Country: United States

Title: Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly) – Establishment of a Quarantine Area in Brooks County, Texas - United States

Contact:
Wayne Burnett, Domestic Coordinator, Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Programs, at Area Code (301) 734-6553

Report: On April 27, 2009, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture, confirmed the detection of one adult mated female Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) on a residential property in the Encino area of Brooks County, Texas. This detection triggered the establishment of a quarantine area on May 5, 2009. The quarantine area boundary encompasses approximately 81 square miles of Brooks County, Texas. The nearest commercial production area is approximately 32 miles away from the detection site. APHIS is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantine area. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of Mexfly to noninfested areas of the United States.

Fruit fly traps have been deployed at protocol levels to conduct a delimitation survey surrounding the detection site. Spinosad foliar bait spray treatments are being applied to all host trees within 500 meters of the detection site at 7 to 10 day intervals. The population control treatment, known as Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), is also planned to be conducted in an area surrounding the detection site. SIT is an eradicative tool, which consists of the aerial release of sterile male Mexflies to inundate the detected wild population to reduce reproduction. Sterile Mexflies are released at rate of 500 per acre per week. The weekly release of Sterile Mexflies will continue through two projected Mexfly life cycles in the Encino area from the detection date.

This action is effective immediately. This establishment of this quarantine area will be reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/fruit_flies/index.shtml  

APHIS anticipates following this action with the publication of a notice in the Federal Register informing the public of this change.

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

Posted Date: May 7, 2009, 9 a.m.