Official Pest Report
Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.
Mexican Fruit Fly, Anastrepha ludens - Quarantine area established in the San Benito Area of Cameron County, Texas
Mexican Fruit Fly, Anastrepha ludens - Quarantine area established in the San Benito Area of Cameron County, Texas
Country: United States
Title: Mexican Fruit Fly, Anastrepha ludens - Quarantine area established in the San Benito Area of Cameron County, Texas
Contact:
Wayne Burnett, APHIS Exotic Fruit Fly Director, at (301) 734-6553
Report:
On March 9, 2012, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in the San Benito area of Cameron County, Texas. APHIS is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area in order to prevent the spread of Mexfly to noninfested areas of the United States.
From February 27 to March 7, 2012, seven unmated and one mated adult female Mexflies were detected in grapefruit and orange trees located in a commercial grove in the San Benito area of Cameron County, Texas. APHIS, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), is responding to the detection.
Fruit fly traps have been deployed at standard protocol levels to conduct a delimitation survey surrounding all Mexfly detection sites. Spinosad or malathion foliar bait spray treatments are being applied to all host trees surrounding the detection sites according to program guidelines. To control Mexfly populations within the new quarantine area, APHIS is conducting Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) activities over the entire quarantine area. SIT is an eradication tool, which consists of the inundated aerial release of sterile male Mexflies into the detected wild population to reduce reproduction.
The establishment of this quarantine area is posted on the following APHIS 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: March 28, 2012, 9 a.m.