Country: United States

Title: Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly) – Establishment of Quarantine Areas in the Rangerville, Cameron County and McAllen, Mission, and La Villa areas of Hidalgo County, Texas.

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

Report:

On March 31, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly (mexfly) regulated area in the McAllen area of Hidalgo County, Texas. Subsequent mexfly detections in the Mission and La Villa areas of Hidalgo County resulted in the expansion of the regulated area. Additionally, a mexfly detected and confirmed on April 3 also resulted in a regulated area in Cameron County Texas. APHIS is applying restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from these areas. These actions are necessary to prevent the spread of mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This outbreak is considered transient, actionable, and under eradication.

Between March 31 and May 6, eleven mexflies were detected in the Hidalgo County areas of McAllen, Mission, and La Villa Texas. These detections resulted in a fruit fly quarantine in Hidalgo County that totals 301 square miles. On April 3 a mated female mexfly was confirmed in the Rangerville area of Cameron County that resulted in a 75 square mile regulated area. APHIS, in cooperation with TDA, is responding to these confirmed Mexican fruit fly detections with program protocol response actions.

The establishment of this regulated area will be reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current federal fruit fly regulated areas:

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

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

Posted Date: June 15, 2015, 9 a.m.