Country: United States

Title: Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Establishes a Quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas

Contact:
Richard Johnson, Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, at 301-851-2109.

Report:

Effective January 22, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens or Mexfly) quarantine in Lasara, Willacy County, Texas. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area.

On January 21, 2020, APHIS confirmed two female and four male adult Mexflies from a residential sour orange tree in Lasara, Texas. APHIS, in conjunction with the TDA, is responding to these confirmed detections with the establishment of a new quarantine area, which encompasses 83 square miles of Lasara, Willacy County. There are approximately 852 acres of commercial citrus within the quarantine area. APHIS is working with TDA to respond to these detections following program survey and treatment protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States.

The following website contains a description of all the current federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine

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

Posted Date: Feb. 14, 2020, 9:17 a.m.