Country: United States

Title: Bactrocera latifrons (Malaysian Fruit Fly) - Removal of the Quarantine in the Westchester Area of Los Angeles County, California

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

Report:

Effective August 1, 2016, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) removed the quarantine area for the Malaysian fruit fly in Westchester, Los Angeles County, California.

On January 11, 2016, APHIS implemented the Malaysian fruit fly quarantine in the city of Westchester, Los Angeles County, California. The quarantine restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area to prevent the spread of the Malaysian fruit fly to non-infested areas of the United States. Since that time, APHIS has worked with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Los Angeles County Agriculture Commissioner’s office to eradicate the transient Malaysian fruit fly population. Control actions included high density trapping, fruit removal, regulatory quarantine measures, and foliar bait sprays near the detection sites.

Eradication concluded after three lifecycles passed without finding additional Malaysian fruit flies in this area. This following designated website 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 latifrons is considered to be a pest that is abscent: eradicated from California and the United States.

 

Posted Date: Aug. 19, 2016, 9 a.m.