Country: United States

Title: Bactrocera dorsalis (Oriental fruit fly) – Establishment of a Quarantine Area in Los Angeles County, California – United States

Contact:
Wayne Burnett, APHIS Exotic Fruit Fly Director, Fruit Fly Exclusion and Detection Programs, (301) 734-4387

Report:

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the finding of an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) population in the La Verne area of Los Angeles County, California. APHIS is designating portions of Los Angeles County as an OFF-quarantine area and is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of OFF to noninfested areas of the United States.

From July 17 through July 23, 2009, APHIS, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner, confirmed the detection of four male and one mated female OFF’s on three separate residential properties in the La Verne area. These detections triggered the establishment of this quarantine area, which encompasses approximately 84 square miles of Los Angeles County. This is a mostly residential area and there is minimal commercial host production in the quarantine area.

Fruit fly traps have been deployed at protocol levels to conduct a delimitation survey surrounding the detection sites. The population control treatment, known as the male annihilation technique (MAT), is being conducted in a 14-square-mile area. MAT makes use of small amounts of an attractant (methyl eugenol), a pesticide (Naled), and a thickening agent (Min-U-Gel) to lure the male flies to bait stations, where they are killed upon feeding. The Naled/lure mixture is applied to utility poles, street trees, and other unpainted surfaces (such as fences) using pressurized tree marking guns at a density of 600 bait stations per square mile.

This quarantine action is effective as of August 11, 2009. The 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

Under IPPC standards, Bactrocera dorsalis is considered to be transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.

Posted Date: Aug. 12, 2009, 9 a.m.