Country: United States

Title: Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) – New quarantine area established in Los Angeles County, California

Contact:
John Stewart, APHIS Exotic Fruit Fly Manager, at 919-855-7426

Report: Effective March 12, 2014, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established a new Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) quarantine area in the city of Los Angeles, California. APHIS is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantine area. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of medfly to non-infested areas of the United States.

Between March 3 and March 10, four adult medflies were detected on four properties in the south central area of Los Angeles, California. Subsequently, twelve additional adult medflies and four larval sites were detected within the main core area of the outbreak. These confirmed medfly findings triggered the establishment of the new quarantine area, which encompasses approximately 88 square miles of the city of Los Angeles, California.

APHIS is working with California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Agricultural Commissioner of Los Angeles County to respond to these detections, following program survey, treatment and quarantine protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of medfly to non-infested areas of the United States.

The establishment of this quarantine area is 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, Ceratitis capitata is considered to be a pest that is transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.
 

Posted Date: May 22, 2014, 9 a.m.