Country: United States

Title:

Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Expands the Quarantine Area in Texas

Contact:
Richard Johnson, Fruit Fly National Policy Manager, at (301) 851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov and Avraham Eitam, Assistant National Policy Manager, at (614) 205-4565 or avraham.eitam@usda.gov

Report:

On November 18, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens; Mexfly) quarantine in Donna, Hidalgo County, Texas.

Expansion of the Donna quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection on November 14 of a Mexfly larva in fruit on a residential property. The quarantine area increased by 21 square miles to 117 square miles and includes 1,249 acres of commercial citrus. APHIS and TDA established the original quarantine on August 15 following the detection of Mexfly larvae in citrus fruits in a commercial grove; they expanded the quarantine on September 28 following the detection of Mexfly larvae on a residential property.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. APHIS is working with TDA to eradicate transient Mexfly populations following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The APHIS exotic fruit flies website contains descriptions and maps of the new quarantine areas, as well as all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.

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

Posted Date: Dec. 11, 2024, 7:08 a.m.