Country: United States

Title:

Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Establishes a Quarantine in Valley Center, San Diego County, California

Contact:
Richard Johnson, Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, at (301) 851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov

Report:

On August 19, 2022, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens or Mexfly) quarantine in the Valley Center area of San Diego County, California. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area.

APHIS and CDFA are taking this action following the confirmed detections of five adult Mexflies within a three-mile radius between August 2 and August 15, 2022, in the Valley Center area. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is responding to these confirmed detections by establishing a new quarantine area encompassing approximately 77 square miles of San Diego County. There are 4,320 acres of agricultural production in the area, including avocados and various types of citrus. APHIS is working with CDFA to respond to this detection following the program survey and treatment protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of Mexfly 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/ff-quarantine

Under IPPC standards, Anastrepha ludens is a transient pest under eradication that is present only in some areas in Texas and one area in California. This species is not widely distributed and is under official control in the United States.

Posted Date: Sept. 26, 2022, 11:26 a.m.