one medfly larva on a property in the Perris area of Riverside County. These confirmed medfly findings triggered the establishment of the new medfly quarantine area, which encompasses approximately 83-square miles of the city Perris, California.

APHIS is working with CDFA and Riverside County’s agricultural commissioner to respond to these detections following program survey, treatment, and quarantine protocols. Federal fruit fly regulated areas are listed at:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine

Under IPPC Standards, Ceratitis capitata is considered to be a pest that is transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.
 

Posted Date: Feb. 27, 2015, 9 a.m.